What’s not to like about Thanksgiving with international visitors? Even when the conversation about family traditions takes place through a computer screen, it is a great way to introduce our community’s culture. This year, we tweaked our traditional offering since we could not pass the cranberry sauce in person and created cultural hospitality for a group of Australian IVLP participants who came to us via Meridian International.
We reached out to our membership and professional resources via email to create the guest list. We also contacted the parents of youth who participated in a recent State Department exchange with us. We also advertised the opportunity on social media and used LinkedIn to connect us to young professionals.
As we got closer to the day, we coordinated with a family who, due to work schedules, was planning to celebrate Thanksgiving earlier in the week. Happily, their dinner fell on the day of our cultural hospitality.
We decided to add another layer to the fun the weekend before and asked American attendees to submit a family recipe. We designed and created this compilation and shared it with everyone after the event. For those looking for a new recipe for green bean casserole, shoot us an email. We have two delicious ones for you.
When the big day arrived, we had a brief site visit to the early celebrants’ kitchen and dining room table. They even invited us to take a peek in their oven at the roasting turkey. Next, in rotating breakout rooms, we utilized one of our favorite facilitation tools to get visitors and locals talking about various topics.
Although we did not eat during the event, it certainly felt festive. You don’t have to dine to experience the spirit of Thanksgiving. Take your enthusiasm for citizen diplomacy, add a few props and relevant questions, and mix them. Within short order, you will have all you need for a Thanksgiving exchange, except for a kiddie table and the pulling of a wishbone.
