Black Friday

26 Novembre 2010

Instead of hustling and bustling to department stores and scrounging for the best sales, I am at my house... in Burkina Faso... oversleeping and recovering from the 108km I biked in the past 2 days. ha. So Thanksgiving was yesterday and all I wanted was to be home with my family, but, of course, I was stuck here in this damn country. I met up with Emily in Sapouy for the holiday: this is what I brought with me, on my bike.

• Beans which were soaked overnight
• Boiled sweet potatoes
• Box of organic vegetable stock
• Eggplant
• Garlic
• Potass (potassium for the beans)
• Chives
• Smushed bread, :[
• Instant mashed potatoes (so good!)

We made a vegetarian Moroccan-spiced soup, stuffing, mashed potatoes with garlic&chives, and sweet potatoes!

Overall it was a good day - nothing compared to how it would be back home... but good. The highlight of the day was when i got to talk to my mom and dad and then Devon! I tried to convince my parents to bake a pie en lieu of the holiday... not sure if it worked. Only ingredient missing this day was Bean - I don't know how to reach her via cellphone.

I miss my family so much.

Scorpions, Bats and Parasites: Oh My!

Tuesday, 14 September 2010

Where to start? Scorpions. Riding my bike at night through the bush. Having a pet bat named ligdi or muerte. Parasites revisiting. Talking to my mom. Hmmm....

Let's start from the beginning... Having my parasite come back from the dead. I thought it had resolved itself - my stomach cramps and diarrhea were gone last Friday or maybe Thursday, but low and behold, 3 or 4 days later it came out of it's dormitory state and apparently is really mad I ate muton (sheep) and other African dishes this Sunday and Monday. Ouch. When I got to Ouaga on Friday I'll talk to one of the PCMOs (Peace Corps Medical Officer). As I mentioned, my parasite is back and was quite unhappy when a fellow PCV came to visit me on Sunday. there was a huge funeral that day before she could make it to my village - a very important, well known Imam passed away and his funeral was in my village. There were so many people here I felt like I was in Ouaga when I got to the "center" of my village. I was insane - and I needed to shake hands with everyone - very intimidating and very tiring too! I saw 3, well, no... 2 1/2 nessaras (stranger, or white person) at the ceremony/gathering/fête and almost jumped out of my seat to go talk to them and hope they spoke English. Turns out they are Belgium and the live here. They've been here for about 2 years now - living in Ouaga, but working in another city in the south of the country. She and I talked for a bit - but she had to go since her husband and small son were leaving the next day - so we didn't get to talk much.

So! Monday, the PCV and I went to a city for the marché and I bought some more things for my little house and we had some awesome lunch! : Hummus-esque type sandwiches with tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, onions and a vinaigrette. It was America in my mouth. Ashley came down to the city too later that day - so we all chatted and shared a beer and some muton. Damn you parasite!! Ashley caught me up on upcoming plans with the gang...and that left me leaving the city way too late! 18:00...that's 6:00pm for everyone who doesn't do military time. It gets dark by 18:30 and it takes me over an hour and a half to get back to village via BIKE! Geez. I hauled ass on my bike - really - I was riding so fast! Or, at least, as fast as I could and by the time I got home it was pitch black. I was accompanied by four men on their bikes throughout the journey though: one who was going to a small village on the way to my own village (about half the way to my village), then another man who was going to the village right on the corner of the main road and the dirt road to my village and then two guys on their way to my village who lit the way through the bush. I was really scary. I couldn't see anything and it was all so different looking at night. I second guessed the route so many times because I didn't know if it looked the same or not - but things always appear differently at night.

I get home - go the chez major to let him know I didn't die on my way home and to eat dinner with him and the other nurses and pharmacist. Went home, showered (took a bucket bath) and noticed a really big spider in my indoor douche area!! I got my HUGE can of Oro (insect killing spray) and went to town! Well, I noticed ants up in the doorway to my bedroom too - so I sprayed them. Then I saw it scurry under my "kitchen table." I thought it was a spider with something caught on it's butt from it's web...BUT IT WAS A SCORPION! I was so scared and killed it with my sandal. I swept it outside and showed/called over my neighbors. I was really shook up and asked to the best of my abilities if there would be more of them if I saw one. They assured me no and I should spray "pumpé" the insecticide and go to bed (at least I think that's what they said). I went to sleep outside in my bug hug... but then a storm came rolling in and I had to go inside. I slept inside my tent in my "one-size-fits-all room". Went to sleep pretty easily & woke up around 8:00 because I was so beat from all that biking. Got out of my tent and started looking around because I sprayed my whole house because I went to bed outside. Low and behold ANOTHER SCORPION: still twitching on it's back right next to my tent. I freaked out and then saw another one on the opposite side of the room - dark in color and really scary looking! (these things aren't small either! about the size of the palm of my hand). It was dead - and if it wasn't, the girl whom I got to come inside my house because I was on the verge of tears killed it when she came in. By the time three women were in my house I started crying because I was so stressed and scared. They tore apart my house - lifting my mats, my luggage, and whatever else was on the floor and made sure there weren't any more scorpions. They found just one more. FOUR SCORPIONS IN TOTAL! I don't like it one bit - I'm actually really spooked now and am paranoid there will be another one crawling around my feet or up the wall ready to prick me with it's venomous tail. So scary.

