Alright, now that the nightmares have faded and I am once again sleeping through the night, it is time to fill you in on the "cel mai interesant!" (the most interesting!) Thanksgiving that I have ever experienced. Hold on folks... this is a real trip!

It all started a week or two before Thanksgiving.... I asked Nikolai where on earth I would be able to find a turkey to feed all of these people that I had invited to our house for Thanksgiving. I had a great group of volunteers, my family, the work partners of my site mate Liza, my fabulous site-mates, and my awesome family. What could possibly be better? Anway, Nikolai said "no problem!" and found a guy that would sell it for a good price. No problem! The day before Thanksgiving, I asked him about it again and he said "meet me at the piata Horelor and we will go and get it.

Chapter 2: I meet him at the Piata and we go past all of the food piata, down an alley, and to what looked like a former parking lot. There was a guy there with a couple of geese and a few tied up turkeys lying in the dirt on the lot. Here is the catch, THEY WERE ALIVE!!!!!!! Nikolai had to go back to work, so we shove the turkey in a bag (a bag too small!), with the turkey's shoulder's, head and neck sticking out of the bag. It was about 15 pounds, I was trying to hold it out at arms length (because I am not sure about this--do Turkey's bite?)

Chapter 3: Nickolai had to leave to go back to work, so I am walking through the town with a turkey in a bag gobble-gobble-ing at the top of it's lungs. People are stopping me the whole way, asking me what I am going to do with it, telling me it looks good, etc. I was holding it out at arm's length, my arms were aching, and about 2 blocks from my house we come accross a pack of dogs. Do you know that dogs don't like turkeys? The turkey freaked, flipped out of the bag, and I almost started to cry. I tried to reason with the turkey to get it back in the bag, but eventually I had to suck it up, pick the thing up by its sharply taloned legs, and shove it back in the bag. I ran the last two blocks home, dumped the turkey out of the bag in one of the out buildings, and slammed the door shut!

Chapter 4: The Killing of the Turkey. You know, I had always heard that chickens still run around with their heads cut off, but do you know that turkey's, being bigger, struggle for at least 10 or 15 minutes after you slit their throats? Nikolai joked that he was going to make me do it, but I held the knife and couldn't bring myself to cut it. He did it, but I had to help pluck it, pull out all of the guts, etc. Strangely enough, it didn't put me off turkey for the rest of my life. After we got that bad boy in the oven and browned it all up, it was mighty tasty!!!!!

Chapter 5: The Eating of the Turkey: This part was just plain fun. We went around the table and told (in romanian!) what we were thankful for, we ate until we could hold no more, and generaly had a great time. We ate Turkey (I like to call it Tom! We developed a real bond in that trip home!), twice baked potatoes with roasted garlic and cheese, carrots, cauliflower and hollandaise, salad, etc. All in all, it was a great success, but I don't think I will ever again look at turkey in the same way.

Nikolai doing the dirty deed!

Tom, when he finally stopped moving around!
This is my "I didn't freak out" smile
Step 2 for killing a turkey-poor boiling water on it and then start plucking the feathers.

Tom, mostly naked. (Can you get in trouble for turkey porn?)

After you pluck the turkey, you have to burn it off all over with a high flame. Turkey's have something around their feet and talons that comes off like a glove. Weird!!!!!!

Important part of the Thanksgiving ritual... Drinking homemade Vodka with your friends!

Thanks Nikolai!!!!

Nikolai and Alexandra posing with Tom. Aren't they adorable!!!!!

Nikiolai and Sandu, equally adorable!
Michelle, my fabulous site mate, and Marlena getting in on the Thanksgiving cheer!

The Peace Corps crew, right before they headed out. We had such a great time!

That is the end of my turkey story, but I have included a couple of pictures for your enjoyment. Hope everyone had a fabulous Turkey day and is cruising into a wonderful Christmas. I REALLY miss everyone, but I am about to catch a break and head off for Christmas in Germany, so I can get a break from the crazy life that is Peace Corps. Love to all!!!!!!





Jennifer