I do not like to think of myself as old, because age is primarily a mental construct. However, when I remember that the average life expectancy in Côte d’Ivoire was 55, it makes me feel both ancient and super lucky. Immediately after arriving in Cabo Verde, I could tell that the life expectancy was definitely…

The best part of coming back to Vermont is also what makes it so hard to leave again. No matter what kind of shit is going down in the US, Vermont is a pretty great place to be from an environmental, social, political, and friend perspective. It’s always so bittersweet to say goodbye, but the…

I think language learning is like one of those infinity fidget cubes. The cube makes a square, then it turns in on itself and takes on a different pattern over and over. It is never static and it is not meant to be. It’s the same with language. The infinite number of combinations of nouns,…

As the creator of the Milton Elementary School Weekly World Trivia contest, I spent significant time researching many forgettable facts about world geography. However, of the many random facts I came across in those years, one stuck with me: Côte d’Ivoire is one of the few countries considered to have two capital cities. The economic…

Most Ivorians mention Assinie Beach when they talk about places to see in Côte d’Ivoire. It’s been on my list of places to visit, but it’s not easy to get there without a personal car. Yango will not take you there, and if you find yourself a ride out there, you may not find a…