tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40048941935730400182024-03-14T02:29:51.170-07:00Blog(adougou)Out of Burkina Faso, Into The Great Laugh of HumankindEmily Forsyth Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04215568660118904217noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004894193573040018.post-60560098032118955612012-10-15T02:31:00.003-07:002012-10-15T02:31:43.021-07:00Finishing up in BurkinaI'm gonna make this post short because I've got a lot to wrap up before heading out tonight; but, here's the blog you'll find me at for the next month and a half or so as I travel around the world with my boyfriend, DW. I'll post a bunch of good Burkina photos once I'm settled in back home with nice, fast internets.<br />
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Here you go! Enjoy!<br />
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<a href="http://aroundtheworldin50days.blogspot.com/">Around the World in 50 Days: The Long Trail Home</a>Emily Forsyth Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04215568660118904217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004894193573040018.post-18128363380601106002011-10-18T02:37:00.000-07:002011-10-18T02:53:45.415-07:00Haikus for Ouaga taxi drivers<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Long line to red light</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Let’s just swerve and pass these cars</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It’s the safest way<br /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I refuse to pay</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Your fee for my skin color</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Pick up more people!<br /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Rush hour travel</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Feels safer here than on bikes</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">...I can close my eyes<br /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"Voila ton argent.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Wend na sonsga laafi."</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Bam! I speak Mooré!</span>Emily Forsyth Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04215568660118904217noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004894193573040018.post-49937794388106703142011-10-03T06:41:00.000-07:002011-10-09T05:07:35.812-07:002 years down, 1 to go<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I decided a long while back that I wanted to stick around in Burkina for another year, and it's about time I explained here just what it is that I'll be doing! </span></span><br /><br />So, despite the fact that I loved my old site as if it were my baby, it seemed as if the projects I had started there had either served their purpose or were ready to have a new set of capable hands take them over. I decided to start looking for opportunities to gain some new experience and get my feet wet in the international development world and see how I felt about possibly working in it one day...<br /><br />The most obvious place to look for such an opportunity was in the capital, Ouagadougou. And the most interesting sounding possibility was taking over the post of a soon-to-finish 3rd year volunteer, Meighan, at <a href="http://www.mariestopes.org/">Marie Stopes International</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A little background on Marie Stopes International (MSI) - </span><br /><br />MSI is an organization based out of the UK that provides family planning services <a href="http://www.mariestopes.org/Where_we_work/Countries.aspx">around the world</a>. In Burkina, MSI currently has one main clinic in Ouaga as well as 3 "outreach" teams and 10 "social marketing agents".<br /><br />The clinic, which I am sitting above right now, offers pretty much any family planning service one can think of, from family planning consultations to condoms to pills to injections to IUDs to tubal ligations and vasectomies. They're one of the only organizations in the country to consistently provide all these services, and they do so for just about the lowest prices you can find here.<br /><br />There are about 10 "social marketing agents", who seem to do similar things as Peace Corps Volunteers in the Health sector (except they are all Burkinabe and generally have more resources at their disposal). They hold large and small scale awareness sessions on family planning, its importance, and what Marie Stopes has to offer. Drumming up demand for family planning services is their big thing and they seem to be really good at it!<br /><br />So, after these lovely people create this demand, the outreach teams swoop in to meet it. They come in trucks plastered with Marie Stopes slogans (Enfants par Choix et Non par Hasard!) and logos blasting African pop music out of megaphones and have a team of a doctor and two midwives who perform the family planning services families want and need. Hooray!<br /><br />It seems to be a well organized and effective NGO that, despite only being in Burkina for 2 years, has already done a lot of education and service delivery.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What will I be doing at MSI for the next year, then?</span><br /><br />Inserting IUDs?? Talking to people about why family planning is important?? Singing along to my fav Burkina jams on the megaphones??<br />Answers: ...um, no thanks; only to interested taxi drivers; aaand I wish!<br /><br />My made-up title is Stagiaire d'appui programmatique, suivi et evaluation, et marketing (translation: Programmatic support, monitoring and evaluation, and marketing Intern). My main role is in monitoring and evaluation - I'll be involved in a lot of client surveys, mystery client organization, checking the books, and generally just trying to find all sorts of ways to make sure that Marie Stopes is doing the best it can in Burkina.<br /><br />Another large part of my job is translating. Since MSI is an anglophone organization who is only in a handful of relatively newly-launched francophone countries, the infrastructure to translate all documents isn't yet in place. I'll be a go-to person for letting our Burkinabe staff (all staff except 2, my British boss and I, are Burkinabe) know what's going on with Marie Stopes in the rest of the world, and for letting the international offices know what wonderful things we're doing.<br /><br />The rest of my job is just being there to help on whatever I can. This job should end up giving me a nice overview of how the organization itself works, a bit of how certain kinds of NGOs work, and some good experience in monitoring and evaluation in particular - which I understand is a very valuable skill to have in this field. Just what I'm looking for.<br /><br />Marie Stopes also works with <a href="http://www.mariestopes.org/What_we_do/Refugees_%5E_IDPs.aspx">refugees and internally displaced persons</a> in such countries as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Yemen. This is exciting to me because my current thought for next possible career move is (after coming back to the states to get a masters - which is necessary for the field) working in humanitarian aid in conflict zones and/or refugee camps. But as for all that future planning stuff, we shall see in a few years...