Aorèma or Bust

So I've made it. I have finally moved into my little castle in Aorema, about 12 km away. I have yet to take any pictures since I am not completely finished unpacking, buying, and organizing, but soon enough I'll post a few of my furnished crib. I also plan, at some point, to shot a short video tour of where I live but that might come a bit later. I digress...

The move was rather easy, as I expected. I was the third to last person to leave Ouahigouya out us 32 volunteers. My driver helped me load up the van full of my stuff, and we were off. It took about 15-20 minutes to arrive at my village, and we unloaded everything we had just loaded. Some kids were there to help carry my things to my house. I was greeted by the woman in charge of the pharmacy, and soon after, she went and grabbed the keys to my house. These were not really my keys, since once the door was opened, my driver put a brand new lock on the door and handed me the only three keys to my house in existence. He also showed me how to work my gas stove and recommended I clean my filter. Next thing I know, he was leaving dust trails as he sped away. There I was. Alone. Everything to my name in a pile on my porch. No, it wasn't that scary, but there was definitely a feeling of ¨what have I got myself into?¨ as I looked around my new environment. And the fact that my major, the only person I have really met before and my link to the rest of the village, is training in Ouahigouya for several days doesn't ease my worries.

Nevertheless, I began to unpack and get things settled. Christina, my PCV neighbor from the neighboring village came by for a second to say welcome. Sooner than I imagined, it began getting dark, and I still hadn't even put up my mosquito net. So I quickly grabbed some nails and strung a line to hang the net, as ugly as it turned out to be. The next morning I finished with my organizing, as much as a could for the moment. We had a short meeting with CoGes (Comité de Gestion) who I will be working with the next two years to build their capacity. They work with the CSPS, helping to decide activities for the year and funding for sensibilizations (health education activities and demonstrations). Without the major being present, this meeting consisted of brief introductions of the members of CoGes, seven in total, and a quick intro of myself.

Since the major has been absent, our plans to introduce me to the community and important people has been put on hold, so my first few days have been very quiet. Sunday was marché day in Youba, so I went there to check it out. It is actually a really nice market, and I am lucky to have it so close to me. I bought some bread which actually was someof the best bread I've had here in Burkina, so I am super excited to have that available to me. I also bought a canari. I don't know the word in English, but it is basically a terracota pot to store water in. It is called a ¨desert fridge¨ because it can keep water much colder somehow through the magic and sorcery of science. I found a place that can charge of my phone and a place that sells sodas, so I am basically set.

Yesterday, I went to an AIDS sensibilization put on by two women from an organization in Ouahigouya. Over a hundred people turned out to hear them speak. Halfway through, they hand me the microphone and tell me to give them some advice on HIV/AIDS. Ha! You have to understand that most volunteers spend days or even weeks or more planning these things and to be put on the spot like that. I am sure I sounded like a fool, but I was able to say something about how it is possible to live a long life with the virus if you take your medication properly. One of the CoGes members translated for me in Mooré, and people seemed to be receptive. I consider it a small victory that I said anything useful at all.

And today, I pedalled the 45 minutes into town to recap with my fellow PCVs and the world here at the cyberposte. I am sure there are a lot of stories to share. Hopefully, when I return, my major will finally be back, and I can actually start the slow and awkward process of integration. À la prochaine!

It's Official!

Finally after nine often-long, sometimes-short weeks of training, training, and more training, I am officially a Peace Corps volunteer! It feels really good to be done with training and am ready to move to my new site.

Since the last time I have written (sorry for the delay), I have since moved out of my host village of Somyaga and back into our training center here in Ouahigouya. It was actually more sad to say goodbye to my host-family than I expected, but trust me, the time had come. My family helped me bring all my stuff down to be picked up by a PC car, and then we said our adieus. I know I defnitely learned a lot about Burkinabe people and culture that I never could have without the kind of immersion I experienced, for which I am grateful. We left on Monday the 15th and we swear in as volunteers on the 19th.

Between this time, the soon-to-be volunteers participated in a Counterpart workshop. Every volunteer is paired with a specific person (the counterpart, or homologue in French) from their community who they will work with and turn to for any assistance needed during the next two years. For us health volunteers, these counterparts are the headnurses (majors in French) who work at the village health clinics called the CSPS, a term I will probably use a million times on this blog. For me, this man (they are almost always men) is named Albert and seems like a really nice man. I met him once before when I visited my home, but this time he and the other counterparts spent several days with us, learning how each partnership can work together. It was really nice to get to know him a little better, despite the fact that he speaks French way too fast for me still. After we finished the workshop, all the counterparts came to see us swear in.

Both my host-mother and father also came to our swear-in ceremony, as did many VIP guests. All the PC staff were there, as were many important Burkinabe people and the US Ambassador. This was her last PC Burkina swear-in speech, as she is soon to be relocated to another country, I believe. Doug, our Country Director (aka the big boss), also gave a really touching speech, choking up a bit when saying how proud he was that all 32 of us made it through training, a feat which hasn't happened in almost a decade we were told. The picture on the left is the five health guys (myself, Colin, Rob, Aaron, and Josh) in all of our local clothes - yes I had my suit made in Burkina for about $13. I think the next outfit I get made will be traditional so look forward to pics of that at some point. Everyone was really excited to get all dressed up, and everyone looked stellar. We were so sharp, we made the Burkina news. I still have people telling me that they saw us on TV. The women in the next picture is my APCD (my direct boss) Dr. Claude, who always dresses to the nines, and swear-in was no exception. She is in charge of the entire PC Burkina health program and is a wonderful person and resource for us health PCVs. After the ceremony, we had a banquet with some really good Burkinabe food, and were able to chat it up a bit with our host-families, the Ambassador, and all the staff members. Doug's wife even baked us chocolate chip cookies, which were no less than amazing. We are all so very spoiled here in the Peace Corps. Afterwards, we celebrated with a beer, and then I went back and relaxed the entire day. It was nice to get a break from the structured schedule for a change. Almost everyone went dancing that night, which was also a lot of fun. It almost felt like America - almost.

The next day we began another workshop with our counterparts called Life Skills, which basically taughtus how to teach about HIV/AIDS, relationships, decision-making, communication and other similar topics. A lot of this was repititive, but it was nice to get to interact and practice with our counterparts some more. This week was actually added to allow us to stay together here in Ouahigouya till after Christmas, tomorrow.

And that basically bring everyone up to today. Today and yesterday have been spent mostly in the marché, buying everything I can to put in my new house. It is actually extremely stressful, having to shop for so much, bargaining for everything, and in such a short time frame. But I am basically done. Things I can think of off the top of my head I have bought include: a matress, a table and countertop for cooking (arriving tomorrow from the carpenter), 2 mats, 2 chairs, a large trash can for water storage, long mirror, a large basin to wash clothes in, 2 buckets, sets of plastic cups, plates, and the like, sets of silverware, hammer and nails, twine, 4-burner stove and gas tank, a cot, and 2 trunks to store food and valuables. It has been so tiring but its finally done. A driver will pick it all up Friday morning and drive me to my site 12 km away, and I can start the process of making my house a home.

Tomorrow is Christmas, which should be relaxing and fun for everyone. Other than waiting for the furniture to arrive, we have organized a local Lebanese restaurant to cook for us, which will definitely be great. Also, I need to hit the marché and get the last minute perishable items like fruits, veggies, and eggs to take to my site. Besides that, it should be a day of singing Christmas carols and praying for snow. Anyway, I hope everyone has a Joyeux Noël and the next time I write, I will have moved into my permanent home. Yippay! À la prochaine!

