Rainy Season

The rainy season has officially begun and like my neighbors here in Cape Verde, I am thankful. Although the reasons why I am glad it’s raining and the reasons why my neighbors are, are completely different. For me, rain means days hidden inside of my room curled up with hot chocolate and a good book, two hours of T.V. shows on my laptop, letter writing. Rain means stolen days like this one, when the Minister of Agriculture was supposed to visit but cancelled because the roads are too treacherous to travel from Praia. And for my town, heavy rains mean productive crops and bountiful harvests.

Since I arrived back in Cape Verde (about two and half weeks ago) I have been busy, gracias adeus. Being busy has really helped to “matta soledadi de Merka” (literally, kill my sadness for America). My association began construction work to build reservoirs that will siphon water from the dam for irrigation purposes, the day that I left the country. When I returned I spent a few days walking from site to site, observing the workers, taking photos, and talking with the site managers. I have also been assisting Maria (my counterpart) with payroll activities, mostly typing up the handwritten payroll sheets to send to the American organization financing the project. My role is suppose to assist with financial matters, general accounting, which sounds easy enough but with three construction sites and materials purchased constantly it is a bit difficult to distinguish where my responsibilities lie.

A fellow PCV who was a good friend of mine recently left the country. He finished his service last week. He had a “dispida” or going-away party at a sleepy little beach town that I had not visited before. I am going to miss him and “America House” (what we called his place). He also helped with a lot of technical matters in my town, like our solar panels. He left me a user’s manual for it so hopefully I can figure it out…fingers crossed.

In Cape Verde, PCV’s arrive every July while others finishing their two years of service leave. I have not yet met any of the new PCV’s but I will soon when I help with a training session. It is sort of strange phenomenon that people I have become good friends with are leaving and a whole new group of people for me to be friends with have arrived.

I am excited for my second year in Cape Verde. My language skills are decent at this point and the project that I was assigned to has actually begun. Other PCV’s have told me the second year is completely different from your first and almost always more productive.

I have not yet been up to Achada Costa, the mountain community behind my house to visit. I know everyone there will give me a hard time and call me “ingrato” because I have been back for about two weeks and have not yet been up there. The reason I haven’t been there is because I have been busy with work so I think that should pacify the situation. I also be bringing gifts of showy costume jewelry and chocolate. Tuesday is our big Saint’s day/party. There is no work that day and I will spend the day up in Achada Costa eating fijao and xerem until I burst. Vida de Kabo Verde…