Sunday, June 24, 2007

Letter to Joy and Mark (dated May 25)

Dear Joy and Mark,
Hey guys, how's it going? I know it's been a while since I wrote, but I just wanted to say hi and thank you for all the packages you sent in my time here. They really meant a lot. The book that you sent, "The Wisdom of No Escape," was, and still is, a great book to have. I read a chapter a day and they usually got me through some tough days. Especially days I didn't want to face. I passed the book around to some neighboring volunteers who I thought might need it. I'm not quite sure of their impression and usage, but I think it could only help. It was just returned after some months in circulation and I find myself reading it a chapter per day, not out of need, but to gain new insights. So thanks again!

As you may or may not know, I'm almost done! Woo Woo. But, funnily enough, I've considered extending my time here a couple months, but I'm not sure the bureau would agree to that. I'm sorry I didn't get to see you last time I was in the states, but I hope your annual retreat to the tropics was as pleasant as ever. How many years have you gone there now? Well, hopefully when I get back later this year, I'll get to catch up with you guys.

The other day I was thinking of all the little things that helped me get by or just made my life a little easier here. Besides your book, I found a few things. One: my shower douche. Yeah, that's right. It's 99 cents at Walmast and comes in various pastel colors, but here it's worth its weight in gold. Besides using a brillow pad, there is nothing better to get all the dirt and sun lotion off your skin at the end of the day. Two: my Ipod. Yeah, it's flashy, but also a golden treasure of relaxation and entertainment. Mine's 30 GB, with about 3700 songs, stand-up, and audio books on it. The stand-up tracks are always nice during lunch (Margaret Cho, Eddie Izzard, and Ron White). Three: a do-it-all kitchen knife that my friend Bert sent me. It's some German brand and it kicks ass. I get repeated compliments on it whenever anyone else uses it. It's so sharp, still, and I've never sharpened it. A real gift that keeps giving. Four: Grant and Farah sent me a case of canned chili with a really nice can opener. That can opener, compared to what's available here, really kicks ass too. Five: my tropic screen. It's essentially a two-pole tent that's really just a mosquito net. It's so essential, especially right now during hot season where sleeping indoors is just stifling. Definite must-have in a third world country.

Let me clarify the numbering is in no particular order, because above all else, by far, the support by my friends and family is truly the main element in my ability to maintain my work here. The letters, packages, and phone calls have meant everything to me. The stuff listed above is a little bit of FYI for those who wonder what little things help each and every day as I live and work in Africa.

That's it for now. Take care and thanks again.

Always, Laura

Monday, June 18, 2007

Photos of Soccer Game

Official Cheering, Singing and Dancing Section
Nice colorful crowd shot
The Burkinabe version of a mascot complete with moto. He's wearing a mask that looks like a crocodile, but the team animal is a falcon
These are some fellow volunteers that went to the game with me. Just a bunch of whities hanging out
Shot of the beginning of the game
Shot after the game showing the emptied stadium and the discontent of the fans with the fires and trashing the field

Sunday, June 17, 2007

African soccer game

Last night went to a soccer match between Burkina Faso and Tunisia. Burkina was in control the entire match and had several near goals, but no connection. Tunisia had one moment where the passed more than 5 times and they scored. Let's just say the crowd of about 20,000 Burkinabe's were none too happy. So at the end they began setting fire to all the cardboard that was brought in to sit on. Several little bonfires were set all throughout the stadium while the crowd began breaking apart some of the fencing to the stadium and throwing it onto the field.
Outside, the crowd got even more daring and began attacking the ticket vending building. Breaking all the lights, tearing down adjacent fence and throwing rocks through every available glass window. It was ridiculous.
Our group waited out the crowd a little bit to avoid the crush upon exiting and the higher risks of pickpocketing. Finally upon exiting, seeing and hearing the destruction we were amazed. As we approached the area of destruction, unknowing of the extent of damage, riot police come speeding up and shining their lights on all the hooligans. Too close to be comfortable, we beat feet, got across the street to a calmer side, and luckily found a taxi passing by and left the scene without waiting to see what the riot police would do.
I took some photos and will try to post them another time. It amazed me how worked up people, especially a crowd, gets over such a game. The idea still seems very foreign to me. I'm passionate about soccer, but I'm not going to tear down a building to express my disappointment over a match. Crazy.
Got home no problem, thankfully. That's it for now. Take care.

