Saturday, December 21, 2013

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.

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