One Month Down

My french is improving exponentially. I can actually have conversations with my host family. My mother is a cashier at the Caisse Populaire, which is similar to a bank. She has taught me how to make a wonderful piment (a spicy condiment which is a God send and culinary delight) and a traditional remedy for malaria (although I might add some Western medicine to the recipe if I do get malaria). Her role is to teach me all of the domestic skills that I will need in village life, and she is very good at this job, although I am her first Peace Corps "daughter".

I had the opportunity to travel to the south of Burkina to visit a current volunteer and observe different project possibilities. The much greener, slightly cooler south was a welcomed change. Seeing what volunteers actually do made me anxious to get my own site.

We also made a stop in Ouagadougou (the very chic capital city) and visited the SIAO (Salon International de l'artisanat de Ouagadougou) festival. The international festival features artists and craftsmen from all over Africa, and, as expected, the art here is plentiful, resourceful, creative, and absolutely gorgeous. I purchased a Batik (a local technique for tapestry-making) with a picture of a woman riding a bicycle with her baby tied to her back, hauling a huge load of wood underneath a Baobob tree -- the woman multi-task here like you would not believe. After the festival we returned to Ouahigouya in the north central part of the country.

I received my official site assignment last week! The following is a condensed version of my invitation letter:

"Congratulations Kat!

You've been chosen to serve in Karfigula, a rural community ten kilometers form Banfora. Your counterpart is Siaka Tou...[a] young, motivated member of the community who received the endorsement of the community's traditional and elected leaders.

Peace Corps has chosen you to work in this site because of your stated preference for a rural site with a significant amount of biking. Proximity to Banfora should provide you access to the music and culture that you requested. Understand that despite the proximity to Banfora, the site is extremely small and remote, but given the scenic beauty of the waterfall, and the nearby tourist traffic, the site is also full of the most potential."

I'll be living in a village of less than 1,000 people with no electricity or running water right next to the biggest waterfall in the country. The site is a tourist attraction, but currently there are limited services offered there, and it is hard to find because there are no signs. My job will be to teach basic savings, accounting and marketing skills and facilitate income generating activities according to the needs assessment of the community. In addition, I can collaborate with other volunteers and initiate side projects in health and education for the community. Four more weeks of training...