Oh, one more thing, yesterday i was given the responsibility to completely clean out the volunteer transit house and courtyard, a house of about 7,000sq/ft. Getting rid of several years of built up refuse left by COS'ing volunteers and and whatnot. It took about 8 hours to get it done, with the help of about 6 other volunteers. It felt just like home, after growing up do stuff like that for my dad. We had pile about 20 feet across and 5 feet high built up outside the house after we were done. Surprisingly enough, the stuff in that pile was then sifted through by the Burkinabe workers who maintain our house throughout the week. After they finished, they'll still sell the remaining garbage to other Burkinabe's, because there's still some stuff locals could use. There's so many levels of "garbage" here, it's interesting. I think my Dad would be amused. :-)
That's it for now. Take care
L

Friday, June 15, 2007

Badmouthing the President

No, it's not like the DixieChics, despite my general distaste for W., it is, however, about an event that happened currently in my village. A good one. One, I count as personal victory, if however petty, against one of my adversaries in village, the village health committee president. His name is Ali. I'll give you a little backstory to refresh and give a little perspective of individuals involved.

If you don't already know, the president, Ali, has been a constant source of frustration for me during my tenure in village. Him and the asshole chief nurse, for the past two years, have been closer in peas in a pod. Beside the chief nurse being outright rude and dishonest to me, Ali has been dishonest, and an all over slimy fraud. Together, they've made doing my job extremely difficult. In an ideal Peacecorps health volunteer set up, these two positions, the chief nurse and health committee president should be my closest colleagues. Not so much with my situation. Okay, enough of that. I've already written about the whole saga of why my house wasn't reconstructed in a timely manner, right? right. (Go to April 22nd blog)

I also just found out part of the reason, they didn't care to rebuild my house, is the 9,000cfa they were paying a month went to one of the health committee members' family. Convenient, huh. Okay, so the whole story winds up to the fact that because of their horrid behavior towards me, Peacecorps is not going to replace me. The health committee knew this and didn't care so that brings me up to the event I'm about to describe.

