My sister C. and I were talking recently via gmail chat. Some how we got onto the question: is your glass half empty? or half full? I'm pretty clearly a half full kind of girl.

Sure. Sometimes I complain. Sometimes life is hard. Sometimes school is hard. Sometimes Bulgarian is hard. Sometimes Sofia is. Sometimes I am unhappy.

But mostly, I am happy.  I have great friends and family in my life. I am able to travel. I am healthy. I have a job that I love. I've got this really fun blog.

Still, I think it's important for me to be thankful. I've been very lucky in my life and I am grateful for this. Lots of good things have happened to me.

So I decided to take a look at what I've been thankful for in the past. Last year my post was <a href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/11/25/to-be-thankful/" target="_blank">short and sweet</a>. The year before that I managed <a href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/11/27/100-things-i-am-thankful-for-2/" target="_blank">to create a list of 100 things</a>. And apparently my first year I wasn't thankful for anything--or I was too busy/overwhelmed with life abroad to document everything I am thankful for.

What am I thankful for this year?

Well the list is the same as last year and then some. I am thankful for:
<ul>
	<li>My parents who have made it so much easier for me to live abroad.</li>
	<li>My bother and sister who are both growing up so quickly and for the joy they've both found in their lives this past year.</li>
	<li>My friends who continue to teach me to be a better friend, who challenge me and who make me see the world in new ways.</li>
	<li>The adventures I've had this year and the ones ahead of me.</li>
	<li>My students who make me laugh, drive me crazy and make me excited to go to work each day.</li>
	<li>Everyone who has read (and reads) my blog, who has encouraged me, who has challenged my claims, who has supported me and for everyone for whom I continue to write.</li>
	<li>My life in Bulgaria. Things haven't always been easy but I am a better person for it.</li>
</ul>
Happy Thanksgiving to each of you no matter where you are today or how you are celebrating.