Updates From Staging!

A bit late butttt internet here is rough and far betweeen. I typed up a few posts without getting the chance to actually post. Soooo here Go!

October 11, 2011

9:41pm

Hopped up out of bed, turned my swag on, took a look in the mirror and said whatsup.   That pretty much describes how waking up this morning went.  Everything is rather surreal and I cannot help but to smile at the thought of just what exactly is going on.

Brittany stayed at a friend’s place but we did get the chance to do breakfast and walk around Philly for a bit.  It was all too sad to have too finally say goodbye.  I was truly thankful that she got the chance to come up with me so that we could spend some final moments together.  Truly something special.  After making last minute preparations, we finally said our tearful goodbyes and went our separate ways.  Hard to think that it’s going to be at least a year from now when we meet again…

Meeting up with the other 24 volunteers, we got our luggage together and made moves towards the charter bus taking us to JFK, New York.  What a SURREAL FEELING! Every leg of this trip has been met with disbelief and a dream-like state of mind.  Is this really happening?

Arriving at JFK, it took us about an hour and a half to make it through baggage check because of course we have a transfer in Brussels. The airline didn’t want to direct transfer our luggage, which meant that we would have to leave the gate in Brussels, claim our bags, re-check our bags, and then redo security in Brussels.  Entirely unrealistic and time consuming! We would pretty much be guaranteed to miss our next flight or, at the very least, lose our bags.  The travel agency that made the reservations was of course closed since it was Columbus day.  WOMP WOMP! After several minutes of arguing and frantically trying to figure things out, we got everything figured out. A very angry travel agent had to call in from home in order to get everything figured out, but I mean… It’s their, the travel agencies, fault. 

After making it through security we spent the majority of the afternoon at a NY sports bar where I of course ahd to order a BACON CHEESEBRUGER! Just the thought of it makes me sad. WHERE AM I GOING TO GET BACON FROM!?!?!?

Well, we’re in Brussels now and I just had a chocolate croissant? Who knew? But now, we are actually sitting at a workstation charging too many electronic devices as I try to explain, in Frenglish to an African gentleman, how to connect to the internet here. I am slowly realizing that my subpar French is going to be EXTREMELY subpar with the locals.  Strangely enough, this experience and failing French has made me 100% more excited about getting to Burkina and jumping into the culture and language.

LEGGO

Oct 12, 2011

Woke up in the morning feelin like P’Diddy….

Well kind of! I woke up this morning feeling all sorts of jetlagged and exhausted. The full 19 hours of travel really exhausted me more than I had initially though.  Some of the other PCTs and I also spent a sizable amount of time speaking with the PCVs helping us out with training. Sizable amount of time= all night.  One health volunteer mentioned how he has to keep anti-venom nearby in case of a snake bite(Snakes are pretty common in his region). I made a silent prayer to not be placed in his region, the south west. He also mentioned how the anti-venom is too expensive for the local people to afford so he actually has to watch people suffer from the snake bite knowing that he has the anti-venom, and that there is not enough to go around.  If he were to help out some of the locals, there would be none for him in the future.   Tough decisions! To choose your own life over that of a neighbor.

Another volunteer scared the hell out of me by talking about something called a “scorpion carrier”. It is pretty much exactly what it sounds like, kind of.  A scorpion carrier is a fast insect, resembling a big spider, that is large enough to carry scorpions on its back.  The carrier is tough to kill and fast as hell. Ultimately harmless though. The scorpions, not the carrier, get people. :Note to All: Scorpion stings are poisonous and hurt a ton while scorpion carriers are almost impossible to catch/kill. Dangerous 1-2 punch.

Needless to say, I laid in bed thinking about everything that could potentially be outside my door or under my bed.  Not so sweet dreams

 And then for breakfast, Bread with a side of orange marmalade. Not bad, but I would have preferred an omelet perhaps? Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and is usually something sizable. Not just bread.  Moving on, we proceeded to class, for lack of better word, where we met the PC staff in country. 3 Americans and a team of approximately 20 Burkinabé. Meeting the staff and learning a little bit about everyone was a blast and really colored in my picture of BF. The Burkinabé are a lovable people who never stop smiling. I found myself grinning from ear to ear as the explained their jobs, family, and village.  Priceless.

