Where in the World is Carmen SanDiego??

Nov. 9, 2008: This is a photo of Sec and Dodo standing on my patio right outside my room. Dodo (left in the awesome pink shirt) is my host brother and Sec is a friend of the family who is always running around with a smile on his face. Dodo and I have a secret handshake that involves tons of punches and it of course changes each time we do it.

So maybe the weeks do fly by. My favorite part of staging is my host family. Everyday I look forward to the evening (Zaabra in Moore) when I am away from my other stagaries and I am “home” with my house family. This past weekend I spent the whole weekend with them. Big things happened on Saturday Nov. 8^th, my courtyard got running water. CRAZY

Water: In the United States we take running water for granted and how crucial it is for everyday survival because it is so readily available. As Americans we also take advantage that our water is treated, filtered, and safe to drink right out of the tap. Here in Burkina water is a luxury, especially during the months of no rain. Courtyards or family compounds normally have to walk across town to a well and pay for water to be transported to the courtyard where it is stored. To transport the water from the well/borage men/children use old steal drums that normally leak during transportation. Wells are not everywhere in a village, most times you have to go a quarter of a mile from your house or greater to get water and bring it back to your compound.

Once the water reaches the courtyard it is then stored in whatever the family has i.e. steal “oil” tanks, massive trashcans, or any container with a lid. This water is not safe to drink because there could be parasites, amebas, or a million other water born illnesses festering in the water. Peace Corps gives every PCV a filter system so the water is fine to drink. The filter consists of two buckets on top of each other. Volunteers pour water from the well into the top bucket and it first goes through the filter. When all of the water runs through the filter and is in the bottom bucket the volunteer puts 2 drops of bleach for every liter of water. We then have to wait 15 minutes before drinking or using the water for cooking. Another way to make sure the water is all right to drink is to boil the water for 3 minutes and then still put the 2 drops of bleach in.

I do not use filtered water for my bucket baths or for washing my hands. My host family never filters or boils their water for anything (drinking, cooking, etc.). Many times I have come out to get water and there is none left in the steal drum outside. Someone then has to run out and get water to be brought from the well. I totally took foregranted the temperature of water when I was back in the states. The temperature of water here depends on the time of the day and the location of the water to the sun. At night the water for my bucket baths is nice and hot due to being in a metal drum all day out in the sun. In the morning my bucket baths are cold because the water has been in that same metal drum with only the dark night air to “warm” it. I drink water all of the time to keep hydrated and what temperature is the water? It is either warm or HOT from being in the sun. In the states NEVER drank soda. It is amazing how great the taste of a cold Sprite or Fanta taste in the afternoon sun here in Africa. My body craves the sugar and electrolytes from that Fanta/Sprite after biking all day. I also have grown to appreciate those water bottle drink mixes (crystal light, Gatorade, etc.) because it makes drinking hot water so much more bearable. Although I do not recommend brushing your teeth with said drink mix water, something I did accidentally a couple weeks ago, haha.

So now my host family has a water pipe and valve for water. It looks like any American’s outdoor water spigot on the side of a house. They keep a lock box over the knob so no one can use it. They also keep the huge steal drums of water locked up too. So interesting. Saturday night into Sunday they just left the water hose out and about to be trampled on, out under the sun for it to be deteriorated. Therefore Sunday after I finished my laundry I conveyed in French that it was not a good idea to keep the hose out in the open under the sun. I was so please that they took my suggestion to heart and now the hose is locked away in an outdoor shed. I will probably have a lot more to say about water in future blog entries because it is a vital part of life, agriculture, and development here in Burkina Faso.

Laundry: Even though my family had the water spigot installed they still had water brought in for laundry day, Sunday. It is superstitious to do laundry on Saturday, go figure. I should have also said in the water section that even though you have a water line it does not guarantee that water would come out. Many times at our training center, ECLA, which has running water, there are certain parts of the day that water does not come out of the faucets. Very frustrating when you are trying to wash your hands.

This was my second time doing my laundry and it went a lot better than two weeks ago. Adeeza actually let me alone to do my own laundry and did not criticize me. Therefore I took my sweet time and did not pulverize my clothes into smithereens. I understand why they murder their clothes so much; my clothes are filled with dust and dirt from only wearing them once. Many times Burkinabe re-wear clothes for a couple days at a time. It took me about 2 hours to wash my clothes. I went to the Marche in the morning and bought a bar of soap and omo, laundry detergent with Adeeza. I do not get hassled as much when I meekly follow petite Adeeza around the market.

