Christmas on the beach in Ghana!

Finally!! We leave Cape Coast and take the relatively long trek to Busua, a small beach town along the Ghana coast. When we arrive, we thought all the resorts were in one location but it turns out the Green Turtle Lodge is farther away. Every volunteer that's been to Ghana has recommended the Green Turtle Lodge and I'm glad we made the journey over there...

Its location is so remote but regardless, there are still other people there. It seems to be a haven for other volunteers when they vacation in Ghana and just want to take a break from it all and chill on the beach. So we set up our tents (cheapest accommodations yet! Only 4 cedi/1200cfa/about $3 per person/night to set-up your tent!) and pretty much hit the beach. So we get there on Christmas Eve and immediately jump into the water...it felt so refreshing especially since I hadn't seen the ocean in over 6 months. =)

Colette setting up her tent. I'll say that it wasn't as comfortable as it looks.

The next day (Christmas Day) we woke up to breakfast on the beach and we each decided to do something special. When we were at the Koala Supermarket in Accra, Devin had this amazing idea of each of us buying something to share on Christmas Day at the beach with one another. The idea was food -- one salty and one sweet -- but it could really be anything. But we had to surprise each other Christmas Day with all of our stuff!

So Colette got these Christmas popper things that have stickers and a little joke inside each of them. It's a tradition in her family and she brought it all the way to Africa to share with us!

Devin, Colette and I after opening our Christmas poppers. There were little paper crowns inside along with stickers and the corniest jokes everrrrrr.

We chill on the beach some more and it was just nice to take in the warm beach breeze and watch the waves crash onto the shore. Next to the Green Turtle Lodge, there's this place called Paco's Tacos which seems completely out of nowhere. I've been craving Mexican food for a while and this was the perfect thing to satisfy my craving! The older couple that owns this is actually from California and they built their house along the beachfront....and Paco's Tacos as their business.

At Paco's Tacos for lunch. Chicken tacos and avocado tacos!

Again, more chilling at the beach. I forgot to mention that the Green Turtle Lodge is remote enough that there isn't cell phone reception. Except for this one distinct spot that we discovered. So I sent some text messages to family and a couple close friends. Before I left site, I promised Madame Ouattara that I'd call the family and say hi...but since reception was kind of choppy, I decided to text them. She texted me back almost immediately and wished me a very Merry Christmas and said that the family missed me. Really made me miss site! I also got a call from my Mom that afternoon and it was the morning of Christmas Day back home. They were all at my Tito Vic's house since the whole family does a little sleepover. I got to talk to a couple of uncles and aunts, my brother and my grandpa but it really made me miss home! I don't think I've missed home more than I did at that moment...

All three of us get ready in our Global Mama's outfits and head to Happy Hour at the bar. And walked around the beach until sunset. For dinner we had garlic roasted chicken and potato salad! Delicious! And to top it off, we had a huge bonfire on the beach with the other guests.

I just couldn't resist taking a picture in front of this. Oh man...

Enjoy our first drinks of the night -- Deep Blue Sea and Tequila Sunset. Yum!

The three of us in our Global Mama's outfits and drinks in hand.

The sunset setting on the beach. Amazing.

Look how huge that bonfire is!

The day after Christmas, we had breakfast again on the beach and got ready to leave for our next destination: Kumasi!

Relaxing one last time on the beach before heading out to Kumasi.

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!!

Ghana: the adventure begins

Hello everyone!

It was quite the adventure getting over here. On Saturday morning, we left to get to the bus station...apparently, Saturday isn't the best day to leave for Ghana from Burkina Faso.

