Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving one and all. This is my 3rd Thanksgiving in a row away from the US of A (although the first doesn't really count because I was in Canada and my parents came up and we made Thanksgiving dinner) and I am determined that next year I'll be home for Turkey and Pie! No turkey for me this year (due to the fact that is next to impossible to get here) or tandoori chicken for that matter; will just be a quiet night at home. Which is fine with me.
So, what am I thankful for? Well, kind of a long story here so bear with me. My driver is currently away in his village for a bit so his dad is driving me this week. On Monday after I dropped my sister at the airport he asked me how long the flight was and where she was going in the states. He was wondering if she was going to DC because the Indian PM is there this week (very exciting for India that they got the President's first state dinner).
I explained and then he started asking me geography questions; where is this city, where is that city, etc., etc. Then he asked me if Paris is a beautiful city and I said yes, very. He said that he saw it on TV and it looks very beautiful. And I was suddenly very sad. I realized that this man who works so hard and is such a good man will never have enough money to travel outside of India. Other than going to his home village he probably rarely travels within India unless driving someone but he has the desire and the interest; every time he drives me he asks me about what life is like in 'my country' versus in India.
So I am thankful that I was born into a culture where the profession of my parents does not pre-determine my profession (i.e. my driver is the son of a driver; it is extremely difficult in India to break out of your 'caste' - even though the caste system is officially over, it really isn't) or the amount of education I receive. I could go to school and study what I chose; I can work as much or as little as I want and earn enough money to travel and see the world (economy permitting).
I wish I could give him enough money to travel to Paris; but that isn't possible...and he would never accept it if I could. So I will just continue to answer all of his questions about where places are in the world and hope to fulfill a little bit of his curiosity that way, and every question he asks helps me to appreciate just that much more what I have done and seen.