Six volunteers (our wonderful host is taking the picture...) eating a scrumptious meal of duck and rabbit in wine sauce, plus a veggie-infused helping of rice. And some wine. That duck was, at the time this photo was taken, the most satifyingly flavorful bit of food I'd eaten in Ecuador. Better than Papa John's Pizza in Quito before swearing in. Mmmmm.

And here's the host. Notice the poignant graffiti on the wall of her kitchen. "You are living a NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIFE." I dig that.

This photo explains itself. We didn't use a hammer this time and I recommend just skipping that step. Live and learn. Killing a rabbit with just a knife is faster and I think more humane. You pet it and stroke it and tell it how much you appreciate its life and then you just soft of get it over with. Now I hear that some of you out there in internet land are starting to think that I'm some kind of monster for doing this to a cute little pet like that. I want to set some things straight about that. Yes I wrote very briefly and with more than a litttle bravado the other day that I had killed a rabbit. I made that comment without giving proper context and so it seemed I was saying that just to shock. Well fair enough, I do try at times to throw some spice into the blog so´s to keep things interesting for you out ther, but I had no intention of making it sound like I took great pleasure in the actual act of the slaughter. What I garnered my satisfaction from was the learning of a new skill, of the aquisition of a new and unique experience. THAT is one of the biggest reasons I am here in the Peace Corps, and without making that clear before I see how my post might have ruffled some feathers or matted some fur, so to speak. SO, I hope I'm making myself clear. I love animals. Pigs, dogs, some cats, rabbits, ferrets, fish, giraffes, whales, monkeys, octopi, etc etc etc. It just so happens that some animals are delicious and humans of the omnivore persuasion eat them. It also happens that many of those same people never get to witness the point in an animal´s existence when it ceases to be an animal and becomes meat. I was grateful for the chance to witness that myself, and wanted to share that with you all out there. Nothing more. If anyone still fels I should explain myself further, please mail me and I'd be happy to clarify things more if I can. Look at it this way: When I see you guys again, I'll be better able to cook you a fantastic dinner.

Here are some volunteers working side by side with an Ecuadorian national to prepare the Thanksgiving FEAST. That looks like potatoes getting ready for the mashing process maybe?

And here is the mountain of grub that I polished off later that day. Some of the best turkey I've EVER had. (Thanks to our country director Cisco for donating at least one of the bigger ones. I think it was a real Butterball. So FAT! My mouth is watering all over again.)