In The End : No Fim

I’m finally coming home (well eventually)!! Two years, wow. When I look back on my first day or week here I can hardly remember how difficult it was to adjust or how foreign everything felt. This is normal now, it’s my life and it seems as if I have been here for a lot longer but yet the time as flown past. In some ways I find it scarier going back to the U.S. rather than when I was leaving the U.S. My Peace Corps service couldn’t have been better; there is not a thing I would change. Most of the projects undertaken by myself and locals have been completed and showed positive results. I have made awesome friends from Cape Verde whom I am sad to say good-bye. I have had a great Peace Corps peer support network with other volunteers living close to my village and not to mention my support from back home. I want to thank everyone for the letters/packages throughout my service; they have really meant a lot and have gone a long way as I express my deepest gratitude. I am officially completing my service August 29^th! However, officially I won’t be stateside until September 23^rd. I have the opportunity to do some traveling before heading back so I’m seizing the day. Myself and a friend will be spending some time on the gorgeous white sand beach of the northern island Sal, Cape Verde (I just can’t seem to leave this place in a hurry) before heading to Europe. Europe plans are to visit Germany, Serbia, Holland and end in London (hopefully we will find it much calmer than current news). I’ve posted some last pictures of my garden project that was completed a couple of weeks ago. As soon as reliable internet is available it is my goal to have other pictures of my service and the trip to Europe available for viewing online. Thanks again for the support and see y’all in about 6 weeks!

This is the town square in my village! Awesome view, right?!?

My Peace Corps boys! (Left to right): Toby, volunteer in my village; me; Scott, volunteer living in a nearby village & Nico, volunteer in my village. We were celebrating one last weekend together.

Above & Below: Youth and employees transplanting tomatoes previously grown in the plant nursery to the recently restored garden space for growing and harvesting.

Youth of Delta Cultura Cabo Verde (NGO youth association in Tarrafal, Santiago) participating in the garden restoration project funded by the African Development Foundation. 30 youth and employees participated in a 5 day hands on training involving sessions on theoretical and practical gardening skills as well as sustainable agricultural practices.