Mom came to visit...

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Hello everyone!!

Sorry for the lack of communication again. I know I'm pretty bad at this sometimes.. So.. updates from me..

Well.. mommy came to visit in March. It was a really nice time. She got used to Africa pretty quick and was actually better at adapting then I thought. It was also a cool experience in the sense that she speaks french. When Dee came.. there was some sort of a communication barrier and it was not as easy to meet people, but with Mommy, we got some nice conversations and interesting encounters done.. of which.. I rather not speak about :P ahah.

But anyway.. She came with plenty of gifts, not only for myself. Bringing Dieubeni and Djeneba all sort of things, mainly school stuff and some books to learn english. They were both really happy. It was like Christmas for them. There was a really nice connection between my mom and those two. I feel like they are even more part of my family now.

With my mom, we did some nice visits. We ended up going to Tiebele and Nazinga park, visit some traditional Kassena houses and some wild animals. I'm happy I got a chance to go to Nazinga, since the whole elephants expedition with Dee didn't work so well. It was a nice 2 day trip, we relaxed and enjoyed a cool night. It was just painfully expensive, but hey! Like mommy said.. when are we gonna have the chance to do a safari again.. True say..

We also went to Bobo and Banfora, where there are some nice waterfalls. This area of the country is pretty close to Ivory Coast and the landscape is just so different, so much greener. I even felt like I was in another country since I'm just so used to my Orange dusty surroundings. We stayed with a missionary I met at work. He lives there with his Burkinabe wife and daughter. They welcomed us very well and we really didnt expect that great of accomodation and service. They have a 4x4 and it was just perfect for the whole visit around Banfora. We went on a pirogue on a lake to look for hippos and then to the Falls. I had the opportunity to connect again with my little Naomi, little girl who seem to like me a lot. I'll always remember when we left at the bus station, she was semi-crying, not looking right at you, sort of pissed off.. So cute!!! I love that little girl..

And then, it was mostly visits around Ouaga, visiting friends, brothers and sisters, buying stuff around and making my mom an african suit. It was nice that everyone got to see my mom... but I will always remember that they didnt call her my mom.. but rather my sister... as they couldn't believe her age. It's a nice compliment for her.. but an insult for me!!! Do I look like 40?? ahaha anyway.

I was also finally thankful that someone from my family got to understant my reality and my world and I seem to go through everyday. It will be nice to have her support when I get back and her -so-much-better understanding of my issues.

We also went to get my passport done, as I haven't heard anything back from the police about my papers. It cost me a nice 200$ and I should have it in a couple weeks now. Pretty nice now though.. instead of having it done in Hull, like about everyone in Canada.. now.. it will be done in Abidjan!!

Since my mom left.. well.. it's back to work and let's hammer things down. I don't have much time left and I seriously need to get things done. So... I worked on finalizing my training booklet for the nurses. It was pretty much done but I just had to add a couple things. I will be training the nurses next week on active listening, interpersonal communication, customer service, group presentation, effective use of visual supports and presentation organization. That's pretty much it in a nutshell..

Then after that, I will be evaluating them presenting some awareness sessions.. and meanwhile.. work on getting my visual support colour-printed and plastified. I finally got some budget from Uniterra, so I wil be able to get a couple of stuff done. And then hopefully, if I can hammer that stuff pretty quick.. I want to start working on research for the university and hopefully have some interviews done. Only problem is to find lesbians here.. but anyway.. I'll do my best.

I felt really bad about my mandate, as I wont be able to get the expected results planed at the beginning on my internship. But my director said it's all good. They was some complications at my work that made the result unachievable. For example... my "homologue" started to study like mad to try the State nurse contest. So, I didnt have him really available. There was about 8 of them at the clinic who were trying to. So they all didnt get much time available to really work extra time at the clinic. Then, 5 of them got the job and left us with 2 weeks notice. So, for me to actually have the training done.. it was a bit impossible and usuless to have it done at that time. So i waited. Then, recruitment of other nurses... and some time to get the new ones adapted.. and now here we are.

