Thanksgiving is not just a time for family. It is also a time for sharing food and company with friends and guests.
For many years, Mary McNamee, Ph.D., R.N., has invited international students and visitors to her family’s Thanksgiving celebration. "Thanksgiving wouldn’t be Thanksgiving if we didn’t have visitors to share it with," she said.
Dr. McNamee worked at UNMC from 1989 to 2013. During that time, she had many roles, including assistant professor of Nursing, assistant dean of the College of Nursing, director of the office of student equity and multicultural affairs, director of the office of student recruitment and engagement, and assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs/recruitment and student engagement.
Her connections to China go back decades. "I taught in China in 1996 for two weeks at the People’s Liberation Army Hospital #1 in Beijing and the Shanghai Nurses Association and loved it. The Chinese people were so kind and welcoming to me. I’m just repaying the kindness," she said.
This year, eight visitors from China joined 30 members of the McNamee-Simmons family for Thanksgiving.
Dr. McNamee and her family go out of their way to include the guests in the activities. "I always like to have the Chinese visitors come early so they can take part in the preparation. They carve the turkey or turkeys, assist with making salads, get desserts together, and get a feel for being part of the feast." Visitors have even taken their photo with the family dog.
Beijie Huang, a faculty member visiting from Shanghai Yangpu Hospital, said "this was my first Thanksgiving dinner. It was a great opportunity for me to understand American customs. I am glad I had a chance to share happiness with Mary’s warm family!"
Min Chen, a student from Capital Medical University pursuing a certificate in Public Health at UNMC, said "We cut the turkey; it was a wonderful experience. I tried not to overeat, but it was so hard to stop eating all the delicious food. Some of the family members brought a dessert and told us that it was the same as their mother used to make when they were kids. There was a sense of family tradition at the meal."
Wanqin (Wendy) Zeng, a medical exchange student from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, said that she was excited because she had never experienced Thanksgiving or eaten turkey before. "I have only heard about it from my junior high school textbooks and in comics."
Her enjoyment went beyond simply having a new experience; it was about taking a moment for what is important. She said, "I enjoyed family and friends sharing homemade food, talking freely about life, traveling, culture, and so on. In our daily lives, we are so busy working and looking at our cell phones. We spend a lot of time online rather than treasuring people and things around us. This happy gathering reminded me to cherish everyone and every moment, and to always be grateful."
When asked if there are similar holidays in China, Min Chen said, "we don’t have Thanksgiving, but there are similarities to the Mid-Autumn Festival, when families come together, eat delicious food, and celebrate the harvest." Jing Li, a gastroenterologist from Tongji Hospital in Shanghai, compared Thanksgiving to Chinese New Year’s, but she said "large family gatherings are difficult in China. Also in China, people bring gifts, but not food, so cooking is quite a burden for the family hosting the celebration."
After dinner at the McNamee home, many of the visitors enjoyed the long weekend. Wanqin said, "I went ice skating for the first time, and then visited the Old Market and Joslyn Art Museum. I met many kind people who helped me out. I am so thankful, and I really love Omaha and the people here!"