<br /><br />So there's the basic (if long) run-down of how I'm occupying my time here for the next year (and boy will it be occupied! full work days and weeks in an office at a computer - with AC, no less!). And as of now, the end of my first week, I'm loving this job. The environment feels comfortable but I also feel challenged and accomplished in one way or another each day (that sense of accomplishment was a bit harder to feel each day as a PCV in village).<br /><br />Current 3rd year status: Off to a good start.Emily Forsyth Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04215568660118904217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004894193573040018.post-79590281207594586382011-09-14T06:47:00.000-07:002011-09-14T06:51:51.554-07:00I'm in Americaland!! Whoa! (1 of 3)<style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:"trebuchet ms"; panose-1:0 2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"trebuchet ms"">I've been vacationing here in the US for the past few weeks (spending time in Northern Virginia, Fredericksburg, DC, Baltimore, and Dewey Beach) and am headed back to Burkina today. I can't thank everyone who helped organize getting friends/family together enough - you all helped make this my favorite vacation of the past few years. I've had a wonderful time and got to see sooo many of the people I love the most in this country. And now, I'm also very excited to head back to my second home.<br /><br />To help explain a bit of what it’s been like to go from 2 years in Africa to 2 weeks in the US, my Momma came up with some questions for me to answer. The post I started writing seemed to go on and on, so I’ve split the 3 questions into 3 different posts. Enjoy!<br /><br /><b>Q: What do you miss the most about Burkina?</b></span><span style="font-family:"trebuchet ms""><br /><b>A:</b></span><span style="font-family:"trebuchet ms""> Easy! The people!<br />My best friend Zalle, his family, our other co-workers, and my family from my old site and from training are especially missed. I can't wait to go and just...sit with them, eat with them, hold their babies, and talk with them - about everything and nothing.<br /><br />I also miss the interactions with random strangers who seem to want to do nothing other than help you with whatever you need and strike up conversations about the most random things. I can't wait for that next convo with random-person-i-happen-to-be-sitting-next-to-on-the-bus. Not that I always loved having those conversations in the past (don't mess with Mama during nap time!), but from here - land where strangers are weird if they talk to one another for too long - I totally miss this.<br /><br />I also, of course, miss my Peace Corps - and MCC ;) - people that have been sweating it out in the Faso as I fall asleep on a cushy couch in front of a blaring "Real Housewives of New Jersey". I know you all are jealous, but I'm bringing presents...</span></p>Emily Forsyth Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04215568660118904217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004894193573040018.post-43615710289119869922011-09-14T06:36:00.000-07:002011-09-14T06:46:39.888-07:00I'm in Americaland!! Whoa! (2 of 3)<style><!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:S</style><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><b>Q:</b> <b>What food cravings have you indulged?</b></span><br /></span><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> <b>A:</b></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> The friends I just mentioned in the post above may want to skip to the next question here...it's not fair for you to have to read this. Here are some of the amazing meals I've had whilst here:</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> - Sushi carryout - all the loveliness of sushi without the social awkwardness of a restaurant</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> - Shrimp in a garlic butter sauce with red pepper over orzo (made it myself!)</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> - Homemade mac-n-cheese casserole</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> - Sweet corn with cilantro and onions (thanks, Momma, for these last 2!)</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> - Asparagus (Louisa, thank you!)</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> - Rosemary foccacia bread and a cranberry-orange muffin from a farmer's market</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> - Leek hash browns (with Linds, Emma, and Nat at <a href="http://www.wearefoundingfarmers.com/">Founding Farmers)</a></span></span><br /></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> - Kale salad with walnuts and lemon herb vinaigrette dressing (surprisingly delicious! Thanks, Kenna!)</span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> - </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Persian food. Lots of it. SO good! (Thanks to Dad and Rhea)</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> - A bagel. With cream cheese. (seriously craved that one for 2 years straight)</span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> - </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Mandarin tofu and flaming volcanoes from Fortune's. YES! (crunchy chinese noodles on the side to throw at tables full of strangers with nice moustaches)</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> - Pickles</span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> - </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.fracturedprune.com/">Fractured Prune</a> donuts</span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> - </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">White cranberry peach juice</span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> - </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Crabs! (learned how to pick 'em and whack 'em with a mallet from Rhea!)</span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> - </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">SO. MUCH. GOOD. BEER.</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> - Samoa (as in the Girl Scout Cookie) ice cream</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> - aaaand...artichoke! My <i>favorite</i></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> totally bizarre snack food!</span></span></p>Emily Forsyth Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04215568660118904217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004894193573040018.post-21927572111322047792011-09-14T06:25:00.000-07:002011-09-14T06:36:08.231-07:00I'm in Americaland!! Whoa! (3 of 3)<style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} /* List Definitions */ @list l0 {mso-list-id:1313949449; mso-list-type:hybrid; mso-list-template-ids:-855336828 -2095838432 962389964 763670426 430241570 1919303770 1363176588 -1404809306 112873588 -39815594;} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} --> </style> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"><b>Q:</b></span><span style="font-size:10pt;"> <b>What's the most surprising thing you noticed about Americaland?