Thanksgiving with Ambassador Bost

Peace Corps service is not all hair shirt and taxi ordeals. Due to the generosity of the American Ambassador Bost, Peace Corps volunteers were invited to his residence for an All American Thanksgiving Dinner! This feast assuaged the homesickness for the volunteers and marines who attended. Plus it was a wonderful party!

The long trip to Pretoria was worth the effort to be greeted by Ambassador Bost and his wife at their Dutch style home in Waterkloof. The residence stands on a bluff that overlooks the City with a tall American flag flying proudly. This was the first American flag that I have seen in almost two years and it made me feel nostalgic. The home was furnished in beautiful antiques and had that American feel to it that resonates with comfort, style and simplicity. The Ambassador cleared out all of the furniture in his living room to set up tables for the delicious meal that included every imaginable Thanksgiving menu item plus more-turkey, ham, dressing, waldorf salad, green beans, macaroni and cheese, beets and tomatoes, homade cranberry sauce, yams, mashed potatoes and five deserts including ginger cheesecake. The big-hearted Ambassador opens his home every year and knows the appetites of Peace Corps volunteers who are homesick for American cooking. What a gracious host! After dinner the music and dancing started. He and his wife encouraged everyone to participate and let loose on this special day. It felt good to be with Americans and their style of hospitality. The day seemed familiar and bespoke of many holidays at home. The memory will be treasured!

The day was not without its mishaps, however. We received our initiation into the crime of South Africa. Like Thanksgiving at home where Brendon and I go for a run or long walk in the morning after the turkey is in the oven, we set off to walk through the nearby botanical gardens with another PC volunteer. We had been told that the road had a tricky overpass just before the garden starts so were glad to enter a gate for a wetlands preserve next to the botanic gardens. I was determined to see the botanic gardens as the flowers are in full bloom this time of year. Brendon was getting blisters from wearing flip flops so I ran ahead to see if the birds and flowers were worth the effort. He and the other volunteer decided to turn back. After a short time I looked back them and saw that a man had come on the scene and Brendon was waving his arms and yelling. I ran back as the man took off. He had come from the road with a beer bottle in his hand and demanded food and money. He then broke the bottle into sharp shards and said he would kill Brendon if he did not give him money. Brendon and the other volunteer gave him their money and cell phone and the desperate man ran away. No one was physically hurt. However, our spirits were shattered and we felt very stupid for thinking we could take a walk in a nature preserve on a beautiful day. Wrong! Even in groups at 10am in the morning the city is not safe for walking. The crime element must be dealt with if South Africa wishes to have a free society. Security systems and protection for citizens have an extraordinarily high cost for this Country. There is no quick fix for the 50% unemployment as much of the population has no job skills and is poorly educated.

The rest of Thanksgiving weekend was spent with medical appointments and city pleasures. We caught two movies “Beowulf” and “River Queen” which were both delights.