years!

There’s just so much to write about, I don’t know where to begin!

My parents’ visit was awesome, filled with fun and relaxation and new experiences and misadventures. We saw so much of my life, spent time with so many of my friends, and stayed in some of the rankest hotels I have ever seen anywhere! Cars broke down in the middle of the night in huge currents of water, tô was eaten twice, tiny little hands were shook, a season of Survivor was watched, meals were cooked and enjoyed together. Really it was great.

I turned 24 on June 13th, a birthday well spent climbing a hill that has been beckoning me since my arrival.

I take back my earlier denouncement of brining sneakers with me to Burkina…it was awesome having good shoes for this little hike, and since it won’t be the last time I venture up and around these hills, I know I’ll be glad to have them again.

Later in the day there was a caramel-icious cheesecake making adventure. …didn’t really work out the way it probably was supposed to (wrong kind of cheese, among other obstacles)…so no pictures to share. Not yet, at least. It will be done.

And now what? The world cup is on in full force and my future site mate and I have been watching thirstily as we wait for the details of our respective new houses to be worked out. I’ve been cranking up the assertiveness in my search a little bit as the house I was supposed to move into actually fell down almost completely during the first rain storm of the year. There’s pretty much nothing left of it. So, I have a second house, less ideally located, in my back pocket kind of. Lots of waiting in this game I tell you.

I’m also waiting for my directrice to sit down with me and talk a little about what kinds of computer class help I can give to the school next year. Yes, I’m giving in, for many good and wise and mature and growth-oriented reasons. I don’t mind waiting on her though, as school pretty much just ended and I don’t think she once stopped working during the academic year. Take your time, Sister François.

In the meantime, I’ve got an idea cookin’ for something I can do to help with one of the things Sister Elisabeth wants to do for the school…vague, huh? If all goes well, I’ll post some details at another time. Don’t want to jinx things.

So yeah. I’ve got a few things to do these days, but a lot more things to think about. I think I’ll feel good when I have a new house though life will certainly unfold a little differently each day, that’s for sure. Less privacy, less ability to write things and do work and mess around on my computer, more visitors and expectations to visit people…a challenge, challenges, but better ones and more fulfilling ones. And I’ll still have up here to come to, especially if I am as connected to the school as it seems like I will be next year. Next year could potentially be ENTIRELY different from this year, a weird juxtaposition of living in a sort of new place where I want to take it easy and villageois my way into things while also having an official teacher-like job doing non-villegeois things. Scheduled and busy as opposed to wide-open and free. Year two as opposed to year one.

I love ya tomorrow!!!

My belly is full of three and a half hamburgers from Chez Carlos, there are stage friends of mine all around the transit house watching 30 Rock on Bovard's laptop, and MY PARENTS ARE ARRIVING TOMORROW! Here is a 5:30am photo of me and my excitment!

...and that is all!

it goes

I'm happiest when things are going on around me. When the cuisinaire girls are dancing as they work, when Robert drives up with a car full of thing to unpack, when students are chatting and washing their clothes.

I like to walk down to Lioudougou. Leave my bike up by my house, wander down the rocky hill, meander across the paths, lose my way and enjoy the encounters that happen because of it.

Sixty six point seven of the Peace Corps goals have nothing to do with development. I overheard a friend giving another friend that consolation once and was reminded of it by someone the other day. Chatting with a friend about development and comparing the American school system with the Burkinabè one. Following Sister Elisabeth around as she goes about her many tasks. Showing students photos of themselves as well as of my town and family back home.

I was not too happy yesterday. I spent some time helping to 3eme girls practice English before lunch, but remained pretty solo otherwise, cleaning my house and such. Feeling stuck in a day is rough, when the time feels like it is just something to get through. When the dusty wind that comes before the sprinkling of rain makes it difficult to walk down the hill. When encountering a gaggle of loyal kid-followers is a bit daunting. When the initial reserve of effort needed to walk over and be a part of things is running low. Today is a better day…I have a bunch of little tasks to do, a teacher meeting to attend, things to prepare before this weekend. Cake to bake.

The day before yesterday I spent a good amount of time with some Lioudougou ladies. Soon-to-be neighbors. Talked, followed, had a nice time.

My move down to my new house is going to go well. Congo is coming here on Monday to check it out and after that I can start fixing it up. When I live down there, people will be able to come to me. It won’t always be me going to them. I’ll be able to pop over to visit for a spell, knowing that I can repose and take a bit of refuge in my house that is just there next to the well. I have ideas…I have lots of optimism…I am so happy that this first school year is over, that a change is underway, that the rain is going to fall, that my environment is going to shift, that my confidence is a bit augmented and my resolve has been strengthened.

This was a learning year. A learning nine-months. Isn’t it all?

Immerse, immerse.

I don’t think two years is enough.

But we’ll see.

