Bwaaah!

Hell yeah! I don't know why I just fell like typing that...doens't have the same value as screaming it out loud, but the townsfolk probably think I have enough parafusos loose already.. Haha, I just did it anyways. Too be fair, my walls are cement and soundproof and no one really knows what that means here. Unfortunately, I have not found an equally enthusiastic Creolo phrase. It is probably like "Very Well" = Muito Bem! Just said enthusastically. My enthusiasm comes from an unknown source, but I don't mind waking up feeling my oates from time to time. I got up and I thought to myself..jeez Grant..you have absolutely no idea what you're going to do today (aside from tenatively translate a letter with the principal of the school). I was thinking about hiking down to the canyon today and looting an old washing machine frame that was down there. If I could powersaw the sides off, I think they would make great shelves for my work in progress bookshelf.

But Thomas, you might ask, why build a shelf out of scrap metal and tin cans when you have all your fora money accumulating and you could just go out and buy one the next time you're in Ribeira Grande. The answer, of course, is that if I bought one it would be hard for me to justify building one out of tin cans and scrap metal. Listening to funana in the morning is like drinking a coffee through an IV, and instead of going to just your bloodstream it goes to your soul too, the end.

Success

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, so I will oblige. Also, breakdance class was a success, and demand for more of those have increased. I'm not exactly doing the development work I had in mind, but I'm at least keeping busy.

Cockroach Basketball

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 bottle you throw at it.

A colleague of mine has a similar game, but it is required that you have less than perfect vision, and of course cockroaches.

Today I had a ton of success. My association that I work with decided to get moving on the gota gota thing I had suggested. A tecnico from the ministry of agriculture came out with my counterpart and I to scout out a potential placement site for a storage tank. After revisting the cliff I almost fell off on my first day here we checked out two more sites. The pouridge was just right on the last one, and there is a couple of townsfolk trying to get a hold of the owner. Hopefully it pans out. I have also heard that a couple people are going to try to make it to my earlier English class tomorrow. I also successfully made French Fries. This marks the first time I've ever successfully fried ANYTHING on my own. Its been a good day.

In Like A Lion

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 the Cha-D-Igeja, and I bought it without thinking. The opprtunity to get new food at site is always welcome, but in my haste I forgot that my years of vegetarianism have left me clueless on how to even prepare this frozen block of cow. They say on the internet to thaw it in your fridge for a good while so I hope it works. You better be right about this internet!

Carnival

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 and catchy songs. At the climax of our journey we were 18 strong, which is more volunteers than I will ever see at any one time in the Barlavento (Northern Half of the island chain). I love Cape Verdeans, but partying with people who speak your language is a treat like no other. When I am in the company of people who understand my language, I feel a refreshing sense of identity. The journey started on Wednesday when I got to visit Brendan and Steve's site and see the beautiful mountain they live on. I was pleased to have my favorite Santiago duo waiting for me as well when I arrived. Once we had seen their site sufficiently well the party train made a voyage for Taraffal where I got to meet the famous Mr. Beach and hang out on that side for a couple days. The highlight of that experience surly was the beach camping trip we made two hours up the shore from Taraffal. On this beautiful beach we made fire, caught up with each other, made food, and even saw bioluminecent (sp?) shrimp. I haven't been camping since America and the experience was truly incredible.

A morning filled with frisbee, emerald waters, and sun greeted us the next day as we shook off the night before. Brendan managed to even show the Cape-Verdeans how to toss the pig skin around, and others went James-Bonding on some fish. We returned satisfied from the beach and ready for the night ahead...which just so happened to be Carnival Wooooooooooooooo!

Our costumes, which were ready by 3am, were a mixture of a Japanese Cartoon villian, an Aztec warrior, and a seahorse were even more awesome than they sound. We rocked these for the three days of Carnival and even a little bit on the "rest day". The parade we danced in was hypnotising with bright lights, colorful costumes, two songs played over and over back to back but still left you wanting more, and the most material you could put on women's costumes and still describe them as scantily clad. Dancing three steps to the left and three steps to the right through narrow cobblestone streets really puts you in a strange trance. By the time we got to the finish of each parade I was shellshocked. My original plan was to go to just one Carnival in Sao Nicolau, and switch it up by going to Mindelo the following year. Plans change.

Blog!

I had an awesome two page post that was colorfully written and just getting to the good part when my backspace mysteriously took me into another dimension where my blog post don't exist. Your loss. It was really good, but I guess you'll never know what happened to me the last couple days.
Here's the cliff notes
Random wave of euphoria overcame me on a hike, and I've been kicking ass and taking names since.
Last night I went to Povacao and had a great time
I'm going to Sao Nicolau, because thats what all the cool kids are doing for Carnaval. If you're not going its either because youre following this blog from America, which makes me proud of you. Or you are a PCV who doesn't have the stones to do real Carnaval, which means I still love you, but I am disappointed.
I miss my last entry as well as the stray dog I was becoming best friends with.

2010 For The Win

The new years has been awesome so far. Normally New Years is my favorite holiday, and this year, despite unfamiliar circumstances, was no exception. I spent the 31st hanging out on the beach listening to music, when I returned to town I made supper and nothing out of the ordinary. At midnight however, I saw the sleepy little town I live in transform into a celebration unrivaled by American towns 20 times its size. The town chucked fireworks into the air and the local drivers, including the ambulance, got all 5 of the town's cars together and made laps around the town honking as bystanders jumped in or on each of them. Once sufficently full, the vans and trucks went cruising down the north ramp of our town singing and cheering in the new year. Our destination was the nearby fishing Village of Cruzinha where a parallel party was occurring. Everyone got out of the vehicles after much cheering to wish each other new years. In my life I don't know if I've ever experienced such genuine well wishing in my life and the holiday spirit was unrivaled. Most everyone was rocking at least a 14 tooth smile (excepting those who hadn't the means) and the momentum carried us all the way back to Cha d' Igreja for the real party. We got back at one, at which point I got a call from my brothers. It was great to hear from them as I haven't heard their voices in nearly six months. We caught up as best we could with the noise and connection quality.
The party rivaled most anything I'd experienced in San Diego. Everyone was dancing, young and old alike, and the ponche and wine flowed like rivers. The venue was a night club that opened on special occasions in Cha De Igreja, and on the inside it was a legitamite night club, with a bar, dance floor, full sound, colorful lights etc. I was disappointed to see the party wind down at four, and I reluctantly went home which was 60 feet away. It was a good way to start the new year although I was kicking myself the next day.........people didn't go home at 4AM, it turns out they just took the party back to Cruzinha.