Randomness

I've just biked into Ouahigouya with a strong head wind to blog, and I've realized I don't much more new to discuss. Tomorrow is Tabaski, a big Muslim holiday, so I needed to come into town also to pick up some sugar for my family - the traditional gift for the day. Tomorrow, there will be a lot of dancing, eating sheep, giving bonbons to the children, praying, and having a good time, so I am excited to join in on the celebrations. I am also here to pick up some nice suit fabric at the market. We have a tailor in the family, so I am going to take the fabric to him to make me a vest and pants for swear-in in about two weeks. I think the fabric and tailoring should cost me about $12 or $13, so a good deal definitely.

Here you can see a picture of me in front of my current home, the mud hut of my brother Sayouba, the one who left for Ouaga. I would have posted a photo of the inside, but honestly it is so small, I could get any good angles at all. Despite its cramped size, it has serves me well for the last month and a half, but believe me, I am more than ready to upsize for my maison in Aorema. I just hate the feeling of living out of a suitcase, and that is what I've been doing. It will be so different when I can actually have a carpenter build me some bookshelves and tables and such. I have felt, living in Somyaga, both a member in the family and a guest in a hotel. It is nothing my family has done, simply the facts of the situation. Before he left, my brother told me ¨Erik, you are becoming Mossi,¨ when I would speak to him in Moorè. The Mossi are the largest ethnic group in Burkina, and the ones who speak Moorè, like the people here. He even gave me a Mossi name: Irisso. So I have definitely felt like family, but you can't help feel like a tenant when your host-mom sweeps your room and brings you your bath water and cooks your meals. It will just be nice to do these things for myself. Not too much longer to go.

On a side note, we saw a snake right where we have language lessons in village every morning - my first snake I've seen in Burkina. The people here are really scared of them, since I guess most of very dangerous, but this one did not survive long. Lots of village kids came with big rocks and severed the head and then the rest of the body. It was still squirming and then my French teacher yelled in panic ¨The heart! You have to go for the head and the heart!¨ As long as they don't bother me, I don't mind the snake. My host brother said he has only seen two all year, so it doesn't seem like a common thing here.

On another side note, the last three days have been the coldest since we have been here. In the mornings, I've heard it has been in the high 50s. Everyone, including the Nasaras (us whities), have added extra layers. I've been sleeping in my sleeping bag the past few nights. Everyone in village here is all dressed up in the heavy winter coats, sitting in the sun, trying to keep warm. I can help but shiver during my daily bucket baths now. It's actaully a refreshing change. It feels like December for once. I hear it only lasts a few weeks though sadly. Anyway, I guess I better wrap this up, not much else to say, and I have the whole day to spend in town. À la prochaine!

Ouahigouya: The Big City

So not a lot of news here. My host brother leaves tomorrow morning to Ouaga, and since I am staying in Ouahigouya until tomorrow evening, we had to say our goodbyes this morning. He goes between here and Ouaga every few months, so I will see him again sometime in January or February, but it was still kinda sad. He is really the only one whose French is good enough for me to converse with, but we have now less than two weeks with our host families. Time flies. I gave him a coffee table book on Virginia that I brought with me, and he really loved that.

Today, besides having a very in-depth Moorè session, we learned about moringa, which I had never heard of until PC. It is this remarkable tree whose leaves are incredibly packed full of nutrients. I really hope I can do some sort of moringa project at site.

Since there is not a lot of news to speak of (and I only have a short time before dinner), I thought I would share with you all the many excitements that Ouahigouya, my home away from home, has to offer besides this internet café. Since I don't know the names of most places, excuse the following nomenclatures. And these are only the most frequented places:

RESTAURANTS

• Sandwich lady - she sells bagette sandwiches filled with your choice of: sausage, beef, egg omelet, mayo, crudité (diced veggies), and other fillers. She also has yougurt (plain and banana), mougoudougou (spicy peanut butter balls), other treats
• Chicken in a Bag - technically called (or located near) Hawaii Express Café, they serve grilled chicken (the whole bird only) with sautéed onions. It's a bit pricy but worth it just for the onions alone. Best when split between two or three people. You can also get brochettes (beef kababs) nearby as well
• Caiman - the full name I believe is Cave Caiman, and this is a good hang-out when in town. It costs 50 CFA to park your bikes, but inside you can get brochettes, salads, french fries, and a lot of other stuff. A bit pricy but the fries are nice.
• La Famille - a restaurant close to where we stay which serves more Burkinabe cuisine. You can often get riz gras (a rice dish), riz avec sauce d'arachid (rice with peanut sauce), to (a millet dish), and they have a really good spaghetti too. Prices are cheaper here too which is nice.
• Bouvette du Coeur - basically serves the same things as La Famille only cheaper (and not as good in my opinion)
• Hotel d'Amitie - this hotel caters to foreigners and while the pool is nice, the food is really expensive. But they do serve a 3500 CFA cheeseburger and fries is you want to dish out the dough (average meal elsewhere may be about 500 CFA). I haven't actually tried it yet, but some in our group have gone for it.

OTHER TREATS

• Citron lady - she makes little pouches of frozen goodness. You can buy frozen lemonade, chocolate milk, coffee, tea, bissap (made from hibiscus flowers) and many others. I visit here quite frequently. The closest thing I have to a Slurpee.
  
• Pool - For 1000 CFA, you can swim all day in their pool. I have yet to partake, but I will definitely hit the pool come hot season.
• Alimentation - there are 3 alimentations (small grocery store) that I frequent across town. It can be pretty pricy, but it is the only place to get a lot of Western foods and foodstuffs such as corn flakes, ravioli, chocolate, toilet paper etc.
• Total - there are two Totals (gas station) which also act as small grocery stores as well.
• Cinema - I have yet to go, but I plan to. They show American films and others but they are pretty old. So far, I've seen signs for Red Dragon, The Sum of All Fears, and Blood Diamond (which would be interesting to watch here) among others.
• Marché - huge market that sells everything. I've gotten lost in it before.
  

And that is my town, at least as I know it now. And since Ouahigouya will only be 12 km away, it will stay my town for the next two years. Hopefully, I will continue to discover more and more interesting places after training ends. Anyway, I've gotta run. My chicken in a bag is waiting for me.

My ¨Wish¨ List

So some people have asked about sending things to me. I want everyone to know that it is certainly not an obligation to send anything since I know the US is in an economic crisis and the packages my parents have sent have been between $50 and $100 (although these have been rather large). But if you feel compelled to send me one or two small things, I would gladly and gratefully accept it. I will also put a link to this post under the ¨Important Posts¨ sidebar. Here is a list of things, that I will update as my needs and desires change, which I could use (in no particular):

• Candy (non-chocolate is best so it doesn't melt - Starburst, Jolly Ranchers, Red Vines, Nerds, pretty much anything sweet)
• Drink mixes (powdered kool-ade, lemonade, iced tea, or any other thing that could make our chlorine-treated water taste less like the community swimming pool)
• Other mixes (powdered cheese for mac and cheese, ranch and other salad dressing mixes - anything that you can make by adding water)
• Easy to make meals like ramen noodles or something. Other easy foods like muffin mixes, cookie mixes, etc. Things I can just add water or oil are awesome.
  
• Dried fruit
  
• Granola bars, chocolate chip cookies, chips, or other similar snack foods
• Beef jerky and the like
  
• Flavored teas (love them all but fruit flavors would be extra nice)
• Old DVD or burned DVDs you don't want (since I have electricity now)
  
• Photos from home of course
• Magazines (news, NatGeo, entertainment, whatever you want to send - what's going on in the world?)
• Face Soap (something with Benzoyl Peroxide would be nice
• Spices (I can work with anything)
  
• Anything that a home/kitchen can't be without
• Anything your heart desires

As I said, don't feel like you have to send me anything, but if you want, these would be nice (don't go overboard please - even one little thing would be nice). Also, I will keep this updated so check back for changes, deletions, additions from time to time. Oh, and I updated right before this too, so keep reading the next post if you haven't yet because it has my new address in it.