Adventures in Hometownland

This past weekend was a weekend full of sights and scenes. A day in town with friend and neighbor Thomas brought us eventually to Lake Bam, the largest lake in Burkina, which is situated nicely in my town (though it continues up into others) and is owed a large amount of thanks for the almost-year-round production of tomatos and other such things with which we here are blessed. Our wanderings often take us towards this bit of the town, I think in part because the foliage becomes so gosh darned attractive as you approach. Dry hot and dusty turns to somewhat humid green and grassy, with fields in various stages of growth and a somewhat different feel to everything. And then bam!(ha) ...a lake.

As the water came into sight, I saw to my plesant surprise that the lake was full of jumping, splashing kids. We drew nearer. Momentarily setting aside fears of shisto, we bared our feet, waded in to around mid-calf level and walked slowly and carefully through the goopy, poop-like (I'm assuming) muck of the lake floor. Of course we were immediately approached by a steadily-growing crowd of drenched youngsters beckoning us to come in further...as their pleas became more insistant we both realized that it was time to perhaps increase the distance between the swimmers and ourselves. Rinsing out feet off as best we could, we set off walking.

...taken from a safe distance, after rounding a bit of a curve:

Much of where the lake was (and will be again come rainy season) is currently dry, cracked, thirsty ground. Enthusiastic swimmers left safely over there, we decided to venture across the dried perimiter, newly purchased pairs of sandals on both pairs of feet.

In many places, irrigation ditches have been dug to draw water from the lake towards fields where the delcious tomatos and such are grown. Some of these ditches were easily stepped/hopped over. Some required a bit of preparation on the part of the lady in the tight skirt:

Close one!

Some trenches we hopped over, some we traversed with calculated leaps, and some required circumnavigation, forging through a deep ditch or two.

...and sometimes you try to leap but your new shoe gets stuck in the muck upon landing and you smash into the ground:

...bruised and scratch-ed knees that later required a team effort during the adminstration of hydrogen peroxide! Ouchie. Further wandering was rendered slightly less care-free, but the day was nevertheless quite good. A lovely adventure, a walk in the sun...this is not a bad place to be.

So you're leaving for Burkina Faso...

When I was gearing up to head to Burkina, reading packing insights from current volunteers really helped. I posted my packing list before heading over and am re-posting it here with some commentary in case any of you lucky Burkina-bound folk stumble upon my blog in the coming weeks. Probably especially lady volunteers.

You’re probably going to pack things you don’t end up using all that much, and you may find that you left behind some things that would have made life a bit more comfortable. Don’t worry! When all is said and done you’ll be here, you’ll be able to buy or find everything you really need, and you can ask a helpful friend or relative to send over things you realize you want.

I packed pretty lightly – I think I only ended up using about 50 of the 80 allotted pounds – and was grateful for the lack of hassle this allowed in terms of getting around airports, moving in and out of training sites, etc.

Clothes
Notes: in the volunteer transit house there’s a “grab box” where people donate clothes they don’t want or need any more for other volunteers to take. Also; once you get to your site you can also get Western-style clothes at big markets, where Salvation Army donations are heaped into big piles, and get clothes made pretty cheaply.

3-4 short sleeved cotton shirts

2-3 tank tops

1-2 nice shirts

1 long sleeved shirt

1 lightweight zip-up long sleeved shirt
This was a good amount of tops. I tend to prefer shirts that cover my shoulders but the tank tops are good to have too. I actually had my mom send over a few during stage. During the chilly months, layering is helpful, and I found that I was ok without a big bulky sweatshirt.

1 long skirt

1 pair jeans

2 pairs lightweight capris

1 lightweight pair of long pants
I was glad to have brought one and only one pair of jeans. This was a good amount of stuff for stage. Pagnes, which are long sheets of fabric, are really versatile and I end up wearing them lots.

3 under wire bras, 2 sports bras
Cotton is wonderful. I had my momma send over another sports bra because I decided during stage that under wire bras were the craziest things ever, but now that I’m used to the constant boob sweat I wear them again.

15ish pairs underwear, 3ish pairs socks
I don’t think it’s possible to have too many pairs of cotton underwear. Again, hero mom came to my rescue with a care package full of cotton thongs…never thought I’d be a thong fan, but then again I never thought my bum would ever sweat as much as it does. I never wear shoes so I never need socks.

1 lightweight PJ pants, 1 pair PJ shorts
Perfect.

1 belt
Necessary.

1 hat with brim, my blue hair wrap
I wear my hat sometimes when biking, but I’m not really a hat person.

1 swim suit
Yes yes.

1 rain coat
This was the one thing I couldn’t find the night before leaving, what a pain in the butt to not have a rain coat during stage.

2-3 pairs sunglasses
Yes.

Chaco's sandals -- 50% off PCV discount
Wore them during stage, but really I’ve never been into Chacos type strappy foot binding sandals. Some people are and swear by them. I’m glad I have them, I’ve worn them on hikes and stuff but I don’t wear them every day.

