US Visit: "In Newwww Yoooorrkkk..."

Warning: most of my pictures consist of me eating FOOD. Because next to my family, friends and traveling, I love love love food. Enjoy!

*cue Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' "Empire State of Mind" song*...

Thus begins my epic adventure back home to the US. September was the best time for me to visit -- my Grandma and Mom's birthdays, the school year here in BF hasn't started yet, the weather isn't too cold back home, I just finished working PST, etc. etc.

So I flew out of Ouaga on September 6 and Kyle was on the same flight as me. Air France is seriously amazing -- unlimited wine and champagne! So the flight was Ouaga to Paris to New York.

Getting into New York was such a trip. I took the subway to our hotel on the West Side and eventually met up with Devin!! Long story short, we chatted it up like no other, walked around New York, shopped at H&M (!!), ate everywhere and just enjoyed each other's company in one of the greatest cities in the world (seriously, I wanna go to grad school in NYC). We even met these West Africans from Cote d'Ivoire at Times Square. They were speaking French and we couldn't resist talking to them!

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

First meal back home: chicken mcnuggets with sweet & sour sauce + fries + orange soda. Don't judge!

New York style pizza. It was great -- we'd just walk around, go with our gut and just eat.

Toasted plain bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon. *drool*

Walked across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Chinese soup in NYC Chinatown. Check out the lady hella mugging in the back! haha

New York MUST: frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity's!

=)

NYC Subway. So efficient!

Overall, a very great transition back to the US. The first couple of hours were overwhelming because I was so fatigued from travel but after a while, I immediately acclimated to life back in the US. In short, I love the US. <3

Meet Hercules. Plus, pictures from Gaoua!

After an exhausting but enjoyable time working PST, it was back to site for me. Actually, it was more of a Jon-and-Mikey reunion because heck, we're like brothers from another mother and haven't really seen each other since PST began in June! I can't even begin to tell you how close you get to some of your closest PCV neighbors. You're each other's support networks and I think Jon and I both really lucked out.

Anywho, I come back to a relatively empty site. People are still traveling because it's vacation time or are out in the fields because it's rainy season. Madame Constance and her baby, Grace, are back though. I drop by to say hi and low and behold, one of the cutest things I've seen here in BF comes running to my feet: Hercules! Yes, Hercules. Or in French, Hercule. It's their new puppy who is just about the cutest thing ever. Only about 3 weeks old, from what I heard. But I'm super excited because Madame Constance is my closest neighbor, and I feel like I'm not up to take care of a dog (plus I leave in a year...don't wanna get too attached, you know?)...and yeah, it'll be like having my own dog without all the hassle, haha.

Jon and Hercules. Look how tiny that guy is!

Drinking milk...out of a Vienna Sausage can. So cute!

So Jon slept over and we just caught up over what's been going on during the last couple of months. Jon was teaching English for month at this English camp in Ouaga while I've been busy working PST. For the longest time, I've been wanting to do a video tour of my house and we finally got that done (Internet connection is slow here so y'all will have to wait until later). Afterward, we both took our regular trip to Gaoua (provincial capital). It would be the last time I'd see Jalila, our Belgian friend, before she leaves to finish her work in Mali and then eventually return to Belgium. So we all did some shopping and Brenda came by, too! It was her first time so I gave her a little tour of Gaoua. Man, I really do love where we live!

Jon and I roasting marshmallows in my house. No, seriously! His sister sent them all the way from Portland, Oregon. And it was a little chilly that night, too.

Sneaky Jon. A candid at our regular lunch spot in Gaoua, PP (a.k.a. Poni Paradis). Such a great place to chill and get some basic food.

At the marché.

Again at the Gaoua marché. Jon had to be discreet about taking pictures...we feel weird doing it in public settings because it makes us feel like tourists, you know? I promise to get more pictures soon. Especially the vegetable/fruit section of the marché -- so colorful!

Jon, Jalila and I at the APFG (Association de la Promotion Féminine de Gaoua), the women's association of Gaoua. Great place!

On that note, I'll end it with this: I realize this is a public forum and not many people know, but I head home tomorrow for vacation. I can't believe it! The school year doesn't start until October and I am officially done with training so this is the perfect time to leave BF for a bit and get in touch with family and close friends again. I fly out tomorrow evening, get to Paris and take a connecting flight to New York. I spend a couple of days in New York hanging out with the one and only Devin (!!), then head home for a couple of weeks. Not planning anything big -- just a simple visit home. Celebrate my Grandma and Mom's birthdays, do some Peace Corps presentations with my old high school French teacher and my old 8th Grade teacher's classes, among other things. So yeah, it's completely surreal but I'll be sure to keep updating this during my trip back home after one year. Let's go!