Thanksgiving has been one of my favorite holidays since 2014, when I came to the States by myself for high school. As many international students, the first few months were full of homesickness and loneliness. However, I was very lucky to be invited to a local friend’s Thanksgiving dinner. During that dinner, I found comfort and belongingness by cooking together, eating together, and sharing culture through food.
From that point, food becomes the bridge between me and other people. Communication through food is open, friendly, and inclusive, which I believe is one of the best ways to know about the world and people next to you. I began to host lunch and dinner parties at my apartment when I was in college, and invited not only friends, but also strangers to my dining table. This is the embryonic form of FoodiePath.
This year is the first Thanksgiving since FoodiePath started, and there are so many people and things that I am grateful for. Therefore, I decided to serve free pickup meals for people who can’t spend the holiday season with their families and hoped the food will make them feel less lonely and warm up the winter a bit. I’ve met so many wonderful people through this event and their stories really touched my heart.
Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season and hope FoodiePath will allow more people to enjoy affordable, convenient and delicious home-cooked food in the upcoming year.