So today's been a weird day. Scorpions in the morning - along with lots of tears - then a newborn baby. I got to look over her at the CSPS for a little bit. It was so tiny! On the subject of the CSPS, I'm not sure how well the medical system is: I feel like it would be better if they were more vocal with the patients and were more organized. So after the baby, I called home. This was around 10:45 here, which is 5:45 at home. Mom picked up!! It was such a relief to talk to her - thought I didn't really get to spill my terror filled guts to her. But it was great. I miss her so much. Devon and Berto are visiting home in October!! I'm really glad everyone is doing well. Dad's working on the house to get it ready to be sold - he's on "vacation" but always working. Poor, poor daddy. Mom says she's gonna come visit me during her spring break which means April or March? I forget when that is... that would be next year - sounds good right now - I told her to buy a West Africa travel guide book thing. I think that'll help.

After I talked to her, I sat around the CSPS and then went back to my place just after midi. I ended up sweeping a bunch and being paranoid - but laid down and quickly fell asleep on the ground. I woke up and noticed something moving around where my tin roof meets the cement walls. I saw a furry face and tiny feet - okay, this could be either a mouse, rat, or a bat. I kept watching it as it was peering down to see what I was doing and noticed it's claw-like feet: BAT! Plus it's little face was all kinds of squished. I got worried and walked to the CSPS to tell them that I had seen a bat in my house to gauge their response - seems like it's not a big deal. They said that it faire rien (does nothing). Phew! But then they saw it and was gonna either kill it or terrorize it! I quickly stopped them and said it will eat lots of bugs. He shall stay and be my friend. I'm calling it either ligdi (money in Mooré) or muerté. He's really tiny and kinda cute - I woke him up from a nap and he yawned BIG! I want to feed him bananas because he started squeaking when I was eating one. Maybe he's a fruit bat? I don't know. But I think I'm okay with him in my house. I'd rather him than any number of bugs...especially scorpions!

MMMMmmm - I made yummy make-shift mac and cheese tonight with vache qui rit (laughing cow cheese) and powdered milk. I added green pepper, tomatoes, onions, chives and garlic - along with the essential salt and pepper with some chicken bouillon stuff. It was good! I saved the left-overs for lunch tomorrow and put the contents in my desert fridge. But alas - my parasite didn't like it one bit. He growled and made me think I was gonna throw up and crap all over the place just 10 minutes after I devoured my meal.

I ate a banana - I hope that helps.

Gotta get up at 5:00 tomorrow to be ready for traveling to one of my satellite villages. It's about a 16KM bike ride away - I leave at 7:00.

Happy Father's Day Daddy-e-o!

Sunday, 05 Septembre 2010

You've successfully been a pops for a long time and you've done such a wonderful job! You sacrificed sleep to be there for all of our important games and recitals. You always supported us in every way you were able to. You disciplined us even when we butt heads. You always made us feel better when we were down. You are the BEST DAD anyone could ask or wish for. Thanks a million - words cannot explain or even begin to display the amount of gratitude I feel for you. I am so grateful to have such a strong, intelligent, disciplined, creative, determined, successful, funny, down-to-earth, R.O.S.S., supportive man to call my father. You are the best. Thanks! I love and miss you terribly - can't wait to see and talk to you again from across the world... your most favorite daughter -

Peanut

I miss my dad a lot. I wish I had the capability to see him whenever I wanted. I miss having him around to make me laugh when I want to cry. I want to be able to call him and tell him about all the crazy things I've encountered here in Burkina. I want him to see my house - and help me fix it up. I wish he could be here to see all my neighbors and be just as confused as I am when they speak to me in these foreign tongues. I wish I could get in his car and ride around with the top down. I wish I could ask him to get me a glass of milk when he would get up for seconds at dinner time. I want to scold him for his bad habits of smoking again. I want him to cook gumbo and spaghetti for me. I want him to be outside sweating profusely so I can bring him a big glass of ice water. I want to be able to hug him when I miss him like this.

Moosh! I Love You!

Saturday: 04 Septembre 2010

Been in village for 6 jours and I'm still really overwhelmed…but it doesn't seem too bad anymore.
I need to do the following:

1. Find a Tutor
2. Organize House
3. Buy Things for House
4. Paint
5. Find all PC material
6. Make a Map of my Village
7. Make a list of People Met
8. Figure out the CSPS/Aire Sanitaire
9. Start WORKING OUT AGAIN
10. Figure out if I have a Parasite

Good. That's a good start.

