Turkeys on the field and in the oven
Every year at the Turkey Bowl, the expat-Bulgarian rugby team Murphy’s Misfits and an ad hoc team from the American embassy face off to see who has more stamina when it comes to chasing a ball around a muddy field in 7C weather.
Thomas Sadowski spoke for the all-American side of the game. “The Turkey Bowl has been a tradition that was started before I arrived in Bulgaria by Bill Cherry, who worked for USAID, and who was also an avid supporter and member of Murphy’s Misfits. Bill organised the game a few years ago as a way just to get everyone out there together, playing sports, trying new things and making new friends in Sofia. The format is simple; we just play an hour of (American-style) touch football and an hour of touch rugby and try to get everyone interested and involved.
“Football has always been an American tradition associated with Thanksgiving and we just wanted to bring a piece of that tradition here and expose others to it. My first game was last year and it was fun, but this year was even better! This year was a year of firsts because not only did we have men and women participate in the game, but we also had Americans and Bulgarians represent the embassy team. I was very proud of the team that came out, played hard and had a lot of fun and laughs in the process. As one might expect, the embassy won the American football game and the Misfits won the rugby match, but everyone had an equal amount of fun.
“Also members of the new American football team in Sofia, Team Sofia (www.teamsofia.com), came to watch the game and after the Turkey Bowl was over, a combined team of Misfits and embassy people played another short scrimmage against them. Team Sofia started in May 2007 and is made up of about 30 young Bulgarian men, aged 16 to 30, who are learning how to play American football.”
Sandowski is also one of the volunteer coaches of Team Sofia.
Bryan Turner from Murphy’s Misfits, who came to Bulgaria in 2004 from Kansas and now works at LS Property, said that the American football segment was well played by both sides. “The marines and US embassy staff unfortunately showed just a bit more poise and experience in edging out the less-experienced, though no less spirited, Misfits. As for the rugby, well, the Misfits more than made up for the close loss in football, schooling the Americans on the way,” Turner said.
Both men celebrate Thanksgiving here in Bulgaria, with Sandowski having “done it several ways,” he said. “Last year involved visiting several different households and hopping from house party to house party, enjoying various dinners (always with some turkey) and desserts.
“This year was different and special for me in a different way because my wife Lindsey cooked her first Thanksgiving turkey (we have only been married two years) and we celebrated Thanksgiving quietly at home together. In any case, Thanksgiving is always best celebrated with friends (no matter where they are from) and family.”
Turner said that he and his celebrate Thanksgiving “lazily”, taking advantage of the Thanksgiving buffet at Flanagans, although this year was a “disappointment” with “average food”, he said.
Already a collection of friends from different nationalities, he is looking forward to doing his next Thanksgiving himself, making his own meal, with an even greater international aspect.
Little America, part I
For the fifth year in a row, the American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria has held its Family Thanksgiving Dinner for chamber members and those close to them. Combining a charity fundraiser and roast turkey and other traditional specialities, the event brought together more than 100 guests on November 13 at the Sheraton Sofia Hotel Balkan.
Students from the American College of Sofia in the roles of pilgrims and Native Americans re-enacted the first feast of almost 400 years ago. Also providing entertainment was Kamelia Todorova, a well known Bulgarian jazz singer, who gave “a brilliant performance”, according to one attendee.
The silent auction, with the prizes being solicited by AmCham members, raised about 6000 leva for benevolent causes including the Future for Kids with Disabilities Association in Kazanluk, a home for elderly people in the Durvenitsa borough of Sofia and the forest planting campaign of Community Foundation Stara Zagora.
A letter sent from Frank J Bailey, honorary consul in Boston for the Republic of Bulgaria, to mark the occasion said that “Bulgaria and Massachusetts have much to be thankful for in 2007. The visit in June of ambassadors Poptodorova and Beyrle, together with the delegations from the business community in Bulgaria, had provided a platform for many events and initiatives. We are working now on establishing a trade mission in 2008 from Massachusetts to Sofia that has been met with an exciting response from the business, government and education communities here in Boston”.
In his address to the guests of the Family Thanksgiving Dinner, AmCham president Borislav Boyanov said that AmCham had many things for which to be thankful that had happened since last year’s holiday. He specifically thanked US ambassador John Beyrle, US embassy deputy head of mission Alexander Karagiannis and US Commercial Service commercial attache James Rigassio for their outstanding co-operation and friendly support shown in Bulgaria’s undertakings. Boyanov also thanked Valentin Georgiev, AmCham executive director, for his energy and dedicated work to the chamber.
