Christmas and Affectation

Isn’t the word Affectation (said in a French accent) so cool. There is no English word equivalent and it pretty much means moving from one place to another.

After swear in on December 19th we had about 4 days of life skills training that will be very useful once we get to village. During this time we also had time to begin shopping for our new homes. Some people went all out buying tables and cots (lit picos) and using donkey carts to transport everything back to ECLA. I moved to a replacement sight so there was not many things that I needed to buy so I took pictures and relaxed before Affectation.

As mentioned in my holiday blog, Peace Corps kept us all together for Christmas Day. I thought I would share some photos of our first Christmas as volunteers.

December 24, 2008: Josh is doing some non-traditional Christmas Eve shopping, haha. He is a true Burkinabe carrying some of his new purchases for his site on the back of his bike. It is incredible how much Burkinabe’s strap onto their bikes.

December 24, 2008: Amanda, Josh, Gwen, and Erik snuggle outside under the pavilion on Christmas Eve to watch “Elf.” We are all comfy in our Pjs, so memorable.

December 24, 2008: Dan Pint regarding “Elf,” we use a chair and portable speakers as our theatre. You can see the plants behind the laptop.

December 25, 2008: Not only is it Christmas but it is also Brittany’s Birthday and we hook my iPod up to her portable speakers and promanade to our yogurt lady to get some petit dejeuner. It was so much fun and we kinda felt like Christmas carolers as all the Burkinabes stared wondering where the music was coming from.

December 25, 2008: After our Christmas petite dejeuner we stop by the water pump to get some peanut butter birddle and a truck passes and sprays Brittany and I with muddy water. Priceless.

December 25, 2008: I laughed so hard because it was like a scene out of a movie as we get sprayed with mud on Christmas. Yes, I am wearing a sweatshirt, it was somewhat cold Christmas morning.

December 25, 2008: Everyone that participated in Secret Santa with all of their wonderful Burkinabe goodies. It really was fun to be all together and watch everyone open up something. The activity lasted over an hour and then we went onto White Elephant.

December 25, 2008: I was the 3rd to the last to pick a present so I could have had anything I wanted, even old moldy Tô that someone wrapped up in a Reese’s box, but instead I got a Tie. I loved it and wear it as a belt when my pants are too big.

December 25, 2008: I exchanged gifts with some of my closest friends of stage then. I am giving Amanda her gift, and as you can see I spent hours on the plastic bag gift wrapping.

December 25, 2008: Super happy and excited for my own personalized calabashes that Lynette got me. She knew I am a sucker for drinking out of calabashes.

December 25, 2008: Amanda is unveiling the Christmas present she got me. . . . THE DEHYDRATOR

December 25, 2008: Later that day at the cyber post in OHG I skype with my family for almost 2 hours and watch as they celebrate Christmas. I actually felt like I was there in the living room. It was great!!!! If you look at the computer screen you can see them waving in the background. Hi Jen, Mom, Dad, and Taylor!!!

December 25, 2008: This is where we ate Christmas Dinner at a Lebanese hotel in OGH. It was actually quite engaging and a great send off after almost 3 months of being together.

December 25, 2008: After dinner we sang Christmas carols at the top of our lungs. Erik and I are rocking out!

December 25, 2008: Amanda, Me, and Brittany, my girls, enjoy each others company during dinner.

December 25, 2008: I stop by my host families house one more time to say goodbye at 10pm at night. I would leave OHG the next morning unsure as to when I will see my host sister Adissa again.

December 25, 2008: All my bags are packed. This is everything I have for my two years here in Burkina Faso. I am quite proud of myself beyond the three bags I brought from the states I only added two more bags, which mainly consist of Peace Corps books and my new dehydrator. I think my parents would be proud, knowing my history with the ability to accumulate STUFF.

Swearing In Ceremoney

December 19th 2008 after two months of training we finally swore in as Peace Corps volunteers here are some photos from that day. I have also posted some on my facebook account as well. Enjoy!!

I get all pretty and what I think is the first time I wore makeup in 2 months

This is the pavillion where we had the ceremony. This photo is sooo misleading as to what the Sahel looks like really

Amanda smiling in front of the traditional African drummers

I just had to take a photo of a water fountain in Burkina Faso

Sissamba Health group Karla, Colin, Sara, Audry, and Amanda

Tons of photos being taken of this momentious occasion.

