Thanks Giving

Preparations for Thanks Giving in the kitchen

Today (Thursday 25th November) I woke to the sound of music, clinking cups and celebration. It was 7.30am. Just down the hall from where I was sleeping was a reception room, which had been temporarily turned into a conference center. It was like my sleeping bag was in the middle of the room and everyone was dancing around it...even Polly-Anna was drowned out.

I got up and helped in the preparations for lunchtimes meal starting at the kitchen and then onto photo taking. The ovens were lit and cooks ready, smoke filled the room and drifted across Potter's Village like a forest fire, impairing vision and causing untrained eyes to water incessantly. Potatoes, onions, bananas, mixed spices, sugars and salts, all in varied pans, cooking at estimated times over estimated heats, the atmosphere was alive with excitement.


We served up lunch 45 minutes late but it was well worth the wait as the traditional Ugandan helpings continued. It's common here that when you eat, you pile as much onto your plate as humanly possible, which today included slow cooked beef, potatoes and banana bread.

The dessert was pumpkin pie, apple pie and a melting chocolate bar all the way from England, aswell as a soft drink of Sprite, Fanta or Coke.

Shortly after food I moved onto photo duty, making a record of the days events.

It was a busy and tiring day so the evening was spent relaxing at Graceland - our local cafe. Tomorrow a number of Peace Corps volunteers from further afield would arrive ready for Saturday's celebration of Thanks Giving.