We made reservations earlier in the week but of course, when we get to the gare (bus station) they say we're not on the reservation list. SO we head to another big bus station with smaller minibus vehicles...not cool. We waited for almost 2 hours but were able to meet another fellow American. Her name is Jessica, just graduated from Princeton and is doing a year-long fellowship in Burkina Faso. Crazy because she's taking transport to Accra to fly out of their international airport (it's cheaper to fly out of Accra than Ouagadougou...the difference can be in the thousands of dollars)! Long story short -- 24 hours later, switching vehicles 3-4 times with screaming children, packed buses, and goats everywhere (once at the border of Burkina Faso and Ghana, once at Bolgatanga, once in Kumasi), and having to switch languages almost instantly (French to English), we finally arrived in Accra!!

Jessica, Colette and I on transport vehicle #2 (bush taxi) that head to Bolgatanga. Wow.

The heat was stifling...reminded me so much of the humid Philippine weather; add that to the fact that we were SO dirty from all of that crazy transport travel and it was pretty much a recipe for disaster. We found a decent hotel in Osu (the happening part of Accra where all the restaurants are). I remember showering, looking down at my feet and seeing all of the dirt just wash away. Disgusting!

The three of us all clean and ready to explore Accra!

So Sunday, we rested for a bit and headed out to a really good Chinese restaurant near our hotel. Fortunately, right below it is a store called Global Mamas.

A picture of the inside of Global Mamas. So many colorful apparel made by women in need in Ghana! As I mentioned, all the profits go to the women's groups that create these products.

It was started by a Peace Corps Volunteer a while ago and has been growing ever since. They sell clothing made by women's groups, all the profits go to a good cause and is part of the Fair Trade Organization! Colette wouldn't stop talking about it when we were in Burkina so it was a must that we visit it. The rest of the day, we just relaxed at the hotel and enjoyed the air conditioned room.

On Monday, we exchanged money and came back with wads of cedi because there are so many bills! We got lunch at this placed called Papaye. I highly recommend it if you're ever in Ghana. Relatively cheap food and their charcoal grilled chicken is delicious...probably the best I've had

in Africa so far.

At Papaye's getting ready to get our grub on. I wanted to check out this place called "Seoul Grill" which apparently has Korean food but sadly, it was closed. So we headed to Papaye's instead. I really wanted Korean food because it reminds me of late-night food runs back in college in LA when the only places that were open late were Korean food places and fast food joints!

Headed to Koala's Supermarket (the equivalent of Marina Market in Burkina Faso, only better) to get some snacks and again went back to the hotel to rest (the humid heat is tiring!). We got up right before the sun was about to set and headed to the lighthouse on the coast. But we were stuck in traffic (lame) and didn't make it in time...plus, the lighthouse was closed.

The lighthouse near Ushertown and Jamestown in Accra. Overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and towers above the nearby fishing villages.

So we headed to the beach and it was my first time seeing the ocean in 6 months! Living in California, I really took the ocean for granted so it was just a nice moment for all three of us to be there, on the beach in Accra. I can't say it was the nicest beach ever -- it smells horrible and the fishermen live on the beach in squatter-like houses so it's definitely a bit crowded. But it was interesting to see a different side of Accra, albeit for several minutes.

Afterward, we headed back to Osu to eat at this restaurant called Monsoon. Clearly, we had no idea it was probably the fanciest restaurant in Accra and we weren't dressed the part. I'm no food critic (I eat everything without much complaint)....while the food was delicious (salmon sashimi, prawn California rolls and Indonesian satay salad...whaaat!!), I got this really pretentious vibe from a few of the people working there and even a few customers. It such a complete 180 from what I'm used to in Burkina. Example: we get to the place and the host tells us: "Let me tell you a little bit about Monsoon. We usually get tourists that have come far and wide to come to our restaurant. Usually it's busy with guests and you normally can't get a table without reservations well in advance...blah blah blah." We look around and there's probably 10 people max in a restaurant that probably seats 150 people. Hmmmm. In any case, that was quite the experience...

Me eating salmon sashimi in Africa. Who would've thought this would be possible? SO GOOD.

