Site Announcements!!! (Where i live after training)

In retrospect, there is a lot of unnecessary capitalization in this message. Woops. FEEEL MY EXCITEMENT!

Site announcement is cool because we have one of the HCNs(Host country national Staff) MCing the ceremony and then the director of our language/culture classes gave a few words and then presents us with a nicely wrapped “gift”…. Which is a box of tampons…….. with a hand drawn map of Burkina Inside.!! WHOAAA!!!! AWESOME!! *insert excitement for box of tampons here*

So they ask for a trainee to come up and read a city name. After a PCT reads the site name, a PCV then reads the site description. At the end of the description we, the PCTs, are supposed to guess who is going to that site. Each description is catered to reflect the interest and desires of the PCT assigned there. It was pretty easy to match the sites to the PCTS. Below is my site description!!

Keep in mind, this is word for word and was written by someone who English is a 4^th language for.

“

              You will be in a big village with a population of 6000 situated in the Eastern Burkina Faso.

The village is situated at the front of scenic cliffs and close to beautiful waterfalls.

There are a few transport options.  There is transport everyday.

You are the first health volunteer but second PCV of the village.  The first volunteer is from education sector and had a wonderful time at the site.  Your mayor used to be a PCT trainer and travelled for th at in the US 3 times and, the first time was in 1967. So he masters the Peace Corps goals, philosophy…and was able to explain that in the community meeting!

It is a beautiful tourist site with unexplored countryside between two animal parks.

People will just come to welcome you and make you feel at home.  This is an extremely motivated community. The village as a whole (including leaders, women, and youth) is excited to great you and has expressed that several times. They can’t wait to have you! You will have no problem making this village your home with such a friendly, motivated, and welcoming community. 

Your closest neighbor PCV is at 8km biking from you.  There is a larger village with a large daily market, so access to food goods and such wouldn’t be a problem. 

You have also in 2 secondary schools, 5 primary schools, an agriculture office, and an environment office.  So you will have the opportunity to apply your experience in coaching for soccer club and also you can establish a peer counseling health project in the schools!

Your house stands alone near the police. It has 3 bedrooms, a living room, private douche, and a latrine in the courtyard. The community is fencing a courtyard by a wall with a gate which provides a lot of privacy.

”

Notes:

PCVF, a PCV who came to training to help us out.  She is real cool. I liked her a lot.

The other volunteer from my pst is also really cool but its kind of weird that they put us so close together. Like, im not complaining but its weird for them to do that. Most volunteers are about 20-50k from each other. Which makes me wonder if there is a safety issue. They did after all make a point of mentioning that I am next to the police station.

What the hell am I going to do with 3 bedrooms and a living room? Maybe I turn one of them into a kitchen. Who knows. 

Also, THERE IS AN EFFEN NATURE PARK!!! And WATERFALLS!!!  One of the nature parks, I am not sure which one, is supposed to be the largest nature park in West Africa!  Like legit Zebras, Lions, Elephants, and such. yea I'm ready..

And lots of kids! For soccer! Ah yea  im ready to show these kids how American ballas get down. I really want to do some coaching and potentially get kids organized with coaching for hope.  A soccer organization that uses soccer to convey important health messages. Oh man, Im excited!

And the description made note of access to food because EVERYONE… and I do mean EVERYONE (staff included) knows I’m starving here. Which is why it is so crucial that I have a market everyday. Most villages have a market once a week or every 3 days or so. This market is everyday!!! Im hoping to eat good everyday! I think the other PCT in my area and I are talking about taking turns cooking which would make things even easier.