Almost vacation time...

Since I will be returning to the United States for vacation at the end of June, I felt obligated to write a blog entry before my trip. When I returned from my trip to the island of Fogo in the beginning of May I was pleasantly surprised by having something that resembled work or an obligation nearly every day for the last month and a half. I helped a micro-credit association from a nearby town do socioeconomic surveys of houses within my town that need repairs. I went to a few meetings with African Development Fund, the American organization responsible for the dam project, my main assignment here. Unfortunately, no official time line for beginning work was established and it is pretty much certain nothing will happen until after rainy season, in September. I attended a two day workshop on fighting poverty (which I found pretty damn useless). My association held a domestic artisan workshop (learning how to crochet, make bags, etc.) and begun a culinary one that will last the next three weeks. My supervisor spoke about the possibility of creating a group to sell jam or ponche (sugar cane liquor flavored with strawberry, coconut, peanut, coffee, etc) at the dam. That is something I would love to get involved with, fruit transformation is a subject of interest for Cape Verde where transportation and preserving produce is an issue. Fruit transformation could be especially successful in the town I live in where we have so many papayas that they go bad.

I attempted to climb Pico Antonio, the tallest peak on this island. The last part of the summit was too dangerous so I decided not to complete it. I hope I will get another chance to try it, with the proper mountaineering gear. It was still a decent hike, with a view of almost the entire island, with all the valleys and mountain peaks. It was one of those moments that catches me by surprise here, and I realize how beautiful and exotic this place is.

I do not know exactly how I feel about going home. I wish I was going home in Fall or Winter so that I could experience another season, wish I could see the lovely fall leaves in Virginia. Also once this trip is over, I do not know what I will look forward to. When I come back, there will be a new group of volunteers so that will be exciting. It will also be rainy season, a time for seclusion and reading, which I generally enjoy.

I know my trip home will be great and that is why I am anxious about, it will make coming back very difficult.

Don’t get me wrong, I am excited. Each night I lie in bed imagining the different meals I will eat in America (last night it was chicken tenders and ranch dressing from Cheddars) and think about hot showers, understanding everything in a store, being rude to strangers, and all other amazing American phenomenon.