Thanksgiving is a day to appreciate everything you have and be thankful, no matter where you are from. 

For Ethiopian senior Bitania Endalkachew, Thanksgiving is a day to show gratitude for the opportunity to be thriving in America, as opposed to the numerous Ethiopians who would love to be here but can’t come. “

“[On Thanksgiving] everyone in my family goes to one person’s house and we eat the regular food like turkey and mashed potatoes, but there’s also cultural [Ethiopian] food like injera and wut,””Endalkachew said. 

After the meal, they continue to celebrate the holiday by spending time together for the rest of the day. “Sometimes the adults play Ethiopian music and if people want to dance they will dance, it’s like a big celebration,” Endalkachew said. Though many American families love the Thanksgiving holiday for the food, the Endalkachew family combines the food aspect along with cultural tradition. “

“My family pretty much merged the holiday with Ethiopian culture,”” Endalkachew said. Though her family combines the Ethiopian and American celebration traditions together, the meaning of Thanksgiving is the same to them.