Sometimes I forget we live in Africa...

Then I take Strela for a walk and find a large grazing horse on the way.  Strela looks at it like it is an oversized dog, and she doesn't know if she should run to it to play and run away in fear.  Luckily she is on a tight leash, so doesn't have the option of doing either.

Yesterday during our walk we encountered three cows and their owner.  I tried to joke around with him that in America it would be strange to find cows grazing in the middle of the city, so that is why I was standing on the street corner taking pictures of his livestock.  The humor seemed lost on him, but then again this was all in Kriolu so who knows what I was really saying.

Then during lunch, my conversation was interrupted by a pick-up truck driving past with huge speakers on the back blasting music announcing the big event at the most popular club this weekend.  This is a common occurrence in Cape Verde as the most popular means of advertising. Legislative elections were last weekend and we were relieved when they were over because that meant that we wouldn't have to trail these trucks on the road blasting the opposition party's loud, but catchy, song (see video), MESTI MUDA! This means, "need change," wonder where they got that campaign idea from?**  Thank goodness we live in a quiet cul-de-sac!

mesti muda mp3 download

Last week I started a new tradition that I know I will miss when this experience ends.  We have an orange tree in our front yard that has become quite prolific in producing delicious, unique oranges native to Cape Verde.  They are green and yellow on the outside and their flesh is a key lime color.  They are sort of a cross between the sweetness of an orange and the tartness of a lime and their juice reminds me a little of grapefruit juice but sweeter.  Though it takes me about thirty to forty oranges to make a pitcher of juice, I don't mind taking the time because it is SABI!  And really, what else do I have to do? :)

Sometimes it is easy to forget where we are when we spend time in our house dubbed mini-America by our friends who don't have all the perks that come with being in the Foreign Service.  Especially after last week when we received a shipment of goodies from the States that we purchased and shipped when we were home in October.  I don't know what we were thinking with our several flatbed carts at Costco, we have no place to put all of this stuff!  In fact, I have itemized four major boxes to store some extra canned and dry goods until we run out of what I can fit in our pantry.  Ah, life in Africa.  In all seriousness, in the four months it took for all of this food and drink to make it here by boat via Antwerp and the Canary Islands, I have gotten completely used to making due with what I have available to me, that I was almost annoyed that I had to deal with all of these things.  Then we ate chips and salsa and had a Mexican feast complete with Corona so I decided, hey I could live with this.

Love from Mini-America to Maxi-America!

**Please note that The Ralles Family does not endorse any candidate, political party or policy in Cape Verde.