Catch-Up

Due to the physical restrictions that I am currently operating under: no physical activity (ex: biking, running, fast walking) for 6 weeks and no lifting (bags, water canisters, using a water pump, bikes, etc) for 6 weeks I am no longer able to live with my host family. So, until Tuesday, if I have to go to Sapone a PC driver will transport me there early in the morning and then bring me back at night. While it does allow me to get to training it also creates a feeling of isolation for me because I can’t go to the marche like the other volunteers and I cannot see them after class, etc. But, it is only two days and everyone has to work within certain restrictions and for the next month and a half mine just happen to be physical.

Things I learned today include: 1) my French isn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be and 2) my moore is a lot worse than I thought it would be. I am going to have to do a lot of studying and practicing to get back to where I was.

However, I am allowed to swear in with the rest of the group and I am only going to site a day later than everyone else. And, since my site is so close I might actually get to my house before some of the other volunteers do.

Playing catch-up hasn’t been too bad- the only language oriented thing I had to do was a Language Proficiency exam and the rest were administrative sessions that discussed what’s expected of me when I’m at site, how to handle money matters and how much money I actually get, the expectations of the country director, and some cross cultural stuff dealing with relationships and how the Burkinabe are different from Americans.

Since Stage is over, they are moving us to a place called SIL- a protestant retreat if you will, for the next 4 days so we can prepare for swear in, buy some stuff before we head off to site, and just enjoy the company of other Americans for a few days.

There currently an astounding amount of volunteers in Ouaga because people are 1) just here 2) here for swear in or 3) the previous stage (code named G24) is having in service training (IST) at the same time we’re swearing in. So, the bars and restaurants that serve food beyond rice, chicken, and beans are inundated by Americans.

There really isn’t too much to say about the catch up process because it was fairly straightforward- and not at all difficult. In the eyes of the Peace Corps, I am ready to go off to site.