</b></span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"><br /><b>A: </b></span><span style="font-size:10pt;">Hmm...well. I think the first thing that really surprised me was how much easier it was to "adjust" than I thought it would be. The US and Burkina are so <i>very </i></span><span style="font-size:10pt;">different from each other that they seem to exist in separate universes. So, coming back to a universe I'd lived in for 22 years already wasn't all that hard. I drove on the highway, went to Target, hung out with friends, went to the beach, etc. with relative ease. And even though I hadn't been in the "Western world" for two years, I still remembered most idiosyncrasies of American culture. I didn't pick up strangers' children, I didn't apologize for using my left hand, I didn't try to cover my knees at the beach...most things felt pretty normal. When I got confused about how to do something, it usually didn't last long and/or some nice person would help me figure things out (while, i think, only judging me as mildly stupid or strange).<br /><br />Which is not to say I didn't feel overwhelmed by many things in the first few days. I could feel the anxiety well up after picking out over 15 things to try on and spending over an hour at both Target and H&M (something that <i>never </i></span><span style="font-size:10pt;">would have bothered me in the past).<br /><br />One of my first interactions with a stranger was with a hip vendor at a farmer's market who hurriedly spewed out all these reasons to buy his rosemary focaccia bread as well as instructions on how to preserve/reheat it. I wanted to tell him that there was nothing in the world at that moment that I would rather do than buy his bread and could he please stop talking so quickly??<br /><br />Just like when I first arrived in Burkina, it was small, funny things that overwhelmed me - and never the ones I expected. I guess that's just culture shock, huh?<br /><br />But after awhile, the thing that really surprised me the most was how...I don't know...particular(?) Americans are. I guess being in a community of flexible, adaptable Peace Corps Volunteers amongst a country full of maybe <i>overly </i></span><span style="font-size:10pt;">flexible Burkinabe for 2 years made me forget that not everyone is like that. I'm used to hearing any suggestion of something to do and thinking "Yeah! Sure! Sounds great! Let's do it!" and looking at the people next to me and usually seeing the same reaction. The only logical reason not to do something has been being too tired or scheduling conflicts. So when in the process of planning things there are all these questions about what, where, when, and how one wants to hang out (with the implication that someone might really turn it down or be particular about some detail)...it felt strange. To me, in the limited time I had here, I wanted to just <i>be</i></span><span style="font-size:10pt;"> with the people I love - doing whatever it is they thought might be fun. And my standards for what constitutes as fun have definitely become much more lax in the past few years.<br /><br />One obvious example occurred when I was hanging out with my friend John and his 7-year-old son, James. We had all been hanging out all day and at one point John said he needed to stop by his office to drop something off. He asked me if I was interested in tagging along. I readily agreed and had a great time hanging out with his son in the car playing word games. When he got back to the car, he announced that he had scored tickets to the pre-season Redskins game for that evening. But not just plain old tickets, either - <i>Owner's Suite</i></span><span style="font-size:10pt;"> tickets. He asked if I'd like to go and I was totally psyched! More hang-out time with them PLUS crazy fancy box seats at a football game?? Duh!<br /><br />[Side note for anyone who doesn't know me very well: I know next to nothing about most sports, especially football. I had to ask for a detailed description of what a "down" was and couldn't see the football for about 50% of the game]<br /><br /></span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:10pt;">John was happy I agreed but also a bit surprised - not because he necessarily knew about my complete lack of football knowledge, but because</span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:10pt;"><br /></span></span><ol style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">I'd been hanging out with them all day and he thought I must have places to go and things to do</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-size:10pt;" >We knew each other through the music community and so I really might not be interested in football</span></span></li></ol><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">These ideas came from the fact that last time he scored these box seat tickets from work, he had called around to about 20 different friends to see if they’d be interested in going with him to the game and ALL of them said they either couldn’t or weren’t interested in seeing a game! He tried to pitch it as a cultural experience, but they really just didn’t wanna go. I was totally shocked when he told me about this and even more so after having gone to the game where we enjoyed: a parking space on the very closest row to the stadium, free dinner and dessert buffets, super-close fancy seats, bathrooms with TVs all over the place, a waitress taking drink orders, and so much overall swank I almost couldn’t handle it. It was an awesome experience that was so much fun! Why wouldn’t anyone want to do this?</span></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"> </span></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">I thought about this phenomenon a lot as my trip continued and came up with somewhat of a theory as to why a lot of Americans might be more limited in what they decide to do with their time (get ready for a lot of generalizing). </span></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"> </span></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">I think it might have something to do with our huge emphasis on individualism and “figuring out who you are” and something to do with the overwhelming amount of choices with which we’re presented every day. In the US, our time is limited and we have copious amounts of fun, exciting, entertaining things we can do. So as we get grow up, we try all sort of different things and what we like we continue to do until we hone in on our own, personal set of “interests”. It helps us define ourselves and stand out as an individual – which I think we value very much.