Little America, part IIJonas Talkington, who came to Bulgaria as a Peace Corps volunteer in 2000, met a Bulgarka, got married, and stayed. The Indiana-born actor, casting director of BUFO Films, and dialect coach shared with The Sofia Echo how he has transplanted turkey day to across the Atlantic.
“Thanksgiving is a yearly event, although we usually celebrate it on the weekend afterwards due to people having work. The people who come to it and where it has been held have been different every year due to the continually fluxuating lifestyle of expats (ie, some people leave, new people stay). At every one, we have had most of the traditional dishes. Turkey, pumpkin pie (homemade), mashed potatoes, stuffing (dressing) and, yes, cranberry sauce. I actually bring back two cans when I go home every year, so that we will have some for the next Thanksgiving.
As far as people, I find it is very top-heavy with Americans (although Bulgarian spouses are invariably invited), though sometimes Bulgarians have been invited too. As my seventh Thanksgiving here, I find that it is one of the days where I feel the closest to being home. Those with me have felt the same. Sure, there are things lacking (the football on the TV in the background, someone, usually an uncle or grandpa, snoring in a La-z-boy, or pecan pie) but it’s really about just getting together and celebrating one of the true all-American holidays. The biggest lack is family, although I always call and talk to each and every one of them at whomsoever’s house they are. But I have a family of friends here, too, and I appreciate being with them, too.”
Thanksgiving in the BalkansTech Sgt Jason Smith, US Air Force HQ KFOR PAO
PRISTINA/PRISHTINE, Kosovo – It could be difficult for the 30 or so airmen of the 401st Air Expeditionary Group, Detachment 2, to find a family with which to celebrate Thanksgiving while in the Balkans.
Since Thanksgiving isn’t typically celebrated anywhere but the United States, the airmen of Camp Film City, along with a few dozen US army, navy and marine counterparts, will depend on each other to keep some holiday traditions this year.
The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 at the Plymouth Colony to celebrate a successful harvest following a harsh winter and to give thanks to God for their survival.
At the initial celebration, the English pilgrims invited local Wampanoag Indians to join the feast. The tradition of re-enacting the initial feast continued, although not all states observed a Thanksgiving holiday.
In 1863, president Abraham Lincoln gave a proclamation declaring the last Thursday in November to be a day of thanksgiving. After different attempts to move the holiday in order to extend the Christmas shopping season, Congress passed a resolution in 1941 decreeing that the holiday fall on the fourth Thursday of November.
Thanksgiving traditions vary greatly among those who celebrate, but most would agree that turkey is the must-have food at any Thanksgiving meal. A common Thanksgiving celebration might include a feast of turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, corn, dinner rolls and pumpkin pie. Following (or during) the meal, millions of people tune in to watch two National Football League games. In recent years, Americans have come to expect to see one game involving the Detroit Lions and another involving the Dallas Cowboys.
Many other Thanksgiving traditions, including the showing of certain film on TV, exist. One of the undeniable nation-wide traditions is shopping extremely early on the morning after Thanksgiving. Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, marks the biggest (in terms of traffic) day of the Christmas shopping season. Doorbusters, limited qualities of sale items only available to the first customers in the door, often start at 4am, and queues of people can be found waiting outside many retailers hours before the stores open.
Doorbusters won’t be available at the mini base exchanges here in Kosovo, but Lt Col Hamilton Howard, Det 2 commander, said he would expect the people who follow the Black Friday tradition at home to do some shopping here on Black Friday.
“It will surely be a work day here at KFOR, with work to do for all, so it will not be like the mad shopping frenzy in the United States or at US BXs,” said Colonel Howard. (A BX is a base exchange, or a store operated by the US army and air force Exchange Service.)
Tech Sgt Jay Valloric, KFOR public information office administrative craftsman, said he would not miss out on the shopping Friday, but he would miss a home-cooked meal.
“Nothing compares to home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner, but I imagine the dining facility here will do their best to provide everyone with an enjoyable dinner,” Sergeant Valloric said. “The thing that I’m going to miss most this year is spending the day with my four kids. I love it when they come to me and ask me if dinner is done every 30 minutes.”
Colonel Howard said that his plan was to have a Thanksgiving meal at the dining facility with other US service members and any international friends who would like to join in the feast.
“I will remember that we should be thankful for all we have, and this opportunity to provide a safe and secure environment for an emerging nation-state in Kosovo,” said Colonel Howard.
After the dinner, Colonel Howard said he’d call his family in Germany on the phone or contact them through internet video and then wrap up the day by watching the annual American football games on TV.
Even though US military members will come together and celebrate with a meal, people will still have dreams of being at home for the holiday. Colonel Howard said he would most miss sharing the holiday with his wife and kids, and his wife’s pecan pie.