Chaco's sneakers -- 50% off PCV discout
I have literally never worn these and I doubt I will before my time here is up. Even I end up going on a huge hardcore adventure, I’ll just put on my sandals. One can play soccer in Chacos sandals if one wants even, or buy white strappy sandals here. Not worth the space or the money. I wear sandals ALL THE TIME, as does every other lady here. You can buy nice leather sandals and cheap flip flops and everything in between at marchés. Sneakers too. Don’t bother bringing sneakers unless you love sneakers and can’t live without them for a couple of months.

2 pairs Teva's flip flops -- 50% off PCV discount
These are my favorite things ever, if I could go back in time I would have brought more pairs, they take up almost no room and they’re so comfortable (at least for the first few months of use). I’ve pretty much worn through the two pairs I have already but I still wear them because I’m frugal and lazy and really they’re still wearable.a few pairs of simple stud earrings, rings
I was super light with the jewelry I brought, but I’m glad I brought a couple of nice bracelets and such. Coulda thrown a couple more things in the mix.

Toiletries -- 3 month supply of what the PC does not provide/specific brands I like

my vitamins

heat wraps, Midol, Insteads
If you’ve got tried and true methods for fighting cramps and PMS, bring ‘em along…though I have miraculously found that my period results in less pain here than it ever has before in my entire decade plus of dealing with it, which probably has to do with numerous environmental and dietary things. But one can not count on these things.

face wash, dr. bronner's liquid soap, 1 bar soap/soap holder, deodorant

1 toothbrush, 1 tube of toothpaste

nail clippers, nail file, tweezers, small mirror

a few Burt's Bees chapstick

some makeup/hair goop, bobby pins, hair cutting scissors

Household Things
You won’t need any of this until you move into your site but it’s really good to have any kitchen-y things you can bring to aid in your food preparation processes.

can opener, plastic spatula/scraper
Yes yes.

10'' lightweight non-stick frying pan
Ridiculously worth it.

kitchen knife, knife sharpener, 3 cutting board sheets
You can get knives here but I’m so glad I have one from home because it works really well and is not scary.

small insulated lunch box, ziplock bags, plastic storage containers (various sizes)
Yeah man, storage containers and zip lock bags are really great to have, and really easy to pack since you can put stuff in them before sticking them into your bags.

taco seasoning, spices, powdered drink mixes, hot chocolate powder
Though you can get spices here it’s nice to have spices from home, I had some sent over to me. Gatorade or Emergen-C type drink mixes are really nice to have on hand to change the flavor of the water you will constantly be drinking.

1 pillow and pillow case, 1 flat full sheet
Like a wee child, I carried my pillow through airports and onto busses and I could not be happier that I did. The pillows here are mostly pieces of foam, and ever night I sink into a big, comfortable piece of heaven.

small travel sewing kit
Good.

Recreational Things

French books (Le Petit Prince, Le Petit Nicolas)

Catch-22, World War Z
Very nice to have some favorites on hand. There are tons of recreational books of various qualities circulating amongst volunteers, so don’t take up too much packing space. ALSO…don’t bother bringing 501 French verbs or a French dictionary or anything like that because you will get them. Those books are great and they are here already, so don’t waste the money or room. Also also, when you get here and you meet a volunteer named Coleman, please remind him that he still has my copy of Catch 22 and that I would like it back. Merci!

Back to the Future DVDs
Came over with not a lot of DVDs because my lil laptop doesn’t have a DVD player, but my techy Dad ended up sending me a DVD drive and a bunch of burned movies and TV shows. A blessing and a curse.

An accordion folder for storing papers
I’m glad I brought one, we get lots of handouts.

pens/pencils, colored pencils, pencil sharpenerpaper, scissors, journal
I like having construction paper and colored pencils and good pens for my own sake.

Reading material and other things to fill those solitary moments
…if you know what I mean.

world map, USA map, Africa map
I just love maps, and it’s cool to be able to point out where I am from. And daydream about future voyages.

Techy Things
I strongly advise you to steer clear of the “I’m going to Africa and therefore want to rough it” mentality because that’s just not the way things are gonna be. Really. I swear. Bring your ipod. Music is a source of sanity (and cultural exchange). Bring your laptop if you have one…Burkinabè have laptops too. And so will your friends who are sitting in the transit house when you go to Ouaga, checking their email and downloading TV shows using the free wireless internet.

ipod, headphones, ipod speakers

digital camera, funky weird mini tripod thing

Diskman
Sweet awesome thing to have because then you can ask people from home to burn you CDs and you can listen to them and you can also buy CDs of artists here….and when your ipod breaks down you have backup musical sanity. I’m glad I brought mine.

shortwave radio

rechargable batteries (AA and AAA) and charger

Outlet converter
I forgot to get one of these, but was able to acquire one through another volunteer before leaving for my site. Get one before coming over.

solar charging backpack (listed below)
Comments below.

super tiny mini laptop (Acer Aspire One)
This was a pre-departure birthday gift that I begrudgingly accepted (I’m not good at accepting new technology things right away) but that I’m really glad I brought. It’s small and portable and discreet, I can put it in my backpack easily if I want to take it anywhere. If you don’t have a laptop don’t worry…you’ll be able to use computers at the Peace Corps bureau and at internet cafés, and you’ll have Peace Corps friends who will let you use theirs when you are together. BUT…if you are in the process of deciding whether or not to being a laptop, I say bring it. You’d be hard pressed to find a volunteer who would advise otherwise.

