December 16th - "ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS TO BE LESS AWKWARD"

An update on the boat website that my dad and his friend Rob are working on http://theonrust.com/Welcome.html

The theme this week is going to be awkward news in chronological order.

Cathryn and I decided to be HUGE dorks and tour the US Navy ship in town last week. Just slightly awkward when we were shown the cabins and a half-asleep sailor walks out of a room in his boxers. Sorry. I'm not so sorry about "liberating" some real soy sauce. Now that made the whole experience worth every awkward bit. It was also exciting to talk and hang out with Americans again, even for a couple nights. On a side not the ship is doing a humanitarian tour through Africa. They do volunteer projects and distribute supplies. Way to go Navy!

Awkward moment number two... One night when I was supposed to meet up with a few of the sailors for their last night I realized I had accidently given them my wrong number. Giving the wrong cell number, even unintentionally isn't so much awkward as guilt trip inducing. Anyways, since I felt bad about my inability to remember the order of seven digits, I went to the bar I had mentioned to them. Alone. Walked in and it was me and the band. Amazing. Awkward, but a good lesson on how to be independent.

Awkward moment number three... On Saturday I went to a birthday party. The living room was basically turned into a full blown disco, but with lights. Oh that's not the awkward part. There is a song here called Po mo on the cho (translates to put your hands on the floor), basically you put your hands on the floor and butt dance it. Luckily at the time I was busy being spit up on by a really cute little baby, so I was able to restrain myself from dancing to that one. Regardless, you better believe that I did dance to Love is Gone with a 10 year old, while also holding the little baby. The fact that those moments were so much awkward, but "this is my life?" moments.

Awkward moment number four... In other news of how amazingly awkward my life is I took the bus out to visit a primary school that a student teaches at. I finally realized the school may not be marked and of course when I asked someone it was right across the street. Amazing, but not so much as teaching a group of kids "If you are happy and you know it". For those of you that have heard me sing, you know that my singing in itself is awkward!

Other than that it's been little tidbits of awkwardness here and there. Like running into the guy that once told me that he's single, I'm single, we both need sex, can I get your number? - Just like that. One sentence. Very casual. Or walking around with a half eaten swarma in my pocket. Or cooking holiday treats and then second guessing whether or not I have the balls to deliver them to the neighbors. Good times.

I'm waiting to see if I am going to S. Nicolau for X-Mas. I've tried to get a ticket for the past three weeks, but keep receiving a "mais tarde" response - a.k.a. come back later. So, to borrow from a favorite CV phrase, you will hear from me "mais tarde". In the meantime, have some fun during the holidays, be safe, be merry, I miss you all.

December 4th - HAPPY DECEMBER.

As for the personal updates:
I started Creole lessons with a co-worker. If Portuguese is drunk Spanish, than Creole is drunk Spanish spoken by a person who loves to abbreviate. Ridic.

I have been cooking up a storm. I can now add crepes and just about anything apple to the list.

My classes are going well. Check out this little diddy that I did with my students during our “Special Needs” class.

We pegin our qrib eq a faziliar blace, a poqy like yours enq zine. Iq conquains a hunqraq qrillion calls qheq work qogaqhys py qasign. En wiqhin each one of qhese zany calls, each one qheq hes QNA. Qhe QNA coqe is axecqly qhe saze, a zess broquceq rasuze. Now qhink apouq qhe way you woulq qhink i qhose calls wyse qhe calls in your prain.

Code:
q = d or t
z = m
p = b b = p
ys = er
a (bat) = e (pet) e (pet) = a (bat)

Kind of makes you stop and think, right?

I’m currently reading Mountains beyond Mountains. But I just bought two books. One a story in Portuguese and the other poems in Creole. It’ll probably take me forever to read either.

I tried to get a ticket to S. Nicolau for the X-Mas break but of course the boat only leaves one morning a week (and I have a night class), so I have to wait to see if they come up with more for the holidays. Mais tarde = later.

The town has hung up Christmas decorations and began to play Christmas music in the big market. This started promptly on December 1st. “You’re killing Christmas” is being bought to whole new levels. They apparently play Chinese Christmas songs in the all the stores (loja). A volunteer from S. Antao does a killer impersonation so I can't wait to hear the real deal.

November 27th - TRIPPIN' ON TRYPTOPHAN

Happy Thanksgiving!

