Norwich - With chicken Biryani from India, a Haitian beet salad, Tibetan dumplings and a Peruvian potato dish, this was far from a traditional American Thanksgiving dinner, but the cooks said they had plenty to be thankful for at the annual Norwich Adult Education international feast Tuesday.

About 130 students in various adult education programs, many enrolled in English for Speakers of Other Languages, participated in the festival held at St. Mary's Church on Central Avenue. Students were asked to bring in whatever favorite dishes from their homelands grace their tables at home - and the variety of flavors, colors and styles of food crowded the buffet table.

Guisemethe St. Surin dropped off her "pink salad," beet salad with other vegetables, and quickly headed for the door. Her teacher, Patty Tephly, said she had to go to work and couldn't stay for the feast, but wanted to contribute something.

"It kind of breaks my heart that she can't stay to eat," Tephly said.

St. Surin later won a drawing for one of three Thanksgiving food baskets donated by the Preston City Congregational Church.

Twin sisters Ana and Ildaura Perez, 53, arrived at the church a little late but with wide smiles as they handed over their two Peruvian dishes, Lomo Saltado, a garlic beef and onion dish, and Papa Huancaina, a creamy potato dish with a chili pepper punch, to the Adult Ed staff who served as buffet coordinators.

Ildaura Perez said she has lived in Norwich for 19 years, and she was thrilled and thankful that her twin sister moved here to join her earlier this year. Ildaura works at Foxwoods Resort Casino, and Ana works at a McDonald's restaurant. Both are enrolled in English classes at Adult Ed.

Kunchok Tsewang of Tibet made what he called a favorite food from his native country, beef and onion dumplings called momos, garnished with carrots and cucumbers. They appeared to be a favorite in this Norwich event as well, because 15 minutes after the buffet line started, the dish was nearly empty.

Norwich Adult Ed staff joined the effort as well, supplying the traditional American Thanksgiving meal, with roast turkey, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, gravy and two types of cranberry sauce.

The American pumpkin pie and chocolate pudding shared the dessert table with coconut flan, sweet and sticky sesame seed crackers and soft puffy Chinese cookies - fortune not included.

"I trust that everyone had plenty to eat," Adult Education Director Mary Berry said. "I just want to thank everyone who contributed."

Berry said the informal event is meant to allow students to gather and express what makes them thankful. English teacher Mary McCarty had asked students to write essays on what they were thankful for this season. A parade of students walked to the podium to share their essays. Common themes quickly emerged: they were thankful for their teachers, their families, their chance to get a good education, jobs and for living in America.

On this morning after violent protests erupted over allegations of police mistreatment of blacks in Ferguson, Mo., several students said they were thankful for the "security" they feel in Norwich and for the police presence and protection.

Norwich Board of Education member Aaron Daniels, the board's liaison to Adult Education, was pleased to hear those sentiments.

"This is what a city is all about," Daniels said when he took the podium. "This is why people come to a city, for the opportunities you can't get in a more rural community."

c.bessette@theday.com

Twitter: @Bessettetheday