Okay this might be an odd post...
My hubby and I are leaving for Cape Verde, Africa with the Peace Corps in July. I will be working as a Youth Mobilizer for the next 2+ years and I've been tossing the idea around in my head to bring some hoops with me as a way to break the ice/make a fool of myself/entertain the kids and adults, especially when I'm first learning the languages and trying to integrate into the community. This may later develop into a larger "secondary" project, but for now I was hoping to use hooping (he he) as an ice breaker - I know folks that bring cool stuff like kites tend to become heroes to the kids pretty quick! Lots of them play with old tires and sticks for fun; personally I think that's got nothin' on hoopin' :o)
So having said that...I have neither the time, money or knowledge of how to make collapsable hoops. Time is going to scrambling to pack, learn Portuguese and finish PC paperwork. $$ is going to pay off debt so we can actually GO. And I guess knowledge would fall in with time...
If anyone either has an extra collapsible hoop that they wouldn't mind parting with, or would like to make one to donate, it would be much appreciated!!! I will most likely only be able to bring 2-4 with me to start but will have my family ship me any extras once I get there - PC only allows so much luggage, so they have to be collapsible. Ideally I would bring 2 adult size hoops and 2 kid size hoops, and my Hoop Girl Instruction video lol. Of course I'll be posting pics and video of everyone hooping!
Thanks in advance to any one who can help!
Peace,
Dove
My hubby and I are leaving for Cape Verde, Africa with the Peace Corps in July. I will be working as a Youth Mobilizer for the next 2+ years and I've been tossing the idea around in my head to bring some hoops with me as a way to break the ice/make a fool of myself/entertain the kids and adults, especially when I'm first learning the languages and trying to integrate into the community. This may later develop into a larger "secondary" project, but for now I was hoping to use hooping (he he) as an ice breaker - I know folks that bring cool stuff like kites tend to become heroes to the kids pretty quick! Lots of them play with old tires and sticks for fun; personally I think that's got nothin' on hoopin' :o)
So having said that...I have neither the time, money or knowledge of how to make collapsable hoops. Time is going to scrambling to pack, learn Portuguese and finish PC paperwork. $$ is going to pay off debt so we can actually GO. And I guess knowledge would fall in with time...
If anyone either has an extra collapsible hoop that they wouldn't mind parting with, or would like to make one to donate, it would be much appreciated!!! I will most likely only be able to bring 2-4 with me to start but will have my family ship me any extras once I get there - PC only allows so much luggage, so they have to be collapsible. Ideally I would bring 2 adult size hoops and 2 kid size hoops, and my Hoop Girl Instruction video lol. Of course I'll be posting pics and video of everyone hooping!
Thanks in advance to any one who can help!
Peace,
Dove
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Rochester
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Re: Hoop Donations for Africa - Please read!
Tue, April 29, 2008 - 7:22 AMI recommend taking materials to make hoops instead. It packs down smaller and you can get 10 hoops out of a roll. Plus, no work now. You can do it when you get there and get the people there to help. -
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Re: Hoop Donations for Africa - Please read!
Tue, April 29, 2008 - 7:31 AMThanks for the suggestion, I had thought about that as well. Unfortunately it's cost, weight and space prohibiative to bring materials for 10 hoops. I am only allowed two bags (and I'll be there over two years) with specific dimensions and under a certain weight. Taking 2-4 portable hoops would take up much less space and I may be able to make a sack to carry them in as a "carry on." Hopefully though I'll be able to ship materials to me once I'm there and teach people how to make them!! -
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Re: Hoop Donations for Africa - Please read!
Tue, April 29, 2008 - 8:25 AMgoing with Caroleena's idea, and since you mentioned your folks shipping stuff - pack up a box for them to send your way. if you know the addy ahead of time, you could even time it to get there right when or right after you get there.
it would definitely help the community building aspect for people to get together and learn to make something, plus then they'd have the fun of picking out their own tapes. *grins* i know that's a big favorite in my house, anyways! -
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Re: Hoop Donations for Africa - Please read!
Tue, April 29, 2008 - 8:55 AMPlus, it can be hard to get materials in third world countries. You can take a lot though and it doesn't take up very much packing space if the tubing is still wrapped tight.
Another thing to consider is that once you pull out hoops, everyone is going to want one. I speak from experience here! It's hard to decide who to give one to BUT, if people have actually crafted the hoop, it makes the choice obvious. And you are giving them a skill too -- hoop crafting. If they enjoy it, they will find a way to get the materials to make it happen. You could be helping someone develop a new form of income. That's an even greater gift than hooping. -
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Re: Hoop Donations for Africa - Please read!
Tue, April 29, 2008 - 9:19 AMI appreciate all the suggestions!!
Interestingly in Cape Verde, there isn't really a concept of "ownership." People literally walk into each others houses and "borrow" things, without asking, if the other person isn't using it. Strange concept for American's, but it's just common practice. I mean, if it's laying around and no one is using it, then why shouldn't they be using it? Same with food - everything is just shared. Numerous PC volunteers have talked about how shocked they were when someone would take their water bottle, drink some, pass it around, and not give it back. Gonna take some adjustment lol.