Anyway, we head to Cape Coast today and I'm super excited!! Seeing old slave castles/forts on the coast + going on the rope canopy bridges 30 meters above the forest floor at Kakum National Park! We're even planning on camping out on the tree platforms. Exciting! Then we head to Busua to chill on the beach for Christmas and head to Kumasi for a few days after. Let's go!!

**Most of the photos in this entry were taken by Devin with her super spiffy camera! Thanks, girl!

GEE IST : the lovefest begins again

[X] Surviving first three (3) months at site


Wow, I can't believe I've lived more than 3 months at site! I've been waiting for Inter-Service Training (IST) in Ouaga for a long while now for a few reasons: to reunite with my GEE Peace Corps family (really, it's a lovefest); to take a little break from site; and gain some practical skills to bring back to site!

We all came in on Monday and had sessions everyday (pretty much like Pre-Service Training all over again) from Tuesday to Friday. The first night of IST, we had dinner at Doug's (our Country Director's) house which brought back good memories of the time we had dinner at Doug's the first night we arrived in Burkina Faso as fresh-off-the-plane Trainees. His wife and him were so accommodating and their house was filled with Christmas decor...with a Christmas tree! Man, it made me really miss home and my family but made me even more appreciative of the Peace Corps family I've made here half a world away. We had some delicious Mexican food with Christmas music playing in the background. I wanted us to take a "family portrait" by the Christmas tree...thanks to Doug and his wife for taking the pictures you see below:

Peace Corps Burkina Faso GEE 'Stage' 2009-2011
Dinner at Doug's house (Country Director)

Your stereotypical family portrait...Peace Corps style. I love us!

IST was, to me, a fairly huge success. While the structure itself was much like PST (long days of back-to-back sessions going from 7:00/8:00-17:00/18:00), most of our sessions revolved around practical skills that we could take back to our sites now that we've completed our Etude du Milieu (a gigantic document that we each did that analyzed our community and assessed its needs during our first 3 months at site). Aside from sharing our own experiences at site and working on Action Plans for our next 6 months until MSC (Mid-Service Conference), we had sessions on:

• HIV/AIDS sensibilizations (awareness raising sessions)
• community gardens/planting Moringa & other fruits and vegetables
• clubs (English, girls' clubs, reading, math, etc.)
• liquid soap making (a good income generating activity for women's groups)
• community radio and theatre sensibilizations
• and many other things I don't quite remember because I'm getting old =)

Below are some pretty good pictures of some of us during the liquid soap making session:

The inseparable Coleman and Charlie taking a stab at mixing water and salt for our liquid soap making demonstration.

Rachel, Leslie and Molly are all smiles at IST.

Jessi and Julie helping with the initial step for preparing liquid soap.

Colette, Devin and I being the great observers that we are...

This picture cracks me up for multiple reasons...we're all doing different things except for Colette. Oh Colette and your silly facial expressions. =)

'Random' should be added to the list of the top 50 words to describe the Peace Corps. Doug, our Country Director, came into our IST training and showed us some live chickens that were given to him by villagers. It turns out Doug just came back from a visit to a Volunteer's site in the region. Little side note: Doug is leaving Burkina Faso in late January 2010 and will be the Peace Corps Country Director in Ukraine! We'll miss him.

Needless to say, IST has been great! It's helped keep the ball rolling for me, giving me ideas to implement at my site. IST has also given me and everyone else an outlet to express ourselves in a way that only we can understand. We may all be living in different villages/cities with unique experiences but the basics remain the same. And more importantly, it's been a chance to reunite with fifteen others that I've grown tremendously close to in the past 6 months and will continue to as 2010 and 2011 approach.

Julie, Marita, Emily and Leslie made each of us a cute little snowman with characteristics that are particular to us. Note the placement of Volunteers/snowpeople between the two things. Creativity, I tell you!

Also, I leave for Ghana with Devin and Colette early tomorrow morning! Hello 20-hour bus ride! Awww man, it's going to be so exciting! Blogging will for sure happen, granted I have access to the Internet. Hooray!!

