On the last steps..

---

As of today, I have 26 days left to this placement in Burkina Faso. Oh my gosh!!! Just writing this freaks me out totally!

I am sad of going back for sure.. and I guess it will hit me even more once I start packing of selling my things. For now.. I'm actually excited to go back to Canada and to my fresh cool May weather. I am not jockeing guys, it is HOT!!! Just to give you an idea... I have a thermomether in my living room and it is up to 38 degrees in the house, that means.. in the shade.. The weather network says it's 42 degrees in Ouagadougou but under the sun.... it for sure is more than that. Another WUSC volunteer told me he has a thermometer outside his house, under the sun.. and the red colour line goes all the way up to 52 degrees, the highest number it can reach.. so...
Anyway.. it gives you an idea. I probably drink like 7 or 8 L of water a day.. have to get up at least twice at night to get water. Sleeping it a B?T&% too! For the longuest time I refused to put my fan on in the house as it requires a lot of electricity and having no money, I don't want to bring my bill up to more than it already is. But really.. these days.. there is nothing I can do. I have no choice. Even Djeneba and Dieubeni sleep naked, often try to fall asleep until the early hours of days. A couple days ago, it was terribly hot. They brought their mattress close to their door to get as much wind as they could. I ended up opening my own door too and with the fan on.. they benefited from a little air movement. But yesterday, we did better.. I just told them to come sleep in my room so we could all benefit from the fan.. They told me this morning they slept like babies.. I guess they are more used to the heat than I am. I still sweat a lot and manage to wake up several times a night.. OH dear...
So yeah.. a nice 25 degrees in Toronto.. oh god!! I'll be freezing!

So.. what's new with me... Well, I gave a training workshop all of last week on interpersonal communication skills, customer service, presentation skills, and an introduction to the tools I made for the nurses. It was really great, everyone liked the training and really benefited from it. Now, I'm on the last steps. I need to find a printer guy to colour print some of my images and booklets I made.. and to make like posters and stuff like that. After that.. it's over!! I need to focus on thesis.. which will actually not be a lot.. which sucks..
I seriously put aside my research component and I regret it. I know I will be able to find people to interview back in Canada.. but still.
I'm actually seriously considering heading to the North of Ghana in the next little while. Renee, another WUSC volunteer told me there is a lesbian in her hometown and that I could interview her. It might be my only chance! More news on this when I hit the nail!

Also.. well.. leaving is a lot of work. There is a lot of things to do.. On top of the last minute work stuff and research, I need to sell my mophead, my fridge and my couch. I need to buy all the souvenirs I need, start packing my things.. I need to organize some sort of going away party.. which I still don't know what to do. I don't want to have it in my house as it will be empty and don't have anything to receive 30 people. Also.. it would be too much stress to have that many people in my house a couple days before I gotta leave. So.. i'm thinking about having some sort of reception somewhere.. gotta plan that too..
I also need to prepare my gifts for Djeneba.. I would like to open her a bank account, maybe check in getting a Postal box for her.... I also want to print a lot of pictures of our time together as a souvenir.. make sure she has enough a place to stay in June so that Dieubeni can finish school.. also.. give her the money for that.. Need to buy her the bike Dee paid her in February but I never got time to buy... and get my guard's moto fixed which is my mom's gift to him. All this.. on top of paying my bills and... CRAZINESSSS!!!

You see.. back in Toronto, this wouldn't have been an issue!! As I would organize myself and am used to pressure.. but here.. oh gosh.. there is no pressure.. and this mountain that just appeared in my face is like an Everest now!! It's a crazy way to say: "Welcome back into the Canadian World Nathalie!"

So yeah.. busy busy.. do all this while having to enjoy Burkina as much as I can and see my people!

I think you can understand that I'm pretty much freaking out.. but Hey!! And on top of all that... I actually didn't get the summer job I planed on having.. so for now.. I'm going back to Toronto with nothing waiting for me workwise.. which also.. freaks me out.. It's not easy to find a summer job that starts late May and ends early August, which is when I will start my Don training..
Hopefully.. god will be good to me and help me with that!!

So.. yeah.. just wanted to let you guys know my programme for the 26 days left of this adventure.
Start counting!! I'm coming home soon!!!

Love you all and can't wait to see you!

---

Comments

[mike]

hmm- things like a postbox and a bank account... I've never put thought into- or appreciation... good on you* and I would try to keep your moped- because you would be super cool