Yes folks, this is actually Josh. I'm not just a cardboard figure next to Dove in all of those pictures.
So we finally figured out a good way to upload batches of pictures from the internet cafés here. Now you have more than a few pictures for you to feast your eyes on from Dia de Jovem (yes there were more), Helena my host mom's surprise party we threw for her just before we left, our trip to Porto Novo, and some pics of our new town. Though as I'm righting this I'm realizing that we didn't actually take any of our actual apartment. That's probably because it's kinda drab, but we love it anyway. It gets a great breeze most of the time which is very much appreciated here where the biggest difficulty is the heat. Though if that's all we have to deal with from the environment, I'll take it.
So here are the remainder of the pics from Dia de Jovem. Everyone had a blast, especially with the hoops.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157607598228676/
And here are the pics from the surprise party! The guy in the pics who sort of looks like me is Helena’s host son from last year, who is also an IT guy…kind of weird. Not him, just the similarities.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157607608819837/
Next are photos from swearing in. Sorry if some are blurry, the camera was passed around a bit. There are also a lot of pics here from our friend N’s capoera group that was formed during PST.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157607604498760/
Then there are pics en route to Porto Novo, including pics of Mindelo (though not a lot, I didn’t want to have my camera out in public a lot, even though Mindelo is a very safe place) and of Porto Novo as we crossed on the ferry. (Dove: Hey Spydah, check out all the Nice food they have in Cape Verde! ;o)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157607612524587/
And last, a few pics of us arriving in Porto Novo, and pictures from the roof of our place. It’s another hot day and it’s pretty hazy, so we couldn’t get a good shot of the mountains or of Sao Vincent/Mindelo, but I’m sure there will be many more to come!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157607612524607/
Ok so I didn't get to say very much about our new place and now my time is running short. Porto Novo is a fantastic little growing city. It has a brand new high school. From there I met a teacher who is eager to help me with my language every day. Until next time, of which I promise there will be.
Ti logu,
Josh
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Home Sweet Home
This past week has been a whirlwind of excitement and movement, although I guess that could be used to describe all of our adventure thus far! First, the boring details…obviously both Josh and I were invited to swear in and therefore passed our language tests (I scored Advanced Low, woohoo!) and completed our portfolios well enough to meet PC expectations (which I think were a lot lower than I had realized, and although we busted our butts to make everything look professional and well put together, and probably spent too much time fretting about it, I’m glad that we made the effort), and here we are, finally Volunteers instead of Trainees. It’s a relief to be through PST, though our swearing in ceremony was somewhat anti-climatic and very, very teary. It’s hard to say goodbye to all your new friends and family that have helped you through some of the hardest weeks of your life, and knowing that you will be spread out over 9 islands and won’t see each other for the next three months is intimidating. We both cried a lot last Saturday as we said goodbye to our families…it’s a strange feeling, because for 9 weeks you are under a lot of strict rules and curfews and all you want is to get out there on your own, and when you are finally able to, all you want is to go back to the safety and security of what you have known. Regardless of how you test on language, communication is still a challenge, and with those of us leaving Santiago and going to the northern islands, the challenge is that much greater.
After swearing in, we were whisked away to Praia, the capital, with hundreds of bags in tow (or at least it felt like it). Our hotel had both AC AND hot water, which was a blessing, and we spent our last moments together with our fellow volunteers (the ones that were leaving Santiago – the others who were staying on that island went straight to site so we had to say goodbye after swearing in). Sunday, our flight to Sao Vincent was uneventful, which we are extremely grateful for as we have heard horror stories about lost luggage, 12 hour flight delays and a host of other fun stuff. Our flight was delayed maybe 45 minutes, which is about right for air travel these days anyway, and our bags arrived safe and sound. The coolest part about the flight was looking down and seeing Sao Vincent and then looking to the left and seeing Santa Antao. It’s hard to explain how you can be on an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean for 9 weeks and not feel like you are…where we were in Santiago didn’t feel especially island like, although I’m not sure what exactly that means anyway.
Off the plane and onto a hiace, where we were not crammed in like sardines and where I didn’t fear for my life…we were definitely on a different island. The drive to the Port of Mindelo was short and our hotel was gorgeous. Apparently it’s one the PC uses a lot and the woman waiting for us welcomed us with open arms, yet another mother for us on another island. Again we had AC and hot water and a view that was worth a million dollars. Here I truly felt like I had arrived on a tropical island.
