A Chinese Thanksgiving

CLI takes great delight in gathering the community together for a celebration – especially if good food is involved. Although not traditionally a Chinese holiday, this week’s Thanksgiving holiday was definitely not missed!

In its endless quest to bring Chinese and Western cultures together in innovative ways, CLI booked a feast at Tian Fu Lou (a unique local Buddhist restaurant in Guilin) to celebrate thanks, giving, and the spirit of recognizing how amazing life is.

To complete the atmosphere of cultural fusion, CLI students could be heard practicing their Chinese, and local Chinese students seized the opportunity to use their English as well.

After a warming speech from Bradford Fried, everyone was a bit more versed on the history of Thanksgiving and its significance to Americans. There were even some parallels drawn between America’s Thanksgiving and China’s Mid-Autumn Festival. Both of these holidays serve as a time to get together with family, appreciate the things in life that we often take for granted, and show gratefulness to friends and loved ones.

Of course, no Thanksgiving holiday would be complete without asking the ultimate Thanksgiving question: “What are you thankful for?” Several people were brave enough to stand up and share their thoughts with everyone. Victoria Klink, one of CLI’s study abroad students, gave special thanks to her family and friends for supporting her and giving her the opportunity to come to China for a semester of study – a life-changing experience she will remember forever.

CLI祝你感恩节快乐！Happy Thanksgiving from the CLI staff!