I do have plans for later making hoops with kids if it ends up being one of my secondary projects. But I think right now really all I'm wanting to bring with me are a few collapsible hoops to get started - I know it might not seem like it takes up a lot of room, but I have to pack 2 years into two suitcases, so I admit to feeling a bit selfish about space (I have to bring things like a frying pan and can opener, plus a 6 months supply of contact lens solution, ugh..). Plus I really can't afford the materials to bring a whole set with me (I've made hoops before, for all my friends and some kids I mentored, so fortuantely I do know how to make them!!).
Thanks again, and if anyone is interested in donating a collapsible hoop (or materials that I can have my mom ship me when I'm there!) please let me know!!!
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Re: Hoop Donations for Africa - Please read!
Tue, April 29, 2008 - 9:37 AMYou know you could make collapsible hoops. It's easy. Just make a regular hoop, tape it, then cut it along the connector and fold it like an infinity hoop. It works everytime and it's super easy. I had no idea til we did it at the Convergence. I thought it was some super secret gadget required. It's not. It just spins on any connector. -
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Re: Hoop Donations for Africa - Please read!
Tue, April 29, 2008 - 9:53 AMLike I had said in my original post, I unfortunately don't have the time or money right now to make hoops myself or believe me I would! :o) I really enjoy making them.
That's why I put the call out there in the first place - to see if anyone had a hoop they would be willing to donate because I'm not able at this time to make them myself :o( -
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Re: Hoop Donations for Africa - Please read!
Tue, April 29, 2008 - 9:58 AMOther people may not realize that you can make any hoop collapsible. That's why I threw that in there. They could donate ANY hoop and you could make it collapsible. They don't have to donate a collapsible hoop.
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Re: Hoop Donations for Africa - Please read!
Tue, April 29, 2008 - 7:44 PMTry going over to the World Hoop Day tribe too. I'm going to Rwanda this summer for some Engineers Without Borders water testing work, and first thing on my mind was to bring hoops. You can apply for a grant to make hoops/transport them to your location. I applied for and was grateful to receive one of these grants, and now it's going to bring 10-20 hoops to Rwanda! Very excited... just found out I'll be there over WHD too :-)
Good luck with your trip! Enjoy the experience.
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Re: Hoop Donations for Africa - Please read!
Tue, April 29, 2008 - 8:38 PMas a matter of fact, i just bought 100 feet of tubing today haha. i made my first hoop tonight and it was fun.... i think i'll make my next one a little bigger though. but anyway! i've never made a collapsible hoop, but i've read tutorials and i have the materials so i would be glad to give it a shot and donate it to you if it works. i might not be able to get back to lowes for a few days (to buy the bungee cord for inside the collapsing hoop) but i'll message you once i've had the chance to go. after i get the cord, it will be no problem and probably some fun to learn :) -
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Re: Hoop Donations for Africa - Please read!
Tue, April 29, 2008 - 9:27 PMYou don't have to use bungee. That's one way but it's not the easiest way. The easiest way is to simply make the hoop, tape it like normal, then find where the connector is and slit the tape where the two ends of the tubing meet (all the way around the center of the connector). You are not going to pull the connector apart. Instead, you are going to grasp the hoop at the sides (if you're holding it like a clock before you and the connector is at 12:00, put one hand at 3:00 and one hand at 9:00), then push the 3:00 hand away from you while pulling the 9:00 hand toward you This will cause the hoop to start to fold in on itself forming the number "8". Once the point at 12:00 and the point at 6:00 cross each other, effectively completing the number "8", just push the two circles that make up the "8" together (kinda like folding one of those windshield visors) and voila! You have a hoop half the size!
I do recommend putting a piece of tape over the area to the right and left of the center of the connector to keep the place where you cut through the tape from rolling up and messing up your tape job as you open and close the hoop or as you hoop with it. If you use clear tape, no one will ever even know it's there.
I was astonished to learn it was so easy to do this. Try it and see. You can even use one of your existing hoops to practice on. -
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Re: Hoop Donations for Africa - Please read!
Tue, April 29, 2008 - 9:39 PMhaha this is how i make all of my hoops now, except i have a connector in both sides of the hoop. :D -
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Re: Hoop Donations for Africa - Please read!
Tue, April 29, 2008 - 10:02 PMI can see how that would work too but if you want less weight, you only need one. When I saw someone convert a hoop that way at the Convergence, my jaw absolutely hit the floor. I could not believe it! I had to try it for myself. And even then, I could still hardly believe it. So cool!!!
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Re: Hoop Donations for Africa - Please read!
Tue, April 29, 2008 - 10:17 PMwow, hmm! that doesnt dent the tubing at all? very cool -
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Re: Hoop Donations for Africa - Please read!
Wed, April 30, 2008 - 10:44 AMExcept one note... make sure you have a really solid connector. I've had a one pop out, and it was such a pretty hoop :-( -
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Re: Hoop Donations for Africa - Please read!
Wed, April 30, 2008 - 10:51 AMYou can always put it back in. I've fixed so many hoops for people who left them in their hot cars, which is the MOST likely thing to make a connector come out, and they look flawless. Just heat the end of the hoop in boiling water for 30 seconds, put the end back in, let it dry, the cover the taped edge with clear tape to make sure it doesn't roll up. Voila!
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