Withdrawal

I haven’t had any breakdowns yet. No midnight cold sweats. I had my last day of work as a volunteer in Cape Verde last Friday, and so far I have yet to experience the pains of withdrawal. Then again, it’s easy to avoid withdrawal when you're on vacation It’s not like I’m plopped down in front of computer in a Peugot-sized cubicle, staring down the beginning of the next chapter of my life. Hardly. Instead, I’ve been using my last few days in Cape Verde to see the country and see my friends before I head out.

Last weekend was a chance to (re)visit the island of Santo Antão. I went for the day in March when my Dad and Lita were in town, but I couldn’t leave this country without sleeping on “the most beautiful island in Cape Verde” for a least one night. Especially since it is just at 45 minute boat ride from where I’ve been living on São Vicente. Not surprisingly, the island lives up to its reputation, and the grogue and cheese at O Curral were just as good as I remembered. This time I only had a few tastes, and the moderation allowed me to enjoy the long walk back down through the valley to the coastal town.

I’ve never been a junkie for hiking, but I do love a long, long walk. When I used to guerrilla marketing for all types of musicians and companies, I used to cover some serious ground in different cities across the country. Harlem to Soho. Santa Monica to Hollywood. A sticker here, a poster there. The best part of these walks is letting your legs switch over to autopilot, freeing up your mind to wander to wherever it’s been wanting to go. I felt the same feeling while scaling the volcano on Fogo a month ago. I felt it again on Monday morning as I walked along the north coast Santo Antão, from Ribeira Grande to Vila das Pombas. Along with those few hours, highlights from the trip included dinner at Ti Lello* with “old” and new friends, and my first caipirinha de maracujá.





Really, it’s no surprise that the withdrawal symptoms haven’t kicked in yet, but when they do come, I know what I will miss:


My Cape Verdean soccer family at Gremio Desportivo Amarante and all the knuckleheads that I’ve had the privilege to work with here...



My coworkers, colleagues, friends and students...

My little girl...



In the meantime, I’ll be doing a lot of walking mixed with a whole lot of nothing, letting my mind and body wander to their destinations of choice. There will be plenty of work do, plenty soon.

Pura Vida,

Drew

*Ti Lello is an excellent and authentic Italian restaurant in Vila das Pombas, featuring handmade pastas, good pizzas, gelato and more. Plus, the owner/chef will come to your table to demonstrate some pretty impressive card tricks while you wait for your food.