Thanksgiving in Madrid, 2015

Are you an American or lover of all things American, living in Madrid and wondering what an expat is supposed to do on Thanksgiving in another country? Are you wandering through the streets hearing Charlie Brown’s sad song in your head as you dream of pumpkin pies and giant turkeys? Well stop that wallowing at once because Madrid has everything you need for a wonderful thanksgiving: American food, wonderful friends, and a loving (AIL Madrid) family! Let’s break it down:

Food

This past summer, we gave you a rundown of the best places to find American products here in Madrid, but let’s review again: Corte Ingles and Taste of America are both great places to get those hard to find products you love from back home. Looking for pumpkin pie filling, stuffing, or cranberry sauce? Taste of America has you covered. Looking for a whole Turkey? You can find one at Corte Ingles, even on the day of! That’s better than the US, where you would be fighting eight other people for the last scraggly, stringy bird that had been picked over for days. Another win for Spain!

If you’re not a cook but just want some good old American cookin’, try Tommy Mel’s or Peggy Sue’s diners: they are all over Madrid and feature burgers, fries, a 50’s vibe, and tasty milkshakes.

Friends

One of the best parts of Thanksgiving is not actually food, but the company you keep. Surround yourself with your new favorite people and invite friends from other countries to try this heart-warming tradition with you for the first time. Remember, the true meaning of Thanksgiving is putting differences aside and finding what you have in common, and who better to do that than with the new friends you met in Spanish class from all over the globe!

Family

Family can be defined in many ways, but our definition of family is this: wonderful, caring people who have something important in common. In our case, that thing is learning Spanish in Madrid! We’re all in this adventure together, discovering new things everyday and getting to know each other better while we grow more fluent and comfortable in Spanish. So to all of the AIL Madrid students, past, present, and future: you are our family! We’re so excited to have you with us here in Madrid on this special day.

Giving Thanks

Here at AIL, we know what we’re thankful for: our tireless and loving teachers, our ever-smiling staff, and (most of all) our variety of incredible students who bring light and joy into our lives every day of the year. Thank you for being part of our family and happy thanksgiving!

Feel free to add what you’re thankful for in the comments!