Hoop, there it is!

Many of you know already I received a scholarship to bring hoops to Africa for World Hoop Day, which this year was on 8/8/08. I purchased all the supplies in America only to discover it would cost me over $500 to send the PVC tubing, and that it was impossible to bring with me on the plane. So I left it all behind and figured Iºd find something to do with it all when I got here. (BTW if any hoopers in Rochester want to buy two spools of 3/4 inch 160 psi tubing, let me know, itºs at Joshºs parents house collecting dust).

When we got to Santiago, I spent some time looking around for the PVC I would need, knowing I could have the tape and connectors sent. A woman finally sort of understood what I wanted and said she placed the order for me. I also had Joshºs dad ship the tape and connectors to me as well. After three weeks, and fter stopping in several times to check on it she said Oh, do you still want it? Back to the drawing board.

Fortunately, a huge project for PC Volunteers in Cape Verde is drip irrigation, which also happens to use a lot of the same tubing I do for hooping. A volunteer who is COSing sent me to the right place...except our package hadnºt arrived from the states and I was worried it had been lost, so we waited. About a week before our Dia di Jovem, the package arrived. Hurray! I found the place and they did indeed have the tubing (100 psi, not 160, so they are lighter but they are for kids so its ok). We picked up 30 meters, which in turn was enough to create 13 hoops ranging in sizes.

In less than two hours, with the help of Joshºs host family, we busted out 13 hoops, fully cut, joined, taped and decorated. It was awesome! Since weºd missed the original WHD deadline, we figured weºd just use them at the Dia di Jovem, and they helped save the day when everyone was hot and bored and tired of just dancing.

So here is the first batch of photos, of our hoop making session. I of course left the other photos at home (totally crazy around here, we swear in tomorrow!) but will be uploading and blogging about the Dia di Jovem more in depth when we settle in on our new island (HI RHONDA! See you soon!).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157607373469466/

And thank you all for the emails and blog comments, I promise if you write me I will most likely within a week write you back, unless we have electricity issues! Iºll post my new mailing address when I get it, and yes the site for tape is identitape.com, and the connectors are the usual 3/4 inch double ended connectors we use on our hoops at home...Iºm pretty sure theyºll have the PVC on Santa Antao because there is a lot of agriculture there, but if not when I go back to Praia in 3 months Iºll get more tubing.

Stay tuned for more exciting adventures as Josh and I brave a tiny airplane, a giant boat and a new island in the middle of the Atlantic! OH and one more thing, we have heard rumors that there is an Irish Pub in Mindelo, which we will be staying in on Sunday night, so 10pm our time, 7pm EST, Josh and I will be having a beer and toasting to the next phase of our adventure and to all our friends, so wherever you are...NY, Canada, Ecuador, Cape Verde, DC or Cali, raise a glass at 7pm, and you might get a suprise phone call as well!

Love to you all,
Dove and Josh