Thanksgiving And More News

Happy Belated Thanksgiving to everyone back in the States! We actually had a great Turkey Day here in Burkina, with an actual Butterball turkey and pumpkin pies that was donated by the Ambassador. In addition, we had lots of mashed potatoes, cranberries, stuffing (which I helped make), salad, fruit, and lots of dessert. And we also ate our sheep that was given to us as a gift from the King of Yatenga when we first arrived here. Although it didn't taste as good as home, it was still really good. Everyone was in great spirits, and I think we all had one of our best nights since we arrived. Good food. Good people. You can't ask for much else on Thanksgiving.

On another note, World AIDS Day is December 1st, so mark your calendars. We actually recorded a 5-7 minute skit in French about the modes of HIV transmission that will play on the radio here Dec 1st. The radio is a great tool to use for sensibilizations (a big word used here for educating people about a certain topic), since radios are even in the smallest villages and you don't have to know how to read to understand it. I think I might work with this radio station after training too. For World AIDS Day, a group of us are heading to a village about 30km away to see what another volunteer has planned there that day.

In other news, I have a new address. Mail now can be sent to a PO Box directly to Ouahigouya, instead of through PC in Ouaga, so things should take slightly less time (hopefully) to get here. I have changed the address on the sidebar, but here it is as well:

Erik Durant
Corps de la Paix
Ouahigouya 01
01 B.P. 392
Burkina Faso
West Africa

If you use the other address, it will still get to me, but from now on, use this new one to avoid the middleman. A wish list will eventually come, if you need ideas about what I would like.

That's about everything I can think of on my end. Things are gradually slowing down it seems. My Mooré lessons are really interested. I was able to tell my non-French speaking mom this morning: ¨I am going to Ouahigouya, but I will return this evening¨ (Mam kengda Ouahigouya la mam na lebga zaabre). I think she was proud. We only have two more weeks with our host families which is kind of sad and kind of nice as well. At least for me, I will be able to visit them from time to time since I will be staying in the area. So yeah, things are going good.

Site Visit (With Chickens)!

So this weekend, I went with a few other PCT to a PCV's house about 10km from Ouahigouya. This PCV, Christina, just happens to be my future neighbor, less than 2km away from Aorema, my home for the next two years. I biked into Ouahigouya Saturday afternoon with Ilana (also my future neighbor - about 7km away), and we met up with Christina at the cyber café and biked to her village Youba, where we then met up with three other PCTs from an nearby village. We intended to visit my site that evening, but unfortunately Christina forgot her key in Ouahigouya, so we had to change our plans a bit. We hung out in Youba while a neighbor went by moto back into town to retrieve her key. By the time he came back, it was already dark, so we decided to go the next day.

Sunday morning, we biked the short distance to my future village of Aorema. There we met my counterpart, the head nurse of the CSPS (health clinic). He seems like a cool guy, so it should be fun working with him, though he does speak French at a rather quick pace for my tastes. We also met the other CSPS workers and got a brief tour of the clinic. From there we walked maybe 50 yards or so to my house! It is located right next to CSPS grounds, in a walled-in compound that also includes the homes of the head nurse and another CSPS worker. It is not complete yet, but they were working on it while we were there. One man was preparing my hanger (similar to a porch) to be cemented as you can see in the photo here, and another man was digging my latrine behind my house. After this is taken care of, they want to build a fence around my courtyard to give me some added privacy. I think once it is all done, it will definitely look great, and I can definitely picture myself here for the next two years. My friends said the little bumps on the roof make it look like a castle. I have to agree.

It has never been more real than now. I have seen the men who have spent months (since April) building a house specifically for me. I have heard the women in the maternity building at the CSPS thank me for coming. I really felt welcomed into Aorema, and now I've seen the people I am here to help. I am more excited than ever to move into my new home. The inside of my house is just as nice as the outside. It's all completely new, so I shouldn't have to worry about too many bugs or mice. There are two rooms: one large blue room, and another yellow room about half its size. There is even a door to seperate the two (I don't know why that is exciting but it is). The big blue room will mostly like be the kitchen/living room, and the yellow one will be my bedroom. It has an actual wood ceiling that I am thrilled about because it definitely will keep the house cooler than a tin roof would. Overall, it's not a big home, but for me it's the pefect size. Plus my nearest water source appears to be a faucet (i.e. not a pump or well) on the CSPS grounds, which means a lot less work getting water. I couldn't be happier with my little home.


When we were about to get on our way, the important members of the village (including the chief) presented me with two chickens. I was really honored, but may I give a word of caution. Riding 20km on a dirt road with two chickens tied together by their feet, hanging upside down from the handlebars of your bike in the midday sun for two hours is not the most pleasurable experience (for me or the chickens). Fortunately, I had Ilana there (see photo), so we switched half way through. Unfortunately, one little birdie was a bit sick and died shortly after arriving into town. But the other made it back in one piece, just to play the title role in my chicken spaghetti dinner I had last night. It was definitely an interesting weekend, with ups and down like the bumps in the dirt road we carried the chickens on that day. And while the death of my feathered friend was quite the Debbie Downer (insert sad trombone tune here), the trip only made me more excited to finish training and actually start my work as a Peace Corps Volunteer.


On a completely unrelated note, since Thanksgiving is this week, and today I am thankful that the cyber café computers are uploading photos relatively fast, I've decided to share a couple other pics from around my current village of Somyaga. Enjoy!

This is one of my best little buds in village, little Sayouba. You may recognize him from my last set of photos from village. Whenever I pick him up in the air as I often have to do, he just laughs and laughs. He's such a funny kid!

And this is one of the village elders in my quartier. He is always sitting on the ground making something - rope or calabash bowls or the like. Whenever I visit him, he shows me what he is working on, but because he is only speaks Mooré, he just keeps saying ¨Yaa soma¨ (It's good) and ¨Barka¨ (Thank you) to me. We started actual Mooré classes today, so maybe I will be able to talk with him some more after awhile. He is such a nice man though. He asked me to take a picture of him and his family, and when I should this to him, I don't think I've ever heard so many ¨Barkas¨ from one person. I think it turned out pretty good too.

One Month To Go!

So there is exactly only one more month of staging left before swearing-in. One more month before I can officially call myself a Peace Corps Volunteer. And although sometimes it feels like training has dragged on and on, at other times I catch myself thinking how soon it will be over and the next phase of my PC life will begin. My concept of time has drastically changed since being here, that's for sure.

I don't have much news to report today. I've been busy in village and around town, learning the skills and resources I will need once I'm at site. We have learned how to make enriched porridge for babies using locally-available ingredients. We visited a center that rehabilitates malnourished children and educates their mothers to keep them healthy. We met with a local AIDS support group for women and listened to their stories and advice. We helped weigh babies at our local CSPS in Somyaga.

We have also been busy with classes. French classes for several hours a day. Moore classes (the language I will be speaking) begin next week. We have had classes on first aid, Burkinabe culture, security concerns, malaria, HIV, nutrition, and the list goes on. It is quite a grueling schedule, but the group is all in good spirits. We are still 32 strong and plan to stay that way till swear-in, if we are so lucky. And while there is always a couple people sick at any one moment (myself included at times), it makes you realize how strong you can be. There have definitely been numerous frustrating times, but you have to have a sense of humor with it all. The good always outways the bad. And besides, Thanksgiving is next week! (it is, right?)

