Sunday, November 27, 2011

Business


Most of the posts up to this point have focused on getting adjusted and me expressing whatever it is I am feeling at any point. But there is actually a serious business side to my peace corps experience and living here in Burkina. (Its not all waterfalls safaris and elephants)


As a Health Volunteer in Burkina I will be working on a number of health issues here in Burkina. These include hygiene, malnutrition, malaria, family planning, maternal health, and diarrhea.  Real interesting stuff. Most of my time will be spent at local medical center (CSPS) where I will work with a nurse and mid-wife. Doctors are rare in Burkina and usually hold a more administrative position and rarely see patients.  The nurses are government employees and are assigned to work at a CSPS. More often than not, the nurse does not speak the local language and only speaks French. French is the language of the educated and is not widely spoken by the majority of the population. (Primary and secondary schools are taught entirely in French, but only 2% of students finish school while 1% go on to university).  One of my jobs as a health agent will be to learn the local language and culture and to then effectively reach out to the local population on issues surrounding health education and empowerment.
The CSPS is pretty basic with what they can and/or cannot do. They can serve as a basic pharmacy, they can treat simple malaria, they can treat diarrhea, they can give vaccinations, and they do support the needs of pregnant women.  If one needs any invasive surgery or has a severe medical condition, they must provide their own transportation to the district or regional hospital which can be pretty far away.  As long as nothing serious happens, the CSPS can take care of the local village(s). One CSPS can serve anywhere from 1 to 15 different villages. As one can imagine, it gets busy! Especially when there is only one or two nurses.  A CSPS is supposed to have 3 staff members. One of which is a midwife.
Drugs here are vastly subsidized and the government picks up the majority of the tab. Methods of birth control cost at most $3.00 USD for a 6 month supply.  INSANITY! It cost about the same to deliver a baby at the CSPS. $3.00 USD translates to about 1500 cfa. To put that in perspective; a bowl of beans (“benga“ DELICIOUS) cost 50- 100 cfa, and a text message cost 10cfa (international is 50cfa).  Life here is pretty cheap. It’s a good thing I make $3.00 a day right now while in training (a beer is 700cfa).  On the same note, life and drugs here are cheap for a reason.  The people are poor.  Mostly farmers, rarely anyone makes a profit off of their crops and even fewer people save their money.  $3.00 USD is a lot of money here. 
Weak rains during the rainy season decimated the agriculture here and there is widespread fear of a famine or food shortage within the coming year when food runs out in March/April. Instances of child mal-nutrition are definitely going to rise and we have been told to be prepared to deal with the upcoming food shortage. Tough times ahead for the people of Burkina Faso. 
Tougher still, the food shortage will be followed by malaria season, June/July. Adults and children who’s immune systems are already weak from lack of nutrition will be especially susceptible to falling ill with Malaria. This coming year will be a busy year for those of us working with Health related issues. I’m excited for my work and challenge but feel increasingly sad about the reality and seriousness of the situation.
On a different note:
Women and men do not usually mix or associate here unless they are university educated and more liberal minded. Women do not drink with men and you would be hard pressed to find a woman at a bar or dancing. There is no PDA and men and women pretty much live in two very different realms. It’s interesting but as PCTs, most of us go out and enjoy spending time together.

Okay, that’s all for now.  In my next update, I will try to focus on things that I have been doing but I wanted to give a lot more background info in this message. Its taken so long to get solid information to you because I wanted to be sure that I was knowledgeable about what I was speaking on. I would not want to get any false info out into the WWW. 
That being said, I hope that some of this was interesting, or maybe even useful to some of you at home. 

Best wishes

Sunday, November 13, 2011

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 4th 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.

