Women´s Day

This is Juninha, one of my favorite Cape Verdean women.

March 8th was International Women´s Day, a day for promoting gender equality and celebrating the accomplishments and everyday lives of women the world over. Since my English for Tourism class also met on this day, I took advantage of the opportunity to practice the present simple tense while inspiring a discussion of gender roles in our community. I thought that their composition was accurate and interesting and provides a good picture of the lives of people in my town.

Here´s what was written by the group (5 men, 1 woman). Keep in mind, their vocabulary is limited. They´ve only been studying English since October.

What does a Cape Verdean Woman do everyday?
She washes clothes. She cooks in the yard. She works. She studies. She teaches. She works in politics. She takes care of her goats. She takes a bath. She watches soap operas. She sings. She takes care of her babies. She gathers wood. She gets water. She gathers beans and corn. She cleans her house. She does everything.

What does a Cape Verdean Man do everyday?
He plays cards. He plays soccer. He works. He feeds his animals. He likes agriculture. He works in politics. He is bossy. He takes a bath. He studies. He builds. He drives. He fishes. He kills goats. He drinks grogue. He plays guitar. He sings. He likes to dance.