Thursday, September 19, 2013

The End

It has been entirely too long since I have last posted something on here. Year two has flown by and I find myself at the beginning of my "cos", or closing of service. A lot has happened in the past few months and for better or for worst, I find myself feeling both satisfied with my service up to today as well as ready to go home.

A Review:

1. My largest project, The Youth Conference, went off brilliantly and I am thankful for the donations from people back home as well as the number of other volunteers that leant me their support. Thank you again (see previous post). With this finished I can finally relax and "coast" through my last few weeks in country.

2. I'm writing this post while sitting on a beach...next to an old british castle...in Ghana. Stunning, if not magnificent! The people are amazing, the landscape is beautiful, the historical relevance is undeniable, and surfing... is a lot harder than it looks. I may be sporting some new head injuries when next you see me. Accra, Cape coast, Takarati, Butra, Busua, and then back to Burkina. Its amazing to me that one of Burkina's neighbors can be so completely different from Burkina itself. In comparison Ghana has a similar culture, better food, better scenery, and a better developed infrastructure. It may just be one of my favorite countries that I've had the chance to travel to --although Grenada is still a strong contender. Remarkable transport systems, cleanliness, fantastic food, general friendliness, and epic scenery set Ghana apart from neighboring countries.
The majority of the country's roads are in the process of being paved or are already paved (with actual traffic lines), traditional foods include fried chicken and fried rice, and the country's castles/forts add a touch of magic to the country. The short of the long, do I really have to go back to Burkina?

3. Our close of service(cos) conference came and passed without much incident. I am quite amazed at the rapidity in which the last two years have flown by and part of me almost feels like i could do another two years, but then my stomachs growls and I remember all of the food mishaps during my service. COS conference consisted of resume building workshops, job hunting workshops, and discussing what exactly "closing one's service" means. As we start thinking about life after Peace Corps, a certain amount of fear of the unknown begins to surface and manifests itself in the form of anxiety attacks and OCD job searches. We've dedicated years, arguably 2 of our best, to the development of a country that most people don't even know exists. How does that translate in America and more importantly, how do we share this experience on Resumes and in writing?

4. My final project in village will be a nutritional rehabilitation regime targeting moderately malnourished children between the ages of 6 and 59months. The two week course/regime/program will consist of sessions on nutrition, proper breast feeding techniques(led by yours truly), hygiene practices, and enriched porridge preparation.

5. Andddd I'm OUT! 60 days!

Friends back home have <started/finished> <medical/law/grad> school but still find themselves at a loss for ideas on what they want to do with their lives. I, unfortunately, will not be sharing their discomfort and have decided to pursue public policy with a focus on monitoring &evaluation. Although I will be eternally grateful for this experience, I'm ready to move on.
As one of the many authors whose book I've read during my service (82 books) put it, in more or less words:

I am not only going to miss this experience, but I am going to miss the person I am during this experience. Never again will I be this person and never again will I feel exactly as I do at this point in time.

Every new beginning starts from some other beginning's end.
See y'all soon!

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Letter From The Field

Dear Friends and Family of Peace Corps Burkina Faso,


The third annual Youth Development and Leadership Conference was a huge success! Thank you! We would never have been able to reach out to, and train, 38 youth leaders without your help and support.  After working with such motivated and capable youth, we sincerely believe that the future of Burkina Faso is in good hands. Although a PCV service tour is only two years, these youth are now fully capable to do some of the same work and to affect change in their communities.  Although you were not physically there, feel free to browse our pictures and relive some of our greatest moments. Most of the pictures have been posted online and can be viewed by clicking the following linkhttps://plus.google.com/photos/100400178087205224810/albums/5887736581270353425



Outside of the usual West African logistical problems, tardiness, Day 1 went off without any problems. We opened up both conferences with welcomes from the local Mayor's offices, Peace Corps, and conference directors before moving on to our first session on gender roles and norms. Although there were a few comical scenes involving men wearing women's clothing, all of the youth took the session seriously and came to appreciate the differences between gender and sex. Further, participants began to think about the qualities of a good leader (strangely not limited to the male sex). After discussing gender, participants began working on identifying the needs within their own personal communities and began planning their responses to these needs. 

