Since coming back to Burkina Faso, we've had a lot going on outside of our village, as we both helped out with Peace Corps training sessions for the new volunteers. Sonia, still using her crutches around town and needed to spend a couple extra weeks in the city before she was cleared to go back to village. But now, all is pretty much back to normal. We are both back in our village and trying our best to pick up where we left off.
It wasn't easy going back to the minimalist lifestyle that we had once been so accustomed to. After nearly six weeks in South Africa and even more time in the capital city, Ouagadougou, we got pretty soft. You start getting used to electricity and hot water and all. But now it's back to roughing it all over again. Really it's kind of nice. I think we both missed it. The simple life in village.
Sonia is walking around quite a bit, but has a slight little limp. We think it's just because her muscles are a bit weak and sore (so says Sonia Ms. Physical Therapist). So that should work itself out shortly. And she's back on her bike, peddaling around village in small doses.
Everyone was very welcoming back in village upon our return. Sonia jumped right back into things with a four-day health workshop that she participated in with the other villagers. Not to mention all her work with the community to try and find a solution to repair one of the two broken down ambulances. (yes, both are currently out of commission). And of course there are the weekly vaccinations and baby-weighings that she is happy to be back involved in.
Ryan has been busy trying to pull together some grants to put a little extra horsepower behind some of his activities. Most recently he received news that the Friends of Burkina Faso, an association of former Peace Corps volunteers, state-side Burkinabe and others who have lived/worked in Burkina, will finance a small Moringa Tree project. So that is going to definitely keep him busy working with the villagers to plan 10,000 trees, produce dried leaf powder as an income generating activity and of course lots of community outreach and education.
Upon our return we were excited to learn that our little host sister Armande (20 years old) gave birth to her second baby girl, and named her "Sonia". Ahhhhh. She is pretty cute. Here she is wearing a little outfit we bought while down in South Africa. And her first daughter, our little friend Delphine, is now talking up a storm. She likes to say things like "Have sweet dreams" and "Hola". It's pretty darn adorable. And we are still best buds (as you can see here with the original Sonia.)
It's now the start of the main harvest season. Everyone is busy harvesting all of the sorghum, millet and grains that they planted during the rainy season. This is the main staple food that will be stored and eaten for the rest of the year.
It's also now gardening season. Most everyone is busy working in their fields to prepare their garden beds. In our village, it's all onions all the time. But some folks also plant tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers and eggplants. And there are a few folks growing potatoes and sweet potatoes. We started our own little garden as well. We've already had tomatoes and green beans and are now hoping to add carrots and watermelons.
So that's that. Life goes on. We're loving the "cold season" which should last through December. This is when it's still 100F during the day, but drops down to a bone chilling 70F-80F at night. We're actually wearing fleeces if you can image that. And the Burkinabe are hilarious. They are REALLY cold and wear big ski parkas and ski hats. A pretty funny sight. Don't think they could conceptualize a Quebec winter (what's snow?).
Thanks all again for the good thoughts. And although we can not technical endorse any political figures while here in the Peace Corps, one might say that we are pleased with the outcomes of the recent US election. Thanks all for the text updates and the 5am Skype calls. We're looking forward to all the positive changes to come.