So really.. the main goal of my mandate was to have 400 women get some new knowledge on health. I for sure... wont get that.. Awareness sessions just started a month ago... Each monday, they have a prenatal consultation and about 15 women come to it every week.. so.. i'm at 60 for now..
But the problem too.. is that in the mentality of the people at my clinic.. they think the most effective awareness is done in small groups or one-on-one.. which is sort of true.. but how can I calculate how many women got info on one-on-ones.. anyway.. just tricky things..

So.. basically, even if I don't have the results as planed.. i don't care anymore and will go on with my research.

What else.. humm.. since then.. one of my brothers, Daniel.. left for England last week.. without even saying Bye to me.. (Yeah.. don't worry I'm used to that.. this guy needs some life values man!!) And now next week my other brother is leaving for Ghana.. but him.. I will most likely not see him again until I leave.. which is fucked up because i'm suposed to be the one leaving.. not them.. It actually breaks my heart to see him leave. I really like Dodo.. he's always been there for me. He knows everything about me and knows all my problems.. I will for sure cry at the bus station when he will go. It wont be easy.

But anyhow.. life goes on and sadness will for sure be part of this whole experience.
The more the departure date is coming.. the more I'm actually happy to go back. I really can't wait to go back to my Dike life and just to my normal stuff.. I know I will miss people here.. but I'm ready to go home.. 8 months was and is long... I know the month left will go by soooooo quick... But yeah.. life is life.. Then, when I'll be in Canada.. i'll miss Burkina like crazy. You're never fully happy wherever you are.. and you always miss the ones you leave behind.. life sucks for that.

I am getting back to Toronto on May 18th in the evening if everything goes as planed. I will be living at Dee's for the summer and hopefully will get that job I applied to like ages ago... I should know by next week I think, time for them to check my references.

Yeah... I can't wait to take the subway.. go to restaurant and pay with debit, go to big stores with alleys where you can find everything you could need on this world... walk in a supermarket and see all those food items I forgot existed, go get my Timmies French vanilla coffee and Fruit explosion muffin in the morning, Rike my bike around, use a microwave!!!!!!, use a phone that is free and talk for hours without caring about money, watch tv and realize everything that I missed for 8 months, hear the new music that you guys are probably used to hear my now.. but that will be new to me, see women wearing pants, sleep until 12 and not have the dog, donkey or roaster wake me up at 7, just all those little things u guys have no idea I'm missing so much..

But I know... I will miss having people around me at all time, people to talk to; the warmth of people, hearing good morning about 50 times a day, riding my mophead around, having a cellphone, seeing kids around me at all times, eating fresh and natural veggies and fruits, gettin some meat to chop in the streets, drinking huge beers, hearing music everywhere, being the attraction and getting attention and so much more...

Yeah.. coming back will be an experience......

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Photos

Christmas in March
Giving the gifts mom brought to Djeneba and Dieubeni

Calebasses
They signify the status of the woman of the house

Inside the huge royal yard
Over 400 people live in the Royal Courtyard. Houses look a lot like the Dogon's

The game is on!
My mom just learnt the game 30 minutes ago.. and she's beating me at it.... something's wrong...

Elephant
At Nazinga Game Ranch

Little English Naomi
She's the daughter of an English Missionary. We stayed at their house when visiting Banfora. Really nice people but that girl talks way too much

Beautiful clean lake
Looking for hippos in our pirogue

Having lunch
So here is my mom and little Naomi, the English Missionary Mark and his wife Caroline.

Century old mango trees
A old chief planted these trees more than 100 years ago. They now belong to the community.

Comments

[Ange Cruz]

You're getting me excited!
I love your blog entries. I leave before you get back --so soon! The pictures of your mom are great. Can't wait for my mom to come down and hang out. Have a great last month!

[Emanuele]

Chanceuse!
Salut poule! Nazinga, chanceuse, et Banfora, wow, les beaux souvenirs. J'ai bien hâte de t'voir! Moi même je vais être ici sauf que je vas en Saskatchewan du 20 au 25 mais on se fait des retrouvailles. Crime 8 mois ça a passé vite en titi pareille... ailla! à+ chouette,