Peace Corps Journals / Cape Verde / all updates

zouk the shimmy and other raunchy CV dancing

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:03:18 +0800

(Cape Verde / Leah's Wonderment at Wandering the World)
The past weekend we had a birthday party for one of my co-workers (it was a “surprise” party that she asked/commanded to be organized for her). We played minisoccer and the girls lost 6-2 ...
7 reads

'Nest' by John O'Donohue

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:17:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Cameron Conant)
'Nest' I awakenTo find your head Loaded with sleep Branching my chest. Feel the streams Of your breathing Dream through my heart. From the new day Light glimpses The nape of your neck. Tender is the ...
6 reads

The Kindness of Strangers......

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:15:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / The Kellers: Hearts and Bones)
gets you lots and lots and lots and lots of..............SEEDS! Thank you Heirloom Seeds. The Garden Projects of Cape Verde are going to rock over these next two years.
24 reads

Dia Internacional da Mulher

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:12:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Cathryn in Cape Verde)
''Ela semeia monda prepara a comida vai buscar aágua trata da família dobebé do marido. Antes era totalmente submissa.Hoje ela tem o directo àpalavra. E quer igualdade: no trabalho nocasame ...
0 reads

Untitled

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:23:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Cameron Conant)
Any theories on why U.S. Catholic universities usually have strong basketball programs? I think this is a topic worthy of serious sociological exploration.
15 reads

Confessions (Call Me 'Lame' - I love It)

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 13:13:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Cameron Conant)
I really do have good taste. I think. But since I have not been to mass in many months a few confessions: -I really like the movie 'Titanic.' -I don't hate Celine Dion. -I really like Phil Collins p ...
10 reads

A Puzzle Update

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 16:12:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / The Kellers: Hearts and Bones)
The puzzle is coming together.
5 reads

Untitled

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 11:25:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Cameron Conant)
Was feeling better last night. Well enough to write. Though I found the prose and poetry slow in coming. I then fell into bed looking at the pictures peeling from the walls the chipped paint and pi ...
5 reads

Success

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 09:42:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / 16°N 24°W)
Made cachupa successfully! It was more like feijupa because there wasn't enough corn in my village so it was mostly beans. Still tasty. All six of my students are demanding more English classes s ...
1 reads

Prayers

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:21:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / The Kellers: Hearts and Bones)
If you know me you know I have some issues. I have a temper that is quicker than lightening. I don't stay mad long at all but I get that way in a hurry. My anger subsides about as quickl ...
10 reads

How Soccer Explains the World

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:08:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / a certain shade of green)
I found a Cape Verdean women´s soccer team in my town to play on. I went to practice last night and scored a goal. I can not even begin to explain how happy I am to be playing soccer. It would requir ...
8 reads

Untitled

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:06:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Cameron Conant)
Can't log onto Gmail from this computer this morning. It is like not having your regular morning cup of coffee. Life is only tough somewhere if you can't log onto Gmail. Though that might soon include China.
7 reads

Projects

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:49:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / An Almost Made Up Blog)
So part of being a Peace Corps Volunteer involves applying for grants and trying to get funding for the various projects we're working on. I'm not working on any secondary projects that involve seeki ...
11 reads

It has begun...

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:57:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Sorry, I Have Make an Official)
Dearly Beloved So I currently know...let's see here...according to my most recent tally I currently know 10 couples that are engaged. That's 20 individuals between the ages of 24 and 28 bound for hol ...
15 reads

Untitled

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:25:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Cameron Conant)
Only four weeks until I leave Cape Verde for 12 days for spring break. Despite the beautiful weather we've had of late it will be good to get away for a while. And then when I come back from vacation ...
8 reads

Cockroach Basketball

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:07:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / 16°N 24°W)
The rules: If a cockroach is on the walls near the toilet you get two swats to attempt to knock him or her directly into the toilet bowl. Only partial credit if the roach is stunned from the plastic ...
11 reads

