Letter to Joe & Kerry - 11/28/05

How's it going? I'm currently enjoying some of the new pens that have arrived in the mail. Those have been a nice surprise along with all the other goodies that come. Coming back from Ouaga was a mixed experience. I made the bush taxi station in time for departure, easy enough, but it ended up leaving an hour and 1/2 late. Seemingly stopping at every opportunity to pick up another passenger along the way. Even the ones who seeminly walk literally out of the bush in the middle of nowhere. Normally I wouldn't mind, but I had scheduled an English lesson at 4 o'clock that afternoon planning on a 4 hour drive. Never again plan that way in Africa. One place we stopped for an hour for the driver and folks to have lunch. Ugh. The folks were nice regardless and got a kick out of me speaking Moore with them. During one of the lulls in conversation, I noticed the radio was playing "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," an orchestra version. I stopped and hummed a few bars with my eyes closed, thinking of that song in church and trying to feel the nip at my skin from the cold December night as we would all go to Christmas Eve mass together. I opened my eyes again and felt the sun on my face instead. The weather here is seemingly non-changing day-in, day-out. It's pleasant in that it's reliable, but boring in it's description except that it's hot and dusty and will be like that for the next 6 months, but even more so!

Thanksgiving in Ouaga was a pleasant affair, eventually for me (after my bout of G.I.) and everyone enjoyed the festivities. The American Embassy usually holds a grand feast, but this year a good number of volunteers stayed at the hostel and cooked for ourselves. Everything came out great, just not at the same time. So we ate over the course of 2 hours, just not continuously. The cooks were fabulous and much appreciated for their hard work. Instead of sitting down and watching a game of football, we all socialized, glad to be in the company of familiar faces again, if only for a night or two.

I was worried when I arrived sick that my entire weekend would be ruined, but no. Blessed by chance I got treated immediately and within 5 hours felt human enought to socialize and continue to enjoy my stay. I stayed an extra day in hopes of doing research I couldn't do on the day I was sick, bud didn't get much leeway anyway. Upon finally returning from Ouaga, just in time for my class, I notice my camera is missing from my bag. Yep. At some point in our many stops and my inattention to my articles I thought were safe on top of the bus, somebody riffled through and stole my camera. I was initially pissed, but of all the things they could have taken that was of value that was the least. In the same bag was my passport, all money for the nex monthes wages and my checkbook. These would have been much harder to take missing than the camera. There weren't that many memorable photos on it anyway and I've had it for th past 5 or 6 years. I'll look for another one when I get back to the states in June. By then I hope to have made some genuine local friends that I will want to take a picture of. I gues until then, I'll have to get cracking on my sketches :) Hope you enjoy the one I put in.

{NOTE: I need to find a way to scan the picture!! I'll post it when I can.}

Take care and Merry Christmas!
Love, Laura