A very American vacation

As mentioned in the last post, Othman is in South Dakota for a two week vacation! 

We've been doing all sorts of very American things since he's been here. Like having Norman Rockwell-esque family dinners. Compare:

On the topic of food, he's also been introduced to the great American tradition of church potlucks. Plus he rediscovered his love of Culvers, and even went out to my favorite hole-in-the-wall-no-one-speaks-English Vietnamese restaurant with me. 

Vietnamese Pho!

He's been driving our '97 Toyota pickup truck running errands as well as my family members all over town, since he's one of the few in the house who can drive stick shift!

So that means he gets to do fun things like waiting in hot high school parking lots for my littlest sister!

With all this driving and with the big Midwestern skies we see lots of clouds, like this aptly shaped one we saw on our way to pick up my big brother from the airport.

It looked more like an airplane about 30 seconds previously, but my phone was slow.

He's also been practicing the great American sport of photobombing:

And the second great American sport of chopping firewood!

My brothers Gus and Thomas and their friend James were in charge of getting and chopping enough firewood for bonfires throughout our family reunion weekend. James performed the duties of resident expert and gave us all (including me!) lessons on how to chop effectively. It was such a satisfying feeling, and despite my sore arms I'm waiting eagerly for the next chopping session.

He also participated in the aforementioned family reunion that gathered all of my dad's family, complete with matching teeshirts. More on that later though. 

From brats to backyard bonfires, I think we're doing a pretty good job exposing my Moroccan boy to the best of the Midwest.