We helped Lindsay to her new place and then went out for pizza and schwarma and ice cream (all available in Mindelo, the second largest city in Cape Verde and the second most perfect port in the world, or so I have been told, and after turning around on the ferry and watching us leave, I don’t doubt it’s true), and then to bed as we had an 8am ferry to catch.
I woke up with my stomach in knots on Monday, knowing this was the last day with our “guide” who had helped us navigate our way to the north, and knowing that today we would be own our own. After some initial trouble at the port (being the clueless volunteers that we were, we let some guys at the pier “help” us with our bags after being harassed for 10 minutes, only to have our bags held hostage until we gave them some money) we were ready to go and set off for Santa Antao. En route, a group of young Mormons approached us and asked us what a group of Americans were doing here, and we explained Peace Corps and they explained their work; an interesting exchange and a nice break from Kriolu as we approached our new home. (So apparently there are a bunch of Mormons on the islands, they come and stay for a couple of years and move around to a few of the islands as part of their service. We’d been told about this back in the states but we had yet to see anyone until the boat ride, and I think there was maybe a group of 30 on the boat that day, all living in Mindelo).
By 9am, we had arrived at our new home – Porto Novo. Off the boat and on to another hiace we went, having been met by three other volunteers who live in Santa Antao, one who is fortunately living about 8 minutes from us in Porto Novo. They dropped us off at our apartment and took off to drop off the other two volunteers at their posts. And there we were.
Our apartment…what to say…well first, let me explain that everyone lives at different levels here in Cape Verde. Some people have a small house, many live in apartments with varying levels of comfort, some live in palace like apartments that put to shame anything we could afford at home, but given safety and security concerns, it’s what works best in those cities. Our apartment is nice, large enough, clean and very well ventilated. We had running water, sort of, meaning our toilet flushes and the sink in the kitchen has fairly good pressure, but that our shower is but a trickle so we take bucket baths. When you walk in, the kitchen is to your left and living area to the right. The kitchen has a small dorm fridge and another even smaller dorm “fridge” (ie those ones you use for beer storage only, which I think one of the last volunteers living here had sent to him from the states for the sole purpose of storing beer), a small stove, a low table/desk to help cook on and a sink, plus a balcony off of it, but we can’t get that door open yet. The living area was empty except for a small end table, though there was a closet near the entryway that had some broken chairs which we had replaced (PC pays for that). There is also a large picture window here which provides great ventilation (yes, I keep mentioning ventilation, because Porto Novo is HOT and having a breezy apartment is vital). Straight ahead from the entryway is the bathroom sink. Contrary to what PC thinks, there is only one bathroom. In the middle outside of the doors is the sink, on the right is the toilet and on the left is the shower. All this is fine, we were just expecting a first floor, two bedroom two bathroom apartment, and what we have is a second floor, two bedroom one bathroom apartment. In reality, this makes me feel better anyway, because it seems sort of weird to be living in a really really nice place when you’re serving in the PC.
In between the toilet room and the living room is our bedroom, which has a pretty comfortable bed and another balcony, this one we were able to open, and which allows you a view of the ocean, which is maybe a 2 minute walk away (the actual beaches are about a 20 min walk away, we’ll be checking those out tomorrow). There was also a large closet and some sheets and pillows already there, though we did get more sheets and pillows since they were a little…worn. Opposite, between the kitchen and the shower room, is the second bedroom, which also has a mattress on the floor (for guests!) and a large closet and another short table/desk (really we don’t have tables, they are desks, and PC guarantees you 4 chairs and a table, so I’m not sure if we should ask about getting a table or not…we did purchase a table and 4 chairs, and they did reimburse us for the chairs; I just don’t know if they are counting the two desk type things as tables or not, but in any event we had plenty of money to pay for the things we had to buy so it’s really a moot point).
So…we purchased a few shelving units (for the kitchen so we had room for food storage, for the bathroom, for the bedroom for clothes and for the second bedroom which is now the “peace room,” kind of like a “war room” but well, this is the PC, so…where we have all of our development materials and are starting to make maps and such of our community and books etc.), a bunch of kitchen stuff, cleaning supplies…and here we are! Oh. The best part. I believe that there is one woman living below us and no one living in the rest of the building. Two flights of stairs up is a door that leads to the roof and a fantastic view of the ocean. There isn’t much on the roof except some building materials and the lines to hang our clothes on, and it doesn’t appear anyone goes up there, so it’s a wonderful place to spend sunrise or sunset or any time when you want to just hang out and remember you’re on an island or reflect on how blessed you are or hoop the day in.
