Leaving a lasting impression: a map of Burkina Faso!

Technically speaking, my last activity at site was my big Girls' Camp with all of the other Peace Corps Volunteers in my region helping out. But I've been wanting to do this one activity for quite some time. The Volunteer before me did a World Map, so I figured why not do a map of Burkina Faso to help people better understand the geography of their own country (many times, I feel like I know the geography of the world better than the geography of the U.S....true and sad story).

It really started in February 2011 when Ali and I started to trace out a huge square on the primary school wall to make a Burkina Faso map. Since everything was coming out of my pocket, I didn't have the money to pay someone to cement the wall and flatten it out. So Ali and I used a daba (farming tool used by hand to till the soil) to scrap the wall until it resembled something flat and easy to paint on...then days passed, followed by weeks, which turned into months. Everyday, I'd pass by and think to myself, "Man, I really need to get this started. Ehh, maybe tomorrow when it's not so hot (or some other excuse)."

Ali and Hercules chilling by the now-scraped wall at the side of the school.

June and July quickly approached and my neighbors would keep asking when I would finish it. I told them I would never, ever leave and not to finish it. A promise is a promise, right? But also, I knew that I needed to just do it and stop procrastinating. Also, I had such a limited time frame to paint it. I could only paint in the mornings until 12:00pm because the sun would hit the wall after that time, making it unbearable to paint with the African sun beating on you. Also, rainy season was approaching, making it virtually unpredictable to guess what the weather would be that day.

Needless to say, procrastination/time moving rapidly toward my departure got the best of me and within less than two weeks, I was able to complete this (of course, with the help of Ali and his friend Franck)!

Ali and I painting the surface white first.

Perhaps one of the hardest parts of creating a grid to properly draw the map -- partially because I'm a perfectionist and wanted all the lines to be as straight as possible. I already had a drawing on a piece of paper with the grid, so it was much easier to draw (and a lot of fun, actually)!

Franck, Ali's friend, has a knack for drawing, so I made him do the Peace Corps logo at the corner.

Then I outlined Burkina Faso itself in paint to ensure less mess when painting.

This picture is so indicative of how many people came to watch. At first, it was kind of annoying because I just wanted to work without a dozen people staring at my every move from behind. But in the end, I actually started to appreciate it. I could see students (and adults even) start to see the map start to take form and I could start to see little lightbulbs turning on. Amazing!

Because the map was so close to my house, Grace would walk over all the time, mumble something and tried to keep touching the map. Loves it!

He's so good at drawing!

Almost done! I'd just like to note how unstable that ladder was. While I wanted to get this map done, I also didn't want to break any bones before leaving.

Peace Corps! With the names of the people who created it below.

The finished product with my two helpers, Ali and Franck. Couldn't have done this without them!!

Pointing to where I live in Burkina Faso.

I hope this map stays for years to come. I figure teachers in the schools around Kampti can use it as a guide for their students when it comes to geography lessons. And it's pretty huge: 8' x 11'! It also initiated a lot of good dialogue between community members, students and myself. It was also a great way of saying farewell to Kampti and to the many people that have made my experience in Burkina Faso so pleasant. Until next time!

The Yonso Project and Kumasi...then head back home

The last leg of our trip: Kumasi! Kumasi is the cultural epicenter of Ghana and something I've been looking forward to for a while. But most of all, I've been wanting to visit my friend Sonja's non-profit called the Yonso Project which is about 45 minutes away from Kumasi. And check out the Kejetia Market!

The great thing about traveling in Ghana is that a bus company called STC InterCity goes to the main cities in Ghana with comfortable, air-conditioned buses on a set running schedule -- which is a God-send here in West Africa! We take that from Busua to Kumasi, and fortunately, the Guestline Lodge (the hotel we wanted to stay at in Kumasi) was only a block away from the STC bus station. Another backpacker's hostel paradise -- clean rooms with no thrills. And cheap!

The next day (Sunday), Danso, the Country Director of the Yonso Project, came to get me and Colette decided to come along, too! We took a tro-tro (like minibuses that travel everywhere and anywhere in Ghana and are ridiculously cheap, although some of the drivers drive ridiculously crazy) out to Jamasi (the next 'big' town to Yonso), then take a taxi to the village of Yonso.

