Cameroonian Thanksgiving!

So after stressing a lot about Thanksgiving plans, including sending numerous emails and making phone calls to the Embassy, asking our US families for help, attempting adventures to scope of the Americans in Cameroon, and trying to get a hold of the Peace Corps...we finally decided to just man up and make a Thanksgiving feast for the six of us students who were in Yaounde. We were able to use the kitchen at the school office, which was great. Shopping for dinner was so funny. We went to the market first for all of the fruits and vegetables, and even bargained them down. Then we went to the new grocery store for the first of our supplies. We ended up making a delicious salad, green beans, corn, mashed potatoes, and a homemade stuffing. We bought three rotisserie chickens and made gravy for the side. We also cut up fresh pineapple and papaya, as well as cheese and crackers. We had two types of wine and iced tea and water. We also had cake, a tart, and two types of ice cream. We set a table with a piece of left over pretty fabric someone had from making a dress, and with two candle holders we got at the artisan. We displayed the food really nicely, and it really looked like a Thanksgiving! It was crazy to think we pulled it off in Cameroon, where there happened to be no running water in the office, and a broken stove. Two girls really spear-headed the cooking process, which was great, and it was nice that everyone pitched in and helped. The staff member that was watching us for the night at the office attended our dinner, and we explained to him all about Thanksgiving and its meaning. We prayed and also said what we were thankful for. We even wrote our thanks on the table cloth, as that is a tradition one girl said she does every year with her family. It was difficult being away from home on the holiday, but this experience was really different and peaceful. Plus we got to eat outside for Thanksgiving, which was definitely a novel idea!

Other than that, I've just been working on my ISP. I think I'm more or less done with my surveys, interviews, and outside research. Now I'm finishing up transcribing my interviews (they take so long because the majority are well over an hour in French!) I also started the initial writing of my paper, and I need to have a good draft done for Tuesday to give my adviser to read/edit. I want to pick it up on Thursday before I head off to Mount Cameroon and Limbe for the weekend! I'm really excited to go with my friends and get away for our last weekend of ISP. I haven't traveled much here, except to the places with the program, and I think it will be a fun and rewarding adventure. Limbe is supposed to be gorgeous, with black sand beaches! It'll be funny getting a tan in December. I also can't wait to climb Mount Cameroon! I believe it's the tallest mountain in Western Africa. I'll definitely take lots of pictures.

After I turn in my paper on the 7th, I'll present on the 8th, have a couple of closing seminars, a language proficiency exam, and then the end of the semester party with the staff and our host families. I actually got volunteered to give a speech, in French, at the party about our experience in Cameroon this semester. I want to write a tearjerker! I can't believe I only have two and a half weeks left. The time has really started to fly. I'm going to make the most of every last day, because I'll be off to England and then home before I know it!