Good Times (and photos)

Lots to talk about today. Things here are going good. It has cooled down some since our arrival, for which we all are so very thankful. This past week, we found out about our site assignments. That is to say, we found out where we will be living for the next two years. There are people going to every corner of Burkina, and guess where I'm going - about 12km from where I am right now.

So the name of my future village is Aorema, and yes, I could walk to it from here if I wanted to. There are actually three other trainees (including my friend from W&M) who have been placed around Ouahigouya, so I am in good company. There are also a few volunteers nearby who have already been living here for several months. In fact, I have a neighboring PCV Christina who will only be 2km from my house. She actually said she would take me to my house next Sunday to check it out, so maybe I can snap some photos of my new home while I am there. While it does seem a little disappointing that I won't get to explore more of the country, I think it will still be great. I know the city pretty well already, the market has a year-round supply of fruits and veggies, there is internet access obviously, and transportation is easy to anywhere I want to go (the capital is only 2 hours away by bus). So I think the positives definitely outway the negatives. Plus it gives me a reason to go explore the rest of Burkina during my two years.

Apparently, my home is brand new, built specifically for me. It is a two-room cement house that shares a common area with the homes of the head nurse and another worker from the local health clinic. Currently, there is a shared latrine and shower, but they said they were going to build me my own. They also said they would build a hanger in front of my house, basically a roof to block the sun out, kind of like a porch. I am the first volunteer at my site, and they seem eager to have one. Hopefully, I will be able to motiate the community during my two year stay. So that's the real big news. On to the visuals. I have finally been able to upload some pictures in and around my current village of Somyaga. Desciptions follow:

This is my host mom (one of three, but this is the only one I ever see). She works so hard, getting my bath water twice a day, making me dinner, and washing my clothes. She only speaks Moore, so our conversations are limited, but she laughs at me a lot, which I take as ¨I love you, Erik.¨ Oh, and that baby is not hers, but I don't know who it belongs to. Who cares.

This is some random old lady in my village. Come to think of it, she may be the one who was dancing topless in her courtyard the other day. But she wanted me to take her picture and cracked up when I showed it to her. I think it made her morning.

This is my neighbor and fellow PCT Christy. Here she is grinding millet with the ladies. Apparently, she wasn't doing a very good job because they stopped her after I took this picture. These women work their butts off though. If it weren't for them, the men would starve.

This is my host brother Sayouba, at the entrance to my room. He is 19, and his French is great, so he is the one I do most of my talking with. He really is très cool, and he knows it. He is probably the first and only Burkinabe so far that I would call my friend and was so excited to hear that I was going to live just down the road. He has already said he will come and visit me in Aorema.

This is one of my favorite kids to play with in village. His name is Galilou, he is 5 years old, and I think he is Seyouba's brother (but then again every boy in village is a ¨brother¨). He is the first kid I taught how to high five, and now all the kids are doing it. He is quite the mischievous little boy.

Here he is again with Kapseta, some girl who always hangs outside my room. She is super shy, like most of the girls here. But Galilou makes up for that. Look at that smile. He's plotting something.

Finally, here is a group shot of lots of the kids in my courtyard. The one in the middle is also named Sayouba and he is one of my favorites too. His expressions are so cute, and when he and Galilou get together, they are nothing but trouble. Hope you enjoyed these pics. This is my life.

Ouaga Do Good

So I'm in the capital Ouagadougou (that's pronounced WA-GA-DOO-GOO for those out of the know) for the weekend. We arrived yesterday and met with the U.S. Ambassador and her staff, then we took a tour of the PC offices and got a flu vaccine. I also ate an amazingly good pizza that cost me about 6 times more than my average meals. So worth it! Today we woke up and headed over to SIAO, an international artisan festival. It was pretty cool. I bought a t-shirt and a cool necklace that I bargained from 2000 CFA down to 500 CFA ($1). I also had my first taste of FanChaco, a frozen chocolate milk treat. So great! We are staying at the PC transit house which is awesome because we have electricity, running water, and refridgerators. So yesterday I put a coke in the freezer and a few hours later, I had an amazing Slurpee-like drink.

Sadly, we ship out tomorrow back for Ouahigouya. It was a great excursion nevertheless and a real treat for all us health volunteers. We find out about our site announcements on Wednesday, so this helped take everyone's mind off things. It's amazing how many people yell "Barack Obama" when they see us. People here love him so much, so it's an exciting time for everyone here. But it's really weird because I have never felt more disconnected with American politics. I have no idea how America is reacting, but here it's nothing but excitement from the Burkinabe and the other PCVs. It will definitely be weird coming home in two years to a whole new administration. But hopefully, this will be a much needed change. Until next time.

Demystified

Well, I got back from my demystification visit yesterday. For those who don't know, that just means we went in small groups to stay with a current volunteer to see how they live. My group, which consisted of our language teacher, myself, Kristy, Ilana (who went to W&M amazingly), and Annete, went to visit an older volunteer in the small village of Sala, about 113km southwest of Ouaga. She was such a great hostess to the five of us, and we definitely packed the days in.

To get there, we first took a bus from Ouahigouya to Ouaga in the early morning. Then we caught a bush taxi (imagine 25 people fitting into a van that seats 12, overloaded with baggage, bikes, motos and goats inside and on the roof, and breaking down every hour or so) from Ouaga to Sala. When we finally made it after several hours, our hostess greeted us and showed us her house and friends and neighbors. She has a really nice crib for PC standards, so she's quite lucky. She also has another volunteer only 2km up the road, so we got to meet him and check out his place too (also incredibly nice).

For the few days we were there, we definitely got to do a lot. We weighed babies at the local CSPS (health clinic), ate lunch with the village chief, saw her PC neighbor do a talk about pregnancy at a nearby school, helped in a talk about proper handwashing to three classes at another school, saw a soccer game, visited the dam, had language classes, met all the important village leaders, and visited the market in the next town over. I was amazed how she manages to get by with her spectacular mix of English and French. She does have a language tutor that goes with her everywhere and acts as her translator. It's still great to see how how much the community respects her and how she manages to thrive there with less-than-perfect language skills, but she has no fear to get up and talk in her Franglais to a room full of confused school children.

She also made some amazing food, and for that, she could have been speaking Chinese to those kids and I wouldn't have cared. We had mac and cheese, peanut butter and jelly, grilled cheese. Amazing! It was cool to see how PCVs can take local products and make some really good American-friendly meals. I've heard that pizza isn't too hard to make. That is first on my list once I get to my site.

All in all, the visit was great. I got to see what a volunteer actually does on a day-to-day basis, and it really made me happy. Seeing her in her community was a reaffirmation for myself. I can see myself in her shoes a year down the road and know I can definitely handle the path to come. Hope to post again soon and hope all is well in the States (we PCTs can't wait for the elections! I feel so disconnected.)

P.S. Don't get too excited, but I have pictures of the entire group. Unfortunately, the first was taken in Philadephia and not Burkina, but the second was taken in the PC van on the way from Ouaga to Ouahigouya. You might be able to see Burkina in the background if you squint. They are all amazingly cool individuals (nobody has left yet which is very rare for any PC group - that should tell you something). More pics from and of Burkina will come eventually. Enjoy this for now:

On The Road Again

So I'm back in Ouahigouya for the night. I biked in this morning for the fourth day in a row, and my butt is beginning to hurt. Luckily, I won't be needing a bike for nearly a week. I am going on what PC calls a ¨demystification visit.¨ Basically, we go in small groups to crash at another PCV house for a few days to see what life is really like for them. I will be staying with a volunteer southwest of Ouaga. I am excited to finally experience a tad (martin, inside joke) of how I might be living for the next two years, and it will be great to get some new foods. I haven't had a piece of meat since I arrived in village. I'm craving some chicken. We got a sheep as a gift from the chief of Ouahigouya, and he's looking pretty tasty right about now. But we named him Turkey because we are planning on eating him for Thanksgiving. C'est la vie!

