Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Site Announcements
This week we found out where we’re going to live for the next two years! I have been placed in Tougouri, a medium sized village in the north of Burkina Faso. Tougouri is directly on a paved road (yay!) about midway between Kaya and Dori, two larger cities. Kaya is my regional capital, but Dori to the north, is apparently famous for its traditional blankets that are required for the week-long cold season. Being on a paved road will make transport very easy; instead of biking for kilometers or taxing a very bumpy bush taxi ride, I can just hop on a bus for an easy ride to the cities. Tougouri is almost in Sahel, which is the beginning of the Sahara desert and therefore, will be very hot hot hot. I have a feeling that Tougouri will be very different from the green and lush south, but I asked to be placed where the PC needs me, so I am very happy. However, life will be at the mercy of the rain, which I am already coming to cherish here. Droughts often affect the food availability, and the nice local Tougouri marche has onions all year round and tomatoes most of the year. So I will be eating very well indeed. I will be teaching at the Lycee de Tougouri, which has about 900 students and the local language spoken is Moore, so the little Moore I know will be helpful when I visit my site next week with my counterpart.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
My host family
My Host Family
Here’s a little bit more information about my host family here in Burkina. My parents are named Mamadou and Ami Maiga. My father went to the University of Ouagadougou and currently teaches economics at a local high school and is going to be getting his MBA next year. My mother doesn’t work and stays home during the day. I live about a 10 minute bike ride from where we have class everyday. My 3 room house consists of a main room that serves as a living room with a gas cooktop in the corner, my parents bedroom, my bedroom, and the shower room. Each room has one light in it, which I greatly appreciate while I have electricity. My family shares a courtyard with two other houses, where my family spends most of their time. Cooking, eating, and socializing are all done outside, as part of the culture, but also because it is so hot inside. The latrine is behind the houses, next to where my family keeps two bulls (which demonstrate how well-off my family is because they can afford to feed 2 large extra animals).
Put the poop in the latrine at our 4th of July party
Appo pinning hair on Chris instead of on the paper
my bedroom
the shower room
Here’s a little bit more information about my host family here in Burkina. My parents are named Mamadou and Ami Maiga. My father went to the University of Ouagadougou and currently teaches economics at a local high school and is going to be getting his MBA next year. My mother doesn’t work and stays home during the day. I live about a 10 minute bike ride from where we have class everyday. My 3 room house consists of a main room that serves as a living room with a gas cooktop in the corner, my parents bedroom, my bedroom, and the shower room. Each room has one light in it, which I greatly appreciate while I have electricity. My family shares a courtyard with two other houses, where my family spends most of their time. Cooking, eating, and socializing are all done outside, as part of the culture, but also because it is so hot inside. The latrine is behind the houses, next to where my family keeps two bulls (which demonstrate how well-off my family is because they can afford to feed 2 large extra animals).
Put the poop in the latrine at our 4th of July party
Appo pinning hair on Chris instead of on the paper
my bedroom
the shower room
No Microwaves or Refrigerators
Food
I never thought that food would be one of the hardest things to get used to here, but it is. It’s not as if I’m hungry or have a lack of food, but rather it’s the lack of variety that is difficult to get used to. First of all,there are no microwaves, refrigerators, or ovens (very rare). There are no can openers, measuring cups/spoons/graduated containers. All measuring is done via the eye unless you are smart and brought these things with you from the US. I have already found out that I did not bring enough cooking supplies, or for that matter food.
If I would be packing to come to Burkina Faso again I would forget clothes and toiletries and bring more food items.
You can find some items at a local store, the Alimentation (in regional cities) or at larger markets, such as some spices, unrefrigerated butter (I know gross), CHER canned fish and meat (Spam like products and normally housed in oil), some expensive canned vegetables, powdered chocolate, couscous, spagetti, flour, jam, black tea, mayonnaise, mustard, nescafe, powdered and condensed milk, oil (nice and unhealthy..no good canola or olive oil here), rice, salt, sugar, tomato paste, Laughing cow cheese, vinegar, yeast.
That is all the things grocery stores in Burkina Faso have to offer. Therefore the selection of cuisine is highly limited to carbohydrates and sauces. Almost all of my meals are mostly starch: bread, couscous, rice, pasta, to (similar to solid cream-of-wheat). The starchy food is eaten with a variety of sauces, some of which are similar to watered-down American sauces, while some of the other sauces are completely different. One meal I do enjoy is benga: which is basically rice and beans. Forget about storing leftovers because they will spoil with the heat. At the end I will list some great care package ideas/things to bring when you come visit me in Burkina Faso!
I really miss salads, as nobody really eats salads here, and if they do, the few vegetables are covered in mayonnaise. Needless to say, I am craving a large chicken Caesar salad. Also it is hard to eat enough protein here, as few dishes have good quantities of meat, and the meat that is served is often very gamey. So do not worry, I am getting enough food to eat, but after only 4 weeks I am already tired of the and am looking forward to being able to cook for myself. Last night I had a dream about a supermarket ahhhhh. Hahaha.
Products from the United States that are highly utilized in the kitchens of Peace Corps Volunteers. PCVs do eat better on weeks that they receive care packages!!! Sooo some good ideas:
-Peanut butter
-honey
-nutella
-canned tuna and chicken
-condiment packets (ketchup, McDonald's BBQ, Sweet n Sour, Honey Mustard, etc.)
