One Month In

I've been in country for a month now and it's weird how "normal" being in Burkina Faso is beginning to feel. When I was in Ghana I felt a certain sense of disconnect from the US but that sense isn't as strong here. I don't know what's causing it but I don't feel like I've been gone for a month, but I feel like I've been in Burkina Faso for a lot longer than a month.I think that's got something to do with the weather and the lack of discernable seasons. My friend brought out some Christmas music the other day and I realized that it's almost the middle of November...and it's 100 degrees...and it's snowing in Massachusetts. Another big landmark that I've missed is the start of the swim season (and maybe homecoming? I'm not really sure of that date). It's definitely a big change without swimming to keep me busy, I've got other things to do here, but nothing that will keep me in as good a shape, nor that will act as that good of a stress reliever.
 When I read the blogs of other volunteers who had been to Burkina Faso it was kind of cool to see the dates when they posted blogs- 3 weeks between blogs, 3 months between blogs, etc and I thought to myself that I wouldn't have that long between blogs when I'm there, when I'm in BF I'll have a regular blog and I'll post once a week, once every two weeks tops. But I've been here a month and haven't posted one blog so that just goes to show. However, maybe when I get to site I'll be in charge of my own routine and therefore I'll be able to work a blog day into my schedule.
Over the past few weeks I've been doing some sensibilizations (I know that's not a word in english, it roughly translates to an awareness campaign). The first one I did was at a family's courtyard and that was on proper nutrition. BF doesn't use the food pyramid, they use the food house with protectors, energy, and constructors. Protectors are the fruits and vegetables, energy is made up of carbs, and constructors are protein (I think that's right). That was pretty cool because the family we worked with is a subsistance farming family. They literally grow what they eat and do not sell it, when they need money they sell some livestock (which they also breed occasionally). So, we got to talk to them about what they can grow, and consume that satisfies the food house in order to get a balanced meal. The language barrier was a bit of an issue (Mam gomda moore bilf bilfu--> I only speak a little moore) but I'm hoping to rectify that soon enough. I'm splitting my language time right now between my local language (moore) and practicing french.So we had a translator for the french to moore and I acted as a translator from french to english if it was needed. The second program we did was actually for a primary school and for that we performed a skit that taught the importance of good hygiene with respect to covering food and washing your hands before you eat, etc. In BF, there are a lot of flies. Flies love to land on dirty things (trash, animal poop, human poop, etc) and then move to other things (people, food, people eating food, etc) and a lot of diseases are transmitted via a fecal-oral route. Flies, that have landed on poop and are now on someone's food are a great way to transmit those types of diseases and therefore, if you leave the table you should cover your food...that's the moral of the story at least. The kids seemed to get a kick out of us acting, and they were able to answer our questions about how you wash your hands, when you wash your hands, etc but unfortunately the school did not have a hand washing station. So there was no place to actually put the information we had imparted into action. But being at the school and talking to kids was definitely very cool, and very rewarding in and of itself.
I'm also becoming pretty adept at washing my own clothes by hand. I don't really like it, but today I was able to make my socks (which had turned red from the dirt) go back to being white. A small victory but a victory nevertheless.
I'm trying to think of other things I should be saying in a blog but I really don't know where to begin with life here so I guess I'll do some FAQs, and if you have extra questions, just post it as a comment or e-mail it to me. No, I don't have running water. No, I don't have electricity. No, it's not a big deal but it makes doing things at night difficult. Yes, I ride a bike everywhere. Yes, I wear a helmet everytime I ride a bike. Yes, I think Keen should seriously consider sponsering me because I wear their shoes everywhere and rave about how comfortable/ practical they are for life here. Yes, I do look like the poster boy for REI or Columbia most days. No, I still don't really understand zip-off pants (sorry Papa). Yes, I poop in a hole. No, it's really not that tough. Yes, good aim does take practice. Yes, it is fun not to have to flush. No, toilet paper is not a commodity everyone enjoys here. Yes, I do use it though. Yes, a rooster wakes me up every morning. Yes, it is annoying. Yes, I have been making an effort to dissuade him from doing it outside my window, and yes it has been working. No, it is not the most annoying sound I've ever heard, that prize goes to the donkey. Yes, mefloquin gives you crazy dreams. Yes, you should come visit. Yes, I bathe via a bucket. No, I actually do like it. Yes, it is a bit excessive using hot water to bathe in the middle of Africa. No, I don't have a choice. Yes, I think the other trainees are all pretty cool. Yes, I do wish the diet had more variation. Yes, I am usually asleep by 9. Yes, I do feel like Papa because of my style of dress (maybe Papa should try Keens) and sleeping habits, and I do want to go meet Johnny Cain now.  Yes, I do feel like Trinity prepared me well for the Peace Corps, and I do miss the beach very much.
I guess those are just answers really, but you can probably guess the answers from them.
Until next time.