Just a side note about money here, while I think about it. Money goes a long way here as you can imagine. When we first got here, we were given 9,000 CFA to last two weeks. That's about $18, FYI (500 CFA = $1). In village there is not a lot to spend it on, but in town there are plenty of restaurants, boutiques, and the market. To give you an idea, a bottle of Coke or Fanta usually costs 300 to 350 CFA (about $0.65). My meals usually cost about the same, between 300 and 400 CFA. I just bought a plug adapter for 300 CFA. I bought a bag of sugared peanuts this morning for 25 CFA (about $0.05). Fruit, like apples or bananas, is usually 100 or so CFA ($0.20). So yeah, the money is good. Toilet paper comes in packages of two for 500 CFA ($1). The only problem is that nobody can ever exchange large bills (by large I mean more than $4 or so), so carrying coins is your best bet here.

Anyway, we have to be at the bus station at 5:30am tomorrow for Ouaga, so it will be an early morning for me. And from what I've learned about Burkinabe public transportation, it should be an interesting trip. I'll probably update again next week when I make it back to town. Hope all is well in the States and talk to you all soon. Bon nuit!

Ney Windga

Good afternoon all, or Ney Windga in Moore, the local language I am learning here. I have been in Burkinq for a week and a half and there is so much to tell. I am using a French keyboard, so excuse any typos I make hereafter. Last Sunday, the health volunteers (like me) moved out of the mqin city of Ouahigouya and into one of three small villages surrounding the city. My village is called Soumyaga and it has about 5000 people or so in it. It is about 8km outside the city and it takes about 30 minutes to bike into town. This is actually the first day I biked back since last Sunday.

I live in ... you guessed it ... a mud hut. It is probably about the same size of my bathroom back home. Everyone lives with a host family until the end of December. My family's name is Sawadogo. My father is named Seido, and he has three wives. I've only met one but she is really nice. She just laughs everytime I speak Moore, as do most people. I talk with my host brother Seyouba the most. His French is great and he even knows some phrases in English. He is 19 and seems like the coolest kid in our compound.

Our compound (one of five in the village) has about 150 people living in it and is impossible to describe. Once I feel more comfortable, I will take some pictures and put them up here. There are always about 15 to 25 children around my door staring at the crazy white guy. Sometimes it is fun; sometimes it gets annoying. There are also tons of chickens, roosters, lizards, and donkeys outside my door.

The typical day for me begins at about 5:30 or 6am, when I am awoken by the sound of either women pounding millet or the roosters crowing. I take a quick bucket bath (i.e. throwing water on my myself, soaping up, then splashing more water on myself) then I eat breakfast (bread and tea usually). We usually meet around 8 or a bit earlier to begin French class. I tested into the Novice High group for French, but I am picking up more and more each day. Moore is also a lot of fun to learn, and people are amazed when you can speak their language! After language we have technical training for most of the rest of the day. I am learning about the Burkina health care system and how local clinics operate. By the time we finish it is usually about 5:30pm and then I go home, take another bucket bath, eat dinner, practice French and Moore, do French homework, and go to bed about 9:30 or so. I know it's crazy early!

It's nice that I have another volunteer Christy who lives about 20 feet away from me, so that is extremely helpful. Funny story: the other day she dumped a mix used for a ceremonial drink around her toillet (i.e. hole in the ground) because she thought it was used for cleanliness after using the bathroom. Speaking of lost in translation, my host brother told me so,eone was going to do my laundry a couple days ago, so I gave it to him. Then when we got to our meeting place he handed it back to me. So I had to carry a bag of dirty laundry with me the whole day!

Anyway I have to go soon. This week might be busy for me. We are going back and forth from village to Ouahigouya and also to the capital Ouaga, so I don't know the next time I'll post, but I am reading your comments. Thanks guys, you are awesome! Oh and I have a phone but I have to figure out the whole deal with charging it, but I'll post that in my contact info as well soon. But know that all is well. I was sick one day but better now. It is in the high 90s at least but bearable. I just drank my first cold Coke in a week (yes we have Coke), so I'm good. Talk to everyone later. Peace!

I'm Alive

Bonjour everyone! I am safe and sound here in Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso. I only have 10 minutes to type this up, so I'll make this short. We arrived safely in Ouaga Wednesday night, but unfortunately one of my bags ways delayed, but I should get it within a few days I'm told. After an overnight in the capital, we crammed into a bus and made our way to Ouahigouya, where we will remain for most of the next three months. The people here are super friendly, and I am practicing my French daily with them (Moorè training begins tomorrow). It pretty hot but not too bad, very dusty, but the food has all been really good: chicken, apples, bananas, and lots of rice dishes. Anyway, my time is running out; I will post again the next chance I get with more details, but do not worry. I am safe and having a blast!

It's Always Funny in Philadelphia

So I've got some free time today at the hotel in Philly, and I thought I'd write another short post. I got in at about 10:30am yesterday and made my way to the hotel. I found a couple PCT at the airport, so it was cool to have someone to find lunch with and talk to. We began our extensive information sessions shortly after 3pm with introductions and icebreakers and group activities. It seems like a really good group of people. There are about 30 of us in total, mostly all in our 20s. There are no older volunteers, but there is one young married couple here. The majority of us here are in Health, but there are some doing Business as well. Our meeting lasted till after 8pm, with information about risks, concerns, fears, expectations, and logistics for arriving in Burkina. Afterwards, we split up and headed for dinner, then ice cream and a drink. I called home from the hotel payphones and got to bed around midnight.

I woke up this morning around 6:30am, ate a quick breakfast, then we met downstairs at 7:30 to head to the clinic. I got my Yellow Fever vaccination, as well as my first Mefloquine pill for malaria. I only have to take it once a week, so it's much more convenient than other daily kinds. I definitely felt a little funny from the medication, somewhat loopy, but now it's all good. But let's hope my dreams are not as intense as everyone says they will be. And that brings us to now. I have to be ready at noon to leave, and I still need to repack some things and shower. Until next time (in Burkina this time, I promise).

My Last Night Home

So this is it. It's my last night at home. My last night in my own bed. I leave tomorrow for Philadelphia for staging, and then I'll be heading for Burkina Faso on Tuesday (by way of Paris). I am pretty much all packed up and ready to go. As much as I'll ever be. I've been able to talk to and see many friends before leaving, to which I am grateful.

But to those friends and family members I haven't talked to, I just want to say goodbye, and I hope that you all stay in touch. I've heard there are times when every volunteer gets really lonely, and they value the messages they receive. So this is an open invitation to write - whether its here on my blog, via e-mail, facebook, snail mail, calls, or any other way you can think of - even if you don't have much to say at all. Just dropping me a line from time to time will definitely make my day. And I'll try to get back to you all as best I can (please be patient with me though). Also, if for some crazy reason, anyone happens to be in Africa in the next 27 months, please let me know. I'd be thrilled to see you and show you around! If it's not in Burkina Faso, I do get vacation time to travel. Anyway, I better wrap this up. I still have to finish packing, hoping not to forget anything. Take care everyone, wish me luck, say a prayer, and next time I write, I should be on African soil finally (or maybe in Philly, but probably not).

Countdown

I officially have less than a week before I am to report to Philadelphia for staging. I have been so busy lately, gathering my supplies, visiting friends, and running 20,000 different errands. Let me apologize to those friends of mine who have sent me messages, emails, etc. Sorry! As you can imagine, things are getting so crazy here. Hopefully, I'll be able to get back to you all before I go. I still have a long list of things I still need to accomplish before I leave. Plus my computer has decided to get sick on me, which is why I haven't updated anything lately. So that has complicated everything. Luckily, one problem is fixed, but it's still not perfect. I am pretty sure my laptop will not be making the return trip with me two years from now.

