Thanksgiving

I think that this is the first Thanksgiving in a long time that I have spent without my family. I think its one of those holidays that you just take for granted. Unlike Christmas or New Years it's not celebrated around the world...just in America. And actually, its funny. Back home Thanksgiving pretty much marks the beginning of the "Christmas/holiday" season. Sure there are decorations and music and Christmasy goods available for sale beforehand, but it really goes in full-force the day after Thanksgiving. That's when it becomes completely acceptable to go full force, which made it very strange when Christmas carols started playing almost a month ago here. We looked at each in confusion because, well...it wasn't Thanksgiving yet! I'll be honest, right now I miss watching the parade and football and smelling turkey cooking in the oven. Word on the street is that we'll be having our own "American-style Thanksgiving dinner" at one of the hotels. I guess we'll figure out what that means hehe.

Don't get me wrong though. I'm not trying to complain. I do have a lot for which to be thankful and I am going to miss this place like crazy when I have to leave. These next few weeks are going to fly by so quickly and I know there is no way that I'm going to have time to do everything that I want to do. I want to go back to Apolima and Savaii. I want to go to the Robert Louis Stevenson museum. I want to go back and visit some of the friends that I made while I was here. At first 3 1/2 months seemed like such a long time. Now we're down to the last few weeks and I dont know where the time went.

I have to be thankful for- food, shelter, health, ect... but the biggest thing is all my family and friends who have supported and encouraged me and put up with me for the past 21 years. I love you all!!! God bless.

*PS- I am also thankful that the man in this picture lived. Last Friday afternoon after the trip to Apolima I went to watch them set up the wind monitoring tower. Unfortunately there was a cable in the way that was attached to the top of a telephone pole. Since there were no ladders around one of the electricians climbed the telephone pole as though it were a coconut tree. Keep in mind it had been raining all day and there was nothing dry in sight. When he got to the top someone threw him a hacksaw so that he could cut the wire. I was sitting at the bottom thinking "I am going to watch someone die today." When I asked what would happen if he fall the answer was for someone to jump up and down on the thoroughly saturated ground and reply "It's soft- he'll bounce." harhar*