Turkey and lettuce and strawberries

Well chickadees, the Peruvian Thanksgiving dinner was a success, you'll all be happy to know.

The bumps in the road were minor:

-underdone pumpkin bread still a big hit
-soupy mashed yellow potatoes not as important as mashed potatoes often seem to be
-spicy Peruvian sauce slyly added to the turkey much milder than originally thought

But the best part of the actual meal, I personally thought, was all the different reactions to the salad we threw together for the occasion: lettuce, basil, strawberries, dried cranberries, walnuts, pear and plum dressing, beauty and deliciousness.

Us gringas were all super excited about it. Truly, you have to try it! The Peruvians not so much. One guy tried to explain to me that in Peru, they eat strawberries more in juices and desserts and such. And as one of Beth's host sister's said at the beginning. "Mmmm everything looks good. Except the lettuce with strawberries."

Ah well, they ate the pumpkin bread. How much can you really ask in one night?

Other highlights included:










Pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread.













Who would you like to thank? ("I'm thankful for..." idea doesn't translate well.)

















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Attempted rebellion from the Thanksgiving list

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I know the traditional thing to do here would be to list the things for which I'm most thankful. And believe me, I could. But I have to be honest, I feel almost redundant writing a list of things I'm thankful for on a blog I started sitting on my laptop computer, in my comfortable room, on a study abroad term, in Lima Peru.


Just the fact that I'm here, typing this right now, means I'm an extremely fortunate girl, and have opportunities most of the world only dreams about.



Just the fact that I can form these words and sentences in English in a very coherent manner with passable grammar means that I have had an education many break their backs to give their children.



Just the fact that I know that I'm writing to someone, family and friends new and old, means that I have a support system without which many fall into loneliness or despair.

Just the fact that I can see this screen, hear the little typity noises, and move my fingers ever-so-dexterously (or sometimes not) over the keys means I have skills that some people can't take for granted.

So no, I'm not going to make a list (wait....). I'm just going to thank God that I'm sitting right here, and then wish you all a day of wholesome turkey, safe houses, good company, and thankfulness. Even if you don't have a special day named after it.

And then I'm going to set to work on the first and probably only American Thanksgiving dinner I will ever assist with in Peru. It won't be disastrous, it won't be disastrous, it won't be disastrous....

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