Americans are taught from an early age about the origins of Thanksgiving and to get excited for the bountiful feast that comes each year. The November holiday gives families and friends a chance for great meals, time to relax and the celebration of traditions that stretch for years.

But, it’s easy for native residents of Kentucky and even the United States to forget that not everyone they know will be celebrating with family and turkey.

On Thursday, Western’s campus will be all but empty as students from across the country go home and visit the family they briefly left to pursue a higher education. But what of the students here from around the world?

International students travel from around the world to come to Western and carry many of their own traditions and unique holidays. But with high airline prices and a short break, it’s not reasonable for most of the students to travel to their native countries.

“Really, I’m just happy to have a break,” said Allan Gomes, a freshman from India who lived in Texas before moving to Bowling Green.

Despite having already lived in America for a year, Gomes has yet to sit down and eat a Thanksgiving feast. This year promises to be different.

“I think everyone’s really looking forward to it,” he said. “When I was in India, I’d heard of Thanksgiving but I didn’t really know anything about it. Christmas is a much bigger holiday in India.”

Freshman Priyank Gangadharan, friend of Gomes and fellow student from India elaborated.

“In India there are many holidays that are similar to Thanksgiving,” Gangadharan said. “There are many different regions and religions with celebrations of history. But none of them are quite like the Thanksgiving day celebrations here in America.”

While both Gangadharan and Gomes are staying in Bowling Green, their ideas of relaxing over the break couldn’t be more different.

Where Gangadharan plans to stay in Pearce-Ford Tower and sleep in, Gomes is moving out and painting the town, at least for a few days.

“I just had a knee operation, so I’ll be staying with a friend and partying as much as I can between meals,” Gomes said.

Jasmine Pang, a junior from China, has lived in Bowling Green for three years and works as a resident assistant in PFT.

“Thanksgiving is a warm holiday, and a preview of Christmas,” Pang said. “The holiday is about family more than anything, even though I don’t have them here. I’ll be having Thanksgiving dinner with one of my professors and studying when I can.”

However, not every international student has big plans like Pang and Gomes

Dao Nguyen is one of several freshman staying on campus for Thanksgiving. A freshman from Vietnam, Nguyen’s lived in Bowling Green for two years but has yet to celebrate the American holiday.

“It’s just another day here to me,” said Nguyen. “I am sending a video to my friend in Vietnam but there is no big celebration.”

Meliha Hrustanovic is a Bosnian freshman who has lived in Bowling Green for nearly 10 years.

“I didn’t know about Thanksgiving when I moved here so my family never really celebrated it,” Hrustanovic said. “It’s just a regular day for me, no school though.”

After a few years, we all get used to the traditions and holidays. It’s easy to forget that some people that you see every day don’t know or can’t participate in what most people will be doing in America on Thursday evening. But it’s never too late to start.

So, if you have friends or acquaintances who are new to America or Thanksgiving, offer them a turkey leg or a big bowl of mashed potatoes. You might just start a tradition that will last for generations.