USB card
I guarantee you will want to have a USB card, even if you don’t have a laptop.

Other Things

camping mattress (Thermarest)
Nice to have during stage, and for bringing with you if you spend the night at someone else’s place. Craigslist all the way.

screen tent (REI bug hut 2)
I am going to echo advice that I read about this…get this tent. Do not get any other tent. Do not get the bug hut 1. Get this one.

2 Nalgenes, head lamp, 2 caribeeners

Leatherman wave
Great tool to have.

duct tape, super glue, thermometer
Duct tape is great. Thermometer is cool to have for curiosity’s sake.

durable clock with alarm
I use my phone for everything time related, no clock or watch necessary. You will definitely have a phone here. It’ll be provided, in fact.

incense/candles
Nice to have comforting smells.

bike helmet, comfortable bike seat
My bike seat is just fine. Rumor has it you incoming folks’ll be getting new bikes, so your seats’ll probably be fine too. A squishy bike seat COVER might have been a nice thing to pack, but I ended up giving my bike seat to a volunteer friend whose bike seat broke, and who didn’t want to go into Ouaga to get it fixed.

photo album (personal and public)

TBD gift for host family

I brought Connecticut post cards and playing cards (which I bought at the airport) and ended up giving these to my host fam along with coffee, sugar, chalk, nail polish and fruit, all of which I bought in Ouahigouya. They were uproariously pleased.

...And It's All Going To Fit In

Voltaic converter -- 35% off Peace Corps discount
Ok. So this little piece of technology is pretty cool, but it has also been gathering dust in my closet because I have literally never used it during this my first year. Why? Firstly, I was placed in just about as opposite a site as was described to me in the welcome packet as well as during training. I have copious amounts of electricity at my disposal (I am currently sitting in my living room with my overhead fan on, three outlets in sight) and therefore never need the use of a solar panel. But mostly, the thing is not discreet at all. People know what solar panels look like and they know that they’re pricey, so to have three of them on my back is just waaaayy more attention-grabbing than I want here.
I will be moving into an electricity-free site during June or July or August and might therefore start to get some use out of this bag but not by wearing it around…by leaving it out in my courtyard in the sun at discreet times most likely. For my purposes, a Solio charger would have been better. Solar panels are available here too by the way, and you can buy one to set up at your house if you’d like.
Since you really don’t know what your site sitch is going to be before getting here, don’t go too crazy buying things you might be able to use. .

my old EMS backpack
My old EMS backpack, which I have had for ten years now, is the best bag I have.

Durable shoulder bag/purse thing
Perfect for biking around town, I can put my wallet and water bottle in here as well as a bag of tomatoes or a can of powdered milk or whatever little things I buy.

Kelty Trekker 3900 external frame backpack
Craigslist baby. A great type of bag to get things from the States to Burkina, but you won’t really be using it except for long hauls so don’t go nuts buying anything new or fancy unless you’re already in the market for something that you want to use forever.


I think that’s about it from me for now. I am more than happy to chat with anyone who’s getting ready to come over. But trust me, the best thing to do is to expect the unexpected and to be willing to just go with the flow…everyone’s living sitch is different, everyone’s method of adapting to their circumstances is different. Take all descriptions and advice with a grain of salt and peel yourself away from Peace Corps Journals a couple of weeks before heading off so that you can clear your mind and start getting prepared for the experience that lies ahead of you, without too much solid expectations built up from the experiences you’ve been reading about. You’re heading to a great country filled with welcoming and friendly people, helpful Peace Corps staff (many of whom will know your names before you even get here), and a really great group of smart, funny, interesting volunteers who are at least a free phone call and at most a bumpy bush taxi ride (or two or three) away. So go out and soak up all the time you have left in the States, quit your job a week earlier than you planned, lay out in the sun, eat lots of ketchup with your French fries, drink really good beer on tap, and just generally enjoy life, and we’ll see you soon!

Things are moving along

Yes yes, ladies and gentlemen and all. A successful workshop week, some good conversations with my nun friend and a couple of the APCDs, and it looks like things'll be changing up for me a bit next school year. Ideally I'll be staying in Kongoussi but moving OUT of my little castle on the hill and into a house in a community where I hope I'll be able to work more closely with primary/secondary school girls and parents.