Thanksgiving, Part Deux.

At the end of last week, I had my VAC (Volunteer Advisory Committee) meeting in Ouaga. Really productive but also an excuse to take a little vacay from site. =)

Currently, I'm at the Bobo-Dioulasso Peace Corps office, recovering from what was one of the most delicious meals I've had here in Burkina Faso! This past Saturday I got the chance to celebrate a (late) Thanksgiving fête with 30 other volunteers...good food (turkey, grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, pecan pie, apple pie -- you name any traditional American dish, we more than likely had it), good drinks (you can't really go wrong with a cold bottle of Brakina beer), good music & dancing but most importantly, good company! There were a good number of people from my training group so it was like another mini-reunion.

I think I've talked enough about family in my last entry so I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...special thanks to Anne-Marie and Devin who I borrowed these pictures from. Voilà!

The three of us cutting potatoes for Devin & Colette's mashed potatoes. Hollaaaa.

The three of us again. Attached to the hip. We're all wearing jeans!

The delicious smorgasboard of Thanksgiving food. Oh maaan.

Fellow 'CaliBoy' (hah!) Coleman and I eating up a storm. This was actually a candid of me...and I look horrible. Wow.

Cheers to my first Thanksgiving in another country!

Other things to look forward to: Inter-Service Training (IST) for a week in Ouaga followed by Christmas in Ghana! What whaaaat!

FAMILY. Thanksgiving. Tabaski. And damn, it’s getting cold in Africa!

I feel like everyone has a few words and/or phrases they use all the time. They’re words that actually mean something to them, that elicit feelings of comfort or are just ingrained into their brains and are used incessantly whenever they talk. I read an article in the October 2009 GQ about a speechwriter from the Bush Administration. He talked about how President Bush liked using the words “bold” and “resilient” in his speeches and it got me thinking about the words/phrases I use a lot in my life.

Family. In high school at Saint Mary’s (SMCHS), I think I used the word “community” a lot but when I went to LMU, it transformed into “family.” It defined not only my blood relatives (the de Leons and the Berinos who I love to death!) but also the people I met in life that I consider my close friends or people I just felt connected to on multiple levels. Another sense of family. At LMU, I had my IB (Isang Bansa Filipino-American student organization) family; my Magis Service Organization family; my Doheny (freshman year dorm) family; my McCarthy Hall RA (Resident Advisor) family…the list is truly endless, but it was a word that was so deeply rooted in my daily vocabulary that I would use it so often and didn’t even think about it.

Coming to Burkina Faso and doing the Peace Corps, I think I’ve gained another family with my fellow volunteers. They really are your support base when things get rough, when things are going well, or when things get so boring that you want to text someone!

Not so surprisingly, that same sense of family is something I’m slowly finding here at my site. Because of the Ouattara family, I’m starting to feel genuinely comfortable and at home at site. For example, the other day, I whipped out my old Dioula/Jula notes from training and the girls (Aïcha and Farida – they kind of remind me of my two younger cousins back home, Ianne and Isa) helped me with some pronunciation so I could at least greet many of the women that pass by my house to get to the pump or the women that work at the market. Or maybe it’s when I came back home one day and wasn’t feeling so well and Madame Ouattara told me, like a good aunt, that I shouldn’t joke around with the sudden change in weather even if I am used to it being cold in the U.S. She pointed to the fact that I was wearing a tank top and it was “cold” (mind you, it was probably 80 ºF which isn’t quite cold to me…but still). Or when Clémence and I joke around and laugh whenever we see each other, simply because we both love laughing! Or maybe that one time when Ali and Rachid asked me to help them carry something that was ridiculously heavy and jokingly said that if I was truly a part of the family, I’d do it without hesitation (which, for the record, I did, haha). Or because on Thursdays, the Ouattara family does their laundry and subconsciously, I’ve been doing my laundry the same time, too – and how Madame Ouattara said that since I pretty much follow their schedule, I’m a part of their family and should now be called “Michael Ouattara.”