This past weekend was quite jam packed. I left Friday to drive to North Carolina to visit one of my best friends before I leave. It was great to just hang out with him and his friends, and I managed to see the ocean one last time. I drove back Sunday morning, just in time to arrive at the party my mom had planned for me, which ended up lasting till dark. All in all, it was a fun weekend, but now I really have to focus to get everything done in the six days I have at home. I know I'm going to forget something.

Staging

I received my "Staging Kit" a few days ago. This packet has all the information about my PC orientation in Philadelphia. First of all, I have a flight scheduled on Monday, October 13th at 9:27 AM on US Airways from Richmond to Philadelphia. I arrive in Philly at 10:35 AM, and must be at my hotel and registered (as an official Peace Corps trainee) by 2 PM. From 3 - 7 PM, we have training sessions that include: a Welcome and Introduction to PC, Anxieties and Aspirations for Service, Managing Risk, Politics in Practice, Reflection on Commitment to Service, and Logistics and Departure/Arrival Information.

The next morning we must be ready to leave by 7:30 AM to head to the clinic in order to get the necessary vaccinations. Afterwards, we have lunch and check-out of the hotel. Buses arrive for loading and departing to the airport at 1:30 PM. Our flight (Delta) departs Philadelphia at 6:45 PM and arrives in Paris at 8:25 AM the following day (Wed Oct 15th), a 7 hour 40 minute flight. We are stuck in Paris until our next flight at 4:10 PM when we fly from Charles De Gaulle to Ouagadougou. The flight should take about 5 hours 35 minutes, and we should land in the capital at 7:45 PM, local time.

The Amazing Race in Burkina

I was bored last night and stumbled upon a couple videos from The Amazing Race 12 when they traveled to Burkina. This first video (8:37) shows the "Roadblock" where competitors had to milk camels in order to receive their next clue. Hopefully, this is not part of my daily routine:



This other video (1:38) focuses on the "goth" couple in the race and their reflections to Burkina Faso and the Burkinabe (the people of BF). Enjoy:



If you go to YouTube, you can see the entire episode, broken into 5 chunks. Just search for "Amazing Race 12 Episode 3." The next next episode is from BF as well, but I can't find it on YouTube in full.

Sending Me Mail

This post is meant to be an in-depth guide to sending me mail during my service. While my address is listed under the "Contact Me" tab on the left, there is simply too much info to include everything on the sidebar. This entry is also available under the "Important Posts" tab on the left side of the page for future reference.

While Burkina Faso has a pretty reliable postal system, occasionally problems do occur. So you may want to send me inexpensive things in the mail, since there is no guarantee that these items will arrive. If sending me a package, it is recommended that it be shipped in a padded envelope if at all possible, as boxes tend to be taxed more heavily. Boxes also can be expensive on your end ($50-$100 sometimes), but I will definitely love them. If sending me a postcard, it is best to put it in an envelope or else it might end up on some postal worker's wall. All mail ($.94 in stamps for lightweight letters) and packages can be sent to the following address:

Erik Durant
Corps de la Paix
Ouahigouya 01
01 B.P. 392
Burkina Faso
West Africa

Other tips I have heard to ensure packages reach me include addressing them to "Brother" or "Father Erik Durant," using red ink somewhere on the box, and drawing religious symbols on the outside. Some people, whether religious or not, are very superstitious about this sort of thing. If you want to use any of these ideas, go ahead. It definitely can't hurt.

No matter what, be sure to write "Airmail" or "Par Avion" on the outside of envelopes and packages, or else it could be sent by boat and never reach me. If you plan on writing me a lot, numbering your letters (or at least dating them) will help me keep them in order and know if any become lost in the mail. Also, it is a good idea to include a list in each package you send of everything inside. That way, in case someone decides to open a box, take something, and then reseal it, I'll know what's missing. Speaking of which, if you have to fill out a form describing the contents of a package, try to be as general as possible, such as "educational media" or "personal items", so as to not entice anyone.

PC does not recommend that costly items be sent through the mail. For lightweight but important items (airline tickets, important documents, etc.), DHL does operate in Ouagadougou. If you choose to send items through DHL, you will use the same address as above. (the phone number for the Peace Corps office in Burkina Faso is 226 50 36 92 00 should DHL need this information). You can call a DHL office near you for more information on how to go about this.

If you can't or simply don't want to send me letters or packages, that perfectly fine as well. I won't think any less of you. I always appreciate emails (ecdura at gmail dot com) or posts on my blog, of course. But remember, depending on my internet situation, I can't guarantee a speedy response.

My Packing List

So I thought it would be useful to share my tentative packing list for Burkina. I know reading other volunteers' lists has definitely helped me out a lot. I still have a little over a month to go, so this list is not at all complete. I haven't even really thought about clothes yet. But I'll keep updating this list, and I've added a link to it on the main page under the "Important Posts" tab on the left so it can be accessed easily for future reference. I'll try to be as specific as possible and provide links when appropriate.

People have already asked me what they could send or do to help. I'll probably post a seperate "wish list" once I arrive of goodies and other useful things, but the toiletries and food stuffs on my packing list that will eventually run out (i.e. floss, toothpaste, face soap, powdered drink mixes, etc.) are always very appreciated as well. You can never have too much of these. So let's get started.

Just so you are aware, I have to fit everything into two checked bags and a carry-on. The two checked bags can weigh no more than 80 lbs total, with no more than 50 lbs in any one bag. For my two checked bags, I have one standard 27" suitcase and a 60-liter internal frame backpack (North Face Terra 60 Pack). For my carry-on, I have one of my favorite purchases, my solar backpack that can charge any electronics or batteries that I bring (Voltaic Backpack). Despite the hefty price (PCVs do get 35% off, thanks to me), I am so glad I got this. No matter what my electricity situation is when I get there, I can be guaranteed portable and efficient power for my electronics. Now that I've discussed my bags, I can now dive into actual items. Again, this list isn't complete as of yet, so don't look at it and wonder why I'm not bringing this or that. I'll probably be bring "this" and at least two of "that." Here we go:

CLOTHING

• 1 pair of good Sandals (Chaco Z/2)
• 1 durable but cheap digital watch
• 2 pairs of Rx eyeglasses, 1 pair of Rx sunglasses
• Shower shoes
• Running shoes
• 2 hats
• 2 pairs of jeans
• 16 pairs of underwear
• A couple belts and ties
• 2 pairs of casual shorts
• 1 pair of athletic shorts
• 8 button-down shirts (short and long sleeved)
• lightweight jacket
• 5 pairs of slacks
• 7 t-shirts
• A couple pairs of socks
• Swimming trunks

TOILETRIES

• 2 tubes of toothpaste (Colgate with Cavity Prevention)
• 4 toothbrushes (Oral-B)
• 2 packs of floss (Oral-B Satin)
• 4 sticks of deodorent (2 Gillete and 2 Degree for Men)
• 2 bottles of face soap (Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask)
• 1 bottle of hand sanitizer
• 1 bottle of bug spray with 23% DEET
• Haircutting razor (thanks Mom)
• Assortment of OTC medications
• Plastic soap dish
• Nail clippers, tweezers, etc.
• Lip balm (Burt's Bees)

GEAR

• Multitool (Leatherman Blast)
• Bungee cords
• 2 water bottles (Nalgene)
• Compass and thermometer keychain
• Mosquito tent (Tropic Screen Room Mosquito Tent)
• 2 carabiners
• Sleeping bag (Marmot Aspen Ultralight - available only at Dick's Sporting Goods)
• Umbrella
• Headlamp (Princeton Tec Fuel)
• Comfortable mountain bike seat
• Bike helmet