WOW, Yonso is such a cool village, particularly because the topography of Ghana beats that of Burkina Faso. There are mountains and hills and greenery -- everything that Burkina Faso doesn't have except in the Southwest.

I encourage you all to check the Yonso Project's website (http://www.yonsoproject.org) and read up on what they're up to and how you can donate.

I'll let the pictures below let you know what I've seen...

In front of the Yonso Project library. Sonja, I'm so proud of you!

A picture of the Yonso Project library. We couldn't get inside because the teachers have the key but were able to open a window to see the inside.

Danso (the Country Director for the Yonso Project) and the guy in charge of the bamboo bike production. This is where the bamboos are dried.

Close-up of the bamboo bike. Apparently it's really, really durable.

Danso and I. He's so damn hilarious!

So this was really interesting. A lot of schools in Ghana have these "Speak English" signs painted around their schools.

A procession of the village elders, the queen mother and the chief heading to village centre. Apparently every 40 days, they meet in the village centre and hear the town's citizens voice their concerns.

The next day, the three of us were on a mission to do two things: visit the Ghana National Cultural Centre and shop at the Kejetia Market. We decided to visit the Ghana National Cultural Centre first and it was a haven for souvenir shopping while supporting your local Ghanaian artisan. They have fabric, jewelry, paintings, clothing, books -- you name it, they have it!

Me in front of the Ghana National Cultural Centre. Basically, we got all our Ghana souvenir shopping done here in a matter of a couple of hours!

As I've mentioned before, the Kejetia Market is the biggest market I've ever been to in my life and is quite possibly the largest market in West Africa, if not in all of Africa. You walk in and it just swallows you up...it sounds horrible but really, it's one of the more interesting experiences I've had here! They sell everything but one thing I wanted to get was fabric to make shirts, since I think I really need to update my African wardrobe, haha.

Me next to the Kejetia Market in Kumasi. This has to be the biggest market I've ever been to! I'm positive it's the biggest market in West Africa if not in all of Africa.

Getting to Kumasi bus station to get back home, Colette, Devin and I made a point of spending all our Ghanaian cedi (currency) so that we wouldn't have to exchange it back to West African CFA (since we heard exchanging Ghanaian cedi back to West African CFA gives you a really bad rate). We didn't really need to buy anything else before getting on the bus so between all of us, we had about 2 cedi. BUT I completely forgot that we needed to pay for our bags because we were putting them at the compartments at the bottom of the bus. 6 cedi. Shit! So we asked if we could use West African CFA and they said no...I'm telling you that God was really watching over us and things just fell into place when they could've been absolutely chaotic. And Devin would repeat this all throughout the trip! Fortunately, a man behind us in line offered 6 cedi without hesitation. Actually, he asked if we needed 60 cedi and we were like, "Ohhh no, no, no, we need 6 cedi." He was willing to give us 60 cedi which was absolutely insane! We felt so bad asking him for money but eventually gave him more than enough back in West African CFA...even if he refused to take it, we pretty much forced him to take it, haha. And get this...his name was Emmanuel. Which means "God is with us." Crazyyyy!!

Long story short, we head back on the nice and comfortable air-conditioned bus back to Burkina Faso later that evening...and thus ends our adventure in Ghana!

Really, I encourage everyone and anyone (granted, one has enough money) to visit West Africa and see for yourself what it's all about. Burkina Faso and Ghana have been absolutely amazing, and with a little French and an open mind, you'll discover this is one special place. Cheers!

Ghana: the adventure continues in the Cape Coast

Cape Coast. After a couple of days in the hectic capital (Accra -- seriously, the traffic is neck-in-neck with Los Angeles traffic), we head to Cape Coast to do two things: 1) walk along the rope canopies at Kakum National Park; and 2) visit the Cape Coast Castle where they once held and sent slaves to the Americas and Europe.

By recommendation, we stayed at the Sammo Guest House which is your typical backpacker's hostel. The good thing was that we had a balcony that brought in a consistent breeze from the ocean, plus it was central to everything! Walked around and headed to the Mighty Victory Hotel for lobster with garlic butter sauce and potato salad! We met a Canadian business development volunteer from Kumasi there, so it was nice meeting another new person.

The view from our balcony. Look at that sunset!

The next day, we wake up really early in the morning and take a taxi to Kakum National Park to experience the rope canopies. There are 7 walking bridges in a semi-circle, attached by rope, nails and rope to huge trees about 30 meters (about 100 feet) above the forest floor. Insane! If you're scared of heights, it's definitely an experience that'll make you piss in your pants.