I’m beyond glad that this idea of family transcends all cultural barriers. A universal concept, really. Particularly here in Burkina Faso, the idea of everyone being a part of your extended family is so essential to the Burkinabè’s daily way of living.

Lately I’ve been missing my family and friends more than usual. I’ll have dreams of family and friends, have random memories come to mind throughout the day, or think a little more pensively when songs that remind me of certain people come up on my iPod. Perhaps it’s the holiday season coming up? I don’t know. Really though, it’s this sense of family that I’ve found here in Africa that resonates so deeply with me and in a way, keeps me sane and strong when things get a little tough at site.

Like this past Thursday was Thanksgiving. I told the Ouattaras about this a month ago and said that we’d celebrate it together = eating lots of good food at lunch. I cooked a simple pasta dish with chicken and tomato sauce, plus had salad (yes, I discovered a little garden that sells lettuce! I love it!!).

Farida with the food I cooked for our Thanksgiving lunch feast. Opened up the can of chicken breast that I got from Dad. Mmmmmm!

Cleaning and washing the lettuce the night before.

Ali really showing me how it's done!

The next day was a Muslim holiday called Tabaski or the “Fête des Moutons” (Feast/Celebration of the Sheep). Here in Burkina Faso, they celebrate everything – government holidays, Muslim holidays, Christian holidays, etc. I’m sure as hell not complaining! And for Tabaski, regardless of whether you’re Muslim or not, you’re celebrating with lots of food and causeries with your neighbors, family and friends! So I was invited to Bakari’s house (chef du village) since he’s Muslim and there was lots of food, including meat! Having meat at a Burkinabè celebration is a big deal because it’s relatively expensive here and is bought during special occasions only – also since the average Burkinabè eats a carb-filled diet on a regular basis without meat and many times, without vegetables, having meat is quite the luxury. I came back home and Madame Ouattara said they were looking for me during lunch to fête (celebrate) with them and invited me over for dinner – and I had such a good time chatting it up with the family! My first time celebrating Tabaski!

On a completely different but equally important note: the weather! Holy moly, the change in temperature and atmosphere has been dramatic for the past 2 weeks and counting already. It’s dustier outside and I’m starting to get a little sick with a sore throat and coughing. And my nostrils are always so damn dry that I have to apply Vaseline a couple of times each day. It gets noticeably cooler once the sun starts to go down and I actually have to heat up my water before taking my bucket bath in the late afternoon/early evening! It’s kind of a funny site to see everyone bundled up in parka gear as if they’re heading to the snow. In the morning when I wake up, I check my thermostat and it says 65ºF which is freaking cold over here! I hear in December and January, it can get as cold as 55ºF which I don’t even know what to think. Haha!

Causeries: the PCV's key to integration

Causerie: conversation; chatter.

Causer: to chat.

During PST (Pre-Service Training), the words/terms “bien integré (well integrated),” “community/village,” “learn the local language,” and many more were pounded into our heads as PCTs (Peace Corps Trainees). Okay, maybe not pounded into our heads…but they were repeated multiple times a day that it became a part of our daily vocabulary. But one word that really stood out was “causer” (to chat). PCVFs (Peace Corps Volunteer Facilitators), LCFs (Language and Culture Facilitators) and all PC staff used this term incessantly. Even here at site, I hear those words all the time. In all the years I’ve taken French (high school and college), I’ve never heard of this verb before. By no means am I saying I’m an expert in French, but it’s just bizarre to have this word used many times while here in French-speaking Burkina Faso but not once did I ever come across it when studying French…

Anyway, almost 3 months at site, I see why the Peace Corps drove this point home with us during training. Causer. Causeries. This really is the PCV’s key to integration. It can be in the form of saying a quick “Bonjour-how’s your day-how’s your family-did you sleep well” to your neighbors in the morning, or a five-hour (seriously, not kidding) conversation over three small cups of African-style tea and tô with gombo sauce (it’s a staple Burkinabè dish – like hardened, bland Cream of Wheat…the sauce really makes or breaks the dish) on a lazy, sunny afternoon.