Our job now, for the first three months, is to continue to learn the language, IRB (intentional relationship building) and conduct PACA (participatory analysis for community action) – basically, learn the community, the language and figure out what we’ll be doing for the next two years. We’ve both been in to work to meet our counterparts and co-workers, and I got to go into the “field” one day, basically about 45 minutes outside of the city up into the mountains (and above the clouds…it was so beautiful) to talk to a small community about housing problems they are having (their homes are built from material they find around them and thus don’t keep the rain out) and see what the local government can do to help. It was definitely a fun afternoon and helped with both understanding local issues and language.
We hope all is well at home…we now have a permanent address, which you can write us at or send packages to.
Corpo de Pas/Dove and Josh Russo
Armazem Porto Novo
Santo Antao
Republic of Cape Verde
Western Africa
Yes, that is the entire address – the guy at the post office knows who we are (in a town of 5000 we sort of stick out) and apparently just holds the mail for us or will call us when we get a package. Pretty sweet! “Armazem” is the side of town we are on; the other side is “Albufador.” The other volunteers have had no issues getting mail and packages, so hopefully we will be the same.
And…some photos! A few are included below, but Iºll try to catch up over the next few days...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157607548403336/
I know it’s been a while, but finally here are the pics from our Dia di Jovem, (or at least the first batch of them...this internet connection is awful so Iºm going to try again tomorrow) held on September 14. It was a great day with tons of hooping and dancing and music and eating.
More tomorrow of Dia di Jovem, swearing in, Helenaºs suprise party, Mindelo and at last Porto Novo!
Ti logu,
Dove
After swearing in, we were whisked away to Praia, the capital, with hundreds of bags in tow (or at least it felt like it). Our hotel had both AC AND hot water, which was a blessing, and we spent our last moments together with our fellow volunteers (the ones that were leaving Santiago – the others who were staying on that island went straight to site so we had to say goodbye after swearing in). Sunday, our flight to Sao Vincent was uneventful, which we are extremely grateful for as we have heard horror stories about lost luggage, 12 hour flight delays and a host of other fun stuff. Our flight was delayed maybe 45 minutes, which is about right for air travel these days anyway, and our bags arrived safe and sound. The coolest part about the flight was looking down and seeing Sao Vincent and then looking to the left and seeing Santa Antao. It’s hard to explain how you can be on an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean for 9 weeks and not feel like you are…where we were in Santiago didn’t feel especially island like, although I’m not sure what exactly that means anyway.
Off the plane and onto a hiace, where we were not crammed in like sardines and where I didn’t fear for my life…we were definitely on a different island. The drive to the Port of Mindelo was short and our hotel was gorgeous. Apparently it’s one the PC uses a lot and the woman waiting for us welcomed us with open arms, yet another mother for us on another island. Again we had AC and hot water and a view that was worth a million dollars. Here I truly felt like I had arrived on a tropical island.
We helped Lindsay to her new place and then went out for pizza and schwarma and ice cream (all available in Mindelo, the second largest city in Cape Verde and the second most perfect port in the world, or so I have been told, and after turning around on the ferry and watching us leave, I don’t doubt it’s true), and then to bed as we had an 8am ferry to catch.
I woke up with my stomach in knots on Monday, knowing this was the last day with our “guide” who had helped us navigate our way to the north, and knowing that today we would be own our own. After some initial trouble at the port (being the clueless volunteers that we were, we let some guys at the pier “help” us with our bags after being harassed for 10 minutes, only to have our bags held hostage until we gave them some money) we were ready to go and set off for Santa Antao. En route, a group of young Mormons approached us and asked us what a group of Americans were doing here, and we explained Peace Corps and they explained their work; an interesting exchange and a nice break from Kriolu as we approached our new home. (So apparently there are a bunch of Mormons on the islands, they come and stay for a couple of years and move around to a few of the islands as part of their service. We’d been told about this back in the states but we had yet to see anyone until the boat ride, and I think there was maybe a group of 30 on the boat that day, all living in Mindelo).