Day 2 consisted of sessions on professionalism, community resources, community mobilization, and how to be a successful positive deviant.  With these newly acquired tools and knowledge we are sure that our youth will be heading back to their communities well equipped.  Day 3 required participants to hit the ground and work in the communities hosting the conferences.  Participants at the Fada conference volunteered at a public radio station and at a vegetable garden owned and maintained by multiple women's groups. Participants at the Yako conference performed HIV/AIDS demonstrations at a local hospital, worked in a tree nursery, and tutored primary school girls in reading and math.  The youth had a BLAST! The local community members were sincerely impressed and touched by the thoughtfulness and motivation of our youth leaders.  Although we spent most of the afternoon working on the ground, nobody complained when we were a bit late getting back to the conference room.



En fin, day 4 graced us with visits from various community members, past participants, and a representative from the Peace Corps Bureau.  Our guest speakers spoke on citizenship, community service, and how to work as a "volunteer citizen" at the village/community level.  After these fantastic guest speakers each young leader went to work planning their community projects and then presented their projects to the group.

SUCCESSS!!!

Again, none of this would have been possible without your generous contributions and support. Thank YOU! In the words of one of our youth counterparts; "You, the Americans, have opened our minds and eyes to a new way of thinking about our communities. We are leaders. We are able to work for our entire community and to develop our nation. Thank You!"



Yours in Gratitude and Service,



The Youth Development Committee

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

A tradition of circumcision

I sometimes forget where I live and how bizarre it must seem to people back at home, but then there are times like today where even I have an out of body experience. In a previous post I've touched on the topic of tribal initiation and circumcision for male villagers but I did not go into any detail. After doing some research and asking a lot of questions, I feel both comfortable and knowledgeable enough to share some of this traditions.

I live with the Gulmance people of West Africa. Said to have originated in Chad, they can now be found in Chad, Ghana, Benin, Togo, and of course Burkina Faso. Rather traditional in culture, they are revered around the world for their mastery of voodoo, reading the past/present/future in the sands, as well as for their respect of nature. When asked about the Gulmancema people, most Burkinabe from other ethnic groups will admit to either respecting or fearing the Gulmance for their control over voodoo and nature. Ils son't fort!



Gulmance men begin to develop their mystical prowess from a young age. Sometime between the ages of 10 and 16, boys are taken into the wilderness in order to learn how to live off the land, tribal secrets, and to be circumcised. Now this is not a simple father son camping trip, this is something a lot bigger. Recently 101 boys were approved to take part in this annual tradition and yours truly, me, was invited out to join them in the camp(though not to get circumcised).


The boys live in the wilderness camp for at least 2 weeks and can spend up to a month there. Tradition says 3 months, but seeing as the kids have school, the camp was shortened appropriately. During the camp, the boys enjoy a college fraternity like environment complete with booze(local alcohol), big brothers (past initiates), hazing (mass beatings), and finally branding(circumcision). The boys live outdoors and are tied down at night to keep them from scratching or irritating their new brands. During the day, the kids attend class-like-modules where they are trained in traditional arts and "the secrets to being a good man". Although I was not allowed to attend the classes, I can definitely say that beatings were appropriate responses for wrong answers. Looking at the faces of these boys, I could not help but to respect them. It was obvious from the looks on their faces that they were not enjoying this and that they may even carry scars, both physical and mental, from this experience for many of years.(After initially writing this post an adult male showed me his scars from his initiation beatings)

Although we started with 101 initiates, one "aborted" and another died from a snake bike. Even with the two missing, the 99 remaining initiates became full male members of their society today. In what could only be described as a college probate; the young men paraded around in make-up and masks, accepted gifts, and then performed a traditional dance unique to my village. Each young man's clothing corresponded accordingly to his family and social status. Although their masks were unique to each family, their dance was uniform. There is definitely something awe-inspiring to watch 99 young men dancing in sync to the beats of their ancestors. They formed a tight circle around the men of the village and began rotating around us. Their steps and moves were then mirrored by their older brothers/fathers who made up an inner circle between the initiates and village men. As the new initiates faced their mentors and danced in a circle around us, one could not help but to see this as a passing of the torch. These 99 boys had become 99 men, and judging by the cheers/tears of joy from the thousand or so women and children outside the circle, these men have been well received by their village; despite the grimaces of pain from the exertions of dancing with a newly and crudely circumcised penis.