HOUSEHOLD

• 2 flat full bedsheets with 2 pillowcases
• Pillow
• Oven mit/pot holders
• Kitchen knife
• Towels
• 10" light-weight frying pan
• Vegetable peeler
• Can opener
• Spatula
• 4 paring knives
• Knife sharpener
• Mesh laundry bags
• Travel sewing kit
• Box of safety pins
• 3 cutting sheets (like thin cutting boards)
• Small mirror
• Ziplock bags (various sizes)
• Plastic tupperware (various sizes)
• Scissors

ELECTRONICS

• Laptop computer (Dell Inspiron 600m) - 4+ years old
• Digital slr camera, lenses, memory card, and batteries (Canon Digital Rebel xti)
• Portable DVD player (Sony 8-inch DVP-FX820)
• DVD collection
• iPod nano and speakers
• Rechargable batteries (AA and AAA) and charger (Duracell Mobile Charger)
• A few blank CDs
• Hand-cranked radio
• Cheap, portable speaker for Ipod (Altec Lansing Orbit)
• 2GB flash drive

MISCELLANEOUS

• Duct Tape
• Games (2 decks of Indiana Jones playing cards, UNO, frisbee, etc.)
• Eyeglass repair kit and cleaning supplies
• French/English dictionary
• West African guide book (Rough Guide to West Africa)
• Powdered drink mixes (Kool-Aid singles)
• World map
• Map of West Africa
• Pictures and picture frame
• Computer lock
• Handheld fan
• Gifts for host family

PC Homework

This past week has been extremely busy. Besides working almost every night at the restaurant trying to save up as much money as possible, I've had lots of little things to get done. First off, PC needed several forms completed and mailed to them for my new Peace Corps passport and Burkina Faso visa, which meant getting 4 passport-sized photos taken as well. After that, they needed me to e-mail them an updated resume, as well as an aspiration statement that will be read by the Burkinabe staff. This aspiration statement basically just lets them get to know me better by describing what I expect to get out of this experience and what my plan is to succeed at my job and properly adapt to Burkinabe culture.

Other than that, I've just been busy reading up on Burkina Faso and what I need to pack. I've been doing a lot of online purchases, getting a big backpack, a pair of good Chaco sandals, a new computer battery (yes I am taking my computer), and my favorite new purchase - a solar backpack that can charge electronics using the sun's energy. It will be able to charge my iPod, digital camera, and cell phone (yes I will probably be getting a cell phone). There is still so much more stuff to get together. I just hope it will all fit in my bags. Packing for two years seems like an impossible task.

Faso-nating, Isn't It?

So I have had a day to let it all sink in that I am actually going to be moving to Burkina Faso in just over 7 weeks. I couldn't sleep at all last night, as my mind was a swirl of emotions. It probably won't fully hit me for a few more days that this is real. It's definitely not where I thought I would end up. I'm much more comfortable with southern and eastern Africa than I am with West Africa. But I guess PC is all about stepping out of (or maybe redefining) comfort zones, and I am not one to refuse a challenge. My major worry though is the language. PC recommends two years of college-level French for anyone going to West Africa. I took one year in high school about 5 years ago. Everyone must test at an intermediate level by the end of training. I am sure others will have little French knowledge as well, but then there will be those who are probably fluent. In addition to French, we will be taught another indigenous language, so grasping French quickly will mean more time to work on the second language, the one I will probably be using more often. But I went to the library and checked out every French book they had and hopefully with those, some guidance and books from brother, and my experience with Spanish and languages in general will help me pick it back up quickly. I only have 7 weeks to soak it all up.

From what I have read so far, Burkina Faso seems like a great place to volunteer. Even though it's one of the poorest countries in the world, it is supposedly one of the safest in all of Africa, and the people there (the Burkinabe) are some of the friendliest you'll meet, so they say. It isn't really known for amazing wildlife like the south or east, but its people make up for it. Most volunteers live in rural villages with no electricity or running water. My job as a Community Health Development Worker will involve working directly with the Ministry of Health to help train and ensure the continued function of the village health center management committee and educate others on HIV/AIDS prevention and reproductive health, Malaria, and malnutrition. My official counterpart will be the head nurse there. It sounds like it's going to be a really interesting, difficult, and rewarding job.

More to follow soon. I am still processing everything, and I have so much to do before October 12th. Learn French, visit friends and family, buy clothes and gear, loads and loads of paperwork, and so many other little things I haven't even thought of yet.

BURKINA FASO!!!

I just found out I've been invited to Burkina Faso! I checked my toolkit this morning and found out that they mailed my invitation two days ago, and when I checked my mail today, there it was - a large packet of information from PC. The very first page read:

YOUR ASSIGNMENT
Country: Burkina Faso
Program: Community Health Development Program
Job Title: Community Health Development Worker
Orientation Dates: October 12-14, 2008
Pre-Service Training: October 15 - December 19, 2008
Dates of Service: December 19, 2008 -
December 19, 2010

I now have ten day to accept or decline this invitation, which of course I will accept. It's definitely not where I thought I would be going to, but I can't complain. I don't know much about Burkina, or even West Africa at all, so it will be interesting to learn more and post more here about everything. I do know they speak French, which means I need to majorly refresh my very limited French skills. I have read it is one of the safest countries in Africa, which should comfort some people (like my mom). Anyway I need to get ready for work but I'll post a lot more info tomorrow. I'm so excited!!!

AARRGGHH!!

So I got a reply from my Placement Officer this morning who gave me some not-so-great news. It seems that I am still nominated for the same program in Africa that I have been since the beginning but that the departure date has moved from November 2008 to January 2009. He said I know hear from by the 1st of December about my invitation. This was a complete shock to me. As you all know, I have been ready to leave for months now, but now I have to wait an extra two months. But I don't want to dwell on the negative. Sure I have to hang around here for another couple months, but there are also some good things that come from this as well.

1) spending Christmas with my family
2) more time to save money
3) more time to get in shape
4) spending Thanksgiving home
5) more chances to spend time with friends
6) arriving in Africa towards the end, not the beginning, of their summer
7) being able to see the entire next season of The Office

Those are just a few things I have thought about since getting the news about two hours ago. So yeah, a little disappointing but not the end of the world. You will just have to put up with my lame and boring posts until then.

On a side note, it was my Dad's birthday this weekend, and we all went horseback riding. This was my first time riding a horse in probably 15 years, but except for a slightly sore rear, I think I did pretty well. I felt like Indiana Jones, and that's all that matters.

HIV Class

On Monday I attended an 8-hour class organized by the VCU HIV Center called "HIV: The Facts." While extremely long (8:30am to 4:30pm), the class actually taught me a lot about the virus I did not know. They covered basic science like T-cell counts and viral loads, counseling for infected individuals and families, and state laws concerning the disease. One of the speakers was a man who has actually living with the virus since '87. Peace Corps recommended studying up on my field before leaving, so this was a great opportunity to learn more. I faxed copies of my CPR and First Aid certifications to my Placement Officer and let him know about the class too. I also asked him when he thinks I should know about an invitation, so hopefully I will hear back from him soon. All this waiting is killing me, but I keep telling myself: patience is a virtue.

Also, there has been a lot of rumors about upcoming programs in Africa on the Peace Corps message boards. Apparently, Namibia is only sending teachers in November, no health volunteers. I thought this was where I was probably going to be sent, but now I suppose I won't be heading there. Also Madagascar seems out as well, since volunteers have received invitations there for September. So far, November invites to Africa have only included Kenya (which is apparently safe again for volunteers) and Lesotho, so these are some new possibilities for me. Who knows? Hopefully, I'll hear back soon (I feel like I always end my posts that way).