-spice packages (ex. taco seasoning, ranch dressing, etc.)
-sauce mix packages (ie. Mac and cheese, etc)
-cheese: velvetta and parmesan and nacho
-trail mix
-dried fruit mixes
-mixed nuts
-applesauce
-oreos
-peanut butter m&ms
-dark chocolate
-twizzlers
-power bars/granola bars
-cake, cookie, and brownie instant mixes (ohhh and icings)
-maple syrup
When you send packages make sure to tape the box up really well so that the Burkinabe post does not open the package up. Also be nondescript on the customs form as to what is in the box. If you write anything, put that it is stationary and catalogs, haha.
I never thought that food would be one of the hardest things to get used to here, but it is. It’s not as if I’m hungry or have a lack of food, but rather it’s the lack of variety that is difficult to get used to. First of all,there are no microwaves, refrigerators, or ovens (very rare). There are no can openers, measuring cups/spoons/graduated containers. All measuring is done via the eye unless you are smart and brought these things with you from the US. I have already found out that I did not bring enough cooking supplies, or for that matter food.
If I would be packing to come to Burkina Faso again I would forget clothes and toiletries and bring more food items.
You can find some items at a local store, the Alimentation (in regional cities) or at larger markets, such as some spices, unrefrigerated butter (I know gross), CHER canned fish and meat (Spam like products and normally housed in oil), some expensive canned vegetables, powdered chocolate, couscous, spagetti, flour, jam, black tea, mayonnaise, mustard, nescafe, powdered and condensed milk, oil (nice and unhealthy..no good canola or olive oil here), rice, salt, sugar, tomato paste, Laughing cow cheese, vinegar, yeast.
That is all the things grocery stores in Burkina Faso have to offer. Therefore the selection of cuisine is highly limited to carbohydrates and sauces. Almost all of my meals are mostly starch: bread, couscous, rice, pasta, to (similar to solid cream-of-wheat). The starchy food is eaten with a variety of sauces, some of which are similar to watered-down American sauces, while some of the other sauces are completely different. One meal I do enjoy is benga: which is basically rice and beans. Forget about storing leftovers because they will spoil with the heat. At the end I will list some great care package ideas/things to bring when you come visit me in Burkina Faso!
I really miss salads, as nobody really eats salads here, and if they do, the few vegetables are covered in mayonnaise. Needless to say, I am craving a large chicken Caesar salad. Also it is hard to eat enough protein here, as few dishes have good quantities of meat, and the meat that is served is often very gamey. So do not worry, I am getting enough food to eat, but after only 4 weeks I am already tired of the and am looking forward to being able to cook for myself. Last night I had a dream about a supermarket ahhhhh. Hahaha.
Products from the United States that are highly utilized in the kitchens of Peace Corps Volunteers. PCVs do eat better on weeks that they receive care packages!!! Sooo some good ideas:
-Peanut butter
-honey
-nutella
-canned tuna and chicken
-condiment packets (ketchup, McDonald's BBQ, Sweet n Sour, Honey Mustard, etc.)
-spice packages (ex. taco seasoning, ranch dressing, etc.)
-sauce mix packages (ie. Mac and cheese, etc)
-cheese: velvetta and parmesan and nacho
-trail mix
-dried fruit mixes
-mixed nuts
-applesauce
-oreos
-peanut butter m&ms
-dark chocolate
-twizzlers
-power bars/granola bars
-cake, cookie, and brownie instant mixes (ohhh and icings)
-maple syrup
When you send packages make sure to tape the box up really well so that the Burkinabe post does not open the package up. Also be nondescript on the customs form as to what is in the box. If you write anything, put that it is stationary and catalogs, haha.
Burkina Faso School System
Since I’ll be working at a school, I figured it would be good to give a little bit of information about the school system here in Burkina.
Schooling begins at ages 3-4 for some people, in Enseignment pre-scolaire (equivalent to our kindergarten). However kindergarten here is very expensive, so few students can afford to go to school. Manditory schooling begins at ages 6-8 in Enseignment Primaire (Primary School), which goes CP1 (cours preparatoire), CP2, CE1 (cours elementairs), CE2, CM1 (cours moyen), and CM2. After CM2 students are required to take the Certificat d’etudes primaries (CEP exam). If a student does not pass the exam, they cannot continue onto middle school. Students are allowed to repeat classes two times, but if fail after the second time, the student needs to go a different school, because they cannot continue at the original school. Once a student passes the CEP exam, they continue onto Enseignment Secondaire (Secondary School). Middle School (Premier Cycle) is 6e, 5e, 4e, and 3e (they count in the opposite direction as in the U.S.). After 3e, students take the Brevet d’Etudes du Premier Cycle (BEPC exam). After passing the BEPC, students enter lycee, or high school, which is 2ere, 1ere, and Terminale grades. After Terminale (similar to senior in U.S. high school), students have to take the BAC exam in order to continue onto the university. However, generally only 20-30% of students pass the BAC and are able to continue their education
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Training Pictures
Dancing on our first night at training
The school where I have language class everyday
A typical street scene, sans all the little children running around. Notice the unpaved streets.
Me and my host family, sans my father who was away on a business trip
With my host mom, Ami
The dust storm before a thunderstorm
Krystal and me happy about the coming rain
Colette`s feet: the girls in her village wanted to make them "pretty"
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