Big news everyone: We have learned where we will be living for the next two years! As this is a public blog, we will stick to generalizations location-wise. Ready? Here goes...
Our site is a Mossi village in the north of Burkina, 45 km from the regional capitol on a dusty but passable road. We are lucky enough to have a daily market, a big local maquis with a large flat-screen TV and a soccer field close by. Our house has two bedrooms, a living room, and an indoor shower (this does not, however, imply that we will have running water). We have a private courtyard surrounded by neighbors.
I will be working with the Association pour la Promotion du Maraichage au Loroum/Burkina (APML/B). The northern region of Burkina, being so dry, is known for their dry-season gardening and prudent use of their resources. APML's main work involves the promotion of gardening throughout the region. Right now, they produce the main staple rainy season crops in addition to potatoes, onions, cabbage, tomatoes, garlic and peanuts. They received an ADF grant last year for capacity building and would like me to help them increase their production through new techniques, to improve market access, and to share ideas on conservation of their products. Also, the women of my association make soap and are interested in improving their techniques and to try some new income generating activities. Also, they host a huge potato fair at the end of March which is attended by cultivators from far and wide.
The Mrs. will be working with the Federation des Professionnels Agricoles du Loroum (FPAL). They are a large federation composed of 14 smaller associations that grow and sell market vegetables, sesame, millet, and corn. They are also an ADF recipient and would like to increase their production through new techniques, develop improved technology (such as compost) as well as sensibilize on health and hygiene topics.
We are both extremely excited about these positions. We can both feed our desires to get dirty and learn how to survive and produce food in extreme conditions while simultaneously helping our new community and serving the Peace Corps' larger goals. Yes!
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Mind-Bending French/Impending News/Digging In
Bonsoir (even though it's afternoon).
It's like clockwork. Bad clockwork. As soon as it strikes noon here it is the evening. There's no "good afternoon," no "good morning." Just bonjour and bonsoir evenly dividing the day. That being said, what the Burkinabe lack in temporal greetings they make up for with a wide and creative array of different situation-specific well-wishes. For example, I've heard "bon arriver" upon arrival and "bon digestion" after finishing a meal, along with their classic counterparts "bon voyage" and "bon appetit." Interesting. Anyway...
We are fast approaching our one month mark here in the land of the uprights. We will be marking the occasion on Thursday when we learn where we will be living for the next two years and with which organisation we will be spending most of our time and efforts. This is huge and very exciting. The Mrs. and I already know that we will be working with separate groups to best utilize our individual gifts and ensure our continued sanity as a couple. We will be speaking Moore which doesn't really mean anything as the Mossi are fairly widespread across the country, but in general could imply a more central location. It has also been hinted that we will be living in a larger city than most people which potentially means electricity, internet and running water (now I'm dreaming). We will make the big announcement as soon as we can. AHHH!
Training is getting mildly better with the bulk of the administrative sessions behind us. Lately we have been applying small business development philosophy to a number of hypothetical situations and have been really digging into the French. Next week we actually get to apply what we've learned to a business here in Sapone. I am very excited and somewhat nervous. Soon, we will also start splitting our language time between French and local lang. I'm getting tired of all of these ridiculous tenses. Tech Week is coming up and we will be learning how to make preserves, a mud oven, liquid and hard soap, cheese, tofu, neme cream (a natural and widely available mosquito repellent) and much more. Naturally, this is going to be the best week of my life.
Well, the Mrs. is biting me. I think I should go.
Love,
Mr. San
It's like clockwork. Bad clockwork. As soon as it strikes noon here it is the evening. There's no "good afternoon," no "good morning." Just bonjour and bonsoir evenly dividing the day. That being said, what the Burkinabe lack in temporal greetings they make up for with a wide and creative array of different situation-specific well-wishes. For example, I've heard "bon arriver" upon arrival and "bon digestion" after finishing a meal, along with their classic counterparts "bon voyage" and "bon appetit." Interesting. Anyway...
We are fast approaching our one month mark here in the land of the uprights. We will be marking the occasion on Thursday when we learn where we will be living for the next two years and with which organisation we will be spending most of our time and efforts. This is huge and very exciting. The Mrs. and I already know that we will be working with separate groups to best utilize our individual gifts and ensure our continued sanity as a couple. We will be speaking Moore which doesn't really mean anything as the Mossi are fairly widespread across the country, but in general could imply a more central location. It has also been hinted that we will be living in a larger city than most people which potentially means electricity, internet and running water (now I'm dreaming). We will make the big announcement as soon as we can. AHHH!
Training is getting mildly better with the bulk of the administrative sessions behind us. Lately we have been applying small business development philosophy to a number of hypothetical situations and have been really digging into the French. Next week we actually get to apply what we've learned to a business here in Sapone. I am very excited and somewhat nervous. Soon, we will also start splitting our language time between French and local lang. I'm getting tired of all of these ridiculous tenses. Tech Week is coming up and we will be learning how to make preserves, a mud oven, liquid and hard soap, cheese, tofu, neme cream (a natural and widely available mosquito repellent) and much more. Naturally, this is going to be the best week of my life.
Well, the Mrs. is biting me. I think I should go.
Love,
Mr. San
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