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.