“I’m thankful for my family.” – Agathocleous, 12

“I’m thankful for my cat, Aphrodite.” – Maria, 13

“I’m thankful for my friends, especially my girlfriends.” - Lougas, 14

“I’m thankful for my brother.” – Marios, 14

“I’m thankful for my school.” – (refused to be identified for fear of being ridiculed by classmates)

“I’m thankful for the game of football.” – Stelios, 14

“I’m thankful for the breaks during school.” – Galatia, 14

“I’m thankful for my favorite football team, Apoel [in Nicosia].” – Kyriakos, 15

“I’m thankful for the game of baskteball.” – Panyiotis (and everyone else at practice)

“I’m thankful for weekends, when I don’t have to go to school.” – Tellis, 15

“I’m thankful for my family, especially my mom and dad.” – Elena, 13

“I’m thankful for my village and everyone in it!” – Nicolas, 12

“I’m thankful for my new baby, Ourania.” – Marina Vasilara, PPI – CY Managing Director

“I’m thankful God has blessed me and my wife with a baby coming soon.” – Coach Antonis Tsolakis, Agros

“I’m thankful I didn’t over/undercook the turkey and that I didn’t have to take any of my dinner guests to the hospital.” – Rory , PPI – CY Fellow

“I’m thankful for the 9 puppies that my dog Pepsi gave birth to recently.” – Orhun Mevlit, PPI – CY Turkish-Cypriot coordinator

“I’m thankful that I get to play basketball…with PeacePlayers.” – Stefano, 12 and his brother Nicolas, 13

Thanksgiving is usually celebrated by a small number of American ex-pats on the island of Cyprus, but this year the spirit of the American holiday was also brought to a number of PPI – CY members.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, participants were asked in practice what they were thankful for this past year and in general. The responses ranged from the very funny to the very serious. Regardless, PPI – CY participants all displayed an amazing amount of maturity, intelligence, and even humor in recounting what they were thankful for in 2009. Cypriots are certainly thankful for all that is most important in life: family, friends, education, their local community, and sports.

While PPI – CY as a majority took time away to reflect on this past year, a small group of PPI – CY staff and stakeholders sat down to traditional turkey dinner. PPI – CY MD Marina Vasilara, her husband George, PPI – CY Turkish-Cypriot Coordinator Orhun Mevlit and his wife Coach Bahar Mevlit, Advisory Board member Nadia Karayianni, and PPI – CY volunteer and pro basketball player T.J. Taylor all sat down to a Thanksgiving meal cooked by PPI – CY Fellow Rory O’Neil (with lots of help from Marina!). The menu: An 8 kg turkey (17.6 lbs.), 2 kinds of mashed potatoes (sweet and regular), 3 boxes of smuggled Stove-Top stuffing (Thanks Mom), salads, halloumi cheese (can’t have a meal in Cyprus without halloumi),  and two pumpkin pies, of which one was baked by Rory. (A bakery-produced pumpkin pie was ordered as a precaution in the event of a cooking disaster).

Surprisingly, there were no trips to the hospital, resignations, or lawsuits, and very few complaints.  Orhun even said, “This is the best turkey I’ve ever tasted.” However, there were some issues with the pie that Rory had cooked himself (with ingredients shipped by his mother). When the two pies were put on the table, Marina’s husband George inquired if they were two of the same type of pie, or two completely different ones. And he wasn’t joking. After TJ was selected as the taste-tester and sampled both pies, the bakery-produced pie went down smoothly. Rory’s pie…was almost coughed up and barely made it down his throat. After catching his breath, TJ softened the blow by saying: “I don’t like pumpkin pies in general.” Thanks TJ (tear drop)…thanks.

Needless to say, the spirit of Thanksgiving made it as far as the Eastern Mediterranean this year. From all of us at PPI – CY, we hope everyone who celebrated the holiday in the United States experienced a great turkey-day with their friends and family. We here at PPI – CY echo the words of PPI – SA Fellow Tim Roche by saying that we are extremeley thankful for all the the support that comes from the D.C. office of PeacePlayers International. Without their help, guidance, and direction PPI – CY does not operate on a week-to-week basis.  To Tim, Tal, Brian, and Brendan, thank you and Happy Thanksgiving (belated).