So now I've got some action planning to do. The more groundwork I can do in all of this, the better my chances are at getting things moving at a reasonable pace. I also have a group meeting with the Country Director tomorrow to talk about site development. Considering my sitch, I feel it's pretty important that I go. Someone's gotta represent us boarding school volunteers.

That someone is me.

Man I am so ready for SOMETHING. Anything. A new start? It won't really be that, really, but in a way it will be, and in a way I'm looking forward to that. Coherent, huh? But yes. My mind is kind of mush and I want to go go go.

...but slow slow slow.

And so it goes.

Happy ALLLLMMMMOOOOOSSSSSTTTT my dad's birthday!

It's not so much the heat, it's the...

...actually it kind of is the heat. Well, the things that the heat brings along with it at least. The hottness of the hot season's heat isn't unbearable as far as the temperature of the air around me is concerned. Yes, it's hot, but the thing that's proving the be the biggest challenge for me is being just so gosh darned tired because of it.

There are actually some competing theories for why I've been feeling tired recently. One is that I am not getting enough regular exercise, and while this is probably true you will be hard pressed to find me routinely scheduling in 10 or 15k bike rides during my afternoons these days. Also, I went through the various diseases that I could have, mono of course being high up on the list. (Fun Molly mono fact: once during college I told my mom that I thought I might have mono and her reply was "you don't have mono, you're just lazy." I took it with a grain of truth salt. Fun Molly mono fact number two: upon getting my blood drawn at some later date for some unrelated reason, it was discovered that I had in fact HAD mono at some point during my life, though I hadn't known about it. Because I am super tough.)

...but I digress...

Obvs I don't have mono, or any other mystyrious mystical magical African disease. It's just difficult to move through the days recently because I am so tired. I woke up from a deep sleep this morning as the heat was beginning to rise and moved from my mattress under my hangar to my bathroom where I proceded to be amazed by how much energy my normal morning de-sleep routine was taking AND by how soaked with sweat my hand became when I touched any part of my body, especially my face. And it's not even that I was feeling altogether too hot...my body was just expelling all of my energy out through my pores I think because immediately after finishing up I moved into one of the rooms of my house and sat down in my chair and thought about how great a nap would be.

Not being able to justify a pre-8am nap, I decided to put forth a valliant breakfast effort. Chewing is so difficult sometimes. So is pouring liquid from one container to another.

Somehow I managed to get a little fuel into my body and wander over to the administration building where tasks awaited me. I also managed to bike into town to meet a PCV friend for a beer (I can apparantly justify pre-noon beer more easily than morning naps) and a sandwich, and I met with my nun friend to go over a bunch of the ridic questions we were given for this pending formation of ours. She and I seem to share feelings about what lies ahead of us...for that reason alone, I think it's gonna be a good week.

Back to talking about how hot it is for a second, have you ever straight up sweated salt? Like, you could literally brush your arm with your hand and wipe the result off onto your rice? I had this attractive thing happen to me today where my arms and chest broke out into a wild red and white rash I think because salty sweat salt didn't leave my skin quick enough for the sweat that followed to make an escape. While we're talking about sweat, my wonderful captive audience, a good way to combat the heat is to never wipe your sweat off ever, except for maybe when it drips into your eyes...you want to really maximize your appreciation of the occasional gentle breezes that blow your way. ...though at this point, said breezes are more often than not gusts or gales of sandy wind. It's all about balance.

So as you see I have come to the internet to run my mouth off once again.

I'm going to go ahead and give major props to one Miss Teddy who sent me an Easter basket care package. How lovely and thoughtful and nice! I've gotten some nice letters and packages and texts from some other friends as well...they always put a smile on my face.

So does the 5 o'clock hour, and it is presque upon me. I am going to make sure I am out enjoying it.

this morning wasn't so long ago, was it?

It’s Wednesday morning. I’m listening to an audio book by Jon Stewart and the Daily Show in my living room, legs crossed on my metal canteen that has taken up a dented coffee-table type function after my most recent home cleaning/reorganization spree. Feeling inspired. As I get more comfortable with my life here, more of my me starts to come back into my being here. I dunno if that makes sense to read, but it makes sense to feel.

I’ve been working on answering as many of the questions I’ve been given to complete for this training next week as I can…I’ve decided to profesh it out, typing it all up in good French and stuff instead of just showing up with the info in my head like I had initially resentfully planned. I talked to my provincial school inspector on the phone this morning, and he said he’ll be in his office this afternoon so I can stop by and get answers to the big statistical questions that we are being asked to answer (without any explanation as to why, but whatevs, my attitude about this venture is actually quite positive because it’s not worth letting disassociated bureaucracy negatively affect my daily life any more than it has to).

