Some students traveled hundreds of miles to share Thanksgiving with family and friends last week, while others, like Janneke Sleenhof, traveled thousands.

Sleenhof came from the University of Nijmegen in Holland, where she is a business communication senior, to spend Thanksgiving with Kate Kyle, an OU finance and international business junior whom Sleenhof met while both were studying in Spain last spring.

But Kyle wasn't the only OU student who celebrated Thanksgiving international-style.

Kristen Partridge, coordinator of the OU Cousins program, which matches OU students with international students, said she knows of many foreign students who have spent the holiday with their American friends.

"I don't have exact numbers, but I hear about people who have done it every single year," Partridge said.

Thanksgiving gives students an opportunity to strengthen friendships across cultural lines and get to know each other's customs, Partridge said.

"There's something about sharing a meal with a person that connects you and bonds you," she said.

Curt Romig, letters and Spanish senior, and his OU cousin, Rakesh Gupta, a computer science graduate student from India, spent the holiday at Romig's brother's house in Dallas. It was Gupta's first Thanksgiving.

Gupta said most of what he knew about the holiday before coming to America four months ago came from British sitcoms. He said he enjoyed sharing new foods -- like stuffing, turkey and pies -- and games of Frisbee golf and dominos with Romig's family.

Gupta even helped wash dishes, Romig said.

"I didn't feel alone," Gupta said. "They included me in every part."

Sleenhof and Kyle spent the weekend visiting Kyle's home in Tulsa, where they ate plenty of traditional Thanksgiving foods and drove around to look at holiday light displays, another new experience for Sleenhof.

Kyle's family helped, too. After the food was cleared away on Thursday, Sleenhof got some lessons in American sportsmanship.

"Thanksgiving Day, my brother was sitting on the couch with him teaching her about football," Kyle said.

International students weren't the only ones learning about American traditions last week.

"It's kind of experience to our families as well and spreading the global friendship concept," Partridge said.

At Romig's brother's house, Gupta explained the game of cricket to his American friends, though no one had the proper equipment to play.

The Thanksgiving spirit may not stay in America for Gupta. He said he enjoyed the family-centered holiday and having a day set aside to express gratitude. He said he might try to keep Thanksgiving alive even after he returns to India.

"It's a big holiday for me now," he said. "I think we should incorporate this tradition in India."
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