It is interesting how different cultures have various twists on Thanksgiving meals. Several years ago, my friend Kristina and I went to Puerto Rico for Zulema’s wedding, another college friend who lived with us in the international dorm. It was during the Thanksgiving holiday so Zulema’s parents invited us over for dinner. They had the traditional turkey; however, I remember the sides included Spanish and Puerto Rican dishes. In addition, Zulema’s parents, who are from Spain, are not fluent in English so I also remember speaking Spanish and in general really enjoying the food.

This year, I spent Thanksgiving with my family in Baltimore; therefore, our meal was influenced by African-American and southern cultures. Our menu consisted of turkey, ham, glazed sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, “yellow” potato salad, corn bread dressing, giblet gravy, creamed onions, salad, cranberry sauce and rolls. For dessert, we had apple pie, pecan pie, pumpkin cheesecake and a pound cake. As usual, the food was scrumptious, and we had a lot of fun talking about family activities, politics, sports and how much weight we may have just gained.

I’ve learned that while Thanksgiving meals may have cultural twists, they tend to have the same purpose: to enjoy fellowship with family and friends and to be thankful for all of the blessings in your life. Next time you are invited to a Thanksgiving meal that may be different from your traditions, go and let me know what was on the menu.