So an athiest Italian, Muslim Nigerien, Catholic Burkinabe, and I were at a bar...

Sounds like the beginning of a joke, but true story.

One of my favorite parts of each day is actually biking home after work. Speeding past other bicyclists and slow mopeds, and sometimes the public bus. My celebaterium, or 10-unit shared compound, is located in a calm, quiet neighborhood away from the center of the capital. It’s quite international—Nigeriens, a Cote d’Ivorian, an Italian, and Burkinabe from around Burkina Faso. If we were a team at pub night, our collective knowledge would kick ass.

*Too many interesting PCVs are in the computer lab, so this entry has been neglected, and it’s time to go home…sorry, mom!

Perspectives

"Life is difficult. Misery is optional."

I could complain and complain about my assignment here, bureau politics, the thieves who stole my bag, market shopping, bike-riding accidents, and many more topics if forced to. But doing so makes me look for negativity in a country where I don't want to be a negative person. I am so lucky and fortunate to be able to experience living in Ouagadougou. Every day, something new amazes me.

My new mantra.

My future office building.

Position applied for: NGO Development Advisor
Actual position on paper: Monitoring and Evaluation consultant with the government's micro-finance loan program under the Ministry of Youth and Employment
Actual position: TBD
Time frame: March 21 to mid-July

First Impressions

Last night, I had flashbacks of my home stay experience in Rosso, Mauritania. As I lay in my stuffy, hot room, I watched a cockroach fly on top of my mosquito net and crawl around. Immediately, I remembered all the lizard-cockroach battles that took place on the same net back in 2008, memories I tried to suppress since then. At least this time around, I have electricity…so I slept with the light on because I was too afraid to get out of my mosquito net and turn off the light.

PC really pushes me to define what I’m capable of. Not just in terms of work projects or ability to culturally integrate. I’ve learned what I cannot stand, and cockroaches are right on that border. I’ll never forget the +20 cockroach killing/screaming spree in Morocco and the sense of deflated accomplishment, but apparently I am still queasy over one or two cockroaches.

When I signed up for this PC Response position in a capital city, I didn’t expect to have to relive those cockroach days in Rosso. I also thought I’d have a different job assignment. My initial impressions of the city, its joie de vivre, the food, and my work make me grateful for my times in RIM, ROC, and USA. This experience just builds off of those, and I’m lucky to take advantage of it all.

The one thing about BF that surpasses any other country I’ve visited on this continent is the people. From Ouaga’s laidback baggage claim to market experiences to biking here to the office today, I am so thankful at how kind/non-judgmental/non-pushy/non-touchy people have been to me. When my bike chain broke on my first bike ride, a little girl (yes, girl) jumped off her bike, fixed my chain, and jumped back on her bike before I could even say thank you. No means no to the sellers and hawkers at the grand marche, supposedly the place of the most pushiest Burkinabe. People say hello; no rocks are thrown. That being said, theft is huge here. Another PCV got her bag literally torn off of her a few days ago in the neighborhood with the PC bureau and PCV transit house.

I’m still new here, so I don’t want to jump to any conclusions. Promise to self: keep an open mind, stay alert, and stick it* out. I’m not an expat; I’m a PCV. PC training ends tomorrow; my first work day (aka PC will no longer baby me) is on Wednesday. Life will really get interesting then.

*it=learning to bike ride, making do with my house’s other critters, figuring out how to get vegetables to my house, living without a fridge/sink, long-distance relationships, spotty internet/electricity…

First Photos

Quick snaps from my first few days in Ouaga. It's been a whirlwind of sessions, meeting staff and volunteers, and familiar unfamiliarty.

Today is Women's Day, which for me involves sleeping in, my first warm shower, and finally using my laptop here. In 20 minutes I'm off to the Rec Center to celebrate by swimming in the pool, eating mediocre western food, watching a fashion show, and shopping for local crafts made by women.

First lunch after first bike ride: yassa poulet

First Burkinabe dinner: millet and fish.

Dinner receipts. All receipts (so far) come written on a piece of paper put into a small woven container.

Street view from my hotel.

Sooooo, internet's too slow to upload the rest of the photos. 'Til later!

DC Stopover

My lock and suitcase broke en route to DC. Good going, TSA; but, thank you United Airlines for replacing my bag.

Am I getting old if I'd rather spend my only night in DC in the hotel's queen-sized bed instead of bar-hopping like the good ole' days? Or have I finally set my priorities straight?

PC Morocco reunion lunch in Chinatown. Yum!

Beautiful sunny weather made walking around Gtown and over the Potomac bridge enjoyable. Will catch up with a Gtown friend this evening. Mom, don't worry!

San Fran Airport

During my stopover, I found this picture taken in Burkina Faso hanging on the wall.