These happen all the time, even during training. At first, they would just be awkward and sometimes even a little uncomfortable -- the language barriers, many moments of sitting in silence, etc. As Americans, we're used to quick conversations and debates, and rarely make the time for long conversations (unless, say, it's 2 in the morning at your college dorm [read: LMU] and you chat it up with your friends because you don't want to do anything else but be with your friends). But in a culture that values getting to know your neighbors/thinking of everyone as your extended family, causeries and food are at the heart of this. One time, I mentioned to Madame Ouattara that there are many parts of the US where people don't know there own neighbors, even after living there for years. It's true in a lot of the suburbs outside of big cities (I live in one, so I think I'd know). She was completely shocked by this but I explained it's a different kind of culture.

I think I really appreciated these causeries immediately after my birthday lunch when I invited the Ouattaras over to eat. From that point on, I really felt like I was a part of this community and this network of neighbors. These causeries didn't feel so awkward or forced anymore; like it's slowly becoming second-nature for me to leave the confines of my house every so often and sit under the shade of a huge tree and causer with my neighbors. We chat about the everything -- life in Burkina Faso and the US; about our days, families and work; my years at LMU; my background as a Filipino-American (honestly, being both Filipino and American have worked to my advantage because Burkina Faso and the Philippines share so many cultural values that I've been raised with -- more on this in another blog; hopefully); pop culture and music; food; really, just about everything!! Even if there's not much to say verbally, there's lots to be said about being present and surrounded by people, even if few words are spoken.

I'm still, and always will be, adjusting but I think that I really feel like I'm gradually becoming a member of this community. There are moments where I'll feel like a complete foreigner/alien, moments where I'll feel like an American missing home/family/friends and moments where I'm Burkinabè and feel integrated (granted, many moments like these are mixed in one day which can sometimes be an emotional/mind fuck [excuse the language])...it's just finding the right balance that's important!

...and on a completely unrelated note, my mom told me that Manny Pacquiao (one of the best, if not the best boxers in the world who hails from the Philippines) is fighting Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas! How I wish I had HBO to watch it -- Pacquiao! You've got fans all over the world, even one here in the middle of West Africa! As the Burkinabè say: "Du courage!!"

Halloween and birthday festivities continued...

So I'm back in Gaoua for the day with Jon...just to buy a couple of things and check the poste (post office) for anything. Last weekend, several of us met up in Gaoua for Halloween/23rd Birthday festivities! Marita and Julie came first and we ate at one of our normal hang-outs...then Leslie came and it was really like a mini-reunion for all of us. Headed to Kyle's and because he has electricity and his laptop, we watched movies like no other (plus it was starting to rain so it was perfect for being indoors)...movies like one of my all-time favorites: Mean Girls!! Headed back en ville (downtown/in the city centre) to grab some dinner and Emily eventually made it! It was my first time experiencing the nightlife in Gaoua and I have to say...it was pretty good. Some cold beers + PC friends + music/dancing + really chilly night weather = a good time! Whenever we go out, there are always Burkinabè guys flirting/hitting on female volunteers so us male volunteers play the role of boyfriends/husbands...which is always lots of fun! Turns out those 4 years of acting/theatre really helped in high school.  =)

The next day, all 6 of us took a bus to Jon's site because there was a huge fête (party). He lives in more of a village so it was a big deal. One of the highlights was archery which is big in Lobi culture. Toward the end of the day, we biked back to my site (about 17km south of Jon's) and I made village tacos & mixed veggies for dinner plus canned peaches & pears for dessert. Basically, I opened up a lot of my canned food but it was totally worth it!