Burkinabe do not buy laundry detergent in large quantities like Americans, they buy small quantities at a time; just enough for one Sunday’s worth of laundry. Americans buy large quantities at Costco and then store the laundry detergent on a shelf for 3 months. Burkinabe do not see the value (economies of scale) in holding their wealth in laundry detergent for 3 months. It is all about the opportunity cost of using the money today versus having to store the money unused in laundry detergent for 3 months.

With omo in hand I trudge back to my courtyard for some quality laundry time. Adezza and I set up shop side by side and I blast Celine Dion out of my computer. Yes flash back to my junior high years with Celine Dion. SHE IS HUGE HERE, her and Phil Collins. (Aaron, a guy is my stage is in the process to see if he can get Phil Collins to come to Burkina Faso, if anyone wants to help to see this dream come true send me an email!!!) The kids (and the women) in my courtyard love it when I “try” to sing to Celine and I throw in Shakira every so once in a while to spice it up. And yes my hips do not lie. . .

My laundry only takes 2 hours and I am finished. In Burkina ONLY women do the laundry. This is on top of everything else that they do in the house and sometimes on top of work outside the home (small businesses). So I was done after 2 hours, Adezza worked on laundry from 11am to 7pm at night. After my two hours my hands were prunes and they were cut apart. I had to put 6 band-aids to cover up cuts to prevent the onslaught of “staff infections.” It is incredible how much the Burkinabe women do. I try to convey how amazed I am of Adezza who is only 17 but I do not believe they comprehend. Instead I act like a fool and they laugh and encourage me to continue to talk, dance, or sing. I oblige with pleasure because it brings smiles to their faces. I think I entertain them.

Nov. 9, 2008: Laundry central. I take a break from my laundry I am the 2 basins in the back and yes I get a tiny bench to sit on. Adeeza is in the foreground and that is how she stands all day to do laundry. We are in the shade of a tree.

Nov. 10, 2008: This past Monday we went to visit a group of artisans. This photo shows Burkinabe women hand making panyas. These panyas are a lot more expensive then the 1000 CFA panyas I bought for my dresses. You can see that these are hand woven. Incredible!!

Nov. 10, 2008: Artisans continued: A group of women crack peanut shells and sort out the peanuts from the shells. They then coat them in either salt or sugar (my favorite) and sell them sashays for 25 CFA. As we passed by they were of course eating a lot of their merchandise. Peanuts are a crop only women are allowed to plant. Men do not even think about planting peanuts even when peanuts are so great for the soil and crop rotation. No, peanuts are a women crop. Burkinabe love peanuts and everywhere you go there is “oily” peanut sauce with everything. Sugared peanuts are soooo good. I think someone should bring honey-roasted peanuts to the Burkinabe!!!

Nov. 10, 2008: Artisans continued: Addie showcasing a room full or dehydrators. I will talk about dehydrating in the future because we will be learning how to make homemade dehydrators. Dehydration of fruits and vegetables is such a value adding technique that many Burkinabe do not utilize. Agricultural is so seasonal and when in season and so abundant that a lot of crops spoil. Dehydration could save some crops and bring income during slow months!

Nov. 10, 2008: Artisans continued: The Germans are coming! Germany’s governmental development agency, GTZ is everywhere in Burkina. They are funding a ton of different projects I have heard about in my short time here. I will have to research a little more and then write up what I find in a future blog. This sticker was placed on the side of a metal “stove.” The metal workers get the metal, aluminum, from the German government and then make the stoves and sell them for a big profit. The artisan would not tell use what the profit was because even he was shocked by how inexpensive it was to make the stoves. You can view the stoves in the background of the photo below. The man in the foreground is welding the roof on a dehydrator.

Nov. 10, 2008: Artisans continued: This was by far the coolest thing of the visit. This is a solar grill contraption. The man is burning the piece of cardboard in his hand, you can see the smoke emanating from the piece of cardboard. A pot can be placed in the center holder and food can be cooked . The cardboard started burning in less the 20 seconds. This is another investment from the Germans. Germany provides the aluminum for these solar shields and the metal workers create solar cooking devices. I am amazed by the unexplored opportunities for solar energy here in Burkina. The device in this picture is using only the sun, no gas, propane, or bio fuels. The potential for solar power is immense and this will have to be another topic for further research during my 2 years; solar energy and Africa. I was shocked when I saw a lot of my fellow volunteers bringing solar paneled backpacks and devices with them from the US. Many PCVs purchase solar panels while here in Burkina and then connect them to car batteries. The solar panels recharge the car battery and the car battery is used for electricity in the homes of PCVs without electricity. Ingenious!

