Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving!

So internet is functioning, at least for now, in my town again and wanted to give you a quick update.

Firstly, Happy belated Thanksgiving to everyone. The volunteers in Coculi made a feast for Turkey Day, but I had my English class, and in any case was unable to arrange a car to get me there, so I didn’t make it for that. I was missing my friends and family quite a bit and feeling a little bummed out, so I decided to go to Cruzinha to pout and mope. I walked there and went swimming, read for a while, sunned myself on the rocks, and eventually met a kid who gave me a lesson in octopus hunting. I managed to catch a little one, and the kid speared a moray and some kind of big silvery looking fish, and we moseyed through town looking for someone to cook them for us, which didn’t take long. It was at some point during lunch that I realized that I was spending my Thanksgiving swimming in the crystal blue waters of a desert island, reading and laying in the sun, eating grilled fish and a self-caught-octopus, and I quit pouting and moping and decided to be thankful after all.

Later that day (having already explained to my friends here in Chan the concept of Thanksgiving and my dread at the thought of spending it alone) I was invited to dinner at Benvinda’s house. The whole gang was there; Gisella and Leo and the new baby, Benvinda, Romeu, Lalino, and Suzy. They had killed some type of animal earlier that day and stewed it, Cape Verdian style, in a pot with a million other things. I had resigned to accept this as my new Thanksgiving traditional meal, when I realized it was just an appetizer. Turns out, for my benefit, they had fried up some delicious slices of tuna, made rice, breadfruit and mantioch and a spicy green sauce that I spread liberally over everything. It was all delicious and I was very thankful indeed to be spending the day with my substitute family.

Next day I went to Coculi to hang out with the girls there and wait for a car to Paul (the Eastern side of the island) where most of the volunteers on this island were getting together for a Day After Thanksgiving Feast. In Coculi I binged on delicious leftovers. Sugar-glazed ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, chocolate cake, carrot cake cupcakes, coffee…the works. That night in Paul (which is georgous), everyone brought something, and the girls cooked and then more feasting; fresh carrots and cucumbers and ranch sauce, deviled eggs, preschuto, an honest-to-goodness turkey dinner (no idea where that came from) with more stuffing, bacon-laced corn bread, sweet mashed potatoes, garlic mashers, cranberry sauce, corn on the cob, gravy, lemon bars, rice pudding and plenty of booze. I felt as satisfied (and as stuffed and miserable from eating too much) as I always do at mom’s house on thanksgiving, and was asleep by 10PM I think.

Next day (yesterday) I made it back to Chan, where the weather was pleasantly cool for a change (perhaps in the mid 70’s with a pretty stiff breeze). I put on a long sleeved shirt for the first time since arriving in Cape Verde, walked down to watch Home Alone at Gisella’s house, and came back and read for a little bit. Benvinda came over at 10 with some dulce (sweet treats made from coconut milk and sugar) and we did her English homework and fell asleep watching The Notebook. Despite missing my family it was, all in all, a pretty terrific weekend. I hope everyone else is fat and happy as well. Happy Thanksgiving.