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.