On November 19, Ahmed Abdulfattah (YES '07, placed by ASSE in Ridgefield, WA) organized a Thanksgiving dinner in Salmiya, Kuwait in collaboration with Amideast/Kuwait. Several representatives from the U.S. Embassy attended, including Mr. Jeffrey Dee, Acting Deputy Chief of Mission; Mr. Farid Mohamed, Counselor for Public Affairs; Mr. Adel Ibrahim, Public Engagement Specialist; and Mr. Adam Ben Salem, Senior Protocol Assistant and a YES alum himself (YES '09, placed by PIE in Boulder, CO). Six alumni also attended the dinner, where they enjoyed turkey, grilled beef, the traditional Kuwaiti chicken majboush, salad, and desserts.

The alumni shared their memories of celebrating Thanksgiving during their YES exchange years. Hussain Slaiman (YES '23, placed by AFS-USA in Hamburg, NY) shared an unforgettable story of a snowstorm hitting the day before Thanksgiving, resulting in almost two meters of snow. Lulwah Ben Hai (YES ‘15, placed by AFS-USA in Kendallville, IN) shared that although the turkey at the dinner was delicious, nothing could compare to the turkey her host family cooked her. The alumni enjoyed discussing their YES experiences, sharing cherished memories, and planning for future events.