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.