I Heart Turkey 2010

Yep, it's been a long time since I've posted.  Life got to be a bit overwhelming teaching four different science courses  and all of the other things that came along.  Sigh.  Anyway, I've had over a week off from school and I'm starting to feel like myself again.  So let the posting begin.  In honor of the holiday season, I'll share about my 1st Thanksgiving in Malawi. 

First off, I think this would count as the largest and most intimate Thanksgiving dinner that I have ever attended. Attendees consisted of the many missionaries at African Bible College.  Can I tell you how much I and many others enjoyed celebrating on the actual day?  Since it's not a holiday here, we didn't have the day off.  That part I was actually okay with, but a week earlier the event was scheduled for Friday.  I was SO thankful it changed.   

My camera can't really do this justice, but 50+ were in attendance in that room alone.

Hence, the need for seating assignments.

Making use of any and every possible seating option.

 Enter the hungry diners on a mission to find their seats and get the party (food shoveling) started. 

Turkey!  It's a bird just like chicken, right?  Should be able to get that around the world, right?  Wrong!  That was the first time I had had turkey since I arrived in Africa.  Smothered in gravy, it was just as delicious as I had remembered.  From the photo you might recognize mashed potatoes, carrots, cranberry sauce (imported, of course) and stuffing.  Delish!  There was one staple that was missing.  Can you tell what it is?  Green bean casserole.  While I don't quite have the love affair with it that most Americans do, I missed it's presence.  I'm going to try to get the ingredients for it on the container for next year.  I think it will be a smashing success. 

Since our table was last to be served dinner, we got first dibs at dessert.  Hence, the beautiful slice of pumpkin pie front and center.  While green bean casserole didn't quite happen, that heavenly slice of pumpkin pie really helped to fully ignite Thanksgiving cheer.

Why am going on about how much a slice of pumpkin pie helped to make Thanksgiving so special?  There was only ONE pie for all of us.  

Dani and I enjoying our pumpkin pie.  Although, if there hadn't have been enough turkey to go around I might have had a different Thanksgiving story to tell. 

With Christmas Day on the horizon, I suspect I'll have stories to tell as well.  So far I've been to a couple of parties (hosted one this past Sunday), with more on the horizon.  Actually, that's my next event for the day.  The Chinchen's (President and founders of ABC) are hosting a gathering tonight.  Looking forward to the event as they've been living in Malawi for almost 20 years and they've been working hard to get their place decorated for Christmas. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here, finally.