Anyhow…so after a bit of the heat has passed, sometime around 3:00, I will head into Kongoussi to sit with this man for as little time as is politely possible and try not to get roped into going out for a drink afterwards with him and my APE president friend. I’m going to have as much of the information as I can have typed up this evening so that I can show it to Sister Elisabeth as well as the Directrice to see if they have anything to add. If any information is lacking, I’ll go back into town to search again on Friday perhaps.

It’s almost time to do laundry again. Didn’t I just do my laundry?

Another thing I’ma do today is talk to my Directrice about an idea of mine. I brought it up with her yesterday and must now think it through in French and get in a pumped frame of mind to discuss. It’s a good idea.

Tonight I will be more aggressive in getting my cuisinaire friends to come over for reading/writing lessons…they didn’t show up yesterday despite one of them telling me they were planning to, and I don’t want our project to completely lose steam. I have a couple of easy reading French books to show them, and I hope they pique their interest…you know, something new, sense of accomplishment once they learn how to read a small story, all good things. I’ll be gone all next week (as I pretty much was all during congé), and I don’t want out evening classes to be something that’s just left behind. There needs to be some sort of progressive something or other that keeps ‘em coming back, keeps them interested.

I’ve been hugely regularly checking my email and blog and stuff for the past few days due to the fact that I have in my possession an internet USB key which, when loaded up with a sim card that is full of credit, allows me to get online anywhere my laptop is. Who woulda thunk it, right? The problem is, this costs a varying amount of money and I was just starting to SAVE money on phone credit due to the flotte plan that all Peace Corps volunteers and staff are on that allows us to call each other for free.

…speaking of, lunchtime phone call. Hold on.

…ok, that was a nice chat. Now it’s time to get back into motivation-mode. More questions to answer and a full afternoon to brace for. But first I must hydrate the heck out of myself so that I can psyche myself up for all that I have planned.

This week is going to be good. And next week will be in Ouahigouya and will be different and thus interesting. I might try and visit my host family during the weekend after the Positive Deviance formation…I’m sure I won’t be the only one with this plan! And then there are only two more weeks left of this dreaded month called April that everyone talks about being unbearably hot but which really hasn’t been all that bad. Maybe it has something to do with my luxurious living condition (actually, I’m sure it does…high ceilings big windows shaded from the sun and ceiling fans are not easily dismissible) but even outside my shaded porch thermometer has yet to hit 100F today…though if I take it out into the sun its tune will change instantaneously. Really I think that we were thrown a curveball with a couple of the weeks back in early March when the heat got ridiculous real fast and real early and then was either over or I adjusted to it. Prickly heat rashes aside, dry heat ain’t no thang.

Things are good and they’re gonna be good.

And I’ve got good things going on in my life.

Shout it from the rooftops.

at the poste, at the poste

So I sat down to write a blog entry this morning while at home. I've been tickled by having so much access to the internet right at my fingertips. But here I am, at the poste...I arrived just after they closed, checked my PO Box to discover that I had a package waiting for me. Bummer, huh? But no. The poste guys re-opened their doors, re-took out their books, and got me my package so I could have it today. "Even though you are late, we will give you your box, because you are nice" one of the guys says to me in English, which he loves practicing whenever I come in to get money or send/get mail.

...and here they are, with their cyber poste up and running! How could I resist sitting down for 15 minutes? I was type typing a text message to a PCV friend, informing him of the good internet news and my Poste Office friend was very pleased that I was spreading the good word. There are three of them here, working out kinks...there aren't even chairs at all the computers yet...the internet guy stood over me as I typed in the code he handed me, just to make sure everything would work right.

So it's a bike ride into town...how much better do I feel giving my money to these guys here than to Zain, big huge phone conglomorate? So much better. And man...radio hill internet lady better step it up a notch! It's cheaper, faster, and there are more computers here at the poste...and I'm preettttyyyyy sure it'll be timlier than up there.


My todays blog will come to you at a later date :)

...and break is over!

So here I am, sitting in my house, lots of thoughts in my head. My PCV friend just took off towards his home 40k away. So I am solo in my house once again.

It is getting late-ish here and I'd like to right-en a sleep schedule that has been wronged by a long weekend in Ouaga, an Easter fete in town, a visitor at my home and basically two weeks of having even less responsibilities than I do normally...as in none at all.



Tomorrow classes begin again. Next week I am going to a training on "Positive Deviance"--or from how I understand it, how to use good role models within a community to inspire change in others--with Sister Elisabeth in Ouahigouya. I am looking forward to this not so much for the conference itself but more for the time I will be able to spend with Sis E to discuss things about our town and the school here and stuff we can do. Blahdy blahdy blah. There are about fifty questionably-applicable questions about "my community" that I have been told to find answers to in order to prepare for this conference...so I'm going to have a hard core answer-finding mission in town one of the days this week. Probably Wednesday. Take that, conference.

part of the path I will take from Lioudougou into town. bike bike bike. or walk.

