June 4th, 2010 - COS CONFERENCE?

Classes are going well and my schedule this semester is much more manageable than my schedule last semester. Going from a 50+ workweek to a halved scheduled has often left me feeling guilty at the amount of time I seem to now have. I had hoped to fill a substantial portion of the time with secondary projects, but over the course of the past two years it has become apparent that the delagada of our campus is not supportive of projects. She tends to micromanage and does not like us to assist in anything that she is not directly involved with. It's been disappointing because I honestly think that our students are missing out on important opportunities not only to improve their skills, but also opportunities to serve their communities. A goal of Peace Corps is to have sustainable projects and to work with our students or fellow colleagues would help us to reach that goal.

Despite the lack of support we've been able to start some secondary projects and I am going to the Craquinha youth center to teach English to adults and youth. I had originally I was denied permission to involve the students. The other volunteer at my site and I had submitted a lengthy list of projects but after waiting over a month for a response most of the project proposals were denied. It's a shame because the projects would have included; university students working with the local high schools to create an English club, university professors working with the National English Teachers Association, English lessons for staff and faculty, setting up JSTOR accounts for the students so they can access the journals from remote sites, a garden project that would have involved drip irrigation, and touch typing courses. All of the projects were requested by either staff, students, or community members, so it's hard to swallow the fact that they were not approved. It's been hard for myself and my colleagues to feel so utterly unsupported by the administration at our campus.

On a much more positive note, I have some good news to post, the literacy project has received full-funding!!! I hope I get to find out who or what organization donated the funds so that I can send a thank-you to express my profound gratitude. I had begun to give up hope and thought I would have to drastically scale down the project. I plan on having the university students edit the study guides one more time to include different levels of questions and projects, and then it's just a matter of ordering the books and printing/binding the study guides.

In two days I'll be heading to Praia for my 'Close of Service' conference. This marks the beginning of the last three months of service. I honestly can't believe that service is coming to a close. I think it'll be extremely hard to leave Cape Verde, but I'm excited about what's next. As of right now I'm planning on traveling to the main land with two other volunteers. We plan on traveling through western Africa and then heading East and South. We'll start in Senegal and hopefully (if funding doesn't run out) end in South Africa. I've never traveled for such an extended period of time so right now I'm facing that mixture of excitement and nerves. I just met two volunteers from Senegal and they offered us places to stay, so that's always comforting.

After that I'll return home and probably have to rely on the goodwill of my parents for a place to stay for awhile. I'm hoping to find a job and eventually return to school again. I've become increasingly interested in literacy and I'd like to get my advanced degree so that I can work as a literacy specialist. Ideally I could work in that capacity for the Boston Public Schools. I can't help but to think that not using my knowledge of TEFL and CV Creole in the school district in which the largest percentage of ELL learners are Cape Verdean, would be a waste of what I've learned through experience in the past few years.

Until then I'm looking forward to enjoying my time in Cape Verde while I'm here.

E-mails from a few of my students from last semester...

In my 12 years of school you are the best teacher that i ever had thank you for your attencion be always like this a good person  that make us feel good and is good to learn with you kisses be happy - lorena


Hi teacher.
just want to tell you that I miss your classes.
Be cool, be the one.
I hope you're doing fine. - THE ONE


Nothing like getting those kind of e-mails to brighten any day!

APRIL 2nd - GOOD FRIDAY FUN

My former students from the other campus invited me on a hike up Monte Verde. We left around 6AM and got home around 8PM. When I went to go to sleep I think my leg muscles had been replaced by something closer to jello. In typical CV fashion, they opted to hike up the mountain (2-3 hours) carrying a grill. The length that people go here for some hot food is admirable if not a little crazy. Needless to say we got to the top and realized no one had matches. Ooops. Good thing the troops have a little base up there and invited us in to use their kitchen...

I love the randomness of Cape Verde.

March 27th - DIA DE MULHER CABO VERDEANA

Cape Verdean's Women's Day! In the morning I went to a talk presented by my colleague Dra. Marina Ramos. In the afternoon I went to meet my friend and colleague Dominika's mother who had just arrived from Poland/Portugal and then in the evening after language club we saw some theater in the park. Overall a nice day!

March 16th - VIKTOR'S DISPIDIDA

Viktor left Cape Verde for Portugal. I met him through my colleague Dominika and I always got the best news updates from him (he was a reporter for a local newspaper). I learned more about Cape Verde's history from hanging out with Viktor than I could have ever known by reading a book.

March 13th - SAO PEDRO

During the break between semesters, we still had work, but only half-days. Absolutely heaven after a semester of 50 hour work-weeks.

We had a few visitors come through and when Jonny came through on work we took a Sunday afternoon to head out to the beach by the airport. Here are a few pictures of Nate, Lu, Jonny and I.

I'll post the hand-stand competition pictures from the day once I get them.

February 26th - PUBLIC RELATIONS DINNER

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...