Where there is no cheese

Oh, well, hello there world! Its been a while!


I am currently celebrating my one month anniversary in my village. And let me tell you, there is just no way to sum it up. Its like trying to explain any absolutely different life experience. I can use words like:difficult and frustrating and exillerating and life affirming and exhausting and theres somethingaboutit that just gets in your blood and you love it... but none of that really captures it.

New friends

All good-byes are hellos

Leaving Koudougou is so different from arriving.
The ville (:city) where I've been living and training for the last two months is finally comfortable.

I know the waitress at the restraunt where I often eat lunch, and she knows I like extra sauce with my spagetti. I've been invited over to eat to for lunch with some neighbors close to the learning center, and I've made friends with their children (as far as I can figure, there are six, all girls). I no longer offend my host mom by using the wrong form of "you" in French, and I may actually get her to smile if I can say something in Moore.

Me and my host Mom

Yesterday, though, I took my map off the wall of my room and packed  my things back into their travel bags. (I missed having my sister there to make everything fit). I gave my host family a few parting gifts, thanks to my parents' care package, which they enjoyed immensely. Then we ate some fish-- which is a big deal in a landlocked country--and in the end I said I'd be back when I can to visit. I couldn't help giving my mom a hug as well as the Burkinabe appropriate handshake/kisses when I left. I have never been a fan of good-byes, and I have loved my time here with these people.

But I know it's time to move on, because I have a village just waiting for me.

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Welcome to Village!

I ate thanksgiving dinner on a frisbee. Seriously. It was awesome.





Thanksgiving here means food food and more food of the Americanish type for PCTs (Peace Corps Trainees)-- the people who work our stage (Burkinabe langague trainers and such) sometimes call it the fete american -- roughly translated as american party day. All of the stagieres got together for a giant potluck of sorts and then slept over at our training center, and it was a great time to celebrate both food and where we come from.

Making Time for Tea

Dear people-

Hello once again from Burkina Faso. I AM still here in Africa!

Besides the occational phone call or quickly typed email to family, most of you all know little more about my life here than that I love it and that I'm still alive.

The past month has been filled with both great challenges and successes... and very little time to write about any of it. Ironic for someone who was so keen just a few weeks ago to write about everything.

Breathing Burkina

I love it even when I hate it. Life is beautiful. Please keep praying and sending things. Internet is SO hard to get! I WILL write more soon! Love, JK

Training

I am here and I am safe. There is so much to tell. I feel like I've been here months instead of days. It's amazing and hard and I love it. Please send mail and email. Internet is difficult to get, but when I do get it, it means so much to get mail! I love you all, JK

 The first view of Burkina Faso

 Other Peace Corps people

What happened to my luggage (a formerly unopened box of zip-locks)