All of the male Health volunteers, Erik, Colin, Rob, Aaron, and Josh

Burkina Faso Country Director Doug address the new Peace Corps volunteers

Aaron thanking everyone for all of their hard work entirely in French

Burkina Faso US Ambassador Jackson addressing and congratulating the new volunteers

The volunteers taking the oath to the United States and becoming real PCVs; that is Chris's hand

I am getting personally congratulated by Ambassador Jackson and Peace Corps Country Director Doug

I was so happy my family was able to come see me and congratulate me and partake in all the festivities

My counterpart Lagou Da and my host sister. Lagou is my colleauge at ASUDEC and helps me throughout my two years here in BF.

The food spread after the ceremony

Signing my life away for two years, this makes it all official.

All of us new volunteers devour all the yummy food

A get my photo taken with Erik and Aaron, love the lighting

Saying Goodbye to Host Families

On December 13th we had a very small informal ceremony to thank our host families for taking us into their families for two months.

Chris N thanking all of the host families on behalf of all of the SED volunteers

Even though there is a head in the way you can see me personally thanking my host dad Aly and my host sister Adissa.

My beautiful host sister at the after party with a cold fanta and bruschette

A Family photo with Aly and Adissa. In true Bukinabe fashion they do not smile.

Aww sisterly love

A group photo of all of SED volunteers

I just cannot take enough photos of this girl

When I got home that night I had to give Dodo a hug

Dodo in my room opening up my letters that were from Jen my sister. I think he liked all the stickers

Tabaski Part II Photos

Enjoy the rest of the photos from the Tabaski celebration on December 8th 2008

After I was back home I took part in the festivities going on within my family compound. I mainly watched and enjoyed doing nothing all day long.

December 8, 2008: The girls outside my room eating the bon bons that I got them and showing off their new tabaski dresses. Tres Jolie!

December 8, 2008: Dodo stops by to say hello and show off his dashing suit. Later that evening when Adissa and I went for our promenade Dodo insisted that he come with us. He then fell asleep while he was walking and I had to carry him home in my arms, with Adissa telling me not to. Ohhh Dodo!

December 8, 2008: Hours later before an evening of walking around the city and saying hello to friends and dancing until 5am. The women prepare themselves for going out. All the women come to Miriam to get their hair done.

December 8, 2008: The kids hanker down to eat very African style from a communal plate and with their hands.

December 8, 2008: Here is my feast, and I really do not know how they expected me to eat all of this. I was so happy to have chicken for the first time in 2 months though and devoured it with my fingers.

December 8, 2008: The women serve up the rest of the meal. Look at that HUGE pot of rice, wow.

December 8, 2008: It must be universal that men like grilling meat, haha. My host dad’s brothers sit around and watch the meat grille. Most of his brothers came up from Ouaga to celebrate Tabaski with the family.

December 8, 2008: The courtyard is separated between sexes. The men crowd around and are in charge of the meat while the women are in charge of everything else. In some families holidays are the only times of the year that they are able to eat meat. The men have taken the skin off of the mutton and it now hangs to be carved and divided up. The women wait for the intestines, yummy.

December 8, 2008: The market is really crowded as everyone quickly buys his or her vegetables and spices for tabaski.

December 8, 2008: Adissa is perusing the line of vegetables that are before here. This is how you buy produce of any kind in Burkina Faso. Women sit side my side and sell the same things and compete for customers.

December 8, 2008: Ouahigouya’s market is lively as all of the women and families converge to buy their produce for the tabaski dinner. Since I am in a city there is a market everyday, however today the market closes at noon for the holiday.

December 8, 2008 My host dad Aly with the two goats that would be sacrificed in the next couple of minutes. I did document the sacrifice but I will respect that some people would not want to visually see the actually sacrifice. For me I could only watch one of the goats getting sacrificed, after that I was done. It is rather sad watching another living being die. None of my family actually does the sacrifice, for tabaski you actually have a friend of the family come and sacrifice the mutton. They say a prayer over the animal before they slit the throat.