</span></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"> </span></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">Now, in the Peace Corps (at least in Burkina), all of those copious amounts of entertainment melt away and we all easily stand out and seem different to those around us (even if it’s just due to skin color). The population of PCVs also tends to be on the more open to trying new things and getting thrown into new situations. So maybe due to our situation, everything in the US seems like an exciting opportunity and we’re not so concerned with saying “that’s not really <i>me</i></span><span style="font-size:10pt;">” (because hardly anyone we’ve lived with for the past 2 years knows much about the <i>me</i></span><span style="font-size:10pt;"> that we’ve defined for ourselves in our lives before Peace Corps). </span></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"> </span></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">Of course, I’m not trying to make value judgments on these two different “lifestyles”. The “American way” helps us be less overwhelmed with choice and spend the little time we have doing what we know we love. And the “PCV way” helps us have as much fun and gain as many different experiences as we can in an unfamiliar environment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"> </span></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">In the interest of not dragging on forever, I guess the take-home messages I learned from seeing this are that even after having figured out “who you are”, it’s good to still be open to new and different experiences and what really matters is who you’re doing something with – not <i>what</i></span><span style="font-size:10pt;"> exactly you’re doing. </span></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"> </span></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">I’d love to know what all of you out there in Internetland think of this stuff, so comment away! And definitely expect more frequent blog posts in the future, seeing as I’ll have internet for more than 2 days a month now! Thanks for reading!</span></span></p>Emily Forsyth Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04215568660118904217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004894193573040018.post-78451969754115055742011-02-19T07:42:00.000-08:002011-02-19T08:13:15.657-08:00One of those question-y things?I know. I know. I've <span style="font-family: georgia;">been</span> bad.<br /><br />I wish I'd posted more...but, alas. I haven't. Oops. And now I'm totally copping out by just answering this question email I got sent by Heather...<br /><br />But, anyways, I hope you find it interesting! And I'll try to post more in the future. I promise.<br /><br />Okay, here goes:<br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;">1. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">What color are your socks right now?</span><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Socks?? I live in Africa...I don't remember what that word means.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;">2. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">What are you listening to right now? </span><br />The conversation of a bunch of other Volunteers - I'm in the transit house in a big room full of at least 10 people.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. What was the last thing you ate?</span><br /> </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:Calibri;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Snowcone! Crazy! (At an ex-pat school softball tournament)</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;">4. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Last person you spoke to on the phone?</span> <br />Not sure. But probably my best friend from village, Zalle. He's in his 30, has a wife and 3 adorable children, and is my best work partner.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Do you like the person who sent this to you?</span><br />Umm, duh.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">6. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV?</span><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:Calibri;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Since being here, soccer. Preferably on a wobbly bench under a thatch roof next to many sweaty, yelling Burkinabe...</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;">7. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">What is your favorite drink?</span><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:Calibri;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size: 12pt;">No alcohol? Bissap (hibiscus flower juice). Beer that I can get here? Beaufort. Beer that I can't get here? Just about anything. Shots? Tequila. Mixed drink? Gin and Tonic. I'm not an alcoholic, really.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">8. Favorite food?</span><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:Calibri;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size: 12pt;">That I can get in village? Grilled chicken. That I can get in Ouagadougou? Man, too many options. Snickers Ice Cream Bar? Is that a food? In life? I love artichokes...but I'm not picky. I'll take what I can get at this point!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">9. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">What is the last movie you watched?</span><br />Princess Bride! Yes!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">10. Favorite day of the year?</span><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:Calibri;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Hmm. New Year's usually rocks. I'm partial to my birthday - but not while in Burkina (it falls in the middle of hot season!)<br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">11. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">How do you vent?</span><br />Text or call friends. Cry. Journal.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">12. What is your favorite seasoning?</span><br />Falafel seasoning. Taco seasoning. Curry. Oregano. Any. Spices. Ever. (+ tons of salt, of course)</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: georgia;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">13. Cherries or Blueberries?</span><br />Yeah...so...neither exist here. This question just makes me sad.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">14. Living situation?</span><br />Living alone. Utterly alone. Haha, just kidding! I do live in the same compound as a family with a father, two wives, and nine or so kids...and I get lots of other volunteer visitors, since I have such a good market!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">15. When was the last time you cried?</span></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br />A few days ago...in front of my best friend from village. It freaked him out. They can't deal with crying in public here. He couldn't sleep that night. He's gotta learn to deal though, as many more tears will come as I get closer to leaving village.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">16. </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">What is on the floor of your closet right now? </span><br />Closet? Again, I don't understand these words. I live in a luxurious concrete box.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">17. What did you do last night?</span><br />Ate at an Indian restaurant! It was DIVINE!!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">18. What are you most afraid of?</span><br />Not being able to be successful in both a career and in building a family. Ah, being a woman..<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">19. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers?</span><br />All of the above. On top of one another. In my mouth. Right now.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">20. Favorite dog?