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.

Auto-sustainability

  In the picture you can see the little plants.

They are on the right hand side from the

door that enters my courtyard.

  I don't know the name of them in English

but I remember what they called them in 

El Salvador (chula).

  The great thing about these flowers are that

the animals leave them alone, they self seed

and are without maintenance.

  In the world of development a big buzzword

is sustainability. It is actually a difficult thing 

to achieve. There are several variables that

factor in. One big factor is the people themselves

buying in to it.

  But with the chula it is virtually automatic. It will self seed

and move around the grounds and bring some color

to the health clinic.

  It is kind of a hands off project to brighten the joint

and no participation needed after the initial

planting.

  Aesthetic auto sustainability ... voila.

Working my way back ...

  Yesterday was a bouging (moving) day from Koudougou

to Ouagadougou. 

  In Burkina it is pretty easy to bike around. The highways

or main roads aren't congested with cars. The space is

mostly taken up with motor-scooters. Also, there is always

a little breakdown lane on the side of the road that keeps

a cyclists out of harm's way. The fact that many people use

bicycles also keeps the respect for bicyclists relevant.

  Last week in Ivory Coast, we noticed that there weren't many

scooters or bicycles. We were mainly in the big city (Abidjan)

and maybe that is a factor. But it does seem that Ivory Coast

is more developed and it looks like development brings the 

'one driver one car' phenomenon. 

  It was the first time that I traveled from Koudougou (in the 

north) to Ougadougou. It wasn't raining and that was all I 

was hoping for. It is about 87 km and starting at 5:30 and 

arriving at 12:30, was no world record. It was sunny and 

hot until arriving in Ouaga (as us Burkina veterans call it).

That was also a taking into account stopping to have a 

coffee and bread. Plus other stops along the way for water.

With the ability to speak the major local language here, it 

also takes a little more time at the stores. There isn't a 

lot of white people who can speak the local language.

The people are always entertained by it and they try and 

keep the conversations going. On my side, it's usually fun

and I leave there feeling good about connecting, albeit for 

a short time, with someone in Africa and in their own language.

  Now, I am in Ouaga and maybe tomorrow or the next day 

will return to the village. It will be riding my bike again. 

It is about another 85 km from here to the village.

  I prefer the bicycle as it gives me the chance to meet

people along the way in villages with different names. 

Yesterday the name that stuck out to me was 'Kokologho'.

A village about half way from Koudougou and Ouagadougou.

  Today it is chilling out and working on a few reports we must

submit before our departure. Oh yeah, it's also a way to prolong

the feeding frenzy undertaken since leaving the village for 

vacation. But soon, it is back to rice and sauce as one option,

beans and rice the second and sardine sandwiches the third.

No more hamburgers, fries, fresh fish, pastries and the rest

of the stuff. I actually may live longer on the village diet, 

probably shouldn't complain.

  

The magnum

 
  In the movie Zoolander the pinacle of looks

was 'the magnum'. It was not easily achieved

and took years to perfect. In the picture above it is

Bethany and me or I taking a dual selfie. I didn't

realize that we hit the magnum ... it just came 

natural on this night in Burkina Faso.

  Tonight was our Peace Corps Burkina Faso's 

group celebration. As mentioned in yesterday's

blog post, we are together to attend our close

of service conference aka COS. 

  It was a nice ceremony with speeches, certificates

and pins. While sitting and reflecting, it is just

incredible realizing from the first day in Philadelphia

till now, were two years apart. It just 

seems like yesterday, truly. 

  We have two more days left then we will go

to our villages, or seperate ways. It is the last

time we will be all together as there are a 

variety of end of service dates with group

mates beginning to trickle back home bit

by bit.

  But forever we will be group 29, Peace Corps

Burkina Faso.

The bouging continues

 
  In the French language 'bouge' means to move

and is used mostly to say ... moving around.

  This morning we continued to bouge as we 

took the 8:00 am bus from Bobo-Dioulasso

(Burkina's second biggest city) to Koudougou

(Burkina's third largest city). We have a close

of service (COS) 3 day get together. It is 

standard procedure and it is to help prepare

us for the transition back to the USA.

  We are staying at a pretty nice hotel complex

and the picture is the view outside of my hut.

They tastefully built some replica village huts

but done real well. The shape mimics a 

traditional village hut but the inside has the

amenities to include air conditioning.