Puzzle Progress

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:14:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / The Kellers: Hearts and Bones)
Here is an update on our hard work on our new 3000 piece old-world map puzzle Rachel's parents sent us. It is on the floor because the table is not big enough to hold it!
6 reads

Hot Showers on the Horizon

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:05:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / The Kellers: Hearts and Bones)
When Lamar and I decided to come to Peace Corps we were super excited about the idea of being so close to Europe and maybe getting to travel. Lamar has never been to Europe and he rea ...
11 reads

a long rambling post that mostly goes nowhere

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:25:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / An Almost Made Up Blog)
I don't know why I didn't write about this yesterday but today I've been thinking about how significant the 1st of March is. These days at the end of February and beginning of March hold many birthda ...
10 reads

In Like A Lion

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:19:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / 16°N 24°W)
I start teaching English classes again today. Hopefully the Igrejians will be remotivated for learning another language by my super-sized poster thats up in the Praca. I found cow meat at a store in ...
4 reads

February 26th - PUBLIC RELATIONS DINNER

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:52:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Full Circle)
After the filosofia festinha it was off to Fonte Ines for a dinner with the DECM (Engineering campus) Public Relations students. Amazing food acoustic music thanks to some of my students attempts on my part at dancing...It's no wonder I was exhausted come Saturday...
9 reads

February 26th - FILOSOFIA FESTINHA

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:49:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Full Circle)
After brunch and beach it was time for my last class with the fourth year philosophy students. I've taught them English for two semesters now. The high note of the class was teaching them about a fe ...
12 reads

February 26th - BRUNCH...

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:39:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Full Circle)
The next day we had a morning session followed by brunch at my apartment and a siesta at the beach that may have included some yoga instruction via. Dra. Dominika.
9 reads

Untitled

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:32:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Full Circle)
1 reads

Untitled

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:30:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Full Circle)
1 reads

February 25th - LIMPEZA

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:16:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Full Circle)
The University decided to extend the semester by two weeks but only gave professors and students a week notice before doing so. Of course we can rearrange schedules but seeing as evaluations were a ...
3 reads

February 16th- CARNAVAL

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:10:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Full Circle)
Our school year was unexpectedly extended a week before so it wasn't as carefree as I would have preferred but it Carnaval is always a good time. On Monday after classes I marched with the Uni-CV an ...
3 reads

February 13th - DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PRESENTATION

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:07:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Full Circle)
The second year English students presented an information session about Domestic Violence to their third year peers. They worked in groups to present a skit music information about victims and abus ...
1 reads

Random

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:01:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Full Circle)
This is from last year but yep. That's right folks. That's me behind the barefoot diva herself!
2 reads

My first Africa shirt...

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:44:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / from Island to Island)
Elyse and I spent Saturday afternoon shopping in the market and came back with new outfits...
2 reads

Something I couldn't handle

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:05:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / For lack of a cleverer title, Chase in Cape Verde)
It's nearly 10 in the morning when I go to the bakery to buy bread. I'm almost sure that I'm too late but I decide to go anyway on the off chance that it may be a slow day.I go the back way which re ...
1 reads

On Light

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:15:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Cameron Conant)
Beauty and darkness coexist in a strange way on this planet. They often take up residence in our own hearts mirroring the patterns of the sun. I once knew many people - lived with one married one w ...
1 reads

Watching (Notes to Myself)

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 12:19:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Cameron Conant)
Watching the old woman under the big tree the roots of which undoubtedly stretch to the bottom of the ocean and wrap themselves around the entire world. The woman: her head in a lensu her eyes frame ...
8 reads

pictures of Praia

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:43:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / An Almost Made Up Blog)
I recently realized that I haven't posted pictures in a while. I also realized that I haven't posted pictures of Praia EVER. So here are some pictures I took as I traveled around Praia one day on my ...
14 reads

Thoughts on Religion

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 11:36:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Cameron Conant)
It has been said before particularly by those much brighter and enlightened than I that we must never confuse religion with true spiritual growth. I think of the story - perhaps untrue but not diffi ...
5 reads

