Blogs from Centre, Burkina Faso, Africa - page 7

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Africa » Burkina Faso » Centre » Ouagadougou November 8th 2007

I am really sorry for not having written in so long. Really a lot has been going on and it was simply too much to talk about that I was never motivated to sit down and write it all. And now it is even more and obviously I will have to just stick with the most important things. Basically, Africa's reality has been hitting me hard. I realized a lot of things in the last couple of weeks and it makes me understand a lot more about this planet, this country and development. I realized that Burkina is a big lie and really corruption is HUGE. Everyone lies to everyone. It's really rare that you have real friendships, even the Burkina people say that it is also hard for them to know. With what I have ... read more

Africa » Burkina Faso » Centre » Ouagadougou October 19th 2007

Hey everyone, I decided I would write my blog on my own computer and they copy paste the whole thing since computers here are just crap and the keyboard is all messed up. So it’s officially been a month for me in Burkina and I am a bit tripping out. I am starting to realize that it will be forever here. I don’t know if I told you guys that before but I am not planning to be working internationally anymore and this whole placement thing is kind of a big deal now. When I think that I have 7 more months here, it breaks my hearts really. I feel like I’ve been here forever already. As I said before, I started work last week but man, it pains me. I go to work for 8 ... read more
Me in my room
Genebas house
Cooking place

Africa » Burkina Faso » Centre » Ouagadougou October 10th 2007

Hey everyone! Sorry I never actually came back on internet the other day. my plans all changed suddenly. My friend Sara, also from the University, came to visit this weekend. It was good times. It's nice to be talking to someone who totally understand you. We covered a lot of topics and surprisingly have been through about the same. So again; that was good. We chilled and talk until 1 in the morning the next day; we went out with one of her friends and his cousin. The cousin totally flirted with me and now I'm stucked with him cause for sure he lives in the capital city. He's been calling me 3 times. Didnt answer the 1st 2 times and the last one I couldnt see who it was so I answered and obviously got ... read more
My moped
Beni
Moi

Africa » Burkina Faso » Centre » Ouagadougou October 6th 2007

Hey everyone I finally got pictures, but got an hour to spend on internet and I know it will take a while to donwload them on the blog. So i'll only put pictures today and come back to tell you more about my life either later or tomorow. See you all... read more
Airport
Street
Gondwana restaurant

Africa » Burkina Faso » Centre » Ouagadougou October 3rd 2007

Hey everyone! I now moved into my house with a lot of excitement and frustrations. I like the place, it's big. I dont really live the African way lets say. But thee owner is not really nice to me. She told me the first day she doesnt like white people. Dont ask me why. So for sure, she sees "nassara" and she charges the price. People in the neighboorhod told me and my friend that the house wasnt worth 200 bucks a month. Not in that neighboorhood. I tried to ask her to reduce the price but she didnt want to. I also asked for 3 rooms to be painted again and that was hard to deal with too. She didnt want at first but she ended up doing it. I'm happy she didnt ask me ... read more

Africa » Burkina Faso » Centre » Ouagadougou September 30th 2007

Life is not easy... If you would have an idea of how many times a day I hear this sentence!!! It's insane! But it's true and even on my side. It's been almost 2 weeks in Burkina faso now but I feel like it's been forever. But first, let's start with the basic good and bad stuff. New things happened in my contract. First, I am now the one paying my own rent. But the good thing is that the NGO is giving me extra money for that. So with that money I was able to get the house I wanted. It's so nice. I can't wait to send you all pictures soon. The only thing is that it's not furnished. SO i had to buy a fridge for 300 bucks, a little stove thing for ... read more

Africa » Burkina Faso » Centre » Ouagadougou July 22nd 2007

'Le blanc, le blanc!' You hear it everywhere you walk in Banfora, a small town in southern Burkina Faso. Kids smile and scream it at you as you wander past. At first, I thought they had mistaken me for Hollywood spunk and shining star of the comedic acting profession, Matt le Blanc, but no, it simply means 'the white' in French. It jars a bit, being referred to in such terms, but eventually you don't notice it. You get used to standing out a little in West Africa. So we made it to Burkina Faso, a country that has obsessed me since I was a nerdy little kid ingesting the Reader's Digest Atlas of the World when I got home from school. It must be the name. Even its old label of Upper Volta, and the ... read more
Wassa
On the scooter
Brakina Beer

Africa » Burkina Faso » Centre » Ouagadougou April 20th 2007

Formerly known as Upper Volta, in 1984 President Thomas Sankara renamed the country Burkina Faso. In the dominant Burkinabe language this means "Land of the Incorruptibles", and was one of many steps taken towards improving the economy and the lives of increasingly poor population. His reforms worked too, until in 1987 another army coup led to Sankara's arrest and execution. Recently in a league table taking into account health, GDP and development, the United Nations ranked Burkina Faso 175th out of 177 countries. Compared to my last blog for Mali where I struggled to know what to leave out, for Burkina Faso I don't really know what to write about. I only stayed at two places, the capital Ouagadougou, and the equally wonderfully named Bobo-Dioulasso. Both were pleasant and seemingly in no way as poor ... read more
Smiling Croc
Burkinabe Women
Agama Lizard

Africa » Burkina Faso » Centre » Ouagadougou March 5th 2007

I found out on Tuesday around 4 pm that I would be leaving Mali at 6 am on Wednesday, headed for Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. We were taken to a bus station where we boarded a Greyhound-style-but-crappier bus that left nearly on time. The seats were small (five to a row where a Greyhound would have four) but we were each guaranteed our own seat and the bus was not overloaded. As it got later it got sunnier and hotter and the Burkinabe don’t seem to like to open their windows. The bus stopped about every half hour, making what should have been a five to six hour ride take twelve hours. Yet, we didn’t break down or transport any animals, so after my bush taxi experiences in Guinea I was rather impressed with the quality Burkina’s ... read more

Africa » Burkina Faso » Centre » Ouagadougou March 5th 2007

I've heard great things about the mail system in Burkina: packages usually get here in a month, letters arrive in two or three weeks! In Guinea it took three months to never to get a package. Here's my new mailing address: Rose Corps de la Paix Américain B.P. 1065 Bobo-Dioulasso Burkina Faso West Africa There are even cell phones that work here! My number is (011 226) 76279349 International text messages are pretty cheap. I'll respond if you text me.... read more




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