Blogs from Centre, Burkina Faso, Africa

It's World Malaria Month! Do you know what that means? Volunteers throughout Africa are competing to do the most amount of trainings/projects/activities/anything you can think of in their villages to raise awareness of malaria and to promote prevention methods and early treatment seeking habits. In Burkina Faso, volunteers are painting murals at their local health clinics, incorporating malaria discussions into their teaching curriculum, or sitting in their markets fixing holes in nets. For me, I have a whole week planned of events. Next week, I will be working with the CM1 and CM2 (5th and 6th grade) students and talking with them about everything malaria-related. Starting off each session, we will be playing Bed Nets & Mosquitoes. You start off with two ends called the "bed nets." Two students stand in the middle and act as ... read more

Since my last post four months ago, a lot has changed here in Burkina Faso. Here's a brief update: At the end of January, I visited another volunteer's site to celebrate Mouloud, a Muslim holiday. We ate so much rice and sauce, dance until our feet were sore, and laughed and talked with people in the village. It was an amazing time to see such lively culture where everyone was so full joy. The volunteer's village has a beautiful mosque taken care of by a family originally from that village, but now lives in Cote d'Ivoire. They put on a huge party for us with tons of food and music and entertainment, and it was really one of the best holidays I've celebrated in this country so far. In February, I was asked to attend a ... read more

It's been 3 months since I've gotten to site and I already feel more than comfortable at home. I got a puppy a couple weeks after getting there, and he helped me get through two of the roughest months one can face as a Volunteer. Unfortuntately, my dear Bruno passed away last week. Along with each puppy from his litter and several dogs in my neighborhood, he contracted some sort of parasite the veterinarian could not get rid of. With in the same week, a new family moved into my courtyard, a nurse at the CSPS with 3 children all under 10. I couldn't be happier to have such a wonderful family to share my evenings with. I also work with the nurse at the CSPS, which makes feeling comfortable there all that much easier. Thanksgiving ... read more

Last night a few volunteers went to the Burkina Faso v. Central African Republic soccer game here in Ouaga. And let me just tell you that it was unlike any other sporting game I've been to. It was AWESOME! We got our tickets earlier that day, got to the stadium, stood in three different lines because they weren't letting people in the doors anymore, finally found an open door and ran through it, got ushered down to the front by some Burkinabe's to sit with them, crammed into the "bleachers" like sardines, and had the best time of our lives! CAR scored within the first couple minutes, but Burkina quickly caught up, winnning 3-1. This was a qualifying game for the African Cup and Burkina did it! The people we were sitting around are probably what ... read more

So it' been way too long since I have written here. Let's catch up quick: I am three weeks into being a volunteer at site. Right now is kind of difficult because most people are still in the fields for the end of rainy season and school doesn't start until October 1st. I have been spending the past few weeks getting to know my neighbors, other teachers, and boutique owners, as well as anyone else I can find that will listen to me and ask questions. Stage is over, and as crazy busy as it was sometimes, I really do miss being with all my friends all the time. Site is a little lonely when you're the only Nasara and people just stare at you. But I have been spending a lot of time with my ... read more

We’ve just finished Week 3 of training and, wow. I can honestly say I have never felt like this before. I don’t even know where to start. First, I should let you know that I can only get internet twice a month, if I’m lucky, so don’t expect too many updates. We’ve been in Sapone for the past three weeks and I think I’m finally getting used to it all. Chickens, pigs, goats, sheep, and dogs outnumber the people 5-fold. I wish I could draw a map of my host family’s compound. There are six “houses,” and by that I mean four walls, a tin roof, and a window and door on the same side. Luckily, I have my own house. Another one is for one of my uncle’s, one for my grandpa, one for his ... read more

We're in Ouagadougou for the next couple days. Then we leave on Saturday with our host families to Sapone. Right now, we're just sitting in a conference room using the free internet (Wahoo!!). We had a bunch of interviews today to place us for French, to update our medical records, and to give more information for our job descriptions. The ground is really red here, very dusty. It's more like a bunch of red sand that's been ground super fine. And hot, man, is it hot. But the current volunteers that met us here say that you adjust quickly, thankfully. There are a bunch of lizard runny the compound. I saw a huge one today that had an orange head and blue body, but it was too quick to take a picture. Flying over the Sahara ... read more

At the close of twilight a busload of passengers were preying towards Mecca. Meanwhile a white man was walking out of the border office of Burkina Faso raising his passport in the air. That white man was me and I was acknowledging the Ladies and Members stand at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). I had just notched up my maiden century! But I wasn’t raising my passport like a cricket bat (typically done when a cricket player reaches 100 runs) in a joyous triumphant way like it was a game changing or career saving innings. It was more like a 50 celebration when the player has got his eye in and is thirsty for more – A slight raise of the bat about, shoulder height and towards the two packed buses parked on the road. 100 ... read more