Last Sunday there was a health committee meeting with the new major and I attended in hopes of getting the health committee to co-sponsor my theatre groups' series of sensibilizations that I need to do for the survey project I'm doing. I sit there listening to the Pres(Ali) talking verbosely(he likes to hear himself talk, alot) about how the committee really needs to get it's act together and get active(He's saying this for the benefit of the new major, putting down others to make himself look good). So after of about two hours of listening him blame all the problems going on in their current projects on other members of the health committee, I finally get a chance to explain what I'm doing with the theatre group and my request for the "motivational" payment for doing all these sensibilizations to benefit the community. Long story short, they said no, because that amounts of money wasn't already in their yearly action plan and they couldn't possible afford it(Which is BS). I told them, Okay, if you can't budget for it this year then put it in your annual action plan when you do for next year. The new major, not knowing any better, comments, "Well, that should be okay, since your replacement can make sure that happens". He unfortunately didn't make the connection that my house would be used by incoming nursing trainees after I'm gone, although he had been talking about it early with Ali.
I said, "Well, there isn't going to be any replacement."
And Ali, trying to act innocently stupid says, "Well, why not?"
I turn to him and say, "You know why."
He get's all indignant and says,"no, I don't, what do you mean?"
I smile and then ask, "You really want me to explain it?" Seeing that we're in front of the new chief nurse, all the health committee and about half of the clinic staff who just happen to be sitting nearby listening.
He patronizingly says, "yes, I want you to explain it"
I say, "Okay, it's because of you, and you alone"
"What? Me?"
"Yep, you"
He laughs and says "how?"(Burkinabe tend to laugh when they are in an uncomfortable situation, don't ask me why, but they do)
"You are the one who lied to me and my boss when she was here that your committe couldn't afford to rebuild my house. Then a month later you begin building the office there and the thousands of bricks there" As I point. "You lied to my boss again in February when she asked that you fix the house by then end of the month and you didn't do anything til April. It took you six months to rebuild two walls, that in reality took two days to do. And that was only after the District Doctor made you do it."
He replies, "That wasn't the work of just myself in was the work of the whole Health committee" and I retort
"Fine, but who's controls the health committee? The president. You should be ashamed of yourself! I like this village, but this village will not get another volunteer because of you and your health committee."
After that the whole committee was giggling nervously and the new chief nurse was trying to calm me down, but I was having none of their bullshit. It seemed to me they were laughing at my accusations, but in reality they didn't know how to respond. The president try to brush me off, but the evidence was to clear with the unfinished projects laying empty and ruined next to our meeting site.
After the meeting, the chief nurse, told me that I should get so upset over how the committee rejected my proposal. I told him I expected the rejection, but I refused to let them act like they were innocent over the reasons for no replacement. I've had to deal with them for two years and I'm done. I won't work with them again. I told him I'd like to work with him, but I won't work with the committee again.
Needless to say, I felt gratified i finally got to tell that bastard off, and in front of everyone who knew about the situation, including the most important person who didn't, the new chief nurse. I think he's finally realizing the broken system that was in place before he arrived. That's it for now, take it easy.
L

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Newest and latest

This one's going to be short and I'll post more tomorrow, hopefully in a better mood. I took larium last night and I'm already in mid-mood swing. I just found out a planned sensibilization I coordinated for last night, didn't happen because the DVD's that I gave my friend, didn't work. So I left him crappy CD's to do a well publicized event in my village without being there to help him out. I'm in Ouaga again for a Volunteer Advisory Committee meeting with the bureau(A last minute thing).I feel pretty bad and I'm pissed that the DVD's the bureau gave us didn't work. All's not lost, he did do some sensibilizing, but the damaged event was witnessed by my new major, unfortunately. So, he probably doesn't think to highly of me and my resources at the moment.. Ugh. Ah, well, just another event/day in the life of PCV. Good times.
Next post will be better, I had a big personal victory against my Health Committee President(aka Asshole #2).

Friday, June 08, 2007

Hey travel buddies

Hey, I've just been chatting up the possibility of traveling a little bit on the way home from Burkina, with my friend, Jane, and I was wondering if anyone would like to meet us in Europe. I understand that Burkina Faso is bit far, and not so attractive as a vacation spot, but mayber Europe is. I'll finishing up here late to early October and will be heading to Europe then. Probably looking at about two weeks in Germany and/or Ireland. It'll be a bit cold, but if anyone is interested in coming and chilling with us for a week, you're more than welcome and I'd love to see you. Hopefully, ticket prices to either parts of Europe shouldn't be too bad coming from the states.
If you're feeling a little bit adventurous, I'm plannin on a week in Ghana and a couple days in Morocco before arriving in Europe. Ghana has some beautiful coast lines and the place we're planning to stay is remote, gorgeous, and cheap($10-15/night)and they speak english. In Morocco, they speak french along with a few other languages, and it's much cheaper than Europe. British Air has a direct flight from New York to Accra, Ghana that's like $800 dollars and Royal Air Moroc has cheap flights direct to Casablance from New York($400-600). Both are pretty good airlines, and that time of year, Ghana will be warm and Morocco will be a little bit cool, but nice.
So, if you can't wait to see me at your doorstep next spring, come to Europe or Africa this fall and vacation with me. If you don't come, I'll still come and mooch at your doorstep, if you do, I'll still come and mooch at your doorstep next spring. ;-)