Back to back posting

I am posting again within a mere 24 hours ...

more or less that is.

The reason is in the picture. Yup, my same old

bicycle but ... with a new Gucci look and feel

to it. I am actually excited about it.

Today is a lazy Sunday and I decided to ride

the bike to the nearest town I usually go to.

I was in need of some new tires seeing as I 

wore out the ones that were on there. 

So I went to a somewhat main bicycle supply

store in the market area. 

Asked for two new skins (tires) that fit my bike.

The kid comes out with these two big bum 

white walls. Kind of wanted them plain but with

only one option ... let's do it I thought. 

Another kid suggested the blue foam covers

you can see on the handle grips and brake 

levers. 

To top it off ... a new seat cover which was really

sorely needed (literally) and has some pinache

as you can see and also an orange strip in 

the back for visibility, was purchased.

Another really great part was I got a dollar USD

discount off each tire. Which is usually more

like a twofold increase due to being white and

assumed to be having more moolah than god.

So I was really kind of like ...giddy about that.

All toll ...

2 tires @ 7.00 ea. US money

1 seat cover = .90 again US

Foam grip covers = .60 cents of that ole USD

Total being 15.50 USD

Oh yeah, the tires are made here
in Burkina. Buying local helps
the economy. A good thing.

I am looking fly and also trying to figure out

how to drive with a gangster lean through 

the bush without hitting a tree, falling off 

or looking as bizaare as heck. Nothing 

obvious or practical as to how has come to mind.

So, not so big a deal as far as development

is concerned other than I can now cruise 

around in the bush of Africa looking like 

a pimp my ride recipient.

Addition then subtraction equals ?

The addition ... a brand (and I mean brand) new

ambulance for the health clinic. 

It's a SUV type vehicle and doesn't have any

equipment. It is for transporting to a bigger

hospital and despite the lack of equipment ...

it's really nice. Definitely a step in the right

direction of progress.

Now, the subtraction, that being the sports teacher

at the middle school. The one I mentioned about

talking crap too in my last blog post. It seems he

got transferred to another region. 

So now the teachers for the theatre group and 

the sports activities are gone. They were the 

base of my projects last year. 

I guess the cookie crumbles that way at times.

So, it's back out there looking for opportunities. 

Just the ebb and flow, that's this gig.

Thank goodness for the against teenage pregnancy

project. I went to a fellow volunteer's village and

we're going to introduce the project there. 

I am going to be assisting for the first time and 

will facilitate the project and my colleague can take

it from there.

We were supposed to have a session here today

but the school had a strike day and that made

it a bust. But we'll reschedule for as soon as we 

can work out a time. Hopefully this Thursday

or the Saturday that's coming up.

So ... the addition and subtraction equals to ???

Just another day in the life of a Peace Corps

Volunteer.

I'm back posting

It's been a bit since I last posted. The reason

for the absence has been that it's been a slow

time of the year. A lot of my activities have 

centered around the schools in the area. 

But school is back in session and I'm back in

business. I have kept myself occupied during

but it's been only baby weighings (mal-nutrition

based activity), promoting a cleanup campaign

(definite challenge), beautification (planting 

flowers at health clinic) and getting around and

visiting the kiosks and boutiques in the 8 villages

I pass through during my bicycle rides.

We had the feast of Tabaski a few weeks ago.

It is a Muslim holiday and I went and prayed with

the villagers. Also, received a new name in front

of about 700 people. I can now be called 'Abraham'.

The picture above is of a few girls who live

in the area. They just returned from praying.

I had no trouble being a christian and attending

the Muslim prayers.

It is picking up with plans for sex education

classes (mainly against teenage pregnancy) at

the middle school. We are at the organizational

stage but within the next week or so, we should

start. It is actually a continuation of what we

started at the end of last school year. 

It worked out great with at least 8 girls coming

for family planning and several others coming

for condoms, both male and female. 

This has been one of the best activities I've done

so far and it has demonstrated some success.

Also talking to the teachers about things like

mathelete competitions and spelling bees.

One teacher I tried to get into spelling bees last

year (but was hesitant) saw 'Akila and the Bee'

and now is interested. I guess my explaning what

a spelling bee is in my French didn't work but

thanks to the movie.

The teacher who was in charge of last year's 

theatre group left. So, us not being professionals

like he is, have come up with plan 'B'. Which is to

have the kids write skits and then perform them.

The goal is of letting them be creative and build

confidence. It's at the drawing board stage but

this is one activity I'd like to see happen.

 The sports teacher has returned and I am talking

crap about getting a kid from the village up to

the capital 'Ouagadougou' to compete in the 

100 meter final sprint races. Just trying to

motivate him but this is one area where lack

of resources hurts. We'll figure how to make decent

starting blocks with no cash in hopes of making

the crap talk a reality.

For now that's about it and I've got to say that 

I'm happy that things are starting to pick up.