The Cape Verde Chronicles Part 3

Today I continue on with more fun memoirs from my time in West Africa on the beautiful islands of Cape Verde. Dated from August 7th, 2000. "The weather here is warm and hot with high amounts of humidity.  Parts of me are sweating that I didn't know could sweat!!!  My rear end for example!!  Sorry, but it is really gross sometimes.  No amount of cold showering can help me!  I feel moist like a brownie.  I have several more funny incidents to share.  We crammed into a yatz(a small mini van).  A woman with a bowl of dead fish sat next to me.  Of course it would be me!!  For two hours, we drove across the island to the sea village known as Tarrafal.  I plugged my nose and tried to focus my attention elsewere.  We reached the interesting town known as Assomada and saw a huge market in the cobblestone streets.    I'm stuck next to the fish lady while my friends are in the back chatting it up.  In typical Kreesh fashion, I wanted to share with everyone in the van what I was seeing outside my window.  A little girl carried a dead fleshy goat on top of her head.....blood and flies all over the place....in a moment of pure joy, I shouted to my friends, "Look!!"  They all turned their heads and several almost became sick.  I sat back and smiled next to my fish lady friend.  It was worth it. To combat the smells(my family has super sensitive noses), I had to create a fantasy world from going crazy. (This is where I fine tuned my skills in sarcasm:).  I came up with several plug in scents for my house.  There was Praia Morning(dust, dirty diapers, human feces), Praia Rain (fresh rain mixed with urine) and Ass-omada.." Sadly my inventions never made it and the line was discontinued.  If you've never experienced this stuff, it can all be a little overwhelming:)

My English class in Sao Domingos, Santiago

Dated August 8th, 2000.  "Okay...you have been hearing about this place called Cape Verde and you probably get this impression that it's maybe a little like hell......I mean my clothes are sticking to my body right now....however what you don't know is that this place is very exciting also....I went to Tarrafal the other day and witnessed some things you don't see everyday like sea turtles on the beach....tidepools, in my flip flops of course, where I saw octopus, sea urchins, crabs, and even the occasional shark off in the distance.  Of course that moment was shattered the minute I saw a kid grab an octopus out of the water and bite straight into its head.  I'm not making this stuff up people."

"Head, shoulder, knees, and toes.  Knees and toes."

Written August 24th, 2000.  "Things here are okay....and I will tell you that things are meant to happen for reasons.....above and beyond my control.....But as a very dear friend puts it.....you are where you are.  Yesterday I received that letter which told me about what site I'll be serving for the next two years of my life.  I will be leaving for the island of Sal.....this was the island I least wanted because it looks like Mars.  Just dunes, sand, and more dunes!  Peace Corps is sending me because they need a strong teacher to deal with the students there. When I found out, I locked myself in my room and cried. No plants. No gardening. No water! Just sand.... Perhaps life is just about what is thrown at you.  For the first time, I wish I didn't have the qualifications to be placed on this island.  But I remember why I joined and understand that I need to give it a chance.  It does have the best beaches and tourism is at an all time high here.  Everything I am as a person is now challenged.  How will I do it all?  I've got to go.  My training is complete. They're kicking me off this island."