From here the other PCTs and I exchanged our currency(approx. 500CFA to $1.00), interviewed with our assistant directors, and got the chance to explore Ouaga. Overall a pretty good day, although my interview with my French instructor could have gone better (it was all appropriately in french). From the sounds of other PCT complaining, I perhaps did the? Meh.  The city of ouaga is pretty dirty. Not because the people are particularly dirty, but because there are no trashcans. No real land fill, and the rich people burn their trash.  With nowhere to get rid of the trash, the sides of the roads and backstreets become pretty gross. Luckily there are any number of domestic/wild animals to eat and dispose of the trash. Including but not limited to chickens, cows, donkeys, geckos, pigeons, etc. It’s a good time. 

Dinner was served at our country director’s residence…. Slash mansion. Four bedrooms with a bathroom for each.  Very nice. Our CD has worked all over the world and had a number artifacts from all over.  A FREKKIN BLADE Collection. So sick.  Well ending now, battery dying. Deuces.

Ps. Was able to call home. Feel free to text/call me anytime at 22677494392. Make sure you dial 011 to make international first. :-D

Merci et Bon nuit!

Another Update!

Pat's hut may or may not have a roach problem.  He came home the other day to find a big one on his floor and then later the same day he had to kill another.  

Pat has been recruited to plan events over there.  The trainees put him in charge so he is planning a soccer game between health volunteers and business volunteers, another soccer game between PC Staff and volunteers, a movie night, Thanksgiving and Halloween parties, and a dance to present at swear in. His psychology degree is going to good use! I hope the group dance will be video recorded and put on youtube as previous years' performances have been!  (I'll keep you all updated on that)

The last couple of nights, the PCTs have gone out to the bar for bonding and a good time.  That has been a blast.  Lots of dancing ensued!  On Friday they spent a good amount of time learning about mosquito nets and planting trees.  They actually worked with manure... glad I wasn't there haha.  Another day, they had presentations on women's empowerment groups in BF.  While the topic itself is interesting, the presentation was not quite as intriguing.  On Friday night they had a movie night at the "school" where their training occurs.  At the school there is one room with a projector and a couple of outlets.  During the day, the PCTs take turns charging their various electronics. However, the entire building is open air, no doors, no windows, no A/C, no running water... it is just one with the outside. Pat fell asleep on the floor during the movie.  

Speaking of sleeping, this experience is EXHAUSTING.  Pat says its a different type of exhaustion... the kind that kinda just knocks you out at night.  More than just a physical condition.  He feels that he is being stretched and is happy that he is!  He is acclimating well.  

Thus far, they have lost 4 of the PCTs.  Four individuals decided PCBF was not for them and flew back home abandoning the project at hand.  This really lowers morale among the group.  When someone leaves it makes everyone reevaluate their own decision to stay. It seems "so easy" to just do what others have done and to give up when the going gets tough...but Pat will definitely not be one of those people.  He is strong, determined, and most of all, he is passionate.  He wants to make a difference and help others, so that is precisely what he will do.  

Vous envoyez mon amour...

Pat told me to continue to send his love to his family and friends...

So, just as a friendly reminder, Pat loves you guys and misses you all terribly.

One of the toughest parts of being a PCT (Peace Corps Trainee) is the lonliness when you are adjusting to a new culture and entirely new language.  For Pat, the individuals in his family who actually speak french are the kids/teenagers, but they are usually in school during the day so he doesn't see them very often.  Thus, he doesn't have very many people to talk to outside of training, but he is holding up well!

The food is good but the restaurants over there sometimes run out of food.  Yesterday he had bread for breakfast (un pain), beans and rice for lunch (benga), and rice with sauce for dinner (riz sauce).  The diet is full of carbohydrates!  Pat's family makes dinner and gives him bread in the morning for breakfast, but all other food is up to him to obtain on his own. 

He spent a lot of time recently on top of two hills watching the stars rise as the sun sets.  Sounds amazing!  He said that such sights were probably what inspired the movie Lion King. Also today, he "just sat in a tree this evening... and watched the world happen.  I am humbled."

Awesome sites in BF.  I cannot wait to see them firsthand!

Okay so, with all of that being said, I'm gonna use this space to do an advertisement.  Pat may or may not hate me for this, but he will appreciate anything he receives in the mail.  If you look to your left, you will see his address.  It costs 98 cents to send a letter to Burkina Faso and for packages, it all depends.  If you miss him or wanna contact him via snail mail, theres your opportunity!  No clue how long it takes though...or if it will get there, but its worth the risk lol.  The earliest letter I sent was about 2 weeks ago and he hasn't received it yet.  Also I will be sending a package in the next two weeks or so, so if you're interested in including something, do contact me :)

Keep the prayers and good vibes sent in Pat's direction. 

