A "Lemons into Lemonade" Thanksgiving...

Unable to travel to Sikasso-ville to spend time with a mess ton of other PCVs as first planned, Michele and I were looking forward to sitting in the Peace Corps Medical Office this Thanksgiving hoping to get at least some kind of meat let alone a turkey. Then we were thrown a bone and ended up having a better Thanksgiving dinner than any other PCV in the country (and probably the continent as well). The American DCM in Mali (the person 2nd in charge just under the ambassador) extended any Peace Corps members in the area an invitation to her Thanksgiving dinner last night -- and wow was it delicious! A 20-pound turkey was flown in a few days ago on a military transport out of Germany (so the turkey most certainly originated from the US of A), stuffing, mashed potatoes, carrots and green beans, and everything else you can think of that constitutes a good Thanksgiving dinner. Then came the chocolate mousse, apple and pumpkin pies, and jalapeno cornbread followed up by a 35 year old Carribean rum...
And the company was surprisingly just as good as the food. We dined with the DCM herself, Mary-Beth, and 2 other PCVs, Jeff Kirby staying in the med office with us, and Matt in Bamako for a quick vacation; Four Army paratroopers on their last night in Mali before flying back to Stutgart, Germany where they are stationed; and a couple who have living in Mali with their 2 daughters for the past 6 years - she works for the Carter Foundation and he works (I believe) for a water and sanitation ministery in country working to bring better water to the people of Mali (despite the development here in Bamako, 60 percent of the people in this country still go without clean drinking water everyday).
All in all, the evening was delicious. Michele and I left with so much turkey and stuffing (not to mention a lot of wine) in our bellies. The couple with the daughters was kind enough to drop us off at the med office after the evening was over and the Army guys headed out to catch their plane to Germany- the man was kind enough to point out his office on the way home in case I ever needed to stop by and get some help with any kind of Water/Sanitation project, definitely a good contact to have. Michele was extremely impressed with much of the international development work that the woman took part in, yet another good contact to have.
We are both itching to get back to site yet we still have a good bit of time before we can. I know the conversation last night got me to thinking that I have been away from site too long, and have been spoiled here in Bamako for a little too long as well. Whatever monster tried to take Michele's face away won't succeed. We are going to stay in Mali and do right by these people here one way or another.