PST: Work, Food, and Diarrhea. (And a lack of pleasure in all of the above)


November 9, 2011
I know Britt has been posting updates but I think that I should give some details about what we’ve been up to here. 
Today, we spent about 4 hours in language and then two hours of technical language.  In my language class there are two other health volunteers who also placed into Novice High
Side Note: (It is pretty embarrassing that I only placed into novice high after studying French for 5 years as a kid and then taking a semester of college level 2. Although another of the girls in my class also studied French for 5 years, but then we have a novice who speaks fluent Russian with no French background. Go figure. Ca va Aller. )
 Most of the trainees in our stage placed into Novice Intermediate but we do however have a couple advanced and then a couple of intermediate highs as well.  Of the two advanced, both have lived in French speaking countries before (France and Cote D’Ivoire) so I don’t feel tooo bad about my own level.  Note to future PCTs out there, training is a lot easier if you have language experience. If I were better at French I would have already begun learning my local language, which is Gourmantema (s/p?). 
After 4 hours of French language, we transitioned to technical language class which is where we learn Health technical terms in French. After an hour and a half of this we headed out to a local primary school (Elementary school) where we interrogated/greeted the headmaster.  The purpose of our visit was to get an idea of what needs and health issues children and schools face in Burkina Faso.  Ultimately, we want to come back and do a few sensibilizations, which are educational PSAs done in person. My group for example will be working on educating the children about Palu, Malaria. 

Some interesting things from today’s field trip:

  • 1.       At the school, while speaking with the headmaster, we learned that the school of 500 kids does not actually have a functioning latrine.  While they do have 3 latrines, they are inaccessible because there is fear that the structure would collapse. A latrine is a huge hole in the ground that is about 3-4 meters wide and about 5 meters deep.  The top of the latrine is covered in cement with a small round hole in the top.  The fear at this school is that the cement will give in and students could potentially fall into a rather deep hole full of… crap, urine, and everything that grows in the above.  The students, and staff, therefore relieve themselves anywhere/everywhere (which is fairly common for village life). 
  • 2.       There is no place for the students, or staff, to ever wash their hands.  So, they simply don’t (which is more common than one would like to accept). 


  • 3.       Sitting in on a class of 10 year olds was AMAZING! One professor for a class of 70-100 kids was insane, but the kids were all well behaved and amazingly respectful (a direct result of socially acceptable corporal punishment?).  I wanted to snap a picture of the class because it was truly something special.  Although the kids were all dressed in rags and fairly dirty, they had a brilliant spark in their eyes.  This observation holds true all over the country.  Although the people may be poor and may also lack basic amenities and privileges, they are all exceptionally bright, friendly, and aware of their surroundings. 


Food.

So it has been leaked that my future site wants to focus a lot of resources on nutrition.  AWESOME!! I love nutrition! But, it is fairly impossible to maintain a well-balanced diet here.  People usually live off of TO, which is a carb derived from maize and is then eaten with various sauces.  Pretty much zero vitamins, minerals, or proteins. Straight Carbohydrate. This diet does not at all reflect what is actually available in the country because a stroll through any market reveals a plethora of vegetables and fruits.  The trouble here is not the lack of access to healthy foods, but is instead the lack of understanding and interest in healthy alternatives to TO.  For example; my family (being the positive deviants that they are), served me white bread for breakfast…. And straight spaghetti for lunch.  Yes, strait spaghetti is exactly what it sounds like. No sauce, no veggies, and no meat.  Simply noodles boiled in water.  Although surprisingly tasteful, not very healthy. My mom, being the health nut of the family, would have a serious issue with the amount of carbs/sugars we ingest here.  It is truly a struggle every morning to get out of bed and look forward to white bread. No jelly, jam, butter, or peanut butter. Always a struggle, but I am really trying to get my family to expand their diet.  Even further, I am looking forward to working with my village to expand their diets to include other nutritiously delicious alternatives to TO, bread, rice and noodles. I am anticipating that child malnutrition will be a huge issue at my site and I am all ready to get to work.  

The opposite of eating is excreting. A topic that is all too close to some of our hearts. Not a day goes by without both jokes and discussions about diarrhea, amoebas, bacteria, parasites, urine, and all of the colors that come with the afore mentioned. Some of us who have been sick have even had to prepare… samples… to be checked for bacteria and such.  Not a comfortable…. Or neat… experience…


(From what I hear)



Although I spent some time in the infirmary and was sick the majority of last week, I am part of a lucky majority that have not had to prepare samples yet.  It’s tough being sick here but it is most definitely comforting to have 22 other trainees here all going through the same thing. Oral Rehydration Salts and all!  Never before have I ever been so familiar with other’s bodies. On that same note, never have so many people been aware of my body and health.  We’ve all shed noticeable pounds and most of us guys have lost a lot of muscle weight. Between the heat, food, and constantly being sick, we’re all thinning out and beginning to look the part of PCVs in BF.