Let the 3 days of non-stop partying
begin!


Monday, April 8, 2013

Death Challenge

I watched a baby die. I watched his mom holding him in her arms as he struggled to take his last few breaths, I watched him have a seizure, and I then watched as the life went out of his still open eyes. After a couple of seconds I then watched his mother break down into tears & sobs of grief as she ran off from the village hospital. 8am on a Sunday.

I've seen my share of death here but this one may have effected me the most, but only in the sense of how it did not effect me at all. I felt nothing; no grief, no shock, no pity, nor did I even have to look away. It was life, or rather death; it was normal. Life can be challenging here and working at the hospital here has me rather jaded. Sad thing is that as I watched the baby die, I wasn't even sure of what I was looking at. So many of the babies and children that I work with are sick that I did not even recognize a difference in this child. He was just like the rest...

Which then makes me wonder how far we all are from our deaths. One moment our heart can be pumping oxygen rich blood through our veins and in the next moment our lifeless eyes can droop as every muscle in our body relaxes and comes to rest. Contrary to popular belief, life is not expensive. Somewhat grudgingly, I've found that life can be rather cheap and fleeting. You never know when it's going to end, and truthfully it won't take much to do it. A simple infection (the child mentioned above), a freak hail storm (see earlier post), or maybe a natural disaster (see other earlier post); we never know when or how it's coming.

Coming to this realization, I realize the importance of living for today and in the moment. We are not guaranteed one more breath and should therefore treat this one as our last, as it may be just that.

Challenge!
I challenge you, reader, in memory of this child to appreciate your own life and to treat every moment as if it is your last. I myself am taking up this challenge and am looking forward to appreciating my life and the lives of others. Telling loved ones that I love them; taking chances; giving 110% in all things; seeing the world; this is not about tomorrow, this is about today and right now.

Accept this challenge today, because today was not guaranteed for some.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

9 Months Left, But Who's Counting?

You just cant make this stuff up. The journey from Christmas at home to everyday life in village.

Speaking english in NY's JFK, French in Paris' CDG, and then Moore in Ouaga's CDG all within 24hrs really impressed upon me the importance of thinking/being global. Taking a 10hr bus ride to village over dirt roads and through military check points impressed upon me the importance of patience and good bribes. Biking miles from the bus station to my village, with all my baggage, made me wish I had stayed in America. Being chased/greeted by a horde of half-naked children as I biked into my village reminded me why I was here. Finding a snake in my courtyard, scorpions in my house, and a dead lizard in my shower made me phone a friend. Running and hiding from baton wielding young male tribal initiates (les circumcises) makes me think twice about questioning village traditions. Vaccinating 300 small children against contagious maladies made me feel like I was making a difference. And finally being too exhausted to eat or move makes me appreciate the fb app on my new phone.

Life is good! And that was just my first week back at site after holidays in America Land.

I've now been back in the Faso for about 2 months since Christmas (16 months total) and have about 9 months remaining of my service. Time flies by, and I would be lying if I said that I was not even a little bit worried about finishing all of my projects. These next 9 months will fly by but I think it's about time to start thinking about next moves.

Options... In no order
1. Foreign service officer- I've registered for the test and am taking it in June. (management)

2. Grad school- Studying for the gre and looking at schools in Africa (univers of capetown, accredited year long masters programs for $5000).

3. Third year with Peace Corps?- Womp.

4. Working for an international NGO- Maybe, looking for possibilities now.

Things are getting pretty serious on that note, but more pressing/interesting are the projects I'm working on now in village.

