Out with 2013

It is the 31st December and what a difference 

a year does make. Last year it was home

in the States with family, friends,

food, electricity and the very handy

thing called running water.

So now going into the year 2014 it is

Africa and particularly ... Burkina Faso.

Also without all the above mentioned people
and amenities. 

But life is going on and living in an African village

is a definite experience.

In the picture you can see a calendar

of 2013 that the volunteer I replaced

left behind. I did make an X on 

the 31st as you can see.

It's kind of humourous that at this time

of the year it is 'out with the old and 

in with the new'.

In the case of the volunteers in this Burkina 

village it is opposite. It is 'in with the

old and out with the new'.

Reason being that I am over twice

the age of the volunteer I replaced.

Wonder how that's going to work 

out for this village. The ole time will 

tell ... as it always does.

So ... from Africa and another life away ... 

don't worry ... I think it will be 'out with 

the old and in with the new' where 

you are.

Yuma palle soma ... Happy New Year.

Simple haircut adventure

At the moment the village does not have 

any electricity. The rumor is that by

the end of January ... like the January

coming up ... the health clinic where I reside

will be hooked up to the grid. 

It would be nice if that happened.

But for now something like getting a simple 

haircut (I get one of those number zero 

on the clipper ones) requires electricity.

So, being in need of one requires a 23 km 

trip to the nearest town. 

The other morning I decided to get on 

my bike and go to that town in

search of a coiffure to get a haircut. 

As I take off, 9 (the dog) and the head of the

health clinic's dog, start following me.

It about 3 km through the bush until

you arrive to the paved road and then

it's 20 km from there.

The dogs kept following me and I was

kind of hoping they would give up at

the road. 

But they didn't ... with 9 and the

other dog tailing me and weaving

in and out of the road, I thought ...

what is going  on here.

It is bad enough that I am the only 

nasara (white person) riding a bike

or even anywhere, let alone these

two dogs.

So I started pedaling as fast as I could

with the plan to basically ditch the dogs. 

Figured they would get the hint and quit.

9 was smart enough and gave 

up after 2 or so kilometers. The

other dog ... not so. He just kept

running and running and actually

sprinted the whole 20 km. 

I'm like this has got to be a sight

an old guy nasara pedaling his

rearend off while this dog is sprinting

after him. It must of been by the look

on the people's faces as we flew by.

All I kept thinking was ... why me and

this dog has got to quit, he's got to.

When we arrived at the coiffure

(barber shop) in the town, the dog 

just drops in front of the door and

goes into a spasm for a few seconds.

I thought the dog was going to die

and how was I going to explain 

this to the head of the clinic.

After about 20 minutes and .50 cents

(USA dollar) later, we head back.

This time I went slow and added

an extra hour to the return trip. I 

got the dog some food along the

way but all I heard all the way

back as we passed by was ... there's

that nasara with the dog.

When we arrived the dog was beat

and I'm sure he didn't move much

the rest of the day.

Funny thing was only saw the dog

for about a minute before he went

on the 46 km journey with me.

If we had electricity it would be nothing

more than a boring haircut. I am 

now wondering if too much 

development can take the adventure

out of life.

Christmas Eve 2013

So here it is Christmas eve 2013 and five

days into life in the new village. 

I would like to wish everybody back home

a very Merry Christmas and hope that 

it is a special day.

Unlike in the northeast of the USA where 

I come from, it is warm and with the 

Harmattan wind, it is comfortable ... but ...

no dreaming of a White Christmas here.

I just took the picture a few minutes ago

and it is about 1 in the afternoon and 

not a cloud in the sky. The kid in the 

back is one of my next door neighbors.

The one in front ... don't know.

It is also the holiday season and many

of the people that I'll be working with

are not around. 

Yesterday the pharmacist bought a 

rake so I've been spending a little 

time cleaning up the health clinic's

grounds. Just keeping busy until 

the 6th of January when they return

from their holiday.

What a difference a year makes. Last

xmas was cold, family and presents.

This year it is the family (villagers 5

days of knowing), heat and my new

dog friend called 'neuf' (number 9 in English).

I do miss the family but they are here

in my heart while the new family is

trying to get used to the first 

white person to live amongst them.

I will always remember where I was

on Christmas day 2013 ... a village

in Burkina Faso, Africa.

Saturday night - whirlwind 48 hours

This is the first Saturday in the new

village and if everything goes normally,

103 more to go.

It has also been a little over two days 

into this and it's been hectic. After 

arriving on Thursday it has been to

town to get a 3 burner cook top 

with tank of gas ... and at the same 

time attend an end to the year COGES

( village clinic governing board )

meeting. Next the meeting of two 

villages chiefs, Imam, protestant 

pastor and several health agents 

from a bigger village down the road.

Plus the stopping in at several 

boutiques and coffee type joints.

