Last 24 hours in Burkina

Today was the day to finish up all the paper work and
officially end my tour in Burkina Faso.

There was a little ceremony this morning and people said
a lot of nice things.

Not much more to do but spend time with fellow
volunteers, going out to eat and enjoy the last 24 hours
in the warm weather before landing in New England.
Despite the unseasonably warm weather there, it will still
be colder than here.

At this point it is looking ahead to the change of lifestyle
and other opportunities.

So, from Ougadougou in Burkina Faso, the door to another
chapter will be closing with another door awaiting to be
opened come this Sunday evening.

As it is said in the local language ... Wend na kod niindaare ...
may God protect until the next time ... Burkina Faso.

Ex Saturday folks

When I was living in the village every Saturday
I went to the nearest biggest town called Manga.

There were several reasons why. Food, re-charging
electronics and exercise as I used my bike
throughout the two years.



In the picture are a few of the Saturday regulars
and the people I hung out with every week.
Behind the counter at the kiosk are Louis and his
wife Chantal, the proprietors.

They are all great people and they helped my time
in Burkina Faso, be good.

As we leave, we leave people behind but the memories
come with us. I will always remember the Saturdays
in Manga.

Counting the days

I am in the capital Ouagadougou in the last days of my
Peace Corps tour in Burkina Faso. I left the village
Sunday morning. The hard part is was saying goodbye to the
people whom I've lived with for the last two years.

Two years is an amount of time to create meaningful
relationships. So saying goodbye for the last time was
a little intense.

This last week is about closing out the service. It is
medical and dentist appointments and clerical activities
until Friday.

Then it is back in the USA by Sunday.

To reflect back it's been a great tour. Of course not
without the little irritations that are part of the experience.
I have no regrets and I knew that I tried my best. We did
do activities and hopefully they have helped. I've met
some nice people and cycled many kilometers. The best
cycling was done out on the bush trails. Whenever things
got irritating or boring ... taking a bike ride through the
trails worked to rejuvenate the spirit. It was fun and I got
to meet and know many of the people along the paths.

There is still a few days left and I am enjoying the time
left. But looking forward to being home for Christmas.

Short timers

I am in the capital Ouagadougou to participate in a
small presentation a few of us will be giving to members
of the health ministry. It is to summarize the activities
our group has done over the two years we've been in
Burkina Faso.

There are just a few of us left from our original group.
Many have left and weekly there is another one or two
on their way out. I've mentioned it in other
posts but it is amazing how fast the time passes. It
seems like yesterday when we met at a hotel in Philly.

I will have about 2 weeks left in the village after I return
this upcoming weekend. It is the time to start closing it
down. Burning all the old clothes and papers and giving
out a few things here and there. Which can be a source
of stress as everybody is interested in getting something.
As for me and with my past experiences, I am just going
to give the key and tell my colleagues at the health clinic
to go for it and choose what they want after I leave.

It is the time for realizing that life is going to change.
With the effort of adapting and the pains that come with
that. It is now, after getting it, as in culture, language
and the people in your village, time to say goodbye.

There are many ways to live lives. I've experienced a
few over these last years and sitting in the kiosk the
other day and observing the village life, was an
interesting moment. The kids were walking to school,
mothers riding their bicycles with their babies tied
on their backs and people to and from the pump to
fill their water cans. All this while sitting at the kiosk
listening to African pop music and drinking coffee.

Not the life of millionaires but lives with movement,
color and simplicity. Sure makes me think and question
as to which way of life is the 'best'. Sure am blessed
to have the chance to live and learn from these people.

In the end it is the time to reflect, forgive all sins
(theirs and mine) and just enjoy what's left.

Less than 2 months

That's all that's left ... less than 2 months. I've mentioned
it many times that time has flown by.

Since my last blog entry, a while ago, we have been through
a Coup d'Etat that ended up as well as it possibly could.
It was a crazy few weeks where we left our sites and
awaited the outcome in another area of Burkina. When the
coast was clear we returned.

It is the time to start closing things up and with school restarting
it gave us the chance to do 2 more sessions of the sex-education
project. There was a class last school year that we didn't get a
chance to get to but if it goes well we will be having the girls
of that class come out to the maternity building for the activity
this upcoming Saturday. We will try and probably will get to
the boys next week. I have to just talk to the teacher and we
will work out a time.

As it goes, I should be home a few days before Christmas and
in the middle of the cold weather. Not like here where cold
weather is about 50 degrees at the lowest first thing in the
morning for about a month, tops. After about 8:00 on those
mornings the sun takes over.