</span><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:Calibri;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Of course, my childhood dog, Jessie. But I'm a little partial to the dog in my courtyard that I've trained to be nice to me. Her name is Puppy. I'm trying not to get too attached. Dogs are often, well, food here. Plus, it's really cute to hear Burkinabe say Puppy. :)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >21. Favorite day of the week?</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:Calibri;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Sunday! Definitely! Sunday! (You'll find a special Sunday playlist on my iPod)</span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">22. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Diamonds or pearls?</span><br />Couldn't matter less.</span></span>Emily Forsyth Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04215568660118904217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004894193573040018.post-31522047637497573562010-02-05T04:16:00.000-08:002010-02-05T06:37:14.289-08:00Can I just throw some pictures at you??It seems easier for me and...much more fun for you than my long work-related post below. Win-win!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wPJONmxAI/AAAAAAAAAGE/ooOp56jgJNA/s1600-h/IMG_2875.jpg"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wPJONmxAI/AAAAAAAAAGE/ooOp56jgJNA/s1600-h/IMG_2875.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wPJONmxAI/AAAAAAAAAGE/ooOp56jgJNA/s320/IMG_2875.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434735501437748226" border="0" /></a><br />Marita and I being silly at swear-in. My god, that was so long ago!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wQQiy2mnI/AAAAAAAAAGM/fG96EjlJXCA/s1600-h/IMG_2906.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wQQiy2mnI/AAAAAAAAAGM/fG96EjlJXCA/s320/IMG_2906.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434736726733396594" border="0" /></a>This is vaguely what a part of my house looks like. View from the "living room/kitchen" out into the "courtyard". Cement and as many bright colors as possible, basically.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wSAu_LjPI/AAAAAAAAAGU/pNZsTX1EO88/s1600-h/IMG_2994.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wSAu_LjPI/AAAAAAAAAGU/pNZsTX1EO88/s320/IMG_2994.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434738654151675122" border="0" /></a>During a Halloween vacation in the Gaoua area, we caught an archery competition! This guy knew how to put on a real show. Those white people in the background are some French nurses who were kind of touring the village and donating stuff. As per usual.<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wUN3q4BVI/AAAAAAAAAGc/iH6Dm2qLqHE/s1600-h/IMG_3030.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wUN3q4BVI/AAAAAAAAAGc/iH6Dm2qLqHE/s320/IMG_3030.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434741078843983186" border="0" /></a>So, after the Frenchies left, we went up and actually talked to the archers and asked them if we could try it. It was really fun and really difficult - the bow and arrow were made completely naturally, as one might expect. :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wXDt841OI/AAAAAAAAAGk/WqAz7uFTL3s/s1600-h/IMG_3043.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wXDt841OI/AAAAAAAAAGk/WqAz7uFTL3s/s320/IMG_3043.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434744202971370722" border="0" /></a>Picture of part of the Halloween party in a corn field - very Octobery and looking vaguely like a boy-band.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wYwwsG3VI/AAAAAAAAAGs/s7dnmlkQnEg/s1600-h/IMG_3171.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wYwwsG3VI/AAAAAAAAAGs/s7dnmlkQnEg/s320/IMG_3171.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434746076312034642" border="0" /></a>These are two awesome middle-school girls from my village who I followed to a regional competition to qualify for National Culture Week. They competed in the culinary arts category...AND THEY WON!!! Not necessarily the best photo, but I have like a million and couldn't choose the best one...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wbF7a2cBI/AAAAAAAAAG0/CwvLxPAkEyc/s1600-h/IMG_3248.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wbF7a2cBI/AAAAAAAAAG0/CwvLxPAkEyc/s320/IMG_3248.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434748638992953362" border="0" /></a>The two oldest boys from the family I live with/next to. Saduna has the Shakira shirt and is smiling on the left. Kafaru is workin the Christina Aguilera tee and sitting on one of the family cows. This is right next to my house.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wc0fUvl7I/AAAAAAAAAG8/3Hmha2j86NA/s1600-h/IMG_3270.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wc0fUvl7I/AAAAAAAAAG8/3Hmha2j86NA/s320/IMG_3270.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434750538416625586" border="0" /></a>This is Fatimata, the mother of this same family, who is most likely trying to explain how to make a picture look "bien jolie"... She may be suggesting we both get dolled up to take a nice, formal picture - a favorite pastime of villagers here.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wecx_N50I/AAAAAAAAAHE/2Nw8UNhb_DQ/s1600-h/IMG_3273.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wecx_N50I/AAAAAAAAAHE/2Nw8UNhb_DQ/s320/IMG_3273.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434752330133006146" border="0" /></a>This is Sylvie, the oldest girl who lives with this family (I'm still not truly sure if or how she's related to everyone else). She's laughing because I'm awkwardly sticking a camera in her face. Notice how she's covering her mouth. This is, unfortunately, a common stance for girls here when they talk, laugh, smile, etc.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wgr4VuD4I/AAAAAAAAAHM/hgIk-ooKW0I/s1600-h/IMG_3275.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wgr4VuD4I/AAAAAAAAAHM/hgIk-ooKW0I/s320/IMG_3275.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434754788559294338" border="0" /></a>This is Barriqui. Let me tell you how much I love this girl. Tons. That's how much. She's so sweet and honest and plunky. I think she's the cousin, technically, of those boys up there.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wi-tQjRjI/AAAAAAAAAHU/EgjqFlgLHUs/s1600-h/IMG_3286.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wi-tQjRjI/AAAAAAAAAHU/EgjqFlgLHUs/s320/IMG_3286.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434757311025595954" border="0" /></a>Here are the girls doing laundry. Stooped over. By hand. As they do every few days. It's all of the family's laundry, I think. Life ain't easy, yo!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wk4WSwbdI/AAAAAAAAAHc/EMH4SSTzdRo/s1600-h/IMG_3291.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wk4WSwbdI/AAAAAAAAAHc/EMH4SSTzdRo/s320/IMG_3291.