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).