By 9am, we had arrived at our new home – Porto Novo. Off the boat and on to another hiace we went, having been met by three other volunteers who live in Santa Antao, one who is fortunately living about 8 minutes from us in Porto Novo. They dropped us off at our apartment and took off to drop off the other two volunteers at their posts. And there we were.
Our apartment…what to say…well first, let me explain that everyone lives at different levels here in Cape Verde. Some people have a small house, many live in apartments with varying levels of comfort, some live in palace like apartments that put to shame anything we could afford at home, but given safety and security concerns, it’s what works best in those cities. Our apartment is nice, large enough, clean and very well ventilated. We had running water, sort of, meaning our toilet flushes and the sink in the kitchen has fairly good pressure, but that our shower is but a trickle so we take bucket baths. When you walk in, the kitchen is to your left and living area to the right. The kitchen has a small dorm fridge and another even smaller dorm “fridge” (ie those ones you use for beer storage only, which I think one of the last volunteers living here had sent to him from the states for the sole purpose of storing beer), a small stove, a low table/desk to help cook on and a sink, plus a balcony off of it, but we can’t get that door open yet. The living area was empty except for a small end table, though there was a closet near the entryway that had some broken chairs which we had replaced (PC pays for that). There is also a large picture window here which provides great ventilation (yes, I keep mentioning ventilation, because Porto Novo is HOT and having a breezy apartment is vital). Straight ahead from the entryway is the bathroom sink. Contrary to what PC thinks, there is only one bathroom. In the middle outside of the doors is the sink, on the right is the toilet and on the left is the shower. All this is fine, we were just expecting a first floor, two bedroom two bathroom apartment, and what we have is a second floor, two bedroom one bathroom apartment. In reality, this makes me feel better anyway, because it seems sort of weird to be living in a really really nice place when you’re serving in the PC.
In between the toilet room and the living room is our bedroom, which has a pretty comfortable bed and another balcony, this one we were able to open, and which allows you a view of the ocean, which is maybe a 2 minute walk away (the actual beaches are about a 20 min walk away, we’ll be checking those out tomorrow). There was also a large closet and some sheets and pillows already there, though we did get more sheets and pillows since they were a little…worn. Opposite, between the kitchen and the shower room, is the second bedroom, which also has a mattress on the floor (for guests!) and a large closet and another short table/desk (really we don’t have tables, they are desks, and PC guarantees you 4 chairs and a table, so I’m not sure if we should ask about getting a table or not…we did purchase a table and 4 chairs, and they did reimburse us for the chairs; I just don’t know if they are counting the two desk type things as tables or not, but in any event we had plenty of money to pay for the things we had to buy so it’s really a moot point).
So…we purchased a few shelving units (for the kitchen so we had room for food storage, for the bathroom, for the bedroom for clothes and for the second bedroom which is now the “peace room,” kind of like a “war room” but well, this is the PC, so…where we have all of our development materials and are starting to make maps and such of our community and books etc.), a bunch of kitchen stuff, cleaning supplies…and here we are! Oh. The best part. I believe that there is one woman living below us and no one living in the rest of the building. Two flights of stairs up is a door that leads to the roof and a fantastic view of the ocean. There isn’t much on the roof except some building materials and the lines to hang our clothes on, and it doesn’t appear anyone goes up there, so it’s a wonderful place to spend sunrise or sunset or any time when you want to just hang out and remember you’re on an island or reflect on how blessed you are or hoop the day in.
Our job now, for the first three months, is to continue to learn the language, IRB (intentional relationship building) and conduct PACA (participatory analysis for community action) – basically, learn the community, the language and figure out what we’ll be doing for the next two years. We’ve both been in to work to meet our counterparts and co-workers, and I got to go into the “field” one day, basically about 45 minutes outside of the city up into the mountains (and above the clouds…it was so beautiful) to talk to a small community about housing problems they are having (their homes are built from material they find around them and thus don’t keep the rain out) and see what the local government can do to help. It was definitely a fun afternoon and helped with both understanding local issues and language.
We hope all is well at home…we now have a permanent address, which you can write us at or send packages to.