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434759400804871634" border="0" /></a>This is Fatimata using an ingenious (time-tested) method to sift out food that is no good. It's lighter, so you just pour it from one receptacle into another and let the wind blow away the unwanted stuff. This day, there wasn't any wind so she had to walk while doing it to make her own wind. I think this is crazy cool. Who said ingenuity had anything to do with technology? The kids were marching amusingly behind her - just to be in the picture.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wmv2DB8xI/AAAAAAAAAHk/_h4f1kPIo6I/s1600-h/IMG_3298.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/S2wmv2DB8xI/AAAAAAAAAHk/_h4f1kPIo6I/s320/IMG_3298.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434761453733278482" border="0" /></a>Kids are cute, huh? I mean, until they're crying and tooting incessantly on whistles right outside one's door during naptime. But, other than that...delightful little buggers.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">And this is me deciding that while posting pictures is technically easier than a long, wordy post, it's definitely at least as time consuming. And I'm sleepy. Special thanks to Kyle for donating the time with his adapter that made this post possible. Love you all and hoping to talk to you soon!<br /></div><br /></div>Emily Forsyth Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04215568660118904217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004894193573040018.post-86698925370989694362010-01-31T14:13:00.000-08:002010-01-31T14:57:45.649-08:00Golden PathsI can't really believe how long I've been here (8 months in Burkina and 5 months in my own village) and how little I've gotten to talk to my loved ones who are stateside. I'm at this point where I know that I'm in a very different world but I've been in it so long that it all seems so predictably normal now. So, I'm not sure how good I'll be at describing my life. Or maybe it will just make me more succinct (score!).<br /><br />I've now had a solid month of starting up lots of projects that I planned and mulled over for many months in an attempt to only start activities that people really wanted to participate in and collaborate with me on. And of course, those months were also spent making friends with these people I want to work with and also other people who are just generally really cool and nice (there is luckily an abundance of this type of person here). These people I'm speaking of are, just to be clear, exclusively Burkinabe who, at first, weren't always the easiest for me to make friends with. Between constant assumptions about what my white skin says about me, a multitude of requests for help getting to the US, and persistent and blunt marriage proposals (exponentially more annoying than flattering - and often the offer was to be the second wife), a lot of interactions were patience-trying rather than relationship-building.<br /><br />I just recently started reading the Lord of the Rings series and there's a quote in it that really resonated with this recent transition from difficult times to more of "what it's really all about". It's the beginning of Aragorn's personal slogan (yes, I'm a dork):<br /><br />"All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost."<br /><br />There were a lot of processes I had to go through which seemed to be harder than was worth it and possibly purposeless; but, now, after having come out of the other end of the tunnel (at least for now!) I can see how important and rich a lot of those processes were and how much I really was on the right track - often without knowing it at all.<br /><br />So! Where has all this planning and invisible-path-wandering taken me? I'll do a quick synopsis of the projects I've started and the few others I hope to fit in in the future.<br /><br />At "Ecole B," the main primary school I work with, I'm running a peer-tutoring club with some assistance from a teacher. It looks promising thus far. I'm also helping the Director of the school set up a Big Sister - Little Brother (and vice versa) type of program and a student government. With this school and 2 other schools in Sapouy, I'm hoping to start holding meetings with teachers on classroom discipline methods that will help the teachers brainstorm/learn about/practice discipline methods that don't center around hitting (or, um, whipping) the kids. I'm also hoping to start working out some mini-presentations to put on for the parents of these schools that highlight the importance of not only sending both their sons <span style="font-style: italic;">and daughters</span> to school, but also supporting their boys' <span style="font-style: italic;">and girls'</span> studies at home by alloting "homework time" and making sure they have a lamp and petrol to put in it and such (girls, in particular, tend to get stuck with an endless list of chores around the house that leave no time for studying and translate into terrible grades and eventual flunking-out).<br /><br />As for the secondary school level, I've currently got a really successful girl's soccer club [pause for astonishment from those who are aware of my athletic ability]. I do "lifeskills" lessons (self-esteem, goal-setting, decision-making, etc.) with them for 30 minutes before the PE teacher takes over and teaches us all soccer skills and lets us play. It's been really great to see his surprise at the girls' quick uptake and his joy at seeing their antics on the field. I've also helped start up a mixed-demographic group (men, women, boys, and girls) who want to arrange for some sex-ed seminars for the girls at the secondary school. They also want to bring in a speaker to talk to the girls about the importance of staying in school all the way till the end of high school (many, many girls nonchalantly get pregnant and drop out). Then, at the high school, I have a club purely to discuss and practice lifeskills as well as an English club - each of which has pretty small numbers but a lot of members with spirit and the brains.<br /><br />Phew. I think that about does it. I've tried to help start up a bunch of varied projects in the hopes that a good number will go on to be successful. Only time will tell (or some other similar cliche).<br /><br />For all the "official-sounding" language describing this stuff (mostly for Dad and Momma to peek at, but thought I'd make it available to all), here are links to my Action Plan:<br /><br /><a href="https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AePuEOTnfGfoZGNyNGpzYjRfMTA2Y3Znamo3Zzk&hl=en">In English</a> and <a href="https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AePuEOTnfGfoZGNyNGpzYjRfMTA3ZmsyYjRjZHg&hl=en">En Francais</a><br /><br />So, things are now running along and I'm finally getting to do some fun projects! Most importantly for my mental sanity, I'm nice and busy. Hooray!<br /><br />After I've gotten all these projects up, I now have 3 different meetings to go to in Ouagadougou, each of which will take 3-5 day chunks out of my time in village. I'm happy to say that I'm a little crushed to have to leave village so much in the near future. I think this is a good sign.<br /><br />Moral of the story: next time someone says to you, "How <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> that crazy girl who's living in Africa doing, anyways?" you can confidently say, "She's doing well."