Then I thought, why not invite some Chinese friends, too? After all, there are many people who have been my family here, but I have never had them in one place at the same time. By the time I got done compiling a guest list, I had 20 names! I can squeeze at most nine people into my apartment at any one time, so clearly we would have to go to a restaurant.

The other Americans were fine with eating out, and since I teach six classes on Thursdays, it was by far a better idea than cooking at my home.

I had this brilliant idea Monday night. Perhaps I’ve gotten enculturated, because the people around here seem to spring dinner plans on you at the last moment. Planning, schmanning. So, I got busy with my cell phone and sent a flurry of texts to my friends on Tuesday morning.

At lunch, I talked the plan over with my friend, Frieda. Her favorite restaurant is Zejiahu, which is near the north gate of the university and which is where our college’s graduates held a dinner in June. The food is really good and the service, very prompt.

She advised buying drinks at the supermarket, because they would be cheaper, and helped me book the room and order the dishes ahead of time. We did the booking and ordering on Thursday after lunch, and did the shopping just before dinner Thursday.

So, to make a long story short, we all had a great time. My Chinese friends had a chance to meet one another and practice their spoken English, and we Americans felt (I hope) that Thanksgiving was a just little homier by sharing it with happy people over good food and wine.

The photos are up on my Picasaweb photo pages and on my QQzone, too.

Throughout the day, my students peppered my cell phone with Thanksgiving wishes. Denise Zhao, one of my dinner guests, was the first, at 6:30 in the morning. One sophomore class gave each student and me an apple with a thank you note on it. My freshman composition classes took the wish-giving a step further. They each presented me with greeting cards signed by all of them, and the G1 class hid in an adjacent classroom, then popped out, each student holding a piece of fruit with Thanksgiving greetings on it for me.

I said this last year, and I will say it again. The people I have met here are among the most wonderful in the world. Though we were born on opposite sides of the world, it seems as though we have known each other for decades, not just one year, or even one month. I am thankful for their friendship, their hospitality and their help, and I love them dearly.

And here are the special people who made my Thanksgiving dinner memorable: Frieda, Tina, Harry, Shelldy, Ailsa, Nora, Denise, Swallow, Kasurly, Mary, What, James and Tony; and the Americans, David, Drew, Matt and Jamey. For the three who couldn’t make it, Elektra, Smile and Sherry, there’s always Christmas dinner and/or Spring Festival.

I hope everyone stateside had a great holiday, too. Remember those who are not as fortunate as we, and try to do something to help.

Today was the first time I have celebrated Thanksgiving without my family since I was 22 and living in Wyoming. Then, as now, I had friends who were substitute family, so I was not forlorn. In fact, I had a pretty good day today.

I can’t say whether it’s common in China, but the College of International Exchange seems to have adopted Thanksgiving in a uniquely Chinese way. Outside our fourth-floor wing of classrooms was a large poster made up of sticky-notes in the shape of a heart. Each note carried a message from a student to his or her parents, thanking them for sending them to university, or to their friends, giving their best wishes for the day.

Several students also sent me emails and text messages wishing me a “Happy Thanks Giving.” After morning classes, one group of freshmen treated me and David, the other foreign teacher (who’s from the UK, but it’s cool), to lunch off campus. Afterward, one group went with David to the bank, and the rest accompanied me to my apartment.

They wanted to see their teacher’s inner sanctum, so I showed them my almost-tidy flat. Students seem to have an intense curiosity about how we foreign teachers live. They are fascinated when I tell them I cook for myself most days, since I gather only women are expected to cook. They are relieved when I tell them my flat has a heatpump, since their dormitories are neither heated in winter nor cooled in summer.

I let them take pictures, but declared the kitchen — with its sink full of dishes — off limits to paparazzi.

They helped me order a new jug of water for the water dispenser, and arranged with the delivery fellow to respond to my English requests for refills. I have not yet mastered enough intelligible Chinese to make myself understood otherwise. Then, this group offered to make and cook dumplings (known as potstickers in the States) for me on Saturday morning for lunch. Another set of students are cooking dinner for me later that day. So, Saturday will be my day of overeating and indolence, instead of today.

After dinner on my own, I headed over to the campus radio station where I talked for a half-hour about Thanksgiving and the holiday’s customs, and what I personally was thankful for. (See below.)

Tomorrow, a friend is coming over for a visit, and there’s a concert over at the music school. Students, including my English-Corner/radio-host friend Shelldy, will play Chinese and western music. Shelldy (庞肖狄 Pang XiaoDi is her real name) plays the guzheng, a Chinese zither, and piano. Since I have never seen or heard a guzheng up close, I am excited about this experience.

On Sunday, I will accompany some students from the old campus on a hike up a local mountain.

So, nope, I’m not forlorn. I’ve got many friends here who have made this Thanksgiving weekend pretty memorable.

Now for the thankfulness part. I am thankful for many things, including:

• I am alive (you think about this when you hit your 50s — some of my peers aren’t).
• I am healthy (ditto).
• I can do the things I enjoy doing.
• Circumstances permitted me to come to China.
• I had the support of my family to do it.
• I have a wonderful family, and great kids.
• I have food, shelter and a job I enjoy.
• I have friends here who are simply wonderful, generous and loving people.
• Obama got elected.

What else could anyone want? Seriously.