Corpo de Pas/Dove and Josh Russo
Armazem Porto Novo
Santo Antao
Republic of Cape Verde
Western Africa
Yes, that is the entire address – the guy at the post office knows who we are (in a town of 5000 we sort of stick out) and apparently just holds the mail for us or will call us when we get a package. Pretty sweet! “Armazem” is the side of town we are on; the other side is “Albufador.” The other volunteers have had no issues getting mail and packages, so hopefully we will be the same.
And…some photos! A few are included below, but Iºll try to catch up over the next few days...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157607548403336/
I know it’s been a while, but finally here are the pics from our Dia di Jovem, (or at least the first batch of them...this internet connection is awful so Iºm going to try again tomorrow) held on September 14. It was a great day with tons of hooping and dancing and music and eating.
More tomorrow of Dia di Jovem, swearing in, Helenaºs suprise party, Mindelo and at last Porto Novo!
Ti logu,
Dove
A smattering of photos to entice you...
Josh and me at our swearing in ceramony
Cape Verde has lots of nice food
Mindelo from our hotel
Leaving the Port of Mindelo
Arriving at Porto Novo
Friday, September 19, 2008
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
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
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
So much to say...
...and no time to do it!
So in the past week or so, weºve been crazy busy. We spent a weekend with another volunteer for our ´demystification´ie seeing what volunteers live like, which was great. We made pizza, french toast with banannas, guacamole, questidillas, ate at the market and had a few drinks with other visiting volunteers, which led to a great discussion about development theory. Iºve missed that. It was interesting to see how well a lot of volunteers live...not that they have a lot of stuff, or that they have any nice stuff, but the places they rent for us are pretty decent and large. Josh and I will have two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and canºt wait to see it finally! Oh, and Laurenºs mom, I finally got to meet her on our visit to Praia, and just ran into her on the street on the way to language class. Yay! Thanks for ´stalking´me :o)
What else...itºs gone by so fast lately I couldnºt even say. We had our second LPI yesterday and will get the results tomorrow. We finished our portfolios. We had our Dia di Jovem, which was a smashing success. The youth painted the school and the kamara donated the paint. I made 13 hoops for the kids of Mancholi (btw if you are looking for gifts to send me, the connectors for hoops and more electrical tape would be great! There is a website that has it for cheaper than home depot and has better colors. Iºll post my new address when we get there). We visited PC Headquarters, our LCFs house and the Embassy in Praia which was fun.
Swearing in is Saturday and we leave right after for Praia. Sunday we fly to Mindelo, spend the night, and Monday morning itºs off to Porto Nove! Weºre nervous but excited, especially about having our own place, being able to stay out past 8pm, and getting to sleep in the same bed again. Of course northern Kriolu is different than southern, so thatºs a concern, but weºll get through it. Hopefully?
Itºs been a total whirlwind of activities and I have more to say but no time to say it. I also have pics of our site placement which I need to post, pics of our youth day and pics of my family, but Iºll have to do that next time Iºm on line with some time. There are a lot, so itºll be on flickr.
Last but not least...is anyone out there? Iºve only gotten a handful of emails since Iºve been here and only one letter. Itºs a little sad when other volunteers are receiving letters from friends and family every week...this goes not just for my family, but for any other families reading this blog ~ send stuff! Okay, not now because weºre moving, but once we get to site, emails are great (so send more of those) but letters are better. Need something to decorate the walls with!
Outie 5000,
Dove
So in the past week or so, weºve been crazy busy. We spent a weekend with another volunteer for our ´demystification´ie seeing what volunteers live like, which was great. We made pizza, french toast with banannas, guacamole, questidillas, ate at the market and had a few drinks with other visiting volunteers, which led to a great discussion about development theory. Iºve missed that. It was interesting to see how well a lot of volunteers live...not that they have a lot of stuff, or that they have any nice stuff, but the places they rent for us are pretty decent and large. Josh and I will have two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and canºt wait to see it finally! Oh, and Laurenºs mom, I finally got to meet her on our visit to Praia, and just ran into her on the street on the way to language class. Yay! Thanks for ´stalking´me :o)
What else...itºs gone by so fast lately I couldnºt even say. We had our second LPI yesterday and will get the results tomorrow. We finished our portfolios. We had our Dia di Jovem, which was a smashing success. The youth painted the school and the kamara donated the paint. I made 13 hoops for the kids of Mancholi (btw if you are looking for gifts to send me, the connectors for hoops and more electrical tape would be great! There is a website that has it for cheaper than home depot and has better colors. Iºll post my new address when we get there). We visited PC Headquarters, our LCFs house and the Embassy in Praia which was fun.
