Happy Thanksgiving From...Somewhere!
Quick Holiday Greeting and Update!
Since 89% of our readership is based in the USA, I just wanted to say…
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! 🦃
(To the other 11%, I wish you well regardless 😊)
This is the second year in a row where we have been traveling during Thanksgiving. Last year, we were able to share a spectacular home-cooked meal with our friends Luke and Payton in France.
We even managed to stream the NFL games!
It didn’t feel all that far from home, especially since we were only a week away from flying back to the US by that point.
Today, we are much further away from the cozy comforts of Thanksgiving, both metaphorically and geographically!
I’m not going to reveal our exact location as I want to maintain suspense for the upcoming newsletters (even though some of you already know 😉)
The only hint I will provide is that we are currently experiencing a borderline transformative journey by way of the local cuisine! The food here might be some of the best we have had………ever……….anywhere!
Anthony Bourdain once said “my understanding of the flavors that can be created in a kitchen may never be the same” after visiting this country.
I can absolutely see where he is coming from after experiencing it firsthand. It’s hard to even comprehend how flavorful this food is!
From a completely literal standpoint, with no emotions involved, I would be quite satisfied with the incredibly delicious meal we just ate. A very worthy stand-in for turkey and mashed potatoes. Dare I say….better?
But of course, from a sentimental and nostalgic standpoint, we are quite sad to be missing out on a Thanksgiving meal today!
Thanksgiving is a unique holiday in that every family has their own version of it.
While the bountiful feast might be relatively the same across many households, there are always micro-traditions within the tradition.
That is what we are missing most of all today.
Just the word “Thanksgiving” floods my mind with memories.
While there were occasional exceptions, most Thanksgivings in my family took place in Green Bay.
While the cooking was always a team effort, I vividly remember my Grandma and my Uncle Jeff taking the opportunity to put their considerable culinary skills on display!
We were always treated to the classic Thanksgiving staples, and of course, pumpkin pie afterwards!
We would usually try to time up the meal around halftime of the first NFL game, especially if the Packers were playing in Detroit (which is a semi-annual tradition).
A spontaneous game of two-hand touch football would often break out after we had a chance to digest a little bit.
I particularly remember the games in my Grandma’s front yard. She lived on the ridge of a meadow, so the playing surface had quite a slant to it! This always had to be factored into the game plan.
I’m sure everyone reading this has their own collection of cherished Thanksgiving memories.
Even though we are thousands of miles away and many hours ahead, we feel the holiday spirit in the air today.
A quick update on a Thanksgiving table’s worth of content heading your way!
We have been running into some spotty wi-fi the last few weeks (perhaps another small hint of our whereabouts 😂)
I have several newsletters written and ready to go, but I have been running into some glitches when trying to add the photos.
On top of that, we have been on a full-out filming sprint for over a month now!
It has been an absolute blast, but I think we are in need of a little staycation to recharge and catch up on editing and writing.
That means that you will have a handful of newsletters heading to your inboxes over the next few weeks.
We have so much to catch you up on! The last two months have been a whirlwind of cultural immersion and discovery.
We are also going to try something new on our YouTube channel in December!
There is a prominent YouTube trend known as “Vlogmas” where creators upload a new video every day starting on December 1st and ending on Christmas Day.
Because of the quick turnaround time, these videos are generally very casual, unedited, and open-ended.
Since this lines up perfectly with the release of our last few videos from our first round of adventures, it feels like a great opportunity to dive into all of our thoughts and observations from the experience.
It will also be a natural transition into the brand new content from our trip around the world!
Definitely keep an eye out for it. It will be unlike anything we have put out. It feels a little more vulnerable, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, but I actually think that’s a good thing.
It is a chance to dig deeply into the aspects of full-time travel that you don’t see on camera.
We will provide opportunities to ask direct questions in the comment section as well if you are curious about anything from our life on the road!
With that, I will leave you to enjoy your Thanksgiving. We will be asleep by the time you are digging in to your meals, so be sure to enjoy some turkey and football for us!
To our families, we miss you all! We wish we could join you at the table today, just for a few hours.
If there is one thing I am thankful for, it is the overwhelming and unwavering support we have received from the moment we started chasing this dream.
We have had to make sacrifices to make this life a reality, and the holiday season is absolutely one of those sacrifices. Not just for us, but for our families as well.
We appreciate all of you more than words can articulate. Despite a little case of homesickness today, we are in fantastic spirits and so excited to share what we’ve been up to!
Oh, and one more thing.
GO PACK GO!
Part 2 of our Italy Newsletter will be heading your way Tuesday. See you then!