Adventures in Africa: Falling for Fall

I think I'm in love...with the weather these days. It's officially "cold" season, where it doesn't get above 100F during the day and drops to the low 80s at night. You don't realize how much the heat takes it out of you until the heat is gone and you can actually be productive between the hours of 12 and 15 without just wanting to lie there, fanning yourself, while dripping with sweat. I still sleep outside (the Burkinabe think I'm crazy), but only in order to use a comforter when it drops below 85F. So every night I sweep my porch, bring a mat outside, drag my mattress out, then my bug hut and finally my blankets. Then I heat water for a shower, take a shower that gives me goosebumps, and crawl into bed under the starlight. I do not have much to complain about at the moment.

School is going well and it's almost already the end of the first trimester. I have only two tests left to give. Technically the trimester does not end until December 23, but the last day to give tests is December 5. After the 5th, teachers spend the majority of the trimester doing grades. Also December is a funky month, in that lots of strikes generally take place. December 6th is predicted to be ferie due to students striking about a student death at the hands of a solider that occurred a few years ago. The 11th is the 50th anniversary of Burkina's independence from France, while December 13th commemorates the death of a journalist and more striking is predicted to occur. So in actuality I will most likely be done teaching next week.

In addition to teaching, lesson planning, and grading tests, I have been busy with a girl's soccer club, teaching English to my nuns, working at Tougouri's malnutrition center, and beginning the process of doing a World Map Project. All in all the time has been flying, although of course some afternoons still drag by. I just finished reading book number 100. My goal is 200, although I am not sure that I'm going to make it with all my current work.

November 16 was Tabaski, a Muslim fete, which was celebrated with a lot of gust in Tougouri. It started at 6am when all the women started cooking food. I bought 3 chickens to be added to the food already being made in my courtyard: meat, riz gras, popcorn, crudite. We finished making the food around 13 and then ate a little bit and proceeded to give away the rest of our food to the neighbors. Then kids started arriving with food to give us from our neighbors. It seemed that we gave away all of our food just to receive the same exact food from our neighbors. People flowed through all afternoon and we gave everyone who came by a plate of food. I also went and visited people, eating a lot of food. Children also came by asking for candy or some coins, while giving us raw meat from the animals that their families had slaughtered for the occasion. All in all, Tabaski was like a mix between Halloween (although no fun costumes) and Thanksgiving with a lot of work for the women while the men just sat around drinking beers and talking all day. Typical.

Burkina elections were held last weekend, with the incumbent President winning again. The elections went off without a hitch and no violence occurred. Cote d'Ivoire's elections are supposed to be today, and we'll see what's going to happen.

Three weeks ago a 6eme student in my village got hit by a gendarme driving too fast through Tougouri. The student was very badly injured, having been thrown at least 6 feet in the air. Fortunately, he is making a good recovery. And of course, no consequences are going to befall the gendarme who hit him.

Last week I was working at the CREN (center for malnutrition) and saw a baby die. I’ve never actually seen someone die and it was disconcerting to say the least. It made me feel helpless and almost ineffectual. This child was sick in the first place due to malnutrition and poor sanitation and was brought to the center too late to really do anything. I wish I could do something about this, but I know it’s very common here and I’m doing the best I can by educating and sharing my knowledge.

I'm in Ouaga for the weekend. I came in early to celebrate Thanksgiving with other PCVs and bureau staff. I ate wayyy too much food, including 2 slices of apple pie (my first in over a year!). My stomach was so unused to the rich food that I got sick Thanksgiving night, but don't worry, it did not spoil the day for me. The rest of the weekend will be spent preparing the budget and project writeup for Camp GLOW (girls leading our world). Camp GLOW is a well-known girls camp in 22 other PC countries but is not yet in Burkina. Another volunteer, Lorena, and I are working to bring Camp GLOW to Burkina. It's going to be a lot of work, but definitely worth it!

I hope that everyone back home had a fantastic Thanksgiving weekend and enjoyed being with friends and family! Miss you!