First Impressions of Calheta
September 30th, 2005 by Sarin
Top 10 Things Funniest Things I Have Said to Myself Since Arriving in Calheta
10. (While looking at the steps that lead down to my apartment complex) What the fuck is a cow doing here?
9. Today’s weather report : It’s a hot one!
8. (On a day when the lights and the water goes out, and it begins to rain intensely) Fuck it, I’m gettin naked and going to join my neighbors outside for an afternoon shower.
7. Watch out for human poop!
6. Those fucking roosters.
5. That guy is swimming naked. Quick, now’s the best chance to introduce yourself.
4. I’ve gotten used to guys peeing in public, but this guy is so close to me I could grab his ass.
3. (While looking at a sickly looking street dog) Look at the udders on that bitch!
2. What is that long piece of crap lying out in the middle of the ocean?
1. (Immediately after) Oh wait, that’s the island of Maio!
My new home for the next 2 years is situated in Calheta, the central town of the county of Saõ Miguel. It is on the northeast coast of Santiago, with about an hour ride to the country capital, and a short drive to the white sand beaches of Tarrafal. Calheta also has its own beaches, but the harsh waves from the east can prove dangerous to swim in alone.
The weather in Calheta is one of the hottest you will find in Cape Verde. Even if it’s on the shore, the ocean winds are not enough to provide constant relief from the clear sun. Even on a September day, it can get up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. And since there is virtually no cover of trees or tall buildings, even some of the locals walk around with an umbrella to give them enough shade.
Virtually all the action of the county happens in my villa. Which means even though I sleep hearing waves crash every night (if I sleep without a fan), I wake up to the sounds of daily life commencing on the main street. Just a couple steps out of my apartment complex and I’m in the middle of all that is Sao Miguel. Hiace stops, markets, central offices, shops are all in my arm’s reach, but there are those that come from miles to get here. And that is why even though it can feel small town at some times, the noise might make you think otherwise.
I work for the Centro da Juventude of Sao Miguel. It is sort of like a YMCA. It’s importance is that virtually half of Cape Verde’s population is youth, so there are CEJs that serve every county. My CEJ is about a 10 minute walk towards the outskirts of Venexa. I haven’t been too busy as of yet, and the only complaint so far is the heat from walking to work each time.
I live here with another new PCV Adam, and another volunteer Rui from International Help in Portugal. Somehow, Rui speaks very good English coming out of Portugal. The three of us live in an apartment complex very central to town. There is a long enclosed plaza that the apartments share and since there is a tall building in front of us, it blocks the evening sun to make it a prime spot to escape the heat. If I wasn’t in the Peace Corps, I would build a huge kiosk (mini-bar) to take advantage of the space and its location. But since I am in the Peace Corps, the plaza has been left open for kids to play soccer in.
I am also very, very close to the ocean. At about 200 meters, I think my house is closer to the shore than any other volunteer I know and I dare someone to contest it. When the town quiets down at night, you can hear the ocean breaking waves very clearly. This can be achieved by sitting on the roof, enjoying the cool breeze after a long hot day, and also admiring the stars in the clear dark sky.
Because this is a “Camara” house, we have been very fortunate to get a very functional and clean house. When I refer to Camara, I refer to the municipal chamber of the county. The Camara owns houses for its employees and this apartment complex is one of them. Therefore the rent, water and electricity bills get automatically paid from the Camara, and we only have to cover the costs of gas, and our telephone. We recently also had all the rooms repainted, and an electrician come to give us more outlets. None of these services costed us a dime.
The house has 2 living rooms, a bathroom, kitchen, and 2 bedrooms. There is a flat screen tube TV sitting in the living room which we assume is the property of the Camara’s. There is 2 dinner tables and a somewhat futon couch that was passed down from another volunteer. The kitchen is rather small, with a 4 burner stove that only has 2 working burners. We have 2 fridges, one part of the house and the other that was handed down from a past volunteer which we probably won’t use.
If you look up into the hallway which connects the rooms, it has a covered roof but it is not a ceiling. I believe it was designed to allow hot air to escape to the outside, but on very rainy days it has also let some water in. If you do sit on the flat roof outside, you can feel the temperature difference when you stick your hand through.
I have resided to living in one of the living rooms which opens up to a small patio and a private backyard. The room is a basic square but the private backyard is something else. Concrete walls topped off with broken glass bottles not only gives you privacy from your neighbors, but also ensures no young kids will come hopping over. There are also 2 pens in the backyard which looks like they hosted gas grills for previous tenants.
So far, I like it here but it still needs work. I haven’t started decorating as of yet, and since all the walls are white, recently I have been waking up to the bright morning sun reflecting off of everything. There are many things that I really shouldn’t have as a Peace Corps Volunteer, (this flat screen TV, private backyard, new refrigerator, amazing water pressure) but I do remember that I didn’t ask to be here and should just feel glad that I’m lucky. Besides, it’s not how you live that makes you a good volunteer. Till then, there’s a lot more to come. And so begins year 1.
Related Posts- Swear In Next Week!
- Site Announcement
- My reasons for leaving the Peace Corps
- From Cambodia to Cranston, all the way to Calheta, Cape Verde
