A Thanksgiving Beyond Borders: Gratitude from Antarctica to Wherever You Call Home
This year’s Thanksgiving is certainly an unusual one for me! Not only am I apart from my family, but I’m celebrating my favorite holiday several thousand miles farther from home than ever before. (If you've been following my socials or reading my blog posts, you'll know that I'm on an Antarctic Voyage with Homeward Bound this November!)
Thanksgiving: A Tale of Gratitude and Connection Around the World
Why do I love Thanksgiving so much?
For me, this holiday isn’t about a particular American narrative and all the complexities that come with it. Rather, I think it’s a wonderful opportunity to deeply engage in gratitude, with the people I care about most. Yes, I love food and football—but more importantly, I love that I’m surrounded by people who share my values and my dreams for the future.
In that sense, this journey with Homeward Bound is the perfect place to give thanks this year. That’s why I’ve come down to Antarctica with some small gratitude cards to share with the other women. When the Americans chatted about Thanksgiving during our pre-voyage preparations, we all agreed that we would take time to share our gratitude and to have some fun together. I’m not sure that the Thanksgiving-flavored candy corn is going to appear (that’s a real thing!), but I know that we will be giving thanks for our many blessings and opportunities. And we’ll be inviting the sisters on our journey to join us in gratitude.
This voyage has been a once-in-a-lifetime chance for me to connect with my visions for the future—and how I’d like us to get from here to there. Of course, that takes me back to humanity’s future off Earth!
Imagining Thanksgiving Off Earth
I like to imagine Thanksgiving celebrations on Mars that transcend national boundaries and instead become a festival of gratitude for human ingenuity, curiosity, and resilience. Imagine feasting—not on turkey and stuffing—but on lab-grown protein and algae-based dishes that are both sustainable and delicious. Picture communal tables—not made from wood, but from Martian regolith and 3D-printed components. As we go around the table sharing what we're thankful for, we'll be acutely aware that we're not just breaking bread; we're breaking new ground for humanity. The backdrop might be a desolate red landscape instead of classic autumn foliage, but the focus on gratitude and community will make it a Thanksgiving to remember.
Cultivating Gratitude In Every Corner (on and off Earth!)
Tiffany during her voyage to Antarctica with Homeward Bound in 2023. Image credits: Heidi Victoria.
No matter your background, citizenship, or how far you are from home, I invite you to “give thanks” for being in our world, at this tremendous moment of opportunity. The world is fraught, complicated, and getting more so by the day. But by coming together, we can build a better future for our communities, for our planet, and for our generations to come.
About Tiffany
Dr. Tiffany Vora speaks, writes, and advises on how to harness technology to build the best possible future(s). She is an expert in biotech, health, & innovation.
For a full list of topics and ways to collaborate, visit her Work Together webpage.