Yes, I am extremely out of touch these days. I just looked over my blog site and realized it has been nearly 2 months since I last posted. This is very bad of me, I know, and I will try and update this site more often. I am now back to a semi-normal routine and will be able to write more often. Here is what's been going on with me for the past two months:
For the first time in my life I camped on the beach. Cape Verdians don't take camping lightly, and like so many things here, they are bizarrely organized. This is a thing almost all Boa Vistans do every summer as a mark of their time off. Things generally shut down for the month of August as school's not in session and it's an extreme low month for tourism. Lot's of restaurants and shops shut down (go on feria) and even a couple of hotels close their doors while business is at an extreme low. People travel, go to the beach, camp out and basically just have a vacation for a whole month. Anyway, I was invited to go on a camping trip with a bunch of my friends. There were about 60-70 people in total on this trip. Everyone pays a certain amount to cover food and drink costs, although a lot of the food is caught on the beach. One night they caught a whole bunch of little crabs and they were put in a large spaghetti pot and we had the most delicious spaget de caranguejo. Fish was caught and grilled whole and just eaten right off the grill. And one night, they even managed to catch a sea turtle. I won't go into the details of how the captured and caught it, because it was cruel and inhumane and I wanted to set the turtle free but they caught it a long way off from where the camp site was and I couldn't get there by myself in the dark. The next day the meat was cooked into a type of curry almost and eaten with rice. I have to admit that yes, I did experiment it and while I absolutely don't approved of the eating of an endangered species, I have to admit that the meat was tasty. In the interior of the islands, they eat turtle meat a lot because one fairly good size turtle can feed many people and they're caught for almost nothing, obviously because they do fishing themselves. I tried to explain to anyone that would listen that it's against the law here, and cruel to the environment. I got the same reaction I get for a lot of things I try and change: yes we know it's bad, but there's nothing we can really do about it. But the camping in general was fun. Everyone brought tents and sleeping bags to sleep in, a generator was brought to provide lights and music for the "discoteque" in the evenings. It was an unforgettable weekend and such fun. Not that I'm now a camping convert, once a year is plenty for me.
The rest of the summer was spent for the most part in Joao Galego, where all my friends live. Since there was nothing for me to do here in Vila, I spent nearly all the time I could in the interior of the island. Not that there's that much to do there either, in fact there's even less, but at least I would be doing nothing with friends.
School meetings began at the end of September and we have now been in class for about two weeks. I spent one last day at the beach with friends and we scraped conch shells off the rocks and made a really delicious arroz com mariscos. The beach we went to was again on the east side of the island and it was one of the most beautiful beaches I've seen on these islands.
At school, I'm teaching the same grades and levels as I did last year: 8th, 10th, and 11th grades. My 8th graders this year are 100% better than my students last year and for some reason they just seem smaller. But they're just so darn cute!!! I have about 80 new names to learn which makes things interesting, but they're really good kids and they listen to me which is nice. I am happy to say that none of my classes thus far has proven itself the Spawns of Satan, and I just don't think they will. I have a better feeling about things this year, I am more comfortable in my surroundings and in my life. I have friends, boyfriend, job, and I like it here. Don't get me wrong, I still ache for Chipotle and a decent salad at least once a day, but it's not quite the same sharp longing I used to have. I am happy, even though it is 100˚ outside with 100% humidity and no air conditioning in the school or my house. But you survive and learn to ignore it. So things are going very well, far better than this time last year.
Also, I have decided to upload my photos to one place that can be accessed by the public. It's just takes way too much time for me to upload them to several different places. So I have uploaded them to my Facebook page, but they are available to view by ANYONE! So here is the link, I hope you enjoy :)
http://lfc.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2016344&l=280c1&id=54500220
posted by Nadia at 10:51 AM
6 Comments:
yeah a new blog! miss you!
04 October, 2007 18:14
glad to see you're back to blogging. it makes me happy. and im super happy to read a happy blog!!! oh, and your new food habits, we're going to have to change those PRONTO upon your return. love you and miss you tons!!!
