Manhattan Afghan Resettlement Team members host Thanksgiving dinner

MANHATTAN, Kan. (WIBW) - More than 40 people gathered with the Manhattan Afghan Resettlement Team at The Fellow Coworking space Thursday afternoon.

Members of the Manhattan Afghan Resettlement Team invited Manhattan residents from Afghanistan to Thanksgiving dinner, with the newly resettled Afghan refugees.

Many Afghan people in the U.S. do not celebrate Thanksgiving but families will still gather for big feasts and fellowship.

“On the Thanksgiving breaks, our families come over and have chat, and eat together, and talk about it and I’m thankful a lot of things that I have in the U.S.A.” Salman Shinwari says.

Along with traditional American Thanksgiving dishes, Halal dishes were also shared, while conversations about the tradition of Thanksgiving started.

“It’s a good experience for those to share their idea and to learn something from the community, and I think that’s a good opportunity for us to celebrate and talk with each other.” Sharif Ullah Mammond says.

Building relationships between the new arrivals and the community allies is important to help with make the transition to living in the U.S.A. go smoothly.

“It’s a good, a good experience, in here to sit together, to eat, to talk, I think it’s a good thing for this community, especially for the Afghan communities settling here in Manhattan.” Sharif Ullah Mammond says.

Many in the group shared why they are thankful to be living in the U.S., mentioning luxuries they didn’t have before, but now have.

“We have computers everything we need while other world does not have that technology and there isn’t...like they walk 4 miles to go to school, while we get transportation, we have school buses here, so we should be thankful for everything we’ve got here.” Shinwari says.

If you’d like to help support the Manhattan Afghan Resettlement Team, visit AlliesWelcome.com for more information.

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