I dunno, I've talked a lot about my site and my sitch and my feelings and stuff a lot lately and I always come back to being happy with the way I'm doing things here, but I do wonder sometimes if maybe I should start trying a different approach now too, maybe go out and be a little more formal, a little more I-Have-A-Job ish. I want to be proud of what I'm doing and I am. I think I need to go even further above and beyond the stupid challenges that I have due to the fact that my site is ridiculous...I'm already doing a good job, finding niches, finding people who want to work with me to do things to better their lives, slowly and surely making things work...but I want more more more!


There are always going to be difficult things that come up when you're trying to do things that are important to you. There are always reasons not to do something. It's easy to blame your stress and disappointments on other things. Even if other things really ARE the cause of your stress and disappointments...why give them the damned benefit of affecting your life? Easier said than done. And there's nothing like living alone on the top of the hill in a country that is not your own during the hot season to re-notice things like how hormonal certain weeks of the month can be. But hey, what is life for if not to learn (and relearn)?


This is a random jump back but I had a lovely Easter. I went to a giant party at a friend's house in town...their family had cooked tons and tons and TONS of food, they had dozens of cases of beer and soda, endless amounts of dolo (local beer), and people just kept coming and going, sitting and eating and chatting and laughing, the church choir came by after mass and after they had finished eating they sang and danced all in a circle and it was just a joyous and nice time. I sported some pretty nice clothes and hung out with some of the Ste B students who were there as well as friends I knew from town and everyone and anyone. I love social butterflying and that's what I did.

me in my pretty new complet at Easter (Paques)...and what is that, a ponytail?? yes.

better shot of the swanky outfit perhaps. me talking to my friend Therese, coolest nun ever in the background.

...and then today, I did almost nothing! But I don't feel too bad. I'm going to kick myself back into gear with this new and final 2009-2010 trimester. I'm going to keep doing what I've been doing and really work on opening up real GEE-esque conversations with more people...parents' association people, Lioudougou people, Ste Bs people. Can you believe I've been in country for just about 10 months? I wouldn't scoff at an iced vanilla latte with whipped cream and caramel sauce.

And that is where I will sign off this time. Seven weeks and three days 'til my 'rents arrive!

The Peace Corps is

all about doing the best with what you've got. That's what I do and that's what I'ma do.

hot dusty wind. hard working girls.

Lots of space between the school building and the dorms, and it feels even longer when 100 degree sandy wind is blowing against your body. Go kids go!

One of my cuisinaire girls, work finished for the evening, diligently practicing writing some short French sentences.

way up in the sky, the little birds cry

A little bit of a housing identity crisis going on currently. Was glad to have my concerns validated by the new country director this weekend. Don't know what'll happen with all of this, but it's probably up to me to make the first move...and I'm not sure what I want that move to be.

I like where I live...I love Sister Elisabeth, I love my cuisinaire girls...but it's not a good place to be, up on a castle on a hill, not integrated into any community, not a part of any neighborhood or village or anything, seperated in Westerner visitor housing. I've worked and worked to make it my home as much as possible over the past seven months, I've been putting continuous effort into building connections in Lioudougou, in my town, around my school...and a lot of the time, I'm quite happy and comfortable. ...but when I look into my heart and I ask myself honestly, I just don't think that it was a good decision to put me at this boarding school. It wasn't a good idea to put any of us at boarding schools, gating us into our work environments where there is a questionable amount of work for us to do in the first place. I don't want to stir a pot that doesn't need to be stirred. I don't want to fix something that isn't broken. That isn't what the Peace Corps is for.

It was just really nice to have my (very real and important) concerns validated, concerns about where we live and what sort of use we are for our high-functioning, priviliged private schools where the girls have tons and tons of work to do and days that are highly structured. I'm finding a niche, I'm helping the cuisinaire girls, those who have fallen through the cracks a little bit...but a big huge part of the experience here isn't happening for me. And I'm glad Shannon finds this important too...and I hope I can talk to her more about it.

I really like being a Peace Corps volunteer, I really like the people at my school, I really like living in where I live...but some things are just not adding up. And I have to advocate for myself. Here and everywhere.

NASARA!!! NASARA!!! NASAAAAAAAAARAAAA!!!!!

And hello to YOU, little screaming child.

Don't have an entry all typed out in advance to post today but since I am here I might as well say something.

So hi! It's hot in Burkina Faso these days. That does not stop fonctionnaire women from wearing lots of perfume. It's all good.

I came into town today to get notebooks and pens for my cuisinaire friends because tonight we are going to start a little Cours de Soir to begin learning how to read and speak French. I'm looking forward to it because I really love these girls and this activity just sort of reared its head on its own, and I think it'll be good. No big expectations or plans as of this point, just gonna test the water. I also wanted to do a little research on literacy resources in Kongoussi today, but oddly its not looking too pro,ising. I'm going to stop by my APE friend's bureau after this to see what he has to say.