1. Internship program for high school students. Students are performing HIV/aids, malaria, and hygiene demonstrations in village while gaining work experience at my CSPS (village hospital)

2. Tofu production. I won a small grant for women's groups in my village to help them take over the Tofu game/market.

3. Liquid soap fabrication. Exactly what it sounds like.

4. Shea butter products. Making and selling Shea butter products at my CSPS to raise money for the hospital.

5. Youth leadership and citizenship conference. Pulling together these two conference has been time demanding, but we finally got the grants written and the projects on track. Youth leaders will be trained on how to effectively evaluate and respond to the needs or their communities. This should take place in late May in two separate cities, totally 48 youth leaders. Again, we need your donations! Please help us out!

https://donate.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=13-686-009

6. Handwashing stations. Building and maintaining handwashing stations at local elementary schools. (Dirty kids learning that soap and water make a magical combination)

Miscellaneous. Baby weighing and food distributions 4 times a week leaves me exhausted!

Despite what you may have heard, Peace Corps is not all fun. Just a bit. Volunteers came together about two weeks ago to play in the International School of Ouagadougou's annual softball tournament. Although we had a blast, it's also rather safe to say that hippie PC volunteers are not the most athletic of individuals. Although we did not win a single real game, we did however succeed in the development of the egos of several teams of 12 Y/Os.

Next weekend, about 9 volunteers will be coming out to chez moi for a one night and two day safari in the "world famous" park "w". (what, you never heard of it?) Lions, cheetahs, elephants, monkeys, zebras, and crocodiles are all on the menu...

Point of concern: guide tells us that the usual car is booked so he's getting a pick up truck and putting benches on the back for us. He assures us that elephants don't usually charge, lions mostly only come out at night, and the benches will keep us safe and comfortable.

Either way, life is getting pretty interesting. Pictures have been/ will be posted on facebook. Check it out!


--
Peace Corps Burkina Faso
B.A. Psychology with GIS & Religion Minors
University of Maryland, College Park
Alpha Phi Omega



Saturday, January 12, 2013

A recipe for adventure.... A call for correspondents


The spirits and stories of individuals like sir Patrick Leigh Fermor, David Doubilet, Roald Amundsen, and Liu Xiaobo inspire us to recognize no boundaries or limits. From the charm of Sir Fermor, we learn that a smile and backpack can take you farther than any humble beginning may suggest. 
 being honest and making a stand for/against something. From these individuals we should learn.

Life has never been, nor will it ever be, easy. We are all dealt a hand and it is our job to play it to it's truest potential. In theory...
From the lives of Yonli Sougilompo, Dahani Adamou, and Ouoba Christophe we learn that some hands are rather difficult to play. Fate often plays with a stacked deck and the majority of people lose, despite how well they may have played their hands. From the misfortune of Sougilompo, I've learned that no matter how difficult the hand dealt by fate, we cannot fold. Adamou has taught me that if at first you don't succeed and even if you keep trying and working, there is no guarantee that you will succeed. The brilliant Christophe taught me how to find the diamonds in the rough, no matter how dirty they may be. To these individuals, we should listen.

Although you may not recognize or know any of the stories attached to the 7 names above; I encourage you to learn and grow from them. The aforementioned, easily recognizable, 4 names represent people we all can research using any online search engine. The latter, unknown 3 names, represent people in my village interested 1)in sharing their stories with you and 2)in hearing your story. 

Although all 7 stories teach us something, 3 of them require you to exert a minimal amount of energy and ask. If you are interested in sharing a bit of yourself, time, and energy with some of my fantastic villagers then you are invited to write letters. Nothing long, time consuming, or novel-like in nature; I invite you to simply share and ask questions. Those interested should e-mail me at Williams.[MYFIRSTNAME]11@gmail.com
(I'll taken are of translations and will e-mail back responses)

On behalf of my villagers, Thank You. 

Live, learn, & love... The recipe for an adventure, even if you can't leave your 9-5.

--





--
Peace Corps Burkina Faso
B.A. Psychology with GIS & Religion Minors
University of Maryland, College Park
Alpha Phi Omega