How to Survive Being Away From Home During the Holidays
If during this week you go to food stores which cater to an
international clientele, you will find many people looking for
food that reminds them of their growing up, their traditions,
and their celebrations. I was at such a store yesterday and
became tear-eyed to see how many "international" people like me,
were almost frantically looking for a spark of recognition in
those aisles.
There was a particular woman who started a conversation about
some special food that she was looking for: "They remind me of
my country," she said. And then she found some and was very
proudly showing them to my son and me. She was ecstatic and told
us that although she is an American citizen, she truly misses
her beloved Scotland, especially at this time of the year.
Scotland, New Zealand, El Salvador, Switzerland, Brazil... it
matters not where the person is from. Holidays are very hard
times for those of us who are foreign-born and who have family
ties and connections in another country. We miss our family
members, we miss our customs, we miss our friends and, very
important, we miss our own cuisine.
Christmas and New Year's celebrations are sorely missed,
especially because many times, we can't go back to our countries
and meet those we love the most to spend such special time. This
can be a sad time.
And it is not only from our side. Our people living somewhere
else also put a little pressure: "Are you coming for Christmas?"
they asked filled with hope. See? They miss us too. We feel
guilty, we feel, lonely, we feel abandoned, we feel sorry, we
feel divided.
So what must we do to make the season something special, even
though we don't feel too good about it? Here are some
suggestions:
1. Keep in touch with your loved ones, by phone, Skype (free!),
email, etc. This is crucial.
2. Try to emulate your own traditions. Set up a Christmas tree
or put up decorations that are meaningful to you and that remind
you of your own culture.
3. Prepare something special that you used to eat. Make it from
scratch if you can't buy it. I used to bake my own Pannetones
before I could find them in the stores. It is not the same, but
it will do.
4. Pamper yourself. Give yourself some meaningful little
presents that will make you feel good.
5. Find like-minded people to share special moments, so that you
don't feel lonely.
6. Eat and drink to your heart's content but stop before you
feel bad about it.
7. Separate some time for the sacredness of the season. Pray,
chant, dance in honor of Spirit and as a jubilation for the
clean slate that is given to us every 365 days.
Happy Holly Days and a Blessed New Year to you!