Thankgiving Report

I have had some people ask about Thanksgiving so I thought I would just let everyone know. It was a great experience. I missed family traditions back home but I really enjoyed ours here. I got to spend almost the entire day in the kitchen with the staff of 2 cooks who normally do all the cooking for the campus, which is alot. Three of us ended up showing up to help out of the 8 that had signed up to help so it was a busy time to get everything up and ready for the big meal. Wednesday had been a day of making desserts, but Thursday was time for the real meal. I got the opportunity to introduce our Arab cooks to green bean casserole, and they got to introduce me to making my own cream of mushroom soup as that is not something readily used or available here in Israel. So that was a new experience for me and it turned out really well, if I do say so my self. As some of you know I am not the best at taking compliments and it has been rough because I seem to often be more critical of the things I prepare than other people are so I find it hard to accept praise for them, but that has been what others have seen necessary to do since Thursday. All in all I thought it was a success but not praise worthy but such is life I guess. We planned for 112 and there were those and then a few more that ended up at the tables but we had enough. I got to make the green bean casserole with scratch mushroom soup, sweet potato casserole, gravy, and a few of the side salads, and helped out with th Mashed taters. I also made a white chocolate cheesecake and some pumpkin bars. The most pleasant thing about spending all day cooking, which I have been missing for the last three months, was getting to know and connect with the cooks over a hot stove. By being willing to come in and help out where they needed me and actually showing some skill in the kitchen they opened up and I really got a chance to connect with them better than I had just trying to chat with them as I moved through the lunch lines. It was really good to get to joke around with them and hear about their lives. I have really enjoyed the continued chance to relate and talk with them now as they seem more willing to be more than just cordial after our little bonding time, and I am really thankful for it. They are both spectacular people and very hard workers. There are only two of them that cook all of our meals for 70 students three meals a day. and they are both only here during lunch. Breakfast and dinner are done by only one of them. The evening cook really love Elvis and has taken opportunity during dinner as I am going through line to sing some of his favorite songs with his best Elvis voice which has been really fun. Well, I should really get back to studying as I have three finals coming up this week and am leaving for Egypt at 5:30 am on Saturday for 8 days. I hope that all of you had amazing Thanksgivings and got to spend it with those you love. I probably won't have much chance to update any until the 9th of Dec when we return from Egypt so may God bless you all and keep you safe.