Since getting back from the U.S., I have been busy. I stayed in Ouaga for a few days after I arrived to get some things done, such as dentist, etc. Then I went to Tougouri for a few days. It was a little odd being back in village because the village seemed dead! The villagers were all out in the fields cultivating and the functionaries had all gone back to Ouaga or their home villages. So my courtyard was empty, which was a little disconcerting being alone after being with people for so long. The one time I want people in my courtyard, they’re all gone!
The next week I came back to Ouaga to participate in Coaching for Hope, a program to teach coaches how to coach and how to teach about HIV/AIDS through soccer. Overall, I think the formation went well and the Burkinabe counterparts, which each volunteer brought from their village, learned a lot. However, there were some difficulties due to cultural differences, such as the Burkinabe love to argue and talk on and on and on and Americans do not. When we’re done with a session and we’ve covered all of the topics, just let us go, instead of talking about something not related for an extra hour. Or, we don’t like pushing in line when the food comes. And, saying “give me food now” is not nice! But, the goals of the formation were covered (for the most part) and we all left feeling better for having done it. Although I must admit that I was very happy when it was over.
Last week I went down to Gaoua, a town in Southern Burkina Faso, for a wedding between a volunteer, Jillian, and a Burkinabe, Ibe. It was amazing to see the mix of American and Burkinabe cultures that were incorporated at the wedding. Jillian did a GREAT job of putting it all together and I’m sure that Gaoua had never seen anything like it before. Jillian and Ibe had already technically gotten married at a Muslim wedding a few weeks before, but this was the civil wedding that made the marriage “official” in the eyes of the government. This civil wedding was at the Marie (mayor’s office) and Jillian had to fight to have the wedding outdoors, but she succeeded! The Burkinabe did not want the wedding to be outside because they did not Americans to see pictures from the wedding and think that Burkina cannot afford a building for the mayor- shows what they know about American weddings!
The ceremony was beautiful, as Jillian had designed a pretty tent to be under. The mayor fought that as well, stating that he needed to sit at his big desk and his big desk would not fit under the small tent. I asked why he had to sit at this particular desk and why not bring a smaller desk outside. I was told that the mayor does not sit at small desks. Anyway, everything went smoothly and the wedding went off without a hitch. Except during the ceremony, the mayor went over the rules of marriage in Burkina and started saying things such as “All decisions must be made together, but if there is a disagreement the man decides” or “If you move to the U.S., you must do it together, but if both parties do not want to move, the man decides where you will live.” At one point during this Jillian leans over to Ibe and says “Ce n’est pas vrai” (It’s not true). Go Jillian!
After the civil ceremony, everyone moved to a restaurant for the reception. I got there early to check on decorations and make sure that everything was in order. Then the guests started showing up. I believe that over 400 people came into that small restaurant, of which 30 were fellow volunteers. The restaurant sure got crowded! After drinks, food, and the giving of the gifts, the dancing started and continued on into the night. I had a great time and hope Jillian and Ibe did too! Best of luck to them!
After the wedding I came back to Ouaga and have been working at the American Language Center, planning for English classes that will begin next week.
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