<br /><br />Score!Emily Forsyth Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04215568660118904217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004894193573040018.post-58364735368298712302009-12-15T14:27:00.000-08:002009-12-15T14:52:07.876-08:00Heirloom Seeds and Heritage Turkeys?Guest post by..............JON RUDNICKI!!!!!! <br /><br />We're at the Peace Corps Transit House in Ouagadougou, Emily is christmased out right now so i volounteered to write her blog for her. We just came from the country directors house where we had burritos, fruit salad, and gingerbread. holy crap it was really good. The transit house is like little america, complete with refridgerators, stoves, toilets, real beds and fans. holy crap.<br /> <br />after not doing any "real" work, by western standards, for the first 3 months of our jobs, we're easily tired out by actually having to sit in a class most of the day. even though we have long breaks and the classes require us to just sit there and basically just chat about our villages. chatting about villages is tough work. i too, am tired.<br /><br />That Jon's a funny guy, right? See you tomorrow!<br />Also. FIVE GOOOLDEN RIIIIIIINGS.Emily Forsyth Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04215568660118904217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004894193573040018.post-75280076105409255242009-12-14T14:32:00.000-08:002009-12-14T14:42:45.900-08:00A post to make you go: "What the heck?!"I love bissap. I can't explain to you what it is. Actually, it consists of hibiscus flowers boiled down with a ton of sugar and (hopefully) frozen. But, it's heaven in a flimsy plastic bag. And it comes to my town in frozen form every three days.<br /><br />Speaking of frozen goodness, let me just mention my good friend FanChoco. One who was deprived of American food could call it something like a Wendy's Frosty packaged in a plastic bag and carted around by a boy on a bike with an insulated cold-box. That, too, comes to my town once every three days (or more often if I'm lucky). FanChocoMan, as I affectionately call him in my head, announces himself with an icecream-truck-like-horn which calls my attention immediately. <br /><br />Hold on to your butts, I have internet for the next week or so...and may just post a little somethin' somethin' every day...if I can.<br /><br />Life is good...but I still smell sh**...ALL THE TIME. (Latrine's will do that, ya know?...story to follow)Emily Forsyth Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04215568660118904217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004894193573040018.post-2290974814276998212009-10-10T04:26:00.000-07:002009-10-10T05:45:50.935-07:00Apres a month at site...First of all, because I meant to do this long ago, shout out to Evan's mom who I've heard frequents this part of the internet occaisionally...Hope Evan's doing well up North and that I get to see him again soon!<br /><br />Okay, sorry for the shameless shout out...I'd do many others if I had the time and energy but that one was promised a few months back. :)<br /><br />So, anyways, I guess I should start to try to describe a bit of my life in vilage. here's a typical day:<br /><br />[Schedule format, anyone?]<br /><br />5:30 or 6:00am - Rise in shine in my pop-up mosquito tent in the family courtyard next to about 10 kids and a few adults who are probably, if they're female, already milling about getting ready to prepare breakfast and do other household chores. Pack up the goods from the night before to put back in the house (pillow, blanket, books, journal, flashlight, toilet paper). Feed the kittens...<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/StB8prxFDKI/AAAAAAAAAFY/bAT3DqP-WLE/s1600-h/from+site+first+stuff+063.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-2kF_WiCTs/StB8prxFDKI/AAAAAAAAAFY/bAT3DqP-WLE/s320/from+site+first+stuff+063.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390945809527540898" /></a><br /><br />6:15am - Take my bucket bath with coldish water, sweep out the whole house and courtyard (it's reassuring to know there aren't any bugs around), make some coffee on the stove, eat a little breakfast, and curl up with a magazine that someone amazing has sent me for a good little taste of the USA...<br /><br />7am - Realize the time has flown by and I have yet to greet anyone in the family intelligably. Recitfy that by greeting every single person I see around the compound in either Gurunsi/Nuni or Moore depending on what ethnicity they are (still pretty bad at guessing that if I don't know the person). Get my butt moving and ready to head off to "work".<br /><br />7:30am - On the bike furiously pedaling through the deliciously cool morning breeze. Greeting the regular groups of people on the route that I love (the three sisters who sell rice, my carpenter, my bread guy, my banana-lady tantie, etc) while avoiding the ones that hiss at me or call me Nasara (local name for white person) or, worse yet, straight up "La Blanche".<br /><br />7:40am - Arrive at school and watch the kids play while chatting with teachers until classes start (they're supposed to begin at 7:30am...but we're in West Africa, so things are more laid-back and, thus, start later than planned).<br /><br />7:50am - Head off to class with everyone else and watch the happenings - which aren't much since it's only been a week of school and materials are still being destributed <br /><br />10am - Break time! Grab some snacks that ladies are selling near the school (bread with fishy/oniony oil on it - yum! - or caramels)<br /><br />10:30 or 10:40 - Back to class to watch the lessons some more<br /><br />12pm - Bike back to the house, stopping by the market on the way to buy veggies like tomatoes, green peppers, cabbage, and cucumbers for lunch...maybe a salad? some pasta? some beans and rice? (This is where the spices I get from the states come in reallly handy)<br /><br />12:30pm till 3pm - Wash dishes, maybe do laundry, sit out under the tree with the family and read/relax. Maybe play some Uno with the kids. Here are some of those kids...<br /><br /><br /><br />3:30pm - Head back over to the school or to the Provincial Basic Education Office (depending on where there's more "work" to do) to chat with the teachers or govt officials about anything and everything...<br /><br />5 or 6pm - Head back home to have some leftovers or maybe some To (local staple food consisting of pulverized then thickened grains dipped in a sauce that can be pretty good if "Mom" makes it...) and relax/think about the day<br /><br />8:30pm - Figure out what books I want to read tonight, then set up the mosquito tent again and hunker down for the night. <br /><br />9pm or 9:30pm - Stare at the stars and the moon until I fall asleep... <br /><br />It's not such a bad life, really. Only thing I could hope for more of was contact with loved ones back home or volunteers here in Burkina...<br /><br />Oh well! That's what the internet and texts are for!<br /><br />Wish, as always, you were here and I could describe more/better. <br /><br />Love-ity love love,<br />Emily/Aida/Kamoin (oh yeah! keep the names a comin')Emily Forsyth Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04215568660118904217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004894193573040018.post-11511871512312494562009-08-08T07:36:00.001-07:002009-08-08T07:46:55.977-07:00Tryin real hard to post a few pictures...Check out my new photobucket stuff...