Be nice

Hey guys, back again to give you a little of hot air straight from the Sahel! Today I am going to praise the people of Burkina Faso. It's true, because I just got a little perspective that has helped me realize that even though I have to do without alot of creature comforts, at least the locals are generally nice and have a sense of hospitality.

This weekend talking to alot of PCV's from other countries who've come into Ouagadougou for FESPACO(international film festival, google it)they've been impresed with local hospitality. And talking to PCV's of Burkina, who've traveled else where in Africa, they can attest. Burkinabe's are the nicest, if not the most honest, people they've dealt with.

Many people that literally come at you in markets have a bit to be desired in manners, but interactions at shops, restaurants, businesses, and goings on in daily life are generally friendly if you are willing to be the same. As long as you say "hello, how are you?" first you're dealt with pretty well. In some other countries, I've been hearing, locals are obstinate, unwelcoming, and outright rude. So I can be thankful for the cheerful demeanor of Burkinabe's that I've come to take for granted.

There a select few who I think have been genuine friends that haven't been searching for ways to get money from me, but all in all, despite all that, their attitude in life is laugh, laugh, laugh. Life is tough, don't have any money, so enjoy what there is and laugh when you can. It's sometimes hard for me to understand why they laugh over such trivail things and refuse to ever cry from pain or grief in public. Just a cultural normity that keeps the desire for joy above the need to revel in pain. There are hardly anyone here whose "depressed" as we would clinically like to call it. You'd think they'd have reason for it, but I've seen more joy of life here than I've ever seen in the states. So, there's one picture I'd like to destroy for you folks. People aren't walking around in a hungered daze, they're living, loving, talking and laughing.

That's all for now, I'll try uploading some pics next time of my theatre group, they're nuts.

Take care

L