I am in the preparing to go close of service meeting.
When I return it will be cleaning up any loose
ends and looking to clean out the accumulation of two years.
I have kept it somewhat minimal with only what I've really needed
but things still pile up. Today I am in the nearest small
city so tomorrow, I will get to start dumping.

Also, at this time there is always the 'what is ahead' variable that
rears it's head. At this moment I am kind of formulating loose
plans but am not getting too involved with that process yet. I was
thinking of getting back and then get to the grinding
stone to hash out something. But always, there are plans, a few
grandiose, a few not so exotic.

So, the next few weeks will fly by even faster than usual. It is a
time to also close up shop with relationships made during the
last 2 years. It is always a challenge living with people in a
different culture. And that goes for me with them and them
with me. But it works out and in the end we get to leave a few
friends behind.

But as the saying goes ... when one door closes another one opens.
Just got to figure which door to choose at this point.

Ouaga and rain

  The name of the capital of Burkina Faso is Ouagadougou.
For us here we use 'Ouaga' for short and you can see that
it would make sense.

  As I am here in Ouaga on a Saturday morning in the midst
of rainy season ... it did rain.

  I went out early to get an omelet sandwich and as I was finishing
I could see that the rain was on it's way. I went to a kiosk
(little basic food place) that was about a mile and a half away
from where I was staying.

  Seeing as rain was imminent I cut the usual socializing short and
tried to get back before the possible deluge. History seems to repeat
itself and I pulled into another kiosk which I got stranded in the
last time I was caught in the rain in Ouaga. Same kiosk,
same people and occasional bouts of deja vu.

  At this point in my Peace Corps service I try and get around
the country I am in a little more. Up to this point I've spent
almost all the time in the village. So with time running down,
I am taking the opportunity to see a bit of Burkina.

  A few days ago I convinced one of my colleagues to ride
along with me (87km) to visit another colleague. She is in
the northern section and we left Ouaga and took our time.
It took us about 9 hours but that was with stops of an hour
here and there. It was a lot of fun and after taking the time and
enjoying the day, it returns to the debate about things and
the rat race vs less and the turtle race.

  Yesterday I left by myself and did the same 87km in 5 hours.
No record (not trying to imply) but it was moving smartly. Just
one of those days that one cup of coffee really jazzed me up.
I live in the south where the terrain is virtually flat. In the north
there were some good sized hills and it broke up the
vista. Plus with rainy season, a lot of green, and it was nice.
Sorry, didn't take any photos due to a dead battery on the cell
phone.

  If it is true that you are what you eat, then, I am Burkina Faso
today. On a stretch of about 2 miles just before entering Ouaga
there is some road construction. With the trucks spurring up
dust, it was lunch time.

  I am just chilling out today in Ouaga and recouping a little force
for the ride back to the village tomorrow.

  It was a fun trip, good colleagues and good exercise. Just taking
time in the last days to enjoy the life in Burkina Faso.

Moringa in a bidon

I am in the capital (Ouagadougou) for a couple of days.
Partly for work and partly for a few days of R&R and
discovering.

The work was in the form of our quarterly report and
I've been able to tackle it and that's out of the way.

I haven't really spent much time in Ouagadougou
so I am taking a few days to chill out and discover some
of the sights and food joints.

The discovery will also continue tomorrow as a colleague
and me (or I) are planning to pedal our bicycles to
another colleague's village. It is about 87 km (or about
54 and a half miles) on a road I've never taken. The main
roads here in Burkina Faso are actually very good with
a decent little breakdown (or shoulder) lane that makes it
a pretty safe trip.

Also, before I arrived I was having a bit of technical
problems with my bicycle. From going through the bush
roads I actually wore down the gears on the bike. The bike
is used but the gears were like new. In the bush trails
there is a lot of sand and after all the miles ... it just plain
got worn to the point that the chain was jumping over the gears.

But all that is resolved with the gears being replaced,
a new chain and man, I am feeling ... giddy. One aspect of Peace
Corps life I am appreciative of ... is that living with little makes
even having the gears on your used bicycle changed ... a great
source of happiness. I am happy for the little things. Helps
cut down my cost of living, which gives me a
sense of freedom. I like feeling free.

In the picture you can see a 'bidon' cut in half with three
Moringa tree seedlings in it.

Moringa trees about 1 meter tall

It is nothing of great significance but it looks colorful
and it's in my courtyard. With the animals really liking
it it is difficult to plant without solid protection.
The leaves of the Moringa are added to sauces and they
are almost like vitamins as there are some good solid
nutrients in it. In the past I've raised them to about the
height they are and the neighbors prepare the protection
and then we divide it up and they are planted. It is a
bit of work but in the end ... it is worth it.

So tomorrow it is on the road for some discovery and
hopefully adventure. Could be some blogging in the
near future.