This is a guide for my family and friends about my life as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cape Verde, Africa. I teach English as foreign language to high school students in Boa Vista, Cape Verde. Also as a disclaimer, the comments expressed here are solely of the author and do not represent the United States Peace Corps, the American Government, or any other governing body.

Thursday, December 07, 2006

So I have seen my first glimpses of Christmas. It's funny, because I keep forgetting that Christmas is just around the corner. People have begun to put lights in their windows. And they are amazed when I tell them that houses in the US have competitions with lights and decorations and put little miniature Nativity scenes and Santas with reindeer on their roofs and in their yards. I get wide eyed reactions when I tell them about the grandiose displays of Christmas joy and how everyone seems to be in on it whether Christian or not. And the stores with their sales and discounts and lines...ok I've already lamented about the lines. So anyway, I got a little excited when I saw the lights in the windows. Here for Christmas, people do put lights up. They do have Christmas trees as well. Not real ones, obviously, but you can purchase little fake ones from the Chinese Loja.

Sidebar: almost all towns have a little shop that is run by immigrant Chinese people. These shops generally carry really bizzarre and random items that are usually fairly cheap. Things like plates, other kitchen items, clothes lines, mirrors, and random clothes. We buy all our tupperware and plates and stuff there. They don't, however, carry anything Chinese, or east-Asian at all, like soy sauce or Ramen noodles. When I first walked into the Chinese Loja, that's what I thought would be in there. Boy was I dissappointed.

Anyway, Christmas. Helena has offered to lend us her little small tree, as she says she wants Tony to get them a large one this year. So who knows, maybe we will have a little Christmas cheer in our apartment this year. A group of our volunteer friends from another island will be coming down for Christmas, so it will be nice to have some friends for the holiday. We will lie on the beach and sunbathe.

Although, I must say that it has been getting quite cool here lately. I mean, nothing freezing, but I actually had to wear a sweatshirt to class today!! It has been cloudy and very windy, which doesn't help the dust situation; but the combination of the clouds and wind make for a very chilly day.

So next week I give out my final round of tests, and I have decided to make them difficult and cummilative of the whole trimester. It's not that I want them to fail, but if they aren't going to listen, then it's really their own fault. Two weeks left in the trimester, and can you tell I'm excited??

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