Believe it or not, we somehow found a pumpkin leaving Jon's site, so when we got to my site, we did a little pumpkin carving to truly celebrate our Halloween celebration in BF. Ignore the Pert shampoo bottle...inside joke...

The following day, we biked the 19km to the Loropeni Ruins...since I'm too lazy to explain what it is, here's a brief explanation from Wikipedia:

• Loropéni is a market town in southern Burkina Faso, lying west of Gaoua. Local features include pre-European stone ruins, about which little is known. One theory is that they formed the enclosure of the courtyard of a Kaan Iya (king or paramount ruler of the Kaan people) from antiquity. There is a similar, though much-degraded ruin around the current royal courtyard in Obiré. Another theory is that the ruins may have been a slave holding site for slave raids in the area.


• The Loropéni ruins were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2009. The ruins are the country's first World Heritage inscription. Surrounded by mystery, the 11,130m2 property is made up of an array of stone walls. Loropéni is the best preserved example of a type of fortified settlement in a wide part of West Africa, linked to the tradition of gold mining, which seems to have persisted through at least seven centuries. Loropéni, given its size and scope reflects a type of structure quite different from the walled towns of what is now Nigeria, or the cities of the upper reaches of the river Niger which flourished as part of the Empires of Ghana, Mali and Songhai. It thus can be seen as an exceptional testimony to the settlement response generated by the gold trade.

It was quite a bike ride but I think it's amazing that I don't live that far away from a World Heritage site! I'll let the pictures and little captions tell of our adventure over there...other people took better pictures of our adventures this weekend but these are the ones I had on my camera:

Outside the Loropeni Ruins. The first and only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Burkina Faso (just got accepted to the list this year). AND I live only 19km away!

Yours truly outside the Loropeni Ruins. According to Leslie (she read this somewhere), these rocks were put together with honey and shea butter.

Marita and Julie inside the Ruins.

Emily and I looking off into the distance...wearing our Obama gear. Gotta represent Obama in Africa!

Biking back was harder than I thought but I was able to show everyone my site's centre-ville and for dinner, I made something that I've crafted as my specialty: Mikey's Minestrone Soup (noodles, tomatoes, onions, garlic, a little bit of powdered milk to thicken it, tomato paste, lots of spices/salt) and Grilled Vache Qui Rit Cheese Sandwiches...delicious!

Everyone left to head back to their sites on Tuesday and it meant back to work for me = continuing class observations at the Ecole Primaire. It's been no doubt an interesting experience and as I said in my last entry, I'm getting more and more ideas for projects. I realized that many students have trouble reading aloud and I think starting some type of Reading/Book Club would be a good idea. Observing classes really forces me to think of creative ways to make school more interesting for kids here so that they're more likely to continue their studies until high school and beyond. I'm observing classes Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday all the way way up until December when I have VAC and IST...so I'm keeping myself busy.

Aaaaand I'm starting to really love my site. I think it really has to do with the fact that I chat it up a lot with my neighbors (Ali's family -- the Ouattara's) everyday and kind of see them as my own family here. I was reading on my porch one afternoon and it was getting really dark. Madame Ouattara (Ali's aunt) comes by and tells me not to read in the dark because I'll ruin my eyes...something my Mom would tell me back home, haha! They even make the most delicious peanut brittle and toffee hard candies I've ever had. Jon and I are addicted! I even invited the Ouattaras over at the end of the month to celebrate Thanksgiving with me so we're going to have American and Burkinabè dishes! Now if I can only think of a way to cook a Filipino dish, too...

Turning 23 in another country...and other updates on life.

So I'm back in Gaoua (provincial capital) and I'm here for a little reunion/celebration for Halloween and September/October birthdays.