As they say in french, bon soir.

Lovin' Africa!

Hey guys,

Pat asked me to update his blog since internet in Burkina Faso is spotty and such.  Forgive me if I get anything wrong/incorrect on here.  I'm just relaying what I have heard from Pat the way that I have understood it.  Anyways, here's a long awaited update! :)

Pat arrived in BF on Oct. 9th in the capital. He said he loves the food and loves it there. There are bugs and lizards everywhere. The lizards are his personal favorite. He says the city is very dirty, but that the people are VERY friendly. He has been in training pretty much from 9-4/5 everyday. Volunteers make significantly less money during training than they will after their swear-in in December. Pat has been in another village which an hour bus ride outside of the capital. This is a small rural village where they don't have electricity nor running water. His host family lives here, but it is a very communal village. When speaking on the phone with him one day, I could hear a ton of little children speaking in french screaming and laughing in the background. There is a courtyard where they all play during the day. Initially, the volunteers were all learning Moore since it is a major dialect over there. However, Pat and another volunteer recently learned that they would be learning Gourmanchéma . He will be trilingual upon his return home! French, Gourmanchéma, and English! He is pretty excited to be trilingual.

  

The other day Pat walked into his room to find a scorpion on the wall! Oh the joys of African life. His host family lives in an extremely rural area. It is very humid and hot there. Sweating happens on the regular. From time to time spirits of the PCVs get kinda low. Life in BF is tough! Pat went through a pretty tough period on his first Friday there.  It is common for PCVs to kinda question their decision every once in awhile.  Two girls dropped already and went home. The rest of the PCVs rely on one another, limited contact with loved ones home, and with PC employees for support and encouragement. One day Pat began a dance off with some of the kids in the village and ultimately, nearly the entire village came out to dance with them! Talk about authentic African dance! So he is learning plenty of cultural dances.

  

Sadly Pat experienced his first (and thus far ONLY!...he's very proud of this) unsuccessful battle with the local food, but thankfully he has recovered.

  

He spent Thursday through Sunday of his second week in another village. It was a 4 day visit with another PCV who is already there.  He woke up at 4 AM on Thursday to bus to the capital and then bus to the site. The transportation system there has given him a new appreciation for our beloved DC Metro. In BF, they sit 5 people to a single row, so it is very "cozy" so to speak. He has done a TON of biking around BF and just exploring in general. The health center there has no electricity or running water. In fact the PCV there is 30 miles away from any of the common amenities that we take for granted in the US!  Crazy.

  

A couple of days ago, Pat received his first marriage proposal. Much to my dismay, this will be the first of many. This particular proposal was from an older woman trying to hook Pat up with her daughter. He played soccer with the locals which was obviously a blast! Then he had mac & cheese and salad for dinner. He ate dinner under the stars, which are gorgeous in BF. No light pollution to obscure them! Lots of bonding with the PCVs has occurred. He likes the eclectic, quirky group of PCVs with him.

  

It is very cold in BF in the mornings. Pat wakes up freezing in the early mornings. Typically they rise with the sun and go to bed after it sets. He salutes individuals that he meets which just means greets them and asks how they are doing/questions. On this 4 day trip, he met a bunch of important people within the community. They mostly spoke to him in french.

  

On Saturday he met up with a volunteer and they fried chicken. Ahh some black food at last! (his words, not mine) Over there, many of the locals call anyone who is significantly lighter "white" even if they would be black here in America.  His swear-in ceremony is on Dec. 15th, but visitors are not allowed. Bummer. :/

On Sunday he stopped at the PC office on his way back to his village.  Here he was able to get online very briefly.  He said the internet is very slow.  In the office they have a huge map of Burkina Faso where they have pins to show where volunteers are located in the country and there are lines connecting the volunteers to one another.  

Today he went to the market and upon his return to his small village, there was a big party!  The villagers are celebrating because it is the last day of Harvest.  Pat says that in the dark, he can pass for a local, so they do not call him foreigner as the children do constantly during the daytime.  During the night he can walk around freely without being bothered.  His language is improving!  He spends alot of time during the day working on his French, especially, but also his Gourmanchéma.  

Pat is in great spirits and really loves it in Burkina Faso!  Tis a dream come true.

 Well that's about it for my update! More later!