Yay! So tonight I will sit down with Valarie, Kali, Lizetta, Marie and maybe Jeanette to apprendre some chose. Peace Corps.

In other news, I'm planning on posting an updated packing list based on my experiences here thus far...things like that were really helpful for me when I was getting ready to come over, so if I can be of any help to anyone reading this who's counting down I'll be happy.

bachelorette chef extraordinaire (19th of Feb)

"Hey, you went to school in the Valley," I say to my closest Peace Corps neighbor who is sitting on my mat in the heat of my house during a brief visit on his way back home. "I know it's kind of a downer to talk about food that we can't have, but you know what I've been really craving lately? A burrito from..."
"...Bueno y Sano?" he asked.

...uhh, YEAH.

We determined that it would be completely possible to have one sent over here if the sender was willing to pack it in dry ice and that even if things went wrong and it got here gross, we'd be no worse off than we are now, not eating Bueno y Sano.

However, I was duly inspired this evening to try my hand at as Mexican a dish as I could create with the contents of my kitchen shelves.


First I took the rest of the tomatos that I had, which amounted to three, and chopped them up along with a small onion, half a clove of garlic, and a bit of piment (probably habenero pepper, but I'm not completely sure). I put this in a small bowl and added salt, cumin seeds that I'd crushed, powdered cumin and cilantro. Yum.

Originally I sliced up half a thin loaf of village bread to fry into really greasy crispy toast to serve as makeshift chips for this salsa concoction of mine. Appetizer.

Scoop rice out of my plastic canister a bit at a time, check for rocks and bugs, dump in water, rinse the yucky rice powder residue off, add fresh water, cook. Simple.

Now, tortillas...using the easiest recipie in our "Where There Is No Microwave" cookbook, which entails water oil and flour. How hard can that be, right? Let me tell you, it is a pain in the butt striking the right balance between "pliable" and "non-sticky." I think the cookbook assumes that we're going to mess up and/or improvise anyway, so pretty much everything is generalized and vague.

Flour, oil, salt, warmed water little by little. Gooey balls of mush, roll roll roll. Sticky flour dough covered hands, counter, and improvised salt canister rolling pin, flour all over my cutting board sheet, utensils, spice packets, cell phone, pagne and probably face. Stick sticky flour balls into flour container, smush more flour in bit by bit, understand the fine line between sticky and pliable. First tortilla fat...impatient...plop, into the frying pan to warm.

Oh no, the rice! Checked just in time. Turn burner off with gooey hands, move pot to the back of the stove, mismatched lid and all. Back to tortillas. Flour flour flour. I roll out three, each one better than its predecessor, then lump the remaining balls into one big clump and stick it in my flour container, to be worried about at a later date.

Juicy salsa juice...maybe it'll taste like Bueno. Tiny can of tomato paste that takes three tries to open with my can opener (what is with these things?) plus water plus garlic plus piment. Stir it up, taste it, add salt...and more salt...and more salt...and some powdered piment...and you know what, it doesn't taste too bad. And it is SPICY. Good.

The two thinnest tortillas I made turned out ok cooking in the pan...a little on the crunchy side. I break up the fattest one into pieces and try to make them crispy, like chips.

Add some spices to my neglected rice to try and give it some flavor...same Mexican type spices...cumin, cilantro, piment, salt...hmm...ah well.

And that's what I've got. Sort of crunchy tortillas with seasoned white rice, pico de gallo, and juicy tomato salsa stuff. I decided to forego the Vacche Qui Rit because I'm running low on wedges and really I've eaten a ton of that stuff recently. Gotta pace myself with the one cheese product I have at my disposal here. FOOOOD. Didn't exactly hit the same spot as a Bueno burrito but it was what it was and it wasn't so bad. It was pretty good actually. I'm a pretty good improvisational cook.

Since we're on the subject of food, lemme tell you about my favorite thing to make for myself recently. Sautee eggplant and grill a loaf of village bread (small lil breads) which you've sliced into halves in a bit of oil (already used for fry-frying purposes). Spread a wedge of Vac Qui Rit (Laughing Cow chesse, available at your local supermarket maybe) on one half of the bread, add sliced of tomato on top, sprinkle salt and piment and basil on top of the tomato, add slices of onion and you have got yourself the best sandwich ever. Lunch ramba. I never knew I'd move to Burkina Faso and a) see so much eggplant, or b) start to love eggplant. My favorite marche lady loads me up with eggplant cadeaux whenever I buy things from her because she can see in my eyes how much I loooovveeee itttttt.


Yum. Yum yum yum.
Ok...but now I must get ready to go to sleep. It is rather lateish here, being 10:30pm and all. I have yet to bathe, which is odd...so I will fill up a pitcher of drinking water to last me through the hot hot night and then get myself all bathed and jump into bed and try to fall asleep before I completely dry off. Good luck.