Nov. 11, 2008: Matthew and I play with our plastic sashays that we should be filling with dirt. We used a mixture of sand, clay, and manure in our bags. We then planted seeds for moringa and neem trees. The trees initially take root in these bags and are then replanted. By planting them in these sashays first the trees have a better chance of surviving because they are able to take root and get enough water.

Nov. 11, 2008: LCF Herrman, Gwen, Abby, and Dan race to fill their bags with soil.

Where in the World is Carmen SanDiego?

On November 12^th we found out where in Burkina Faso we stag Aries will be living for the next 2 years of our lives. Over the course of our first four weeks at stage, our APCO conducted interviews to gauge what site they should place us. Some of us will be replacing former Peace Corps volunteers while others will be going to communities that have never had a volunteer before. Peace Corps normally places 3 cycles of volunteers within a village, or what they call generations. After 3 cycles, which equals 6 years a community or village should be able to sustain the developments those PCV has initiated in that community over the previous 6 years. A majority of the health stagiaries will be going to communities that have never had a volunteer before. Many of these first generation sites have been asking for a Peace Corps volunteer for years. For a lot of these villages this will be the first time they have ever seen a western/white person before. Much of the work a first generation volunteer will do in a village will be unsustainable during their service. Change takes time and the fruits of certain volunteer’s labor does not emerge until after they leave the country.

Stagiaries had to voice where in the country they wanted to be placed. Whether they wanted to be close to a market, Internet, paved road. We were asked about how much we wanted to bike. And whether we wanted to be close to another volunteer or not. The APCOs also discussed our aspiration statements with us to find a proper fit with the host organization and counterpart we would be working with for the next two years.

Now photos from site announcements and more about my site after the photos!

Amanda and I listening to Toto’s Rain Down in Africa, the anthem of anyone in/going to Africa. We are psyched to find out where we are going to live!

Lynette, Karla, Annette, and Chantel eagerly waiting to hear what village they will be helping out over the next 2 years.

Brandon and Brittany showcase the huge map of Burkina Faso. We are each called up to place ourselves on the map once we can guess which volunteer goes where in Burkina Faso. The APCOs prepared paragraphs about the site and based on the paragraphs we guess which stagiaries goes where. It really is like: Where in the world is Carmen SanDiego? Duh she is in Burkina Faso!!

I do not know if these stagiaries are more excited about hearing where their sites are or about the lollipops they are about the consume. (L to R: Audrey (cut off), Nikki (back row), Erik, Ilana (back row), Matthew (with lollipops), Sara L, and Melanie).

I was the second person called up to find where they were going to serve. Andre helps me find my site on the map.

This was taken after everyone found out his or her site. Peace Corps Volunteers Burkina Faso 2008-2010 with our training staff.

The “other” SED language group with their mentor and idol LCF Konfi. (L to R: Dan, Chris, Dave, Konfi, Matthew, and Brek)

Little miniature Gwen at Diebougou, the regional city I will be living at for the next two years.

Brittany and Sara L are circling where everyone is placed in Burkina Faso on their own map.

This is where Diebougou is in Burkina Faso. I will be in the south a completely different climate than northern Burkina Faso, which is where our training is taking place.

I have been chosen to serve in Diebougou, and urban community in the south of the country, parallel to the border with Ghana. My host organization is ASUDEC, Africa’s Sustainable Development Council, a Burkinabe founded and managed NGO. ASUDEC works with community associations to improve agriculture and animal husbandry and they are expanding into literacy and after school activities.

I am very excited about my placement because it fits perfectly with my education and experience. I wanted a little more structure than is normal for a Peace Corps volunteer and jumped at the opportunity to work with a Burkinabe NGO. I am also excited to work with individuals within the community of Diebougou. I will be a second generation volunteer and I was able to talk to my predecessor before she left Burkina Faso on November 13^th. I hear my house is enormous and I have an indoor shower room and electricity. I will also have the opportunity to continue improving my business French language. As more information becomes available about my site I will write about it in my blog!