Swearing in is Saturday and we leave right after for Praia. Sunday we fly to Mindelo, spend the night, and Monday morning itºs off to Porto Nove! Weºre nervous but excited, especially about having our own place, being able to stay out past 8pm, and getting to sleep in the same bed again. Of course northern Kriolu is different than southern, so thatºs a concern, but weºll get through it. Hopefully?
Itºs been a total whirlwind of activities and I have more to say but no time to say it. I also have pics of our site placement which I need to post, pics of our youth day and pics of my family, but Iºll have to do that next time Iºm on line with some time. There are a lot, so itºll be on flickr.
Last but not least...is anyone out there? Iºve only gotten a handful of emails since Iºve been here and only one letter. Itºs a little sad when other volunteers are receiving letters from friends and family every week...this goes not just for my family, but for any other families reading this blog ~ send stuff! Okay, not now because weºre moving, but once we get to site, emails are great (so send more of those) but letters are better. Need something to decorate the walls with!
Outie 5000,
Dove
Saturday, August 30, 2008
The good, the bad, and the really, really disgusting
The good:
Site Placement! Josh and I are going to Porto Novo, Santa Antao! Most of you know we really wanted to go to Santa Antao, so weºre thrilled. We had hoped to end up in Ponta de Sol, but there was no site there for a Youth Development Volunteer, so we have a site right across the ocean from Mindelo, the perfect spot to enjoy night life, buy supplies and celebrate Carnival. We will both be working at the Kamara, sort of like City Hall, but donºt know our jobs yet because weºre both starting a new site. More to come as we have info.
LPI Results. In order to swear in as volunteers we must pass the language test called the LPI and we must rank at Intermediate Mid. Well, at week 5 we took a practice test...and both Josh and I are already at that level, so all our worries about language have subsided. Now my goal is to reach Advanced Low before taking off for the North.
Weight loss! Yay, I was worried I would gain weight with all the rice, but so far, itºs going fast. Might need new clothes soon!
The rain. Ok, I hate rain, but itºs so needed in Cape Verde that you canºt help but be happy when you have as much as we are this year. Some years and on some islands, there is so little rain that the corn is scarce. Here, it is raining frequently. Itºs a wonderful thing.
Our community project. Itºs slowly coming together and we may even get money from the Kamara here to help with costs of painting the school. Some shops in Asomada gave us donations already, and now weºre just hoping for more. The younger kids are busy practicing their dance routines for the Youth Day, and we couldnºt be happier.
Site Placement! Josh and I are going to Porto Novo, Santa Antao! Most of you know we really wanted to go to Santa Antao, so weºre thrilled. We had hoped to end up in Ponta de Sol, but there was no site there for a Youth Development Volunteer, so we have a site right across the ocean from Mindelo, the perfect spot to enjoy night life, buy supplies and celebrate Carnival. We will both be working at the Kamara, sort of like City Hall, but donºt know our jobs yet because weºre both starting a new site. More to come as we have info.
LPI Results. In order to swear in as volunteers we must pass the language test called the LPI and we must rank at Intermediate Mid. Well, at week 5 we took a practice test...and both Josh and I are already at that level, so all our worries about language have subsided. Now my goal is to reach Advanced Low before taking off for the North.
Weight loss! Yay, I was worried I would gain weight with all the rice, but so far, itºs going fast. Might need new clothes soon!
The rain. Ok, I hate rain, but itºs so needed in Cape Verde that you canºt help but be happy when you have as much as we are this year. Some years and on some islands, there is so little rain that the corn is scarce. Here, it is raining frequently. Itºs a wonderful thing.
Our community project. Itºs slowly coming together and we may even get money from the Kamara here to help with costs of painting the school. Some shops in Asomada gave us donations already, and now weºre just hoping for more. The younger kids are busy practicing their dance routines for the Youth Day, and we couldnºt be happier.
