Thanksgiving at the American Club in Rabat

The day before Thanksgiving, a staff member at Qalam wa Lawh, Malaika, popped her head into my classroom and asked if I wanted to eat a Thanksgiving meal at the American Club for a paltry 120 Dirhams. I wavered for a couple of seconds and then replied in the affirmative, and she instructed me to e-mail my passport number and name to an embassy contact for security clearance. Over the course of the next twenty-four hours, however, it seemed questionable if the meal would become a reality. Thanks to Malaika's decision to pick us up and appear at the door, we transferred through the security doors and entered the green, pretty compound.

We found our way upstairs to the bar to order a drink. Shockingly, they sell Sierra Nevada Pale Ale! Sierra Nevada in North Africa!!! The American Club is home to a variety of American and European activities, including the Rabat Hash House Harriers meetings, yet I'm still amazed that they sell Sierra's Pale Ale. We all ordered one and quietly sipped the four or so dollar bottle of beer and watched Eddie Murphy's The Nutty Professor on the Armed Forces Network. We polished off our drinks and went to the patio to order our plate of Thanksgiving vittles.

The meal came with unsweetened iced tea, which pleased me considering that nearly all teas served here are saccharine overload. As you can see from the plate, they provided the standard, iconic meal. Turkey (or ham), cranberries, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, stuffing, and corn pudding. I can't explain the cherry on top of the turkey and gravy. Once you factor in that you're in North Africa eating a Thanksgiving meal, it's difficult to criticize the cooking, flavoring, or overall composure of the meal. I would even go so far as to say that it was good meal that left me filled and content. And if that isn't the point of a Thanksgiving meal, what is?


The meal finished off with a slice of pumpkin pie. The crust was edible, but not the best. Still, it's pumpkin pie in North Africa and beggars can't be choosers. Overall, the experience was relaxing and without pretension or the demands of laboring over a turkey and mounds of sides. I miss Kate and my family, but I was able to skype with all of them and relax after a demanding week of Arabic training for the first time in fifteen months in a classroom setting. We all went around the table voicing what we're thankful for, and it's a new experience for me realizing what I take for granted in life and the multitude of options and possibilities available to me as an American and in my life. Piquant cliches such as "distance makes the heart grow fonder" cause my stomach to turn ever so slightly. At this point in my life, I am thankful for how fortunate we've been despite the past two troubling years to have loving, supporting family and friends. Tomorrow marks the half way point of my trip, with ten days of class remaining, and I can't be happier to return home.