Not home for the holidays
International students share their holiday plans in the United States
Celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas in the United States has universal appeal, say six international students at Greensburg Central Catholic Junior-Senior High School. The students from Italy, Libya, South Korea and Russia said that while they enjoy the holidays’ glitz and commercialism here, they know what really is being celebrated: It includes family and food. Lots of food.
This week some of the students got their first taste of Thanksgiving turkey and all the trimmings, a holiday meal they often saw glamorized in American films. The six shared their plans for holidays far away from home.
Gianmarco Ariola of Italy
Gianmarco Ariola, 16, who arrived here in September, plans to shop for bargains on Black Friday — just as he does in Italy.
And, while this Thanksgiving is his first away from home, he is familiar with what goes on: “I get to eat a lot.’’
While Gianmarco, a senior, cannot recall eating turkey before, he was optimistic he would enjoy it because, “I like all food.’’
No stranger to the kitchen, he planned to pitch in on meal preparations with his hosts, the Neil family, of Greensburg, for whom he frequently cooks pasta dinners.
He said that on Christmas Day in Italy, children wake to find gifts delivered by their version of Santa, called Babbo Natale. Then there is an exchange of gifts among family members before sitting down for a traditional meal of frutti di mare, or spaghetti with seafood.
Gianmarco noted one Italian holiday custom he probably will not see celebrated in the states: a visit from Befana, who, folklore has it, flies on a broom (which she uses to sweep away one’s problems) and fills stockings with treats on the morning of the Epiphany, Jan. 6.
Hunuk Cho of South Korea
Hunuk Cho, 19, lives with host the Ihrig family in North Huntingdon. While this is his fifth year in the U.S., this will be his first Thanksgiving in Western Pennsylvania because he traveled on previous holidays.
“I think it will be really nice, but I don’t know what to expect,” he admitted.
After enjoying his first turkey dinner, he plans to hunker down to study for college board exams.
A Thanksgiving-type holiday is celebrated in South Korea in September, he said, but no particular foods are on the menu.
For Christmas break he will return to his homeland to spend time with his family.
Sanad Eljali of Libya
On Thanksgiving, Sanad Eljali, 17, of Libya, plans to again run the annual three-mile turkey trot in Greensburg, a
benefit for the Big Brothers and Sisters organization.
He has done it before. “It was pretty nice but cold,” the senior student said of last year’s run.
Afterward, he said, he is looking forward to stuffing the turkey and peeling potatoes while also setting up furniture for the 20 guests expected for dinner at his host Frederickson family home in Greensburg.
Earlier he helped decorate by placing a faux pilgrim on the front door and pumpkins on the front steps.
“I was a second grade teacher, so I taught him the story and traditions,” Dar Frederickson said.
“He also asked, ‘When do we get the tree?’ ” she said.
Last year he helped her choose one and decorate it.
He was also looking forward to Black Friday to buy discounted items.
Sanad said the best part of the holidays is the bountiful food and gifts. He said an American Christmas reminds him of receiving gifts of money during Eid al-Fitr, a Muslim religious holiday.
Sanad is a devout Muslim, so Ms. Frederickson observed with him the Islamic holy month of Ramadan from May to June with introspection and fasting.
Yahor Ramanau Kamil Zainullin Egor Busygin
Yahor Ramanau, Kamil Zainullin and Egor Busygin have more in common than living with the Zupanc family, their hosts in Greensburg.
All hail from Russia. Kamil and Egor still live there, and Yahor was born there before moving to Belarus, an Eastern European country bordered by Russia.
All agree they came here for a better education but also enhanced hockey opportunities.
The 16-year-olds are hockey players who aim to hone their skills over the Thanksgiving break on a synthetic ice surface in the Zupancs’ garage. All three boys are members of the Esmark Stars AAA Hockey Club of the North Hills Amateur Hockey Association.
But before taking to the ice, they plan to enjoy a traditional turkey dinner with the Zupancs’ extended family and then watch football on television.
“It’s fun, and it brings everyone together,” Yahor, a freshman, said of the holiday.
But he admits his contribution to the all-American meal is simply “putting dishes in the dishwasher.’’
Yahor admitted he can imagine only one improvement to an all-American Thanksgiving. “It would only be better if hockey was on TV,” he said.
And he admitted there is some stress with getting ready for Christmas here: “I have to think about what to buy for gifts.”
Kamil, a sophomore, called American holiday traditions “cool’’ because “families get together, and we all get presents,” he said.
Egor, a junior, is especially looking forward to Christmas as his parents will be visiting here from Dec. 23 to Jan. 6.
Besides sightseeing, the family will attend a Penguins hockey game, after which they will drive to Washington, D.C., for a Capitals game.
“It’s good for me to spend time with my family to help them learn American culture,” he said.