Last night was really fun. Rob came down to my village - rather, we: me, Rob and his friend Josh rode our bikes down from Sapouy yesterday morning and Josh left early due to the fact that his bike broke while riding on the terrible dirt road that connects my village to the main goudron (major cement road)... the rain that produced the mud was not helping the situation or the fact that we were all so very tired after the 20+ KM bike ride to the dirt road. Did I mention it's a terrible, terrible path. And during this bike ride, I fell into this feces-infested, mud hole, swamp of all things gross. I blame karma. Rob went one way - and I went the other, told him he went the wrong way and that he was definitely going to fall...and then I lost balance, slipped - put my foot down into the muddy swamp, foot slipped, and thus I fell over...straight into the pit of grossness. Rob called me a swamp ass. I got up after a good laugh - and we were on our way - by that time, the rain had started once again. We were soaked, I was injured. Damn battle wounds. By the time we made it back to my house I found other injuries...

So what made the night so great? Dave Matthews, Fergie and great food. I made fideo!!! It was amazing. Was just missing pinto beans. Ashley - you would be proud. And he moosh-cat came around and I fed it chicken while I confessed my love of it. Rob made fun of me - says I'm weird cause I talk to animals, plants and food... that's normal, is it not? Well, I fed Mortamore (the moosh-cat) and I said I loved it every time it ate a piece of chicken. He loved it because he came back for more tonight! I made more fideo and added some veggies and more chicken. Yum.

It was fabulous and I shared it with my neighbors. They all fought over it cause they liked it so much! At first they were very skeptical, but the kids began to eat it, and the women all laughed when I asked how it was. They just nodded (the kids) and then I said...come try this, I'm a good cook!! And the women all came running - the fideo was gone in less than 5 minutes. Talk about a hit! I'm really happy they didn't spit it out. That would have made me sad.

Welp - aside from all that: I'm really missing my family ad friends. I miss being able to talk to my mom and dad whenever I want. And I miss being able to drive down to see Ashley - I miss that comfort. I'm not saying I need it - but my heart sure does desire it, and misses it so. It's funny, I'm not homesick, but rather upset I can't hear the people that mean the most to me. I miss my beak and really wonder if I miss him because that's comfortable or if I really really miss him. Maybe I'm just being needy - but why not miss the ex then? Hmm - tricky, eh?

Well - it's time for bed. It's almost 22:00 - and I want to wake up with the sun tomorrow. We'll see if that happens.

I hope it doesn't rain tonight.

I'm loving my BugHut 2

What a Blur

This has been quite a journey. From the first thought of applying for the Peace Corps, to the process of applying, the stress of gaining much needed experience, to the anxious feeling of having to wait, the unbelievable feeling of relief when all was done, and all I had to do was wait, the overwhelming excitement after being accepted & invited, to the realization that I'll be leaving in less than a week. What a journey.

It's funny, but when I'm home packing for my two year rendevouz, I'm not anxious, nor am I worried about leaving. It almost feels like I'm not leaving. & Hopefully my body isn't trying to trick me into thinking I'll just be gone for a little while. These days, months, years have all passed so quickly. It's been a very detailed blur. I have gone in and out of stress - in and out of the excitement, the terror, the anxiety, the joy, and most of all the sadness. I am fully out of that. I am not fearful, I am not sad, I am not anxious. I am excited - in a much milder tone. I am calm. I like it this way. I don't feel like it's forced. I feel as if this is how I should be. I know there will be times when I will write in my journal, or say to myself: what have I gotten myself into...but I know what I've bargained for, and this is exactly what I want (at least this is what I think).

I can't wait to meet all the other PCTs who are going to be in Philadelphia on the 21st. I'm excited to learn where they are from, and how they decided on what they are about to embark on. I'm excited to meet the community in which I'll be living. I'm overwhelmed with excitement and nervousness about the language barrier - but I truly believe my French will pick right back up again - and I'll be able to learn both French and the local language quickly. Ha. I BETTER. I will live, breathe, speak, eat & sleep those languages. Hopefully I'll even post some entries in either the local language or French (I'm actually really excited about that).

Well - it truly has been a blur of friends, relationships, family, locations, education & life experiences. I'm so privileged to have been with such good company, and so many positively influential people in the past three years: these people, and things I have learned have molded me into the person I am right now - regardless of whether the change was minute or drastic. I am so thankful for all the support I have. I just wanted to say thank you.

I am a prisoner of Stress

Stress has taken a hold of me, and my body has finally submitted to its power.

I can't describe how I feel these days. It's a mix of anxiety, excitement and an overwhelming feeling of what ifs. I am trying to keep myself calm, but in the midst of preparing to depart, exchanging addresses, saying "until next time" to friends, flying/driving to see family, and then everything needed to finalize here in Austin - it's all becoming a blur.

And with this blur comes sickness. I am weak. I am not hungry. I am fatigued - both mentally and physically. I am congested. I cannot breath. I have body-aches. I have headaches. I am not well.

But I know this will be better. I also know that I'll have many bouts of this while I'm in Africa. This is just the beginning. This is why I'm trying to stay off meds that we take advantage of here in the States. I am trying to naturally get rid of my headaches and body-aches. I am also just taking it easy this weekend. I know that rest is essential, and the past week has not been very accommodating to that aspect of my life which is greatly needed.

I am already missing my friends and family.