Dentally Cleared

I received an e-mail this morning saying my toolkit had been updated, so I checked my account, and this is what I found:

You can still be sent an invitation without having received dental clearance, so it's not like this was holding up the process. Still, I am happy to not have to worry about it anymore. My teeth are ready to take on twenty-seven months on their own (with my help, of course).

Home Sweet Home

Well, I got back from my trip a few days ago, and I still haven't fully recovered yet. It was a sixteen-day whirlwind of adventure through three countries. OK, maybe I'm overselling it, but it was a heck of a lot of fun. I took about 800 pictures, so it will probably take me a few days to get them all online. I'll put a link up here when I get them ready, so everyone can see them. All in all, the trip was a great success. It started off rocky when my parents couldn't make their flight from Atlanta to Paris due to stormy weather, but they ended up getting a plane a few hours later and met up with Kyle and me in Dijon.

Dijon was a good place to start our trip. It was fairly quiet and much less touristy than Paris, so we could ease into things nicely. We saw some nice churches with great views of the city, as well as the city's own Arc de Triomphe (the first of three that I would see in Europe). We had lots of great pastries and ate lunch in the park and simply relaxed a little. We took one day trip to Gevrey Chambertin, one of the best places for French wine. My brother knows the son of one of the winemakers there, so we were able to have a private wine tasting at his winery. It was very interesting, and the wine was good too! We also took a day trip via train to Beaune, a smaller picturesque town nearby and explored its main sight, the Hotel-Dieu, an old hospital built in Burgundian style.

From there, we rented a car and drove across the German border to a college town named Freiburg. We really didn't stay there long enough, but it was still very fun. The whole town has been taken over by bikes, so we rented our own and went biking one day for a few hours. We also hiked up the neighboring mountain to get gorgeous views of the city, climbed to the top of their Munster cathedral, and visited their amazing market with the freshest fruits, vegetables, meats, cheese, and flowers I've ever seen. My parents especially enjoyed the market.

Next, we headed to Paris where we really packed things in. When we first got there, we unloaded at our hotel and then dropped the rental car off right next to the Arc de Triomphe. The next morning we woke up and went right to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, as well as many other amazing works. I only wish it wasn't so crowded, but it was still a must-see. Then we headed over to the Eiffel Tower and took the elevator up for some great views of the city. We also had time to fit in a Sunday mass at Notre Dame, which was pretty cool too. The next day was Bastille Day, basically their Independence Day. In the morning we went to a huge military parade down the Champs Elysees where I got to see tanks, jets, and even the French president Nicolas Sarkozy. Then we headed to Saint Chapelle and took a guided tour of this beautiful cathedral. We ended the night with a spectacular (but crowded) fireworks display at the Eiffel Tower. The only problem was getting out of the city when the fireworks ended. Think half a million people all trying to use the metro and the Paris police shutting down all metro stops within walking distance. Anyway, my parents impressively were able to smooth talk a cop to letting us down the closest metro stop and we were able to get out of the city and back to the hotel by 1am. On our last day, we visited Napoleon's Tomb, took a tour bus around the city to catch the sights we missed ourselves, then took a metro to Sacre Coeur and also saw the famous red windmill of the Moulin Rouge. All in all, I wish we had a few more days in Paris but I was impressed with what all we did in the short stay there.

The next morning my parents flew back home and my brother and I caught a 4:30am taxi to catch our 5:25am bus to catch catch our 8:25am plane to Madrid from a budget airport an hour outside of Paris. I finally made it to Spain, and I finally was able to make use of my years of Spanish classes. Once in Madrid, we found our hostel and then slept most of the day, aside from a quick visit to Puerta del Sol and the Plaza Mayor. The next morning we actually left Madrid for Toledo, the old medieval capital of Spain about half an hour away. It kind of reminded me of Venice on a hill without the canals. Lots of small alleyways that are very easy to get lost in. The next day we spent several hours in the Prado museum, much smaller and less crowded but equally impressive as the Louvre. We also saw a midnight showing of the new Indiana Jones movie at a theater just a block from our hostel. The next day we went to the Reina Sophia museum where I saw one of my favorite works of art, Guernica by Picasso. The rest of the day we walked around the Parque Oeste and took a cable car to Casa del Campo, another park outside the city. We also saw another late-night movie, Lars and the Real Girl, a movie I would highly recommend if it interests you. Our last day we took another tour bus around the city which gave us a much better feel for this city and then hung out in Retiro Park in the afternoon.

All in all, the trip was so much fun, even though I wish we had more time in each city. Sorry I had to leave out so many details. This post is long enough without listing everything we did and everywhere we ate, but if you care to know more, just send me a line and I'd be happy to tell you the rest. Like I said, pictures will come soon. I have 800 photos I have to sort through, so it's a lengthy process. For now, it's back to reality.

Trips and Transcripts

It's about 7:45am and today is the start of my second European excursion and the first with the whole family. Our flights leave around 3pm from Richmond, and we will all end up in Paris tommorow morning around 8am, after layovers in D.C. for me and Atlanta for my parents. So I probably won't be updating this blog until I get back on July 21st. I am so excited about this trip - my first time visiting France, Germany, or Spain. In other news, I got an email two days ago from my placement officer who said that he is currently reviewing my file. He also needed me to fax him a copy of my final transcript to show that I did indeed graduate. So at least I know things are progressing. Boy, the government is slow, but I guess that's kind of an oxymoron right there. Anyway, I faxed him what he needs, so hopefully it won't be too long before hearing some good news. But I do have Europe to take my mind away from waiting. Well, gotta go. See you in two weeks. Au revoir.

Summer Update

This time next week I will be in France with my family. I have stayed busy planning our European excursion from plane and train tickets to car rental to hotel reservations. I can't wait to get over there, but I'm not looking forward to the flight. Usually I love flying but I'm on a separate flight from my parents, and the only seat left for me to have was in the middle of the plane. I'm flying Lufthansa, and my parents are on Delta. To give you an idea, the row of seats looks like this: XXX XOXXX XXX, where I am the "O" stuck in the middle. I'm hoping somehow I can finagle my way to an aisle seat. I know I'm going to get stuck next to a crying baby or a 400 lbs. man. As long as I have my iPod, I'll be OK. On the way home, I have an aisle seat, so that will be much nicer. Anyway, I need to let my PC placement officer know that I will be out of the country for 16 days in case they try to contact me during this time. Other than planning this trip, the rest of my time has gone into my summer job. I went back to the restaurant I waited tables at last summer, and they gave me my job back, so that's been convenient for the time being. It's not the best job I could have but I'm just happy to have an income again. I hate watching my bank account continue to drop. When my parents return home from France, and my brother and I continue on to Madrid, I will have to pay for eveything on my own in Spain, so I've been saving some money for that leg of the trip as well. I figure I could get by on less than $300, but I may stretch the budget to $400 if I need to. I have plenty of money in my account, so I'm worried about running out. But the restaurant has been slower than usual, perhaps because of summer. I usually go in about 5PM and work till 10PM or so, so at least it gives me my days free to relax, run errands, or go to the gym. I just wish they wouldn't give me so many hours. It's not like I really need the money, heading to Africa and all. I think maybe when I get back from this trip, I'll ask them for less hours. It's definitely not a job I could see doing in the long-term, but they've always been nice to me. I don't really get a chance to use my skills or brainpower to its best advantage working as a waiter either. Oh well, hopefully I'll know soon enough when I will be able to switch jobs to something a bit more adventurous. Until next time.