  

--Britt

Staging

Soooooooo, after the butterflies in my stomach kept me awake all last night I was up bright and early this morning to head to staging. HOLY CRAP WE HAVE ARRIVED!!!
Getting to philly was pretty problem free although checking into the hotel was a pain because we had to be here by 12:30 but then none of our rooms were ready until 4:30. Tough luck, so we awkwardly carry around out 100lbs of luggage until they decide to open up a storage room for us.

After storing our luggage most of the PCTs hung out in the lobby as people arrived. We introduced ourselves and got to know each other. We have some truly amazing individuals in our stage. I am awed at the diversity of life paths. Although none of us are above the age of 35 we all bring some unique experiences.  California, Colorado, Washington, Illinois, Louisiana, and Massachusetts are just a few of the states that our PCTs hail from. Truly a diverse crowd.  Its actually rather comforting to have other volunteers struggling with  the idea of a long distance relationship as well. I can see already that some of us will support each other and try to make our relationships work. Long distance is tough, but when someone is worth it, it makes all the difference!

Staging is pretty much a simple orientation where we go through a PC information session. Pretty much reiterating everything that we have ever been told about PC.  "You will live in hardship", "Have no expectations", "But if you do come with expectations, be sure to keep them pretty low". We also did a number of ice breakers. YIPPY! Who doesn't love ice breakers.   I do not know why but there is something especially delicious about knowing nothing about the situation I will be living in for the next two year. I am really excited and the adventurer inside of me is ready to land in Burkina Faso and take my first steps on a new continent!

Sitting through staging, I couldn't help but to smile at the idea that "The" moment is finally here. After such a long application process. THE MOMENT IS HERE!

As we start training on Tuesday, I cannot guarantee when my next blog post will come because we have been led to believe that we will not have any access to the outside world for the next week or more.  Training is pretty hectic as we literally go from 7am until 7pm. DO NOT WORRY IF YoU DO NOT HERE FROM ME! As pc says... "No news is good news". Pretty much saying that its good if you do not hear from me. No worries.

Well that's all for now, but before I go, I want to leave you with pictures of my last meal and drink.
Steak au poivre followed by tequila shots. Most staging groups go to liberty bell to bond and hang out, but no! My stage goes to the bar and gets tequila shots. I can already see that this is the start of some truly amazing friendships.

Best Wishes to everyone back home,

:-)

Getting Pumped for PCBF

Starting off right with some good music. Compliments of Burkina Faso's chart topping music sensation. Happy 50th Anniversary Peace Corps! Thank you Peace Corps!    

 

      

Swearing in the new volunteers! One does not become an official PCV until they pass 3 months of training and get sworn in.

ONE WEEEEEEK!

One Week!

Thank you!

Those words do not seem to suffice in explaining how thankful I am for my friends and family who have come out to show their support at a number of going away parties, dinners, movie dates, and lunches.  The strength and support that you guys have given me is truly something special.  I've truly had a blast partying, chillin, and just tying up loose ends with everyone.  The past couple of weeks have been amazing.  Thank You!

Yesterday was the source of a lot of pressure and craziness, but thankfully yesterday is yesterday and not tomorrow.  The LSAT has come and passed and I really hope that I was able to pull a rabbit out of the hat. After weeks of studying and preparing on top of farewells and packing, I can finally relax a bit. Relax for approximately one week and then head off to staging and Burkina Faso. SEVEN DAYS. Life just got real!

On top of everything going on I ended up having to say goodbye to my family a lot earlier than anyone had wanted. The family will be vacationing outside of the country until the day of my departure. Unfortunately, when their return flight lands, I will already be in staging. Having to say goodbye the day before the LSAT did not help matters at all and it was really tough. At least that part is over with and I know that they are having a blast on their much needed vacation. 

PACKING!!!!!!

"The Peace Corps’ allowance is two checked pieces of luggage with combined dimensions of both pieces not to exceed 107 inches (length + width + height) and a carry-on bag with dimensions of no more than 45 inches. Checked baggage should not exceed 80 pounds total with a maximum weight allowance of 50 pounds for any one bag."

I never thought packing would be soooo difficult. This is crazy! Packing for two years... rainy season, cold season, hot season, bike helmet. How on earth do people figure out what they need/want to bring. There are suddenly a million things to think about. "Do i really need that frying pan that current PCVs suggest?" orrr "Howabout that sleeping pad and/or pillows". The possibilities are endless, but I managed to get a rough pack in. Totaling 50 lbs, I still have about 30lbs of freedom remaining. Hmm what to do what to do?

If I could get britt to lose about a 90lbs of weight, I could fit her in a suitcase... hmmmm........

The possibilities are endless