  The last two years have passed incredibly 

fast. It probably means that despite the 

hardships, there were more good experiences

than bad.

  It is also the time to look to the future and

to new horizons and dream of new paths

to follow.

  After the COS meeting it is bouging back to

Ouagadougou for a day or two then it's bouge

back to the village for the last four months in

Burkina.

  

Back in Burkina

  So from 10:30 Thursday morning until 3:30 Friday
afternoon we were on the train and sitting in the seats
(picture in the prior blogpost).

  There was an area in the back of the first class car
where one could get coffee or tea. If you wanted to
eat spaghetti, you just had to place your order in a
few hours ahead of time.

  During the trip we went up to get a few coffees. Also,
we did get a chance to peek in and see what first
class was about. It has about 40 seats with foam padding
plus outlets to plug in any electronics.

  In comparison our car had 96 people, fiberglass seats
without padding and a bunch of kids.

  I am probably trying to make more out of it than what it
was. Really, the second class experience was an adventure.
It was good to go through and know about.

  I was lucky and met a pretty cool few people around
where I was sitting. Truth be told ... I loved the adventure.

  When we arrived in Bobo-Dioulasso we were able to find
a nice little auberge for a reasonable price. It has small rooms
but all the amenities. We chilled out a little then went to a
decent restaurant and after eating and while in the process of
leaving, we met a French man who is one world traveler.
He invited us to sit with him for a bit and he was personable
and interesting. We were challenged with our French but
we kept up and I also learned a few words and phrases.

  It was just a great way to end our week's vacation. There
was a bit of adventure, resting and learning. Now it is off to
the COS (close of service) conference and then the winding down
till December.

Mind over matter

second class seats

  So we are sitting on a train in the

Abidjan, Treichville station.

  We arrived yesterday from the beaches

of Grand Bassam to the big city Abidjan.

Immediately we headed to the train station

and found that first class was sold out.

  In the picture you can see the second class

seats our rearends will be challenged with

for the next 24 hours. It makes the trains

we took in Romania look like first class.

  It is a mind over matter (our derrieres) 

exercise. We will persevere only because

there aren't other options. Pray

for our glutes.

Yesterday Tuareg ... today

looking at you from Ivory Coast

  Ex-Pat Burkinabe ... we are with the

girls at the kiosk (mini diner) where we

have been frequenting during our stay

here on the coast of Ivory Coast. Their

ethnicity is Mossi which is the majority

ethnic group in Burkina Faso.

  Yesterday was the Tuareg and his 

story ... today we have the story of the 

ex-pat Burkinabe in the picture. The father

and mother moved to Ivory Coast in

1993 and the girls are all sisters and were

born here. But they can all speak Moore, their

mother tongue.

  We started going there from the first moment

we arrived and it took a little time to break the

ice and be more than just tourists clients. 

  Like I mentioned in yesterday's blog one of

the skills us Peace Corps volunteers acquire

is an openess to other peoples. So with my 

other three colleagues not being a weak link

we endeared ourselves to them. More or less

that is.

  It's only like 10:30 in the morning and we are

just sitting at the beach in contemplative 

silence. Watching the waves go in and out
is hypnotic. 

  Yeah, another day with our feet on the brakes

in our little roller coaster ride of life.

Another day at the beach

Tuareg from Mali

  After having a restful night sleep with

the sounds of the ocean streaming through

the window, we got up and just had a day of

talking, eating and not much else.

  Except as you can see in the picture ... a Tuareg

guy was selling jewelery. As people know the Tuareg

are from Mali. This guy goes back and forth from

Mali to Ivory Coast. Mali to collect the jewelery

and Ivory Coast to sell it to the tourists in this

beach town.

  One of bonuses of being in the Peace Corps 

is that we become accustomed and comfortable

with meeting other peoples.

  So this Tuareg man stops to sell me some things

and we sat for an hour or so and he's the first

Tuareg that I've had a discussion with.

  Everyone has a story and his is with the trouble

near to his village. He moved his children here

for safety and to be able to continue in school.

  I bought a few things and probably paid more

than I should have but it still wasn't expensive

and I hope the money will help him out.

  Now we are sitting and looking and listening

to the ocean on a cool evening. Day two is 

winding down with one more day left.

The coast of Ivory Coast

beach at Grand Bassam

  We made it to the ocean as you can

see in the picture. From where I'm sitting

the camera was turned a little to the right

and that would be looking towards the US.

