Students from afar stay on campus for Thanksgiving

As a majority of students rush home to families and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving, international students find themselves in a unique situation.

While the International Students at Princeton organizes activities for foreign students during Fall, Christmas and Spring breaks, they don't plan activities for Thanksgiving because the vacation is so brief.

Without planned activities, international students are typically on their own for the four days the University is closed.

Jonathan Cheng '05, a Toronto native, will spend his fourth Thanksgiving on campus this year. He said he enjoys the campus when it's really quiet and plans to work on his thesis during the break.

Fellow Canadian Robert Glasgow '07 also spent Thanksgiving on campus his freshman year.

For the occasion, the University provided students with brunch and a boxed dinner, Glasgow said.

"It's sad that on the day that's supposed to be about good food and togetherness the University only gave us a sandwich, a bag of chips and a bottle of water," he said.

This year, however, he will be going to a family friend's house for Thanksgiving.

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Some international students who stay in the United States for the break have the opportunity to go home with friends to celebrate Turkey Day.

Chris Chaney '07 of Germany is going to his girlfriend's house in upstate New York for the holiday.

His roommate Dom Pardom '07, a Zimbabwe native, will be staying on campus.

"I might go with some friends to New York," Pardom said. "I'm mostly going to catch up on work."

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But a few international students are lucky enough to go home for Thanksgiving.

Carina McLain '08 flew home to London on Tuesday night. She said she hasn't been home since the beginning of the semester and is using the break as an opportunity to see friends and family.

However, many students think Thanksgiving Break is too short to go home.

"Three thousand miles is too far to go," said Kevin Smith '07 of Vancouver, B.C. He plans to stay with a friend who lives outside Philadelphia for the break instead.