surprise... i'm home

Burkina Faso Eats Another Volunteer

Hi guys, it's with some sad and some happy that I share with you all that Heather is on her way home soon. Sad because Eleanor and I will miss her, but happy because it was definately the right decision at the the right time for her. It's going to be lonely here without her, but the choice to stay a while longer makes me really want to make the most of my limited time here. Catch ya later.

Hello, it's been a rough week or so leading up to the school year (especially if you're Heather), but we're almost there. The sequence of events (if you're Heather) went something like (but not limited to) the following: slapped by a beggar, infected blister, attempted kiss by a taxi driver, and high fever, achy, nausea sickness with green slimy diahrrea (of which I would post a picture if one existed, but sadly one does not). So we're here recovering, and we'll be returning to village promptly thereafter.
I start teaching next Monday, and so begins the next phase of our action packed adventure here in Burkina Faso.

PS I feel like my blog entries are lacking in cultural/interesting information about Burkina Faso, so in order to address this problem I've included the following short list of food and beverage items that can be bought and enjoyed in a plastic baggy:
water
various juice type drinks
yogurt
liquor
cooking oil

... and the list goes on. Volunteer's feel free to add to the list in the form of a comment.

Just Checking In

Hey everybody! I'm currently in Ouaga for a relaxing weekend and to run some errands like use the internet. So we're real volunteers now, and we've been in village for a few weeks. It's going well. School starts sometime in October so we are just hanging out and making it home.
There are a few things that I've added to our wish list so feel free to check that out. Also, when people call us it doesn't cost us anything so don't hesitate to pick up a phone card and ring us as much as you want or can afford. Last thing, there should be some new picures on picasa soon so check 0n that.
Really last thing, thanks everybody for sending packages and letters. We picked up packages from our parents this weekend. Keep in touch!
PS Very last thing... Friends and family and whoever email me phone #'s and addresses SVP. Thanks!

Wish List!

Here's a small list of suggestions to assist anyone who wants to send us stuff:

Clif Bars and Luna Bars
Granola
All kinds of Kashi stuff (the hot cereals are delicious)
Dried fruit (especially cherries and cranberries)
Other stuff from the health food store
Propel dry drink mix
Skippy natural peanut butter or PB and Co
Palm Oil (shortening in a tub from Nature's Pantry... it's not hydrogenated)
Whole cardamom pods (green, from Nature's Pantry)
Dried Oregano (Nature's Pantry)
World Map
Interesting tea

Good Cocoa powder


The list isn't all inclusive so feel free to be creative. I'll continue to update it.

Here's a picture of Heather looking angry/confused during sight visit:

And here's a picture of me gnarfing a pizza in Ouaga:

Back in Ouahigouya

So... sorry again about not posting. I was out of town for a week. I had intended to post before I left but a sandstorm kept me from the internet. We got to visit our site last week (I think that Heather already posted that we will be in Pissila), and spend some time in Ouaga. Our site is cool I guess. It's kind of like an oasis only the opposite (everything north and south of us is relatively green). Actually we didn't really spend that much time there, but I think I'll like it.
I've spent a good deal of the last 30 minutes trying to put up some pictures of our first month on Picasa, but the manual upload from here is amazingly slow. There is one picture up though, so I hope that you all enjoy it. I'll see what I can do about getting some more up in the near future. I'm gonna roll before it gets dark so later everybody.

PS We have recieved some more letters and packages, so thank you all. Also, feel free to call us. Relatively cheap calling cards are available online, and it doesn't cost us anything!

Hi, I'm Still Alive

Hi from Ouahigouya… I apologize for the delayed posting. The internet here in town is actually pretty good and accessible at internet cafes, but my schedule is packed. I cherish every moment of downtime, and it’s been difficult for me to motivate myself to do much that I don’t really need to do… like study and take bucket baths.
I’m in classes from 8am to after 5pm Monday through Friday… Saturday is a half day. The classes are mostly language and technical training, right now, with the occasional health or safety and security session. The shots keep coming in rounds.
There are so many things that I could go on about, but I don’t even know where to start. I don’t remember what it was like to be an infant, but I think that it’s probably a lot like that… so much new stuff all at once that your head feels like it’s going to explode, and the last thing that you want to do is think. But you have to. Because people are talking to you in a language that seems like it should be familiar, but everything that you want to say is just barely too complicated for your little baby vocabulary and understanding of grammar.
Actually, I think that things are going relatively well here. The rains have begun and it seems like it’s cooled off a little since we arrived (it’s still hot but it’s bearable). Also, I’ve overcome my first round of vomit-diarrhea-dehydration sickness… that was last week-end. I actually don’t mind bucket baths at all, and I live with a really nice family here during pre-service training (PST or Stage). The list goes on…
On a closing note, I got the post cards that we sent from New Belgium (Daniel). They took about 3 weeks to arrive. I’ve posted my address in the sidebar as promised, and I now have a cell phone so that number is there as well. My goal for next time is to try to get some more photos on Picasa… I’ll see what I can do. Later.

We're off... to Philadelphia

Wow, the last month has been pretty crazy and fun and sometimes not so fun. Anyway... in a few hours we're off to Philadelphia for a couple of days, and then to Burkina Faso. I've got to go and finish packing, but I wanted to say hi and bye real quick. Next time I get a chance I'll post our address for training, and hopefully some pictures. For now check out the link on the right for some Colorado/Utah shots...

"J'ai faim!" -- mon levain

Travel Deals... More Like Travel Steals!!!

Hey everybody! Over the past few weeks I've learned a couple of pretty sweet travel tricks that I feel like I need to share. If you like to fly, then do this now! (not actually right now, but as soon as you get done reading my post). Go to www.southwest.com and download "ding". It's a live update service that gives you access to special offers through Southwest. Here's how it works... you can choose up to 10 airports and "ding" dings (literally) and updates you with special fares from these airports approximately once per day. Today was a really big ding... my wife and I each got roundtrip tickets to Denver for a total of 25% (and that's even rounded up) more than what it would have cost just one of us to fly through another well known travel site, so check it out!... especially if all that math is making you dizzy.
Also, if you're interested in traveling from Kansas City to Chicago or St. Louis and back (or not... I suppose you don't have to come back), then you are in luck. Here's why... a company called Megabus (www.megabus.com) runs routes from K.C. to St. Louis or Chicago, and a limited number of $1 seats (each way) are usually available if you get your tickets well in advance.

Thanks to Doug and Sacha (Sacha mostly... hi Doug!) for telling us about "ding" and my dad for the bus.

If you want it, come and get it! (kind of)

Alright, it's the moment you've all been waiting for. If anybody wants any of our stuff please feel free to let us know. We're lookin' to sell some stuff, but there may be select items that we would be willing to part with without any monetary compensation (like my garlic press). So, if you want it, come and get it! (don't actually come over and take it, please let me know first)

Off to Burkina Faso!

Heather, ma femme, and I will be leaving in June for Burkina Faso! I think it's about time... we started the application process with the Peace Corps over a year ago, so it feels pretty good to finally have departure date, location, and job description. I'll be teaching math and Heather will be working with girls and promoting girls education.