I believe straight would lead us to Brazil.

   Burkina Faso is a landlocked country 

so coming to the coast is definitely a change.

As vacations should be, it is a change of 

scenery. The waves, the sound of the surf

and the smell of the ocean air is the current

that can recharge the soul.

  After going for an upscale breakfast and 

flagging down a taxi, negotiating and having

a great conversation with the young Ivorian

driver we arrived at Grand-Bassam. The taxi

driver mentioned that it was the original 

capital of Ivory Coast.

  Seeing as we are poor Peace Corps Volunteers

we looked for frugal lodging. After going to 

several hotels and smaller hostels/auberges

we came across a low cost one. But you get

what you pay for and it does have the basics.

A nice beach makes up for the lack of some

higher amenities.

  We are planning on three days here then it's

working our way back to Abidjan for a few 

days then the big bus ride back to Burkina.

  The room is spartan but about forty feet from

the ocean. Tonight ought to be an incredible

night to sleep. With the cool ocean air and 

the sounds of the waves as they curl and 

wash up on the shore, we'll be meditating 

in our sleep.

Rolling mangoes

  It is another rainy Sunday in Burkina Faso. I am in the
capital (Ouagadougou) at the start of a two week vacation.

  This morning I ran out to get some airtime for my phone.
The skies were ominous and it looked sure that
rain was coming. I almost made it back to the hostel and
in fact was about a half mile away before it started to
downpour.

  Luckily I was right in front of a small kiosk at the time.
A kiosk here is basically a place to get coffee or
tea, bread or bread and eggs (omelet). I was planning on
stopping anyways so it worked out well. So, I ate the omelet
and drank two coffees and sat there with several guys and
all one could do was, wait out the rain.

  It lasted for about an hour and a half and as I was gazing
out from a bench in the kiosk I could see the occasional
old mango just rolling along as a result of being pushed
by the mini river of water.

  The picture is from in front of a hostel I was staying at. After
about 30 minutes after the rain stopped I pedaled through
what you see. Made it (miraculously) without even getting the
sneakers wet. Despite the water almost coming up to the axles,
I was able to make it through.

Side street in
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

 But this is just the start of the vacation. Tuesday

it is off to the second largest city in Burkina Faso

called Bobo for short. It is in the west and about a 

six hour bus ride from Ouagadougou.

  I will meet up with a couple of my colleagues and

it's off to Abidjan, the capital of Ivory Coast. Below

is just a picture I downloaded from the net.

Abidjan skyline

 Sometimes interesting things come about. Such as last

night at a mini restaurant/bar here in Ouaga. I went out 

to dine with one of my colleagues that will be accompanying

me on the trip to Ivory Coast.

  The strange fact was that this restaurant was run by a 

couple of Ivorian women who couldn't speak the local 

language (Moore). They are fairly new to Burkina Faso.

The restaurant/bar was kind of interesting. In was really

fun to sit and observe what we could only conclude was

a place where one could find a female escort.

  But they were great ladies, personable and looked

little fun loving.

  We got to discussing our upcoming trip to Ivory Coast

and it is a coincidence that one of the ladies will be 

returning to Abidjan a day or two ahead of our arrival.

She gave us her digits and said she would guide us around

if we want her to.

  Don't know if we'll call or not. We'll play that by ear I 

guess.

  Hopefully I'll be able to post to the blog while I am 

there next week. I'll need to get a SIM card  that 

works with their cell phone carrier. I think it is 1 

dollar USD to purchase it. Maybe a post from the 

beach may be in the cards.

  After that it is back to Burkina and looking at 4 months

left in this tour. As I've mentioned in prior posts, at this

time in the gig things start really to get good. We know the

people and our local language is very functional ... usually

just in time to leave.

  Drizzle has stopped, water is receding and maybe it's time

to start thinking of heading to another restaurant here in

Ouaga. Hey, it's vacation, time to live it up ... n'est pas?

How to explain

  Every 6 months or so a new group of volunteers
enters the country to replace the ones who have finished
their tour.

  They go through an approximate 12 weeks of training
and during that period they receive their sites/homes for
the next two years. At about mid-point in the training they
get a chance to visit their sites and get a chance to prepare
for their upcoming arrivals.

  Also a part of their site visit is to take a day to get to know
what will be known to them as their 'shopping town'.

  At the moment I am in my shopping town that will soon serve
the same purpose for two new volunteers. I am here with another
colleague to help show them around and answer any questions
they may have.