It was created by 2 Canadians and 2 Ghanaians but I was confused if they made it in 6 months or change/repair the rope bridges every 6 months...in any case, check out the video in another entry! It was so humid at Kakum; our original plan was to camp out there on one of the tree platforms -- thank God we didn't! I also tried palm wine for the first time (de-licious) and met a girl from Oakland who was vacationing here with her boyfriend. What a small world!

Us three on one of the tree platforms 30 meters (about 100 feet) above the forest floor!

Crazy! It's not bungee jumping but it's damn close. Haha!

Devin, Colette and I being our own crazy selves. <3

We later head to the Cape Coast Castle which is something I've been really looking forward to for a while. You know, it's one thing to learn about slavery in middle and high school but it's another thing to actually visit the holding quarters for slaves in Africa before they were shipped off to the Americas and Europe! The Cape Coast Castle was handed down by different European countries for different purposes, eventually landing in the hands of the English for slavery.

A replica of Cape Coast Castle at the museum.

Two things stood out most for me: the holding quarters for male slaves and the Door of No Return/Return. The holding quarters for the male slaves was essentially this huge underground dungeon that they were held in for months at a time. To explain the gravity of their situation, they sat in waist-high feces for weeks at a time, and you can even see shackle marks on the ground for when they would try to revolt and attempt to escape from their captors. There was even a church right above the holding quarters for the male slaves and the guide referred to it as "Heaven and Hell." So interesting!

One of the dungeon areas where the slaves were kept for months. The wreaths of flowers below are left by descendants of slaves every year to commemorate the lives (and deaths) of all those kept captive there.

These are marks on the floor left by slaves that were shackled and attempted to revolt/escape. Absolutely surreal.

As a slave, if you were seen as strong enough and survived months of torture, you were sent through the "Door of No Return" which led directly to the slave ship and sailed across the Atlantic Ocean. The government/historical society that decided to preserve the castle in the 70's (I think) put a "Door of Return" sign on the other side of the "Door of No Return" sign as a way of welcoming back the descendants of slaves and anyone willing to learn more about the history of the Cape Coast Castle/slavery.

Our tour guide, Issac/Kofi, showing us the "Door of No Return." On the other side, it says the "Door of Return."

The steps leading down to the Atlantic Ocean after exiting the Door of No Return. Now it's where a lot of the fishers prepare their nets and get ready to head out to the ocean.

During the tour, I also met a couple from LA and they were vacationing here in Ghana! Man, Californians are everywhere!

Me with the Atlantic Ocean in the background. Note the cannons in the back, too.

This plaque was presented by Barack and Michelle when they came to Ghana in July of this year. So cool!

At the museum, there was this really interesting map of the slave trade.

Also, a replica of a slave auction stand. Crazy!

Colette, Devin and I with the Atlantic Ocean in the background.

Not going to lie -- it was pretty emotionally draining but interesting nonetheless. We walked around the main roads of this very bustling fishing town and found an NGO that sold cool-designed fabric to make shirts, etc. We also took pictures with these really random kids who were absolutely hilarious! We also had dinner at the Oasis Resort which is right next to the Cape Coast Castle and right along the beach...coincidentally saw Jen and Farma (a fellow BF PCV and her boyfriend). Good times!

Colette and I with some neighborhood kids at the Cape Coast. They were absolutely hilarious!!

Site announcement and trip to Ouagadougou!

On Thursday (July 9th), after waiting for almost a month now…the moment has finally arrived. Our site announcement a.k.a. where we’ll be living for the next two years after training!

Seriously, the days and hours leading up to it felt like getting ready to open up presents on Christmas. I couldn’t help but feel all these knots in my stomach but the wait was well worth it.

The PC staff created a huge map on the floor of Burkina Faso outside of our training center. Our LCF (language instructors) blindfolded us and guided us to our site location on the map. We took off our blindfolds and saw our site name below us but also saw who we’d be relatively close to (a.k.a. our lifelines when things get rough). We headed inside and were given little paper stick figures of ourselves to place on a map on the wall. We’re pretty much scattered all over the country!

A view of the map of Burkina Faso on the floor (with our sites).

Blindfolded and making our way to our sites on the map of Burkina Faso on the floor. 

For me, I’m the furthest stagiaire (trainee) in our stage (training group or another word for training) south. I’m essentially in the Southwest, bordering Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana! I’m replacing a volunteer who is ending his service by the end of July. I’m actually really happy about my site because I’m not too far south of Gaoua (one of the regional capitals like Ouahigouya), will be living near a paved road, am not too far from fellow volunteers, and will have a market where I can have a variety of food (more fruits and vegetables!). Access to transport that heads to Ouaga and Bobo-Dioulasso (the two biggest cities in Burkina) isn’t bad at all (so I’ve heard). And since I’m in the South, the weather is a little cooler, there are hills and greenery, and there’s just a lot to see (heard there were cascades and some archeological ruins in the area, too…probably far from me but not as far if I lived up in the North). French is widely spoken in my village but I’ll also be learning Dioula and possibly, Lobiri. Dioula is a regional trade language (lingua franca) that’s not only used in Burkina Faso but also in parts of Mali and Guinea, too. Excited to learn another language. Niiiiice!

A lot of us went out for dinner later that night and coincidentally, the guy that I’ll be replacing was in town (at our same restaurant!) because he came up to Ouahigouya to visit his girlfriend (also a fellow PCV). He basically gave me the low-down on everything and said that the house I’ll be moving into (his house) is actually a fonctionnaire (civil servant) house with a living room and two bedrooms. There’s a latrine outside and also an outdoor kitchen area which makes where I live sound huge. He said that he planted some flowers and made a little garden to make it a little homey, and will be leaving a lot of his old furniture and stuff for me!

Overall, things are looking good but I want to read up more on the Southwest, particularly the region where I’ll be in. I think two of my biggest fears are having everyone compare me to the past volunteer and not being seen as ‘American’ (what’s new, haha)…but after talking with the current volunteer, it seems that won’t be as bad to adjust! We’ll see…ça va aller!

Now in Ouagadougou, the capital...

Fast forward to yesterday, we were in Ouagadougou (the capital city…called ‘Ouaga’ for short) on Friday and Saturday. We took the public transport buses (coach) for the first time (our main mode of traveling everywhere) and those were packed. And because I felt a fever coming, it was one interesting ride…we finally arrived at Ouagadougou after a couple of hours and headed straight to the Peace Corps Burkina Faso headquarters. Literally, everything was there…the director, other PC staff, our mail, the medical units, computers and a mini library for the volunteers, etc. etc. Fortunately, I got checked out by one of the medical officers and they gave me the right meds needed to get me back in check!

We headed to the Transit House in Ouaga. If I’m not mistaken, every country with Peace Corps Volunteers has at least one Transit House which is solely for volunteers. Basically, it’s a house that volunteers can go to a few days a month if they want to get away from site for a little bit or need to get business done in the capital city…filled with couches, a kitchen, bathrooms with toilets and showers, shelves of books, rooms, mattresses in a screened porch area, etc.

Ouaga has SO many ethnic restaurants, and Devin, Colette, Marita, and I were on a quest to get Chinese food for lunch. We finally found one called “L’Orient” and I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to be in a Chinese restaurant. Legitimate Chinese food…all I could think of was wonton soup and I ordered so much of it, I was beyond happy. The only thing is that food in Ouaga is expensive (compared to everywhere else in BF) so I’ll have to be sure to splurge whenever I’m in Ouaga. We had dinner at one of the Associate Peace Corps Directors’ house and we had Mexican food! So damn good, with guacamole and sour cream. I felt like I was in heaven…Chinese for lunch and Mexican for dinner.

The next day, we ate at this restaurant that had an endless supply of American food and I was beyond happy (again). Having this much variety in food was enough for my little heart to handle! While we left to take the bus back, it was the funniest ride ever sitting next to Colette and Devin. We had a random child under our seat who kept kicking us with her feet…the most random thing ever! That said, I can’t wait for more adventures in Ouaga. With a city that big in BF (and so central to all the volunteers), I’m sure we’ll all be meeting up as many times as possible during our 2 years of service. SO EXCITED!!

Is the fortune cookie usually right?

Little known fact about me: I save all my fortunes from my fortune cookies.

Why? While I don't think they're entirely true (because they're probably fabricated from some guy hired to do this at a fortune cookie factory for 8 hours a day), I think it's nice to keep little slips of paper that emit positivity. I know...I'm one of those seemingly annoying optimistic kids but hey, positivity always beats out negativity.   =)

In any case, we had Chinese food for dinner and I did my usual fortune cookie ritual/routine: crack the fortune cookie in the middle, turn the fortune around so as not to read it before I finish my fortune cookie, eat both ends, then read the fortune. Low and behold, this is what it said tonight:

The world will soon be ready to receive your talents.

Whether this is some statement from God or what have you, I think it comes at the most appropriate time: a little over two weeks before I depart for Burkina Faso.

Yesterday, I had dinner with Anna, a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) who served for three years in Burkina Faso. We met through PeaceCorpsConnect.org, a social networking site exclusively for Peace Corps Volunteers, Invitees, Applicants, Returned Volunteers, and staff. We met up at Bissap Baobab on Mission in SF and she gave exactly what I needed: some real talk on what life would be like in Burkina Faso and tips for preparing to embark on this two-year adventure. I can only talk to friends and family so much about Burkina Faso without realizing how much I repeat the same thing over and over again!

Needless to say, Anna calmed my nerves about leaving and dropped the anxiety level from a 9 to a 3, hahaha! Amid the really good West African food and pulsate-through-your-body music, she talked about packing, what to wear, staging, training, host families, biking, group dynamics, getting sick/medical stuff, safety, the weather, the food, living at your site for 2 years, travel, communication/mail/the Internet, community integration, language, not being what many perceive as American (a.k.a. not being white)...the list goes on. One thing I'll never forget Anna mentioning was the impact I'd have on my community. How I shouldn't expect myself to build schools and libraries, nor revamp the educational system in Burkina Faso...that isn't my purpose. Rather, it's the 'little' accomplishments that make a difference -- like learning the local language and integrating well into the community, creating a better understanding of Americans (and vice-versa), or convincing five conservative fathers to send their girls to school. If there's anything I took from last night's conversation, that was it. And out of all of this, she gave me the huge backpack she used to lug all her things to Burkina Faso. So thanks, Anna!

That said, I'm headed to my last big Stateside adventure with the old friends from high school before I head to Africa: LAS VEGAS, baby!! Good night, world. =)

It's official with the Peace Corps -- Africa, here I come (again)!

What seems like forever is now finally here. Last Saturday, I received my invitation in the mail, informing me of my placement in the French-speaking country of Burkina Faso in West Africa! On Thursday, after reading most of what the Peace Corps sent me (a lot of information!), I called to finally accept and now more than ever, the reality of living in another country for two years and three months is actually sinking in.

Burkina Faso.

Here are some of the basic details:

• Country of Service: Burkina Faso


• Program Title: Girls Education and Empowerment


• Job Title: Community Education and Development Outreach Agent

[the following dates are tentative and not set in stone as of yet...]

• Orientation Date: June 8th 2009 (probably in Philadelphia)


• Pre-Service Training: June 10th to August 29th 2009 in Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso


• Dates of Service: August 29th 2009 to August 28th 2011

Why 'Girls Education and Empowerment'? Apparently, boys outnumber girls in school (2 to 1). What more, Burkina Faso ranks second lowest on the Human Development Index and is considered one of the most illiterate countries in the world. On top of that, Burkinabé society fosters this mentality that boys are to attend school while girls are to stay at home -- something that, especially now, needs to be shattered!

From what I know so far, I'll be working with villages, community leaders, parents, female and male students, and teachers to understand the importance of education and gender equity. From starting after-school programs for girls to working with parents associations to creating life-skills and health training sessions (and much more), I definitely have my work cut out for me -- but I'm super excited for this!

And what's better...with Barack Obama as our new President, Americans in foreign countries will once again be a welcomed presence. Holla!

In Africa, Summer 2007. Bungee jumping at Victoria Falls, Zambia.

Let's make it happen, baby!



P.S.: Plans for a bomb-ass pre-departure weekend in the Bay filled with food, DRINKS (!!), and good times + airport farewell are in the works. Even though the dates are set up, it's not completely set in stone. I won't know the actual departure date (which will probably move only a couple days before or after the said date) until early May. So yeah. =)

P.P.S.: I've decided to keep this blog for my travels abroad in Burkina Faso. I was going to create a new one, but I might as well stick to one to make it less confusing. Holla!