is not to utter words, but to live by them." ~John F. Kennedy
Like so many other Americans, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love the fall weather, running the Turkey Trot in Gig Harbor with my family, watching the parade and dog show on TV while cooking and prepping the meal, and making delicious pies. I miss these traditions! This year, of course, was different for me, far away from friends and family. Thanksgiving was just like any other day here in Togo. I gave my students their English exam and had a meeting with my Girls Club.
At home my family is pretty relaxed about the holidays, and I LOVE that. We don’t follow rigid expectations. Last year we had our Thanksgiving meal on Friday, not Thursday, and instead made sushi together on Thanksgiving. This year my mom told me they were having Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday so that everyone could be there. I love that they do this. It’s not the day that is the most important, it's being together with family, right?
A similar thing happened for me in Togo . On Saturday, while I was in Sotouboua visiting another volunteer, we had a small Thanksgiving dinner. Three other volunteers and I cooked our dinner and ate by candlelight on a balcony. Our meal was beautiful and delicious. We made chicken, stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed carrots, gravy, and cranberry sauce with fresh cranberries. It was amazing. I even made a pumpkin pie! I forgot how much I love pie. How is that possible? Well, I’ve been trying hard to forget foods that I love back home and can’t find here, pie is just one example.
Thanksgiving is different when you are away from home and family, but my celebration in Togo with my friends was no less special. Living in Africa reminds me that there are so many things to be thankful for in life. I am thankful for being here in Togo , working with amazing people. I am thankful for my new American friends. I am thankful for my Togolese friends, the teachers at my school, my neighbors, and the people of Kpalime for welcoming me. I am thankful for my friends and family back home, and all the love and support they send me in the form of texts, letters, packages, phone calls, thoughts, and prayers. Thank you! I am thankful to my parents for raising me, being supportive of the decisions I’ve made, and putting me through school. A BIG thank you to you, Mom and Dad! I am thankful for every day that I have, every sunrise and every sunset. Life is so short and being here in Togo makes me incredibly thankful for my life and the opportunities that lie ahead.
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