  Being in the Peace Corps does have it's interesting little
experiences and coincidences. For example one of the new
volunteers is from my neck of the woods in the USA. We
live about 10 miles apart as the crow flies in Massachusetts.
The other volunteer lives about 10 minutes from my other
colleague from L.A.

  Nothing earth shattering ... just one of them funny little things.
  My other colleague also went home for a visit to L.A. and just
returned. While she was home she volunteered at a Peace Corps
function to recruit prospective volunteers. She worked with the
recruiter who happened to be one of my group mates from Namibia
from 2009 to 2011.

  When I was in Senegal there was a volunteer at the time who was
one year ahead of me. We were close together and hung out and
traveled a bit. She received a job in the USA that required her to
work in the western part of Massachusetts. While there she went
out to eat with one of her fellow workers who brought along his
girlfriend at the time. His girlfriend was the volunteer who replaced
me in Senegal. She arrived in the village several weeks after I was
done. To repeat, not a big deal just a coincidence.

  Last coincidence was when I finished in Romania and arrived
in a Namibian village 6 months after leaving Eastern Europe.
Lo and behold, 2 months afterwards two white guys arrived in
this village in the middle of nowhere to start a Seventh Day Adventist
Church. And they were from where? Can you guess Romania. So
I continued to speak Romanian for another three years.

  All these are again, not earth shattering instances but
are just plain fun to see. With the getting out in the world it did
bring these situations to be possible.

  With 5 months left I am doubting that another similar style
coincidence is possible ... but ... maybe?

Rainy day blogging

   It is a rainy Sunday here in the 'land of the

up right people'. I headed out of the village

early to go to the nearest town. It is my usual

weekly ritual except that Saturday is the 

prefered day. 

   There are a few things that I needed to do

but the businesses are closed. So that

means a return trip tomorrow morning. 

  At this time of the year the rain comes and goes 

just like that. One minute a clear sky, next, a 

downpour. Now, it is at the ending stages

of the downpour and I am sheltering at the

town's upscale restaurant ( as you see in the

picture above). This is the place I come to

every week. They have a big screen TV which

is usually playing the African music videos.

Except that the TV has been broken for about

2 months and was sent out to be repaired.

So when you leave the bush and 

want to experience a change of pace in 

entertainment ... it ain't there. But it is coming

this next Tuesday ... for the 6th time.

  Another problem at this time is that it's the 

Holy Month of Ramadan. Everyone working 

here is Muslim and fasting. Got to hand it to

them for persevering. Smelling the food all day

and not eating or drinking or having the TV

to distract them ... has got to be tough.

  I am just hanging here through the rain and

I am not eating or drinking. I'd feel guilty if 

I did. But after this next Thursday, Ramadan 

will be over, then back to normal.

  The rain has subsided and I think I am going

to head out. The sky isn't clear yet but at this

point in my tour I've met almost everyone 

along the 23 km route and have places to

hang out if it rains again.

  Time to hit the road.

Less than 6 months

It has count down to below the 6 month remaining mark.
I am in the capital Ouagadougou for a few days and I've
caught up with a few of my stage (group) mates. We took
time to make a lot of conversation through a long lunch
and all agreed, it seemed like yesterday we were meeting
each other in Philadelphia before our departure for Burkina Faso.

I am here to do a little talk about the sex-ex against
teenage pregnancy activity to the new group who
are in their 3 month IST (in service training). There were
a lot of questions especially from the young ladies in the
new group. Hopefully they will attempt this project in
their respective villages. I have written about this activity
a bit in prior blog posts but I do feel very passionate about
it. These young school girls are basically out there on their
own and the knowledge that we can give may help them
prevent any problems that may terminate their chances to
complete school and follow their dreams.

It is the beginning of the rainy season, school has finished
and we are in the second week of Ramadan. So to be able
to find anyone with time or enthusiasm to do anything is
a bit of a task. So, the invitation to come here and share
was right on time. In site I am really just organizing my info to
be able to pass it along after I leave. But I have been making
connections for October when things will be rolling at full tilt.
At that time I will have about 6 working weeks left and so
I've warned my respective village colleagues that we will
get to it when the time comes. Normally it takes forever to
get it to move but when that time comes I will become a pest
if it is necessary.

Oh yeah, Happy 4th of July to everyone back home and I
hope that it is a good day for all.