Thanksgiving Dinner & Swearing In

THANKSGIVING DINNER

After FINALLY completing our Stage training, we joined with the Youth Development group in Immouzer to celebrate thanksgiving. About 15 of us helped prepare a dinner for approximately 80 people! It was so much fun, although chaotic at times.

I was responsible for a vegetarian gravy... which I've frankly never eaten before, so I lacked much vision.. I guess it turned out okay.. a sort of white sause/vegetable herb gravy.

Making carrot cake, yummy!! The kitchen staff were really helpful and I think they got a kick out of the American's cooking massive amounts of food.

Thanksgiving buffett.. there were perfect Turkeys (they used my suggestion to make a brine of water, sugar and salt - which I learned from my mom, a splendiferous cook I might add - and soak the turkies overnight before baking, so I was relieved that they turned out so well), stuffing, sweet potato pie, cranberry sause, big salads, mashed potatoes, mashed turnips, roasted vegetables, pecan pie, apple crisp. It was a real Thanksgiving dinner!

SWEARING IN!!!

All 53 Volunteers, training staff, Peace Corps Morocco Staff, host families, lots of government/ security officials, the governor of the city of Fes, and the Mr. Thomas Riley, U.S. Ambassador to Morocco conveined at a fabulous hotel overlooking the city of Fes for our swearing in ceremony. Above is the Ambassador giving a speach. He was so friendly and obviously delighted to be a part of the ceremony. He had personally (with his wife) looked up random facts about each of our hometowns in the U.S. and made each of us guess which one described our town. (The governor finally interrupted and had to leave, having another important meeting to attend ;)

The Ambassador, my host mother Amina, host brother Annaass, Me, Mrs. Riley

Our entire Small Business Development Peace Corps Morocco Stage (we swore in with the Youth Development group, not pictured). I have a great group to work with!

PS. I'll post more later, but I have to head now.. just wanted to get a few photos up while I am in Marakesh. I will travel the final leg to my site, Agdz, permanently tomorrow.