Well it is now 8:19pm and I’m exhausted. Time for bed. Mefloquin dreams to look forward to tonight! OH BABY!
Good Night!!!

Ps. We had a trainee versus staff soccer game. We would have won had the staff not recruited local talent. SMH. Final Score: 3-2 Staff.  It was great playing with everyone.

PPs. Random fact. Burkina Faso as a country has the third highest incidence of diarrhea in the general population.  (Of all the countries in all the world.)

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

How much can I type before my battery dies?


I currently have 37% battery life remaining and a lot that i want to say here/discuss. I wonder how much I can get off. hmmmm

So my host family is a mixed blessing. At times they are pretty cool but rather puzzling at other times.  Truly the source of a lot of frustration for me. During my first couple of weeks here, we did a lot of dancing and soccer playing... (poh yea, it was heaven) but now that my work has picked up, thngs have slowed down.  I was teaching the 9 kids some breakdancing moves the other night.  We got some natural talent in the family! what what!
And then they have been teaching me local dances such as windica and bogobo? i just butchered those spellings but sound them out!

Sunday, my host father came home and, in good spirits, offered me his wife to share with him and now refers to me as his petite babe.  I'm not sure how I should take this and I cannot really ask too much about it since I do not speak moore(the local language) and my family does not speak french! It has truly been a challenge to communicate and has been down right frustrating at other times.  But one thing is sure, I will not be sharing anybodies wife..... 
yuck.
he couldnt have been serious right?

This past saturday was our first day off so a few of us went dancing and oh man did we have fun.  With us being so dehydrated and it being so hot here, it only takes 1 beer(twice the size of a regular US beer) to get us dancing. It was a great time and I really love my stage. 
We are all really chill and laid back but when the music comes on, everyone starts getting crazy (in good respectful manner of course). No really, I have been truly impressed by the level of maturity and professionalism that we have demonstrated while going out.  The toughest part at the end of the night is saying goodbye and having to bike all over the village to make sure the girls get home safely.  Burkina is not a dangerous place by any stretch of the imagination, but it is never okay to let intoxicated peoples ride home alone. no matter where you are.  we've truly become a family here and we all look out for each other.  

You would also thtnk that there would be hookups or drama but I am happyy to say, most of us see each other more as family than anything else. Its great. Especially for me and some of the others that are trying to maintain a relationship.  Of the 22 of us remaining, 5 of us have partners back at home.

****Which reminds me, I need to thank britt for updating my blog and everything for me. Internet does not usually happen here and electricty comes in random times. but I do buy prepaid phone minutes which i use on parents and britt. Anyone who wants to call or talk is most def welcome. My number here is in a blog someplace below. Britt posted it. I actually dont know mu number yet.... wopmp womp! But forreal. THANK YOU BRITTANY! aka my other half. You the best. ****


Well, projects! We have been in training learning different thigns about planting trees, collecting seeds, prepping seeds, doing malaria consultations, counseling, HIV/AIDS testing, and a lot of administration stuff.  I guess i sometimes forget that peace corps is a government organization with a lot of red tape. womp womp. So all in all, very little actual work/projects while in BF but a lot of training and admin stuff.

My french is..... going......yeaaa, story for another day.

Well thats alll for now. battery dying... buhhh I'll Leave you with thisssss.... sum up my last 12 hours.  :-) 



Never in my life did i think that I would rock out to Luda and lil wayne at a outdoor bar in the middle of africa while in costume with 20 other Americans. (in celebration of halloween ofcourse). Then to bike about 4 k home through the millet field (yet under a gorgeous night sky filled with stars)with constant stops to allow herds of pigs and donkeys to cross the road. Family HIV and Malaria house/hut consults this morning though. Time to get serious!


Best wishes everyone,

Pat