Life at site has been going really well so far...adjusting is always a difficult and challenging process but I feel like I'm really making this place my home. Work-wise, around the second week of October, I met with the director of the Lycée (high school) and asked if I could observe English classes to see how they work, how the students and teachers interact with one another, what their English levels are like, etc. Eventually I met the English teacher at the Lycée and for about a week and a half, have been observing his classes, introducing myself to his classes, and taking notes. It's interesting to note how the class size drops dramatically as they get older. And the ratio of male-to-female students is huge as you move up a grade level. For example, in Terminale (equivalent is senior year of high school/12th grade), out of 25-30 students, there are only 3-4 female students!

They don't have a Club d'Anglais (English Club) at their school and my hope is come this January 2010, I can start one to help students out with English (tutoring) but also make it a little more interesting by introducing American songs, pop culture, theatre/plays, fun games, etc. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! On Monday, I presented an Action Plan and Tentative Schedule (handwritten, of course, since I don't have a computer access/a printer) that details what I'd like to do, a schedule, objectives, potential problems and solutions, activities, etc. I want to show him that I'm really serious about creating an English Club but also it's a great way for me to organize my thoughts into one document. A couple of days ago, some 3eme students (equivalent is freshman year of high school/9th grade) were at the Primary School across my house and asked for some help with their English homework (which they wrote on the chalkboards outside of the classrooms). So it's giving me a little hope that this will get off the ground once we get all the logistics squared away!

I recently met with the Director of the École Primaire (Primary School) right across from my house and just started observing classes there...and will be doing so until December when I have another VAC meeting and In-Service Training (IST) in Ouaga. I've only observed one class so far and it's been interesting, to say the least. The kids here are much like the kids in the U.S. but clearly, they face issues much different from those in the U.S. The student-teacher dynamic is completely different here but since I've only observed for 2 days so far, I'll save my overall observations for another day. Even within those 2 days, I've made little notes of things I can potentially start and noticed kids need lots of help with math and reading aloud. Reading clubs? Fun math exercises after-school? The list is endless!

In other news, I've been integrating well and am always meeting new people but really feel like I'm solidifying some good relationships with people. I go into town not feeling so much of an outsider anymore which is nice. I've really made my house comfortable but am holding off on the dog until next year when I have a more solid schedule in place. Jon and I see each other every once in a while, and either discover something new at my site or his, or decide to take day bike trips in our area (there is SO much to explore).

Me during one of our day bike trips through southwestern Burkina Faso. Don't these hills look like the fake hills at Toontown in Disneyland?! Oh, and I looked like a hot mess. I know. The weather was nice because it was a little overcast.

One day, we biked down several kilometers south of my site to see what was down there and found some lush greenery. Like the photo above!

Aaaand for my 23rd Birthday, I decided to invite my neighbors over (Ali and family) for some American grub for lunch. I 'grilled' village bread to make Spam/tomato sandwiches (thanks, Dad!) and also made tuna (thanks again. Dad!) macaroni salad, and we had a really good time! I didn't take any pictures (sadly) except for the food.....mmmmm....

23rd Birthday lunch chez moi.

Later that day, Jon came over and we prepared some banana bread to bake at Ali's house (they have a stove they got in Bobo a while ago but didn't know how to use it with their propane gas tank. So I helped them out one day and now it works!). Success! I was able to introduce something new/American to my Burkinabè neighbors! Jon biked over and we had beers at a little maquis (bar) in town and it was all good! So a bunch of us are meeting in Gaoua and we're going to do a little more celebrating before heading back to our sites. Good times!

**Also, check the sidebar for: What Nationality Is Mikey?

Getting the ball rollin'...

I only have 7 minutes left at the Internet place and I'm in Gaoua for a quick minute. But I just want to say hi and that I'm doing well. Internet access is hard where I live but all is well.

I've been getting busy by observing classes, particularly at the Lycée (high school) about 3km from my house...more details on that later but I'm observing because I really want to start an English Club in the near future, hopefully by January 2010. I'm also going to be observing classes at the Primary School near my house soon to start meeting the students and get some project ideas running through my head.

It's truly becoming my home, and I'm adjusting more and more everyday. More detailed blog later when I get the chance! Love and miss you all.