Kind of random, but given that on any given T-Day I'm not sure who is more stuffed, the turkey or yours truly, I thought it fit.

I am a self-proclaimed BBC addict. On that note, I have to extend a round of internet applause to Jo, my favorite Googlite for introducing me to the ‘Reader.’ It’s already changed my life. Despite the somewhat creepy Farenheit 451 implications, it’s pretty amazing. Without this nifty little function, I probably would have never seen BBC’s article: Obesity 'programmed before birth'. Apparently our Mommy’s diets in pregnancy may have had a ‘lasting impact.’ Namely, eating a high-fat diet in pregnancy may cause changes in the fetal brain that lead to over-eating and obesity early in life, research suggests. It’s a shame Dad’s metabolism didn’t continue to carry me through past college. It looks like considering my Mom’s sweet tooth, I was doomed even before I had my first solid meal. So instead of blaming myself for my inability to deny myself any tasty treat that I care for, I can now transfer the blame from myself to my Mom. Thank you, BBC.

Just kidding. Let the record show that my mom used to mash up real baby food. She only drank on occasion when she was preggers. I try (and usually fail) to be healthy, and take full responsibility for my eating habits. They are not a reflection of the United States Government or Peace Corps policy. It is solely a reflection on my own cravings and whims.

November 20th - I'M A LITTLE SKEPTICAL THAT YOU ARE LAUGHING OUT LOUD AS MUCH AS YOU CLAIM

Since the whole family is away on vacation, and I will miss the e-mails and phone calls in the meantime, I feel the need to post some random tidbits. If it's anything like the last vacation I missed, I'm sure I'll be hearing plenty.

During one recent conversation my Mom asked me about my 'dating' life (in reality more like the lack of...). Regardless, her advice to me was to 'just remember, don't bring home any souvenirs'. It’s only a little disarming when your Mom tells you not to get pregnant. Aside from the massive amounts of random and unprotected sex that I’ve been having, I’m pretty sure that getting knocked up is not something I’ll be worrying about anytime soon.

In another phone conversation she started telling me about her new bestie that works at the Post Office. At some point she dropped the fact that she thinks he is from Nairobi because that's part of his screen-name. Aside from being amazed she knows what a screen-name is, when I asked why she had his screen-name. Apparently he is interested in Cape Verde and would like to 'correspond' with me. Of course this leads to the usual, “he seems nice and safe, but then maybe I just gave your information to someone who may be POSTAL”... - oh my Mom and her ability to crack herself up.

And just because she told me this three times now, I feel I should commemorate it on the blog. Apparently our little pissy paws is quite the handsome dog. The groomer, vet, and a couple of other people were all raving about how cute Mr. Riley is. So now instead of being called "little shit" or "pissy paws", he's now been promoted to "come on good lookin'". I should mention that "little shit" in my family is generally accepted as a term of endearment. I also feel the need to make it known that we all adored Riley well before people complimented him on his good looks.

In other family news, my Dad and his friend Rob have been volunteering to help restore the oldest ship that was made in New York. It’ll sail the Hudson River for the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's journey up the river. Sounds awesome, and knowing what my Dad is capable of I wanted to see pictures. My Dad told me they have some posted online at onrust.orgonrust.org. I go to check it out, and the website is for some foreign band. Nothing against foreign bands, but I was expecting something a little more along the nautical lines. I tried unsuccessfully to google it, but couldn't figure out if he means the Half Moon, or some other ship. I'll keep you posted once I figure this out. My Dad did tell me that while they were repairing one of the beams he wrote Kathy and Jim in a heart, “you know, my trademark”. It’s so cute I almost vomited in my mouth.


I definitely get hit by the sodade on occasion (how could I not), but ...
“Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward.” - Kurt Vonnegut

Every kids dream.

Seeing Pink - This building is  understandably referred to as the ‘Pink Palace’.  I've 

heard it also called the Presidential Palace and the old Camara.  Either way it looks Barbie's Mansion.

Over by the water there is a garden path that leads to Flostel - the best pizza/schwarma joint on the island.  

The next picture is the Avenue with the Camara.  This  block is the Mindelo equivalent of Fifth Ave.  Very upscale little boutiques and stores.  Cafe Mindelo complements the sentiment by serving as a very Euro and cute restaurant on the corner.   

The picture of the waterfront is the closest equivalent of the port looking in that I could get.  

As we continue the tour I'd like to remind passengers to keep all hands and heads inside the vehicle.