<br /><br />http://s594.photobucket.com/albums/tt25/emilyforsythqueen<br /><br />sorry i couldnt figure out how to hyperlink...ugh<br />hope it works!<br /><br />ps- please know that things are really busy right now and there are many many people who will definitely be getting letters from me once i have a minute to sit and write. i cant wait to tell you some things...hahahaEmily Forsyth Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04215568660118904217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004894193573040018.post-69377189262514311792009-07-25T11:36:00.001-07:002009-07-25T11:52:15.013-07:00Back from site!Just wanted to throw a real quick update at you about where I'll be living over the next few years! I just got back from spending a few days in my village-to-be. <br /><br />Quick bullet points are always fun; so, here we go.<br /><br /><br />-Overall sentiment: happy and excited and hopeful<br /><br />-General region: Centre-Ouest, not too far south of the capital<br /><br />-Number of awesome PCVs or PCTs who live (or will live) near-by: 5 that I know of<br /><br />-State of my lodging: pretty sweet.<br /><br />-Amenities at my house: nice, shady hangar; sizeable courtyard; indoor shower as well as outdoor; outdoor latrine; umm...satellite dish?? in courtyard??; solar panel on roof of house; might be a doorbell; family living right outside my courtyard in the same compound; living room in addition to other rooms<br /><br />-Resources in my town that are exciting: 47 schools, a regional office on basic education and literacy complete with girls' education specialists, a very nice pre-school, nice health center with surgical unit, shea butter producing association, a VERY beautiful, well-stocked market...and the list goes on...<br /><br />-General landscape: pretty, green, many trees because its actually illegal to chop any down<br /><br />-Coolest thing I've heard we have in the village thus far: crocodiles in the dam that are somehow not dangerous??<br /><br />and, unrelated to my site visit...<br /><br />-Thing I miss the most about home: ummm...everyone. I see pictures of friends and am sad/jealous that I cant be there and I think about all the family very much.<br /><br />Dont worry - its not to a point that is worrysome or hindering anything. I just want everyone to know that there is one little person over in Africa that is having many many thoughts of many lovely people she left back in the states.<br /><br />And seeing where I'm gonna live got me really excited about maybe getting to show some of you around my town once I'm well installed and integrated there...I think you'd all love it as much as I already think I will. AHH! So much love. Lovey love love.<br /><br />Let me know if you're thinking of me too! You cant know how much it brightens my days.Emily Forsyth Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04215568660118904217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004894193573040018.post-31283740698900638242009-06-30T06:16:00.000-07:002009-06-30T06:27:06.222-07:00Aїda, Aїda! Oui!! Aїda, Aїda! Non!!-8"><title></title><meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 2.2 <meta equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=utf(Linux)"><meta name="AUTHOR" content="Emily FQ"><meta name="CREATED" content="20090630;9380000"><meta name="CHANGEDBY" content="Emily FQ"><meta name="CHANGED" content="20090630;10210000"> <style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { size: 21cm 29.7cm; margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } --> </style> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Wow, everyone. It feels like it’s been forever since I’ve gotten to Burkina. There have been so many new things I’ve already experienced and it makes the time seem so much longer. How long has it really been? Like a month? I couldn’t tell ya. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I’ll try to start near the beginning (and also not take too long explaining). Our trek to Ouagadougou was long and didn’t go exactly as planned, which was a good introduction to Africa and the PC, I think. We were supposed to have a very short layover in Niame, Niger (the kind where you don’t even leave the plane); however, due to some electrical problem on the plane, the layover became a night-long stay in a hotel in Niger. At the time, the capital wasn’t the safest place to be (election issues?); so, we were advised to stay in the hotel and do no exploring. It was a really nice hotel with a pool and good food and everything but the surrounding area was not very pretty or exciting to see. This was actually great because we got to be eased into the experience of arriving in Africa and once we got to Ouaga, I was so grateful to be there and appreciated its beauty much much more. It was funny how “right” it felt to finally be in Burkina – the layover increased the anticipation and helped highlight how pretty and awesome Ouaga was.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">We didn’t spend too much time in the capital; although, we did have a really nice meal at the Country Director’s house. Our CD, Doug Teschnner (sp?), is really nice – he loves keeping us up to date on US sports stats (which is actually really comforting, even though I don’t know anything about sports). </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">So, we fairly quickly moved to Ouahigouya, our training city. There are two sectors of trainees here – secondary education (SE) and girls’ education and empowerment (GEE). The SE kids all live in host families in Ouahigouya and all of us GEE people are out in the surrounding villages. We’re divided by language ability and study language (which, for the time being is French for all but the most advanced) with our village group every day. We also have many sessions on GEE with the whole group of GEE people (we switch off which village we have class in every day). We also have lots of medical sessions and safety sessions and cultural sessions all together (SE and GEE alike) in Ouahigouya – which usually means the village folk come into town and stay at a hotel for a night once a week or so. Coming into town means we get some lovely things like cold drinks and fries and veggies and ample protein; but, it also means missing my host family and village air and the village way of life. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I’m so happy with my village and my host family. I live in Bogoya Z (as opposed to Bogoya F or the far-away land of Komsilga) with 4 other awesome volunteers (Julie – a.k.a. Medina, Molly – a.k.a. Mariam, Devin – a.k.a. Zalissa, and Jon – a.k.a. Ibrahim) and our “language and cultural facilitator,” J.P. J.P. runs our language classes and is our liason for any issues that arise in our families (like, the carb overload we all had for our first week in village…haha); he’s a fun guy and is great support for us. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The village is a little hard to describe – there are a lot of “quartiers” or little groupings of houses/courtyards/storage facilities/stables that are all connected in a maze-like fashion. Each of