04 October, 2007 20:10
Welcome back
07 October, 2007 08:30
Hello! It's Deanna from the office, I am was just look at your pictures and reading your blogs. Things seem to be going good. Don't worry I am taking care of our Chipolte needs. Take care
31 October, 2007 20:43
Hello! It's Deanna from the office, I am was just look at your pictures and reading your blogs. Things seem to be going good. Don't worry I am taking care of our Chipolte needs. Take care
31 October, 2007 20:43
Don’t believe one optimistic word from any public figure about the economy or humanity in general. They are all part of the problem. Its like a game of Monopoly. In America, the richest 1% now hold 1/2 OF ALL UNITED STATES WEALTH. Unlike ‘lesser’ estimates, this includes all stocks, bonds, cash, and material assets held by America’s richest 1%. Even that filthy pig Oprah acknowledged that it was at about 50% in 2006. Naturally, she put her own ‘humanitarian’ spin on it. Calling attention to her own ‘good will’. WHAT A DISGUSTING HYPOCRITE SLOB. THE RICHEST 1% HAVE LITERALLY MADE WORLD PROSPERITY ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE. Don’t fall for any of their ‘humanitarian’ CRAP. ITS A SHAM. THESE PEOPLE ARE CAUSING THE SAME PROBLEMS THEY PRETEND TO CARE ABOUT. Ask any professor of economics. Money does not grow on trees. The government can’t just print up more on a whim. At any given time, there is a relative limit to the wealth within ANY economy of ANY size. So when too much wealth accumulates at the top, the middle class slip further into debt and the lower class further into poverty. A similar rule applies worldwide. The world’s richest 1% now own over 40% of ALL WORLD WEALTH. This is EVEN AFTER you account for all of this ‘good will’ ‘humanitarian’ BS from celebrities and executives. ITS A SHAM. As they get richer and richer, less wealth is left circulating beneath them. This is the single greatest underlying cause for the current US recession. The middle class can no longer afford to sustain their share of the economy. Their wealth has been gradually transfered to the richest 1%. One way or another, we suffer because of their incredible greed. We are talking about TRILLIONS of dollars. Transfered FROM US TO THEM. Over a period of about 27 years. Thats Reaganomics for you. The wealth does not ‘trickle down’ as we were told it would. It just accumulates at the top. Shrinking the middle class and expanding the lower class. Causing a domino effect of socio-economic problems. But the rich will never stop. They will never settle for a reasonable share of ANYTHING. They will do whatever it takes to get even richer. Leaving even less of the pie for the other 99% of us to share. At the same time, they throw back a few tax deductable crumbs and call themselves ‘humanitarians’. Cashing in on the PR and getting even richer the following year. IT CAN’T WORK THIS WAY. Their bogus efforts to make the world a better place can not possibly succeed. Any 'humanitarian' progress made in one area will be lost in another. EVERY SINGLE TIME. IT ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT WORK THIS WAY. This is going to end just like a game of Monopoly. The current US recession will drag on for years and lead into the worst US depression of all time. The richest 1% will live like royalty while the rest of us fight over jobs, food, and gasoline. Crime, poverty, and suicide will skyrocket. So don’t fall for all of this PR CRAP from Hollywood, Pro Sports, and Wall Street PIGS. ITS A SHAM. Remember: They are filthy rich EVEN AFTER their tax deductable contributions. Greedy pigs. Now, we are headed for the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time. SEND A “THANK YOU” NOTE TO YOUR FAVORITE MILLIONAIRE. ITS THEIR FAULT. I’m not discounting other factors like China, sub-prime, or gas prices. But all of those factors combined still pale in comparison to that HUGE transfer of wealth to the rich. Anyway, those other factors are all related and further aggrivated because of GREED. If it weren’t for the OBSCENE distribution of wealth within our country, there never would have been such a market for sub-prime to begin with. Which by the way, was another trick whipped up by greedy bankers and executives. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. The credit industry has been ENDORSED by people like Oprah, Ellen, Dr Phil, and many other celebrities. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. Now, there are commercial ties between nearly every industry and every public figure. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. So don’t fall for their ‘good will’ BS. ITS A LIE. If you fall for it, then you’re a fool. If you see any real difference between the moral character of a celebrity, politician, attorney, or executive, then you’re a fool. WAKE UP PEOPLE. ITS ALL ABOUT THE MONEY. The 1% club will always say or do whatever it takes to get as rich as possible. Without the slightest regard for anything or anyone but themselves. Vioxx. Their idea. Sub-prime. Their idea. NAFTA. Their idea. Outsourcing. Their idea. The commercial lobbyist. Their idea. The multi-million dollar lawsuit. Their idea. $200 cell phone bills. Their idea. $200 basketball shoes. Their idea. $30 late fees. Their idea. $30 NSF fees. Their idea. $20 DVDs. Their idea. Subliminal advertising. Their idea. The MASSIVE campaign to turn every American into a brainwashed credit card, pharmaceutical, love-sick, celebrity junkie. Their idea. All of which concentrate the world’s wealth and resources and wreak havok on society. All of which have been CREATED AND ENDORSED by celebrities, athletes, and executives. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. So don’t fall for their ‘ good will’ ‘humanitarian’ BS. ITS A SHAM. NOTHING BUT TAX DEDUCTABLE PR CRAP. Bottom line: The richest 1% will soon tank the largest economy in the world. It will be like nothing we’ve ever seen before. and thats just the beginning. Greed will eventually tank every major economy in the world. Causing millions to suffer and die. Oprah, Angelina, Brad, Bono, and Bill are not part of the solution. They are part of the problem. EXTREME WEALTH HAS MADE WORLD PROSPERITY ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE. WITHOUT WORLD PROSPERITY, THERE WILL NEVER BE WORLD PEACE OR ANYTHING EVEN CLOSE. GREED KILLS. IT WILL BE OUR DOWNFALL. Of course, the rich will throw a fit and call me a madman. Of course, their ignorant fans will do the same. You have to expect that. But I speak the truth. If you don’t believe me, then copy this entry and run it by any professor of economics or socio-economics. Then tell a friend. Call the local radio station. Re-post this entry or put it in your own words. Be one of the first to predict the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time and explain its cause. WE ARE IN BIG TROUBLE.
06 March, 2008 00:15
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