Families sit together, side-by-side, passing the gravy, cranberries, and turkey slices along with shiny smiles of gratitude, while relatives catch up and the kids eat with abnormal tranquility as they await Grandma's notorious pumpkin pie. Just add a sound system blaring Gilberto Santarosa's voice with the rhythm of repetitive Latin music, a bunch of women laughing boisterously while adding a few spices here and there, and then BOOM, you have a Hispanic thanksgiving.

This homage to pilgrims and Indian uniting over a feast is not usually celebrated in many, if not all, Latin American countries, as it is primarily a North American tradition. However, overseas and in South America it morphs itself to a celebration that adds a fair enough excuse to eat delicious home-made meals and talk loudly over the dinner table..

Having studied abroad in three different countries, and celebrated with both native citizens and sons and daughters of American citizens, has created quite a hectic environment with ideas concerning Thanksgiving, where most people would treat it as three extra days for shenanigans. "Beach and resort days," as they were mostly known to my fellow classmates, were a time to dip out for a four day weekend and hit the beach, enjoy the sun and take off as many shrimp tails as possible at dinner time. However, schools there, being in touch with their "American" side, would host a Thanksgiving lunch at the cafeteria, which would mostly mean good turkey, nasty-tasting stuffing, awesome mashed potatoes (I don't feel like it's excusable for anyone to mess up mashed potatoes) and decent pumpkin pie. Afterwards, the school population would be granted a half-day on Wednesday, there'd be a mad rush to the car, and two hours later, the ocean was in sight!.

However for those of us who had American ties, or family members who pertained to the U.S, Thanksgiving dinner was planned and invitations were sent out. The problem with living abroad is that sometimes you don't find the exact can of yams and sweet potatoes that is used in the family recipe. I recall one Thanksgiving where the supply of turkeys was so low, that many a family was forced to be put on a waitlist for a turkey, and we all seethed in anger as we watched on TV that one turkey that gets a free pass in the White House. Limited resources call for creative measures, and mothers and aunts did just that, so if the cranberries were missing, plantains would replace them. Motto: it doesn't matter what's on the table -- as long as it smells great and looks mouth-watering, and it fills that gap, everyone is happy..

It's not about thanks, it's about the food! The last thing on our minds when the head of the family is giving a minimal yet heart-warming blessing, is giving thanks on what we have. NO! We are eyeing the plate of rice with gandules, the corn bread right next to the fresh patacones (everyone needs to this at their Thanksgiving dinner. Bring the globe into your home!), and the turkey seasoned with good old Goya products that have invaded the entire household. Not only do we have pumpkin pie, but if it's a good year, then we will have Flan, Tres Leches, arroz con leche, and cheesecake..

What it comes down to is spreading the food along with the love that went into the making, with people who make the evening fun and warm, along with fighting over the last piece of dessert – then losing the tussle, and sitting, well squashed down into the velvet chair with a sad look on your face, watching others laughing and conversing in quick spanglish. Then, when the cups of coffee are handed out, the last piece of dessert is gone, and the laughter has died down, everyone cuddles with their families, and then and only then do we give thanks for the amazing existence that we all share. .