Also in between it has been settling

in with cleaning, fixing screen doors,

arranging and re-arranging and all 

the other things people do to get

their place ok to live in. Truth be 

told ... it has been great with a lot

of new faces, places and excitement

all thrown in.

In the picture above you can see one

of the elements of my new life here.

I am replacing a volunteer and the 

dog was her sidekick, I've been told.

As I was talking to the pharmacist at

the clinic the first evening here the

dog just walked by and went up to 

the door. The pharmacist said it was

the prior volunteer's dog and the 

dog's name is 9. Yup, that's it 9.

I love it, it sure seems appropriate 

and adds to this life here in a village

in Burkina Faso in Africa.

I did find out how 9 came about to 

be called 9. The volunteer first got

a dog and at the time was obsessed

or interested in the number 7 and

called that dog 7. Then when in 

college, received another that was

named 8. So next dog in line ... 9.

Good reasoning and again, great 

name in my book. 

When I went to the store on my bike

9 just went along. He also sleeps 

outside the gate and with me and

the neighbor, 9 is fine and being
looked after.

We've been talking a little bit about

what I may be doing and it seems

it will require going out to 10 

villages. That means meeting 10

village chiefs, elders and villagers.

I'm looking forward to it and there

should be a bunch of adventure

associated with it, I hope.

Of course things can change but

this time I wish that it is what I'll

be doing.

Well, after installing the 23 foot wire

antenna for the short wave radio,

I am in business and can listen to

the BBC again.

So time to kick back on this first

Saturday in my village in Burkina Faso.

It begins

So the day has finally arrived and I am

blogging from the new village.

I arrived this morning by about 11 and have been busy since.

Had to organize and clean up a little bit

with more to do. I do have to do some

shopping tomorrow to pick up a few
things.

I have met a few people and so far
like usual ... I am more comfortable
with them than they are with me at
this point but it'll change.

The picture above is the view looking

back from my two room abode.

Again it has begun and night has fallen

and after posting this article I think

it will be time to call it an end to this 

first day.

Probably listen to the radio and it is

stepping back to those days and
nights ... without electricity.

Oh yeah the good old days.

Officially a volunteer

Today we finally accomplished

what we set out to do two and

half months ago ... and that is 

to become Peace Corps Volunteers.

We had a very nice ceremony

and we were sworn in by the 

Ambassador with a modest 

reception afterwards.

Tomorrow, we start heading out

to our sites and I will arrive at

mine a day later on Thursday.

Many of my new fellow volunteers

have been shopping for items

they will need for the next two

years or plus.

I will be following a volunteer who

just finished her tour, so I am 

holding off on buying anything

until arriving at site and looking

things over. If I have a need it will

give a good reason to get out of

the house and get visible and

start integrating.

But for now .. it is packing up,

relaxing and getting mentally 

prepared for the next step.

It is just a day away.

Leaving homestay village

This morning we left the villages 

that have been our homes for

the last two and a half months.

(Picture above taken before leaving).

It's always a difficult event to

leave decent people behind.

The family I stayed with consisted

of hard working and hospitable

members. I never had a problem

and never felt uncomfortable

while staying in this compound.

But now it is time to look ahead

to arriving in the new village.

My first day is scheduled to begin

next Thursday and by this time

next week I'll have completed  

my first full day.

As for now ... it is a few days in

the capital to stock up, take care

of some paper work and get 

prepared for the real Peace Corps deal.

End of training

Today was our last official day

of training. Despite arriving in 

Burkina around the 7th of 

October the time has passed all

too quickly. 

We still have a few days at the

training site to fill in some

reports, pack up our things and

say goodbye to our home stay

families. I really enjoyed mine 

and hopefully will come back 

to visit several times before 

finishing up here in Burkina.

One of the traditions of the new

groups at the swearing in 

ceremony is to have a piece

of traditional style clothing made.

In the picture is the style of 

cloth chosen and I've had a 

pullover shirt made by Flo the

tailor.

Even for the short time we spent

in our villages and training town

we've made friends and Flo is

one of them. In my interactions

with Flo she's always been 

patient with my Moore language

skills (or lack of them) and she

has helped me improve.

Tomorrow is a holiday and I'll

probably go into town to see a 

parade that is scheduled. By the

way it is the day that celebrates

the proclamation of the country.

It will also be a good day to begin

packing up the things for the

next move and in the near 

future ... the big plunge into our

villages and homes for the next

two years.

But for now ... it is out of the 

house to hang out and drink tea

with the people as usual. Only

three nights left with these

great people. The memories

during my time in this home stay

village will always be good ones.

Counterparts

We are getting close to the

time where we will be living

in our new villages.

To prepare for this, we have a

counterpart workshop in which

we get the chance to meet each 

other. (In the picture we are on

an afternoon break).

I think it worked out well and

it gave us a chance to discuss

what I will be working on. Of

course things may change

but as of now, it works.

If it does happen as planned

... then should be some decent

stories to tell.

It adds up to one week left in

training, then, the real deal.

Two years in an African village.