The bad:
The façade. I mentioned this before, but I want to talk about it a bit. From the sounds of my blog and other information out there about Cape Verde, it seems like a little slice of heaven. And in some ways, it truly is. Some of the islands are hot spots for European travelers and resorts are becoming more common on Sal and Boa Vista. You can get a lot of things here that youºd find in America, including spices and meats and Nutella and Cadbury chocolate (thank god). But behind the scenes, in the fora or even in the cities, there is rampant poverty. Social services is...well, I have heard people say at least you HAVE programs for youth and for poor people, but again, itºs a show in many ways. Infrustructure is lacking, bureaucracy is unbelievable and things just donºt get done, nor is there money to get things done. Unemployment is a major problem, especially with youth (here youth are considered ages 16 up to 26). Food is scarce, especially when there is a short rainy season. Water is expensive and limited, electricity is unreliable or non existant in nearly everywhere except large cities. Things are expensive. This is the biggest issue - there is stuff, but it costs basically the same or more than in the US, and given that people here make a tiny fraction of what we make at home...they are frequently unatainable. When you canºt afford to eat because food is too expensive, you canºt afford luxury items, like clothes. I have yet to have a meal without rice because it is filling and cheap.
The strange flipside to this is that status and appearence is very very important in Cape Verde. Many people who canºt afford food have cell phones, yet they donºt have any minutes to use them. Because so many Cape Verdeans live abroad, the clothes many do have are sent from Europe and America, contributing to the need for status. It may not make sense reading this, but it does when you live here, and you start to get a feel for how desperate the situation can really be for so many people. I know many people see this as Posh Corps or Beach Corps, but very soon, the international community is going to start withdrawing aid from CV given itºs move to a middle income country, and itºll take a tremendous amount of work to keep the country afloat.
Social services. We had an opportunity to visit an emergency center in Praia for kids who are in abusive homes, or who are abandoned or have parents who have mental health issues or use drugs. They have the capacity for 14 kids and there are 26 there currently. They only have one staff member on each day, and currently 8 of the residents are babies, including a premature 2 month old and a beautiful girl who has cerably palsey and is blind. She has been in this emergency shelter for three years. There is no intake process, no health care unless someone gets sick there...it was heartbreaking.
The mud. Yes, a lighter note, but all this rain and unpaved dirt roads leads to a ton of mud. Itºs driving me nuts.
The mosquitos. My ankles are a wreck.
The flies. It is...unbelievable the amount of flies here. They are everywhere. The rain brings a lot of things I could do without.
The ugly.
Ok, posh corps my butt. We have had in the last week the latest in a series of bug infestations. And I mean on peoples bodies. One guy and another woman had those wonderful flies that I talked about hatch on their clothes and crawl under their skin. The woman had ten of them. Basically they look like bug bites or boils, but have a little air hole on top. To get them out you have to put vaseline on them and wait for them to come up for air, then pull them out. They are basically maggots living under your skin. Lovely.
And poor Josh...weºre not sure how, but a tiny bug burrowed under his skin on the bottom of a toe. It looked like he had a wort, but when I started playing with it and trying to see what it was, it burst open and a zillion tiny eggs came out. The bug laid an egg sack in his toe. Unbelievable. It was oh so fun to be on the receiving end of that!
Time is short again, so Iºm off to brave the rain and mud. Today Iºm going to make tunafish sandwiches for my family. They are getting used to my food experimentation, though Iºm not sure how much they like it lol. Iºm happy to get a little American food in my system though (not complaining about CV food, I love it, especially the ROOSTER we had for dinner last night - I would have loved to be the one to kill it).
Ti logu,
Dove
Photo Links
So here are the rest of the photos from Tabugal:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157607023391201/
Iºve had other trainees say that their parents canºt see photos from staging any more - the links are further back on the blog but Iºll post them again for ease:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157606983632707/
Tabugal, Part 1
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157606194740637/
Peace Corps Staging in Boston
For the family, here again are the links to going away parties and other things of interest:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157606162164951/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157606161851547/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157606158039010/
Mom, here are the pics of Aunt Annie:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157606157808394/
Ok thatºs it for photos now, on to the blog!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157607023391201/
Iºve had other trainees say that their parents canºt see photos from staging any more - the links are further back on the blog but Iºll post them again for ease:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157606983632707/
Tabugal, Part 1
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157606194740637/
Peace Corps Staging in Boston
For the family, here again are the links to going away parties and other things of interest:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157606162164951/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157606161851547/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157606158039010/
Mom, here are the pics of Aunt Annie:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doveandjoshua/sets/72157606157808394/
Ok thatºs it for photos now, on to the blog!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
