Site Visit

Last week I visited my site Tougouri with my counterpart, Konate. Konate is an SVT (Biology) and math teacher at my school and she will serve as my connection to the village while I live in Burkina. I can also go to her with any questions, cultural, or otherwise that I have. In Tougouri, I met Becca, the volunteer that I will be replacing. While in Tougouri, I went around with Becca and Konate, meeting many people and learned a lot about my village. However, I did not meet many other teachers at my school, because teachers here work for the government and are told where to work in the country. Therefore, many of the teachers do not teach in their home villages and leave to visit their homes during the summer vacation (June to September). However, I did meet the censeur (David), who is in charge of the school finances, and Mariam, the school secretary, because they both live in my courtyard. I was very glad that Becca was around for most of my site visit, as my French is not all that good and Becca was able to tell me many things about Tougouri that I would not think to ask. It was interesting to see the different places that Becca and I are in, she leaving for the U.S. and me having just arrived. Seeing Becca interact with the people in her village was very aspiring and now I am even more motivated to learn more and do a good job here, because I want to be as comfortable and at ease in two years as Becca appeared last week. In Tougouri I stayed in Becca’s house (now my house) (see pictures below). The house is small, two rooms: a bedroom and a cooking/eating room, but I do not need much space at all. In fact, the house seemed quite large compared to the room I currently have at my host family’s house. It was great to be able to see where I will be living, because now I know more about the future. Also, Becca is leaving the house very well stocked, so I really do not have to buy much! Site visits in the middle of stage was a great motivation booster, and of course a good break from class. Now I am ready for Model School for the next month, followed by swear-in, and affectation (moving to site)!
After site visits, we (the other trainees and I) met up in Ouaga. Getting to Ouaga was an experience- my first experience with BF public transport by myself. Public transport here is like nothing in the U.S. Roads are jammed with bicycles, mopeds, cars, and large trucks and buses, so travelling can be a terrifying experience. Throw in donkey carts and many pedestrians, getting around Burkina can be quite interesting. Cars do drive on the right, like in the U.S., but there are no set lanes, so drivers drive on both sides of the road in an effort to avoid other road traffic. There are relatively few paved roads in Burkina, but the larger cities usually have a few paved roads. Tougouri is also directly on a paved road, so I am lucky in terms of transport (aka I have a direct route to Ouaga that does not involve a bush taxi). Burkina has a number of coach bus companies, with daily departures and generally set prices. Times of departure are followed, for the most part. Although there are many bus companies, some companies are better than others and choosing the right company can result in getting to the destination on time or spending the night in the bush due to a broken down bus. Bush taxis are another option for transport available to PCVs, but bush taxis do not leave on set days/times and do not have set prices. So it is necessary to haggle for the price and then sit and wait for the taxi to leave. Of course, the mode of transport most commonly utilized by Burkinabe (and PCVs) is bicycle.
My trip to Ouaga was relatively unevently, other than the fact that I had to wait a little bit to get a bus that had room for me and my bike. I ended up taking a bus that had room for my bike, but little room for me so I sat in the aisle for the 2.5 hour ride. Becca met me at the bus station and brought me to the PC transit house (a Peace Corps owned building, similar to a hostel, where Peace Corps Volunteers from any country can stay) so that I did not have to deal with negotiating the price for a taxi by myself. Thanks Becca! The other trainees and I spent the next few days in Ouaga, getting to know the city and the PC headquarters there. Ouaga seems to a pretty fun city, with several movie theaters, swimming pools, bowling alley, and even a French grocery store (YES!!!). I also had a chicken sandwich, pizza, and a chocolate milkshake while in the city…soooo good! I have a feeling that I might be coming into Ouaga on a relatively frequent basis after I move to site, if only for the variety in food and the book library at the transit house. Now I am back in Ouahi, ready to start teaching in Model School next week!

My house!

Some interesting cloud formations prior to a storm

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.

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

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.

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

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"