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.