This week also saw the beginning of each SED groups Income Generating Activity (IGA). We were divided into 3 groups and given a month to develop an IGA and implement it with a local Burkinabe business. An income generating activity is any activity that can make a profit for the business owner. Throughout our service many SED volunteers are able to either create or improve upon various IGAs in our communities. Income Generating Activities could be: a food item, beverage, service, or craft. Our IGAs during stage needed to involve a Burkinabe in the production and selling of the new product and should meet the needs/wants of a Burkinabe market. Therefore, we should not cater to our American tastes, and everything produced should be available locally; nothing imported.

I am going to showcase the photos of another groups IGA because it is far more entertaining then my group’s IGA. My IGA involves hair gel sashays at a women hair salon. This group is bringing iced coffee (CAFÉ FRAIS) to Burkina Faso. They believe that Burkinabe will buy it because 1) They already drink coffee (thanks to Nescafe) 2) It is so hot here and Burkinabe enjoy cold beverages too (Bee sap, Citron, Tameron). The group talked with the regular spot all of us stagiaries go for Bee sap, yogurt, and citron and asked if she would mind selling some iced coffee and iced coffee lattes (Café au lait which entails some Nescafe and condensed sugar infused milk). Prisca, the bee sap lady, said sure. The group went over the costs and profit margins with Prisca and even created a basic bookkeeping system for her to keep track of sales. Now you cannot wait for the photos:

Nov. 12, 2008, IGA: Matthew, Addie, and Abby prepare the café au lait with a thermos of hot water. In Abby’s white water bottle is the Café noir prepared with one cube of sugar. The Burkinabe love sugar.

Nov. 12, 2008, IGA: Abby, Addie, and Matthew prepare the sashays of café au lait. The sashays cost about 90 CFA to make, and Prisca will resell them for 150 CFA. The stagiaries buy the first batch and it is assumed that Prisca will take the money from this first batch and continue to make iced coffee drinks at her stand. It is all come down to continued follow through and advertisement via word of mouth.

Nov. 13, 2008, IGA: The next day tons of stagiaries go to Prisca’s stand to buy some iced coffee. I think Matthew is pleased with his merchandise. I must say that is really good, the café au lait is like coffee ice cream

Nov. 13, 2008, IGA: David purchasing a coffee noir from Prisca.

Nov. 13, 2008, IGA: Addie and Abby marvel at the initial success of their IGA. Hopefully Prisca will continue to make the Café Frais. In fact the next day, Nov. 14^th we all went back and Prisca had diversified her stand more and was not only selling Café Frais, she was selling iced tea (frozen) and frozen chocolate milk. I will keep you updated on the progress of this IGA. Cold things as such a blessing over here.
Nov. 13, 2008, Language: I am being scandalous in this photo because you can see my knees, oh my goodness. Kat, Nikki, and I relaxing on a mat during language class outside. They like to move us around the city for each different language class

Nov. 13, 2008: Josh prepares for his 8km ride back to village. Pollution is a major problem in Burkina, I will discuss more at a later date.

Nov. 13, 2008: Colin also prepares for his 12km ride back to village. Wearing a mask is not only important to keep from inhaling the fumes, the mask also protects from dust and dirt since practically all roads in Burkina are not paved.

Nov. 13, 2008: Ilana and Erik prepare their sacs on the back of there bikes for their trip to village. Burkinabe use long strips of rubber to fasten things onto bikes, bush taxis. It is credible how much they haphazardly carry. Notice Erik’s solar backpack!!

Nov. 14, 2008: This is a photo of the local credit and savings club that was established by Peace Corps volunteers 2 years ago and it is still working. The women said they have grown so much and have expanded beyond their expectations. This credit club loans money out to its members for cereal stock (to resell when cereal is no longer abundant, i.e. March, April, May) and bee sap production. I will discuss savings and credit clubs in detail in a future blog but it was really cool to sit and discuss capacity and restraints with these women.

Nov. 14, 2008: It has become common for all the kids to now come into my room and chill. They LOVE LOVE LOVE my camera and freak out and all want to take turns taking photos. After I take the photo they rush over to view the photo in the viewfinder. Dodo is also obsessed with Pandy, the Panda bear, and insisted that Pandy be in all the photos. Pandy is my sleeping companion during Peace Corps. Pandy is in need of a shower when I get to site, due to all the red dust and his white fur. (L to R: Konzatou (12 years old), Dodo (5 years old), Frasir (10 years old))