Drinking and Watching and Reading

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:27:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Cameron Conant)
Just got back from spending the bulk of the afternoon at Sol e Luna the beachside restaurant where I go to try and lasso my sanity and bring it back home with me. I was there at the table drinking Po ...
9 reads

Ownership

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:06:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / The Kellers: Hearts and Bones)
Yesterday the three English department professors at UNICV hosted a "classroom improvement day" of sorts. Working and studying at an institution that is not supportive and often times ...
12 reads

Carnival

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:52:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / 16°N 24°W)
A group of the more intrepid volunteers made a trip to Carnival in Sao Nicolau. I was fortunate enough to join these brave souls as they embarked on a glitter filled journey through a land of wonder ...
3 reads

1 Down

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:50:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / The Kellers: Hearts and Bones)
Well we finished our first puzzle from Rachel's parents. It was very cool to work on a puzzle with the West view of Albuquerque. The next puzzle makes this puzzle look like childs play tho ...
7 reads

Oh Oh It’s magic you know…

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:19:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / from Island to Island)
The following entry was an article I wrote for our post newsletter:In true Peace Corps fashion what happens at Carnaval… seems to spread across Cape Verde like a puff of glitter or decorative feath ...
7 reads

Carnivale Island Envy

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:54:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / a certain shade of green)
All the flights to São Nicolau were full and the boat was mysteriously "not working." It seemed as though this year I would celebrate CarnivaleMardi Gras on Santiago the island I live on which trad ...
5 reads

A Wise Monk Told Me 'Look There'

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:13:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Cameron Conant)
What follows is a line from a poem I wrote months ago - the full text of which I cannot remember without my notebook in front of me. The title of the poem is 'A Franciscan Meditation.' Perhaps you ca ...
7 reads

Dja Txiga Sozinho

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:48:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / from Island to Island)
Well... I am back at my site the bustling metropolis known as Praia. After a last minute trip home in-service training and a trip to São Nicolau for Carnaval it is sadly time to stay at site for ...
9 reads

the article

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 07:50:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / An Almost Made Up Blog)
Here’s the article with footnotes to explain the various things some non-PCVs won’t otherwise understand. Names have been removed because I’m not sure the SAFETY AND SECURITY stance on that iss ...
7 reads

Giving Up

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:20:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / An Almost Made Up Blog)
While Skyping with my mom and sister this past weekend my mother asked what I’ve given up for Lent. I remained silent for a moment knowing this is a touchy subject between my mother and I and the ...
15 reads

CARNAVAL!

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:25:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / from Island to Island)
Just a few photos from my Carnaval trip to São NicolauOn the beach where we camped and went spear fishing Steven (2 fish) & I (1 fish) went spear fishing with some friendsThe boys in their Copa C ...
12 reads

Plans for Environmental Ed

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:55:10 +0800

(Cape Verde / Leah's Wonderment at Wandering the World)
So if you think I only dance in a mask and cook all day in Cape Verde you are only partly right. Heres a plan I elaborated after a meeting for our environmental programs at the high school for the rest of the year: Programa de Educação Ambiental 2010 – Uma parceria entre ESOM Salimpa e a [...]
0 reads

Ludocarnaval

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:48:19 +0800

(Cape Verde / Leah's Wonderment at Wandering the World)
I´ve helping out at the ludoteca trying to dinamize the space and so here are some photos of our kids’ parade for Carnaval. We had everyone made recycled materials outfits cardboard “s ...
0 reads

Memories and Coffee

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 10:56:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / Cameron Conant)
This morning sitting on the concrete steps of my gated fortress in the middle of a neighborhood that resembles a bombed-out part of Baghdad (no coincidence that the tall metal fence surrounding my ho ...
10 reads

Love

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 19:47:00 +0800

(Cape Verde / For lack of a cleverer title, Chase in Cape Verde)
It's 4:55. I'm sitting down and all I'm doing is watching TV but she asks "Where are you going?""Fajã " I reply."What time?""Pretty soon.""Later? What hour?" She points to the 7 on the wall cl ...
5 reads