Every amazing adventure must come to an end. Or so they say...

The subject line says it all. While this probably won't be my last blog entry, this will definitely be my last blog entry as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Burkina Faso. Words can't even express what the experience has been or how this has affected me. Reading this blog is probably one of the best ways to capture how I've felt. I know that the effects the Peace Corps has had on my life will be evident in the months and years to come when I'm back home in the U.S. I'll be somewhere and something will instantly remind me of Burkina Faso. Or I'll strike up a conversation with a random stranger or friend, and conjure up images of life abroad.

Luba and I. Luba is in the newest group of Peace Corps trainees here in Burkina Faso and is my replacement! We were fortunate to meet up because we were in Ouaga at the same time (funny how things work out in life). She was there to meet her community counterpart (who is coincidentally my friend, Nazaire) and I was there to complete my service in Ouaga.

Some of the Peace Corps Burkina Faso staff during our COS (Close of Service) ceremony.

The five of us that were COSing: myself, Colette, Julie, Marita and Rachel.

Colette and I. In it together and finishing strong together!

With Mariam, one of my favorite people in the Peace Corps Burkina Faso office! She's so hilarious.

With Brenda, one of my Peace Corps faves (and fellow Californian)!

With Emily at the Transit House. Loves!!

With Armande, another favorite. Such a great resource at the office!

With Paré, one of the drivers.

And with Shannon, our Country Director. Such a dynamic and experienced woman! What an inspiration -- she's worked all over the world, doing humanitarian and development work. I hope to do some of the work that she's done.

Getting my Peace Corps ID Card cut...it's official! I'm a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV)!

With Diallo, perhaps the nicest, most genuine man in Burkina Faso! He trained as us Peace Corps trainees in 2009 and now works at the Peace Corps Burkina Faso office full-time.

The outside of the Peace Corps Burkina Faso office in Ouagadougou.

Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs)! Two years and three months, done.Au revoir, Burkina Faso! Bonjour, Paris!

I think the one thing that will always stay is the quote from LMU that I've made into my life's mantra of sorts (and coincidentally, the title of this blog): "Go forth and set the world on fire." It can be interpreted in many ways but I see it as this: use the skills that you've gained in all of your life's experiences (school and otherwise) to make the world a better place. Build relationships. Strengthen communities. Learn about new cultures. Share your insights with everyone. Because at the end of the day, that's what we're all here for as humans, right?

Thank you Peace Corps for providing me with the opportunity to serve. Thank you Burkina Faso for the hospitality you've given me these past years. And thank you God for leading me through this crazy, grand adventure called life.

So what's next?!

Colette comes to visit me at my site!

After almost two years of talking about it, Colette finally comes to visit me at my site! I'll let the pictures tell the story, but it was a great time showing Colette my neck of the woods in Burkina Faso. Talk about coming full circle!

Baltazar making the traditional African tea. Talk about a 12:00pm-3:00pm 'repos' ritual. Three glasses of tea and endless amounts of conversation! Note Hercules always by my side...awww...

At the market chez Valerie, where I buy most of my produce.

Why do the Burkinabè get so awkward the moment you whip out a camera? Note the woman to the right of this picture...

A view of the main road at my site.

With Boureima. I buy most of my things at his shop -- pasta noodles, mayonnaise, matches, candles, everything! I probably spent most of my money here.

Oranges! Although oranges here aren't necessarily orange as they are green...

Typical transport situation in Burkina Faso. This is the bus I usually take for long-distance travels. We're at a stop, and normally many women come to the side of the bus to sell all sorts of goodies!

Pelagie and Grace!

If you look back to a past blog entry I had where I visited Colette's site, you'll see that she too also has a similar set-up with the stove on the bottom and the Afrique wall decoration on the wall. Great minds think alike!

Visiting Colette's site!

I'll start by saying that we've been talking about visiting each other since training in July 2009. It is now June 2011, two years later, and it just now happened because we're about to leave Burkina Faso. Nothing like waiting until the last minute to get things done, right?!

I'll let the pictures illustrate the couple of days I spent at Colette's site on the other side of the Southwest of Burkina. I played paparazzi, haha. Seriously though, her side of the Southwest of BF reminded me more of the Philippines -- rice fields that seemed to go on for forever, sugar cane plantations, etc. And mangoes everywhere! The dried mangoes were sooo good. Okay, enjoy!

Pancakes for breakfast with jelly. Yum yum!

As many of you know, I'm a planner-person and list-making person...so naturally, we're copying each other's planners to finalize our trip to Paris and Amsterdam after we COS!

Took a bike ride to Colette's high school and got this picture of her and her World Map. Absolutely beautiful!

Burkina Faso, baby!

Sushi time! Anything's possible in this country with a little creativity...and a care package from the US with seaweed paper.

Colette hitting the fields! This picture screams Peace Corps...

With her best friend at site, Balkissa.

At the market/marché.

The mayor of her town gave us a chicken. Such a nice guy!

Yours truly with our beloved chicken...who would soon be cooked and eaten after this photo was taken!

These pictures best illustrate how this chicken wanted to escape...and how Colette won! Haha! First, we overheard the bike fall over. Colette picks it up with the chicken hanging between the handlebars. Then it tries to run away with its legs tied together and at last, we capture it after it hobbles away from Lord knows how long. Oh boy!

Enjoying our chicken and beer. Mmmm!

Colette and another one of her closest friends at site, Irene.

I made Colette take this picture before I left! Fast forward to two years ago in 2009 when Colette, Devin and I were going shopping for things in downtown Ouaga. There's this artisanal store that sells lots of really cool stuff. Colette and I wanted the same "Afrique" wall decoration that you see in the picture...fortunately, there were two! Coincidentally, both of our "Afrique" wall decorations are hanging above our stoves in our own houses. Neat stuff!

New Year's 2011 hiking in Dogon country, Mali!

Check out the water sachets in Mali!

Cliffs in Dogon with the dwellings of the Tellum and Dogon people. Insane!

Happy Birthday Leslie! Substituting a cake for a plate of fries...and a candle for a simple match. You make do with what you have!

Every night, we slept on top of rooftops. But boy, was it chilly! Look at us all bundled up with the hats that Leslie knit for us. You'd never guess we're in West Africa!

New Year's Eve...we made it to the top. We met some Americans along the way and they let us borrow their "Happy New Year's" hats for this picture. So nice! haha

Peace!

About to descend.

Initially very scary to climb down these but overall, very awe-inspiring! We don't have anything like this in Burkina!

Such a happy picture amongst the cliffs. Seriously, the best descent ever!

The group amongst the sand dunes.

Hiking amongst the sand dunes. This picture screams Africa, si?

Doesn't this picture look insane?!

Colette and I. You were missed, Devin!

...we needed this (a map of Mali) during our whole trip but only got a hold of it at the last day of our trip. Haha!

More pictures can be found on my Facebook album since it takes forever to upload pictures here in Burkina Faso http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2198582&id=10800346&l=3fc46c3077