Thanksgiving in Madagascar

Happy thanksgiving!

Last night we celebrated with a great mix of American, Italian and Malagasy friends, as well as one set of visiting parents.

Here was the menu chez Mama Peace Corps:

Turkey in sauce (bought by me, hand carried into town by the Italian volunteers, slaughtered by our Malagasy friend, and cooked by our Malagasy adoptive mama- it truly was a collective effort)
Mashed potatoes with garlic and thyme
Twice-baked winter squash
Green beans with ginger
Carrot cucumber salad with lime vinaigrette
Birthday cake
Mango pineapple crisp
Corisol and pineapple juice

Here’s a list of things I am thankful for:

The opportunity to live in this fantastic country

The love and support of my family, especially my parents, and especially when that love and support comes in the form of exceedingly thought-out and carefully curated care packages.

My friends at home who include me in their lives even from 6,943 miles away (rough estimate)

My friends here, who understand what my life is like more than anyone else (and who laugh about it with me when things get ridiculous)

My adoptive family here, who teaches me things like harvesting cacao, cooking pounded leaves with coconut, and makes fun of my only endearingly when I make terrible language mistakes.

My community, who makes me feel alternately like a beloved celebrity and a disfigured freak.

Other things I’m grateful for: my bike, radiolab podcasts, letters from friends and family, shared kindle libraries, homemade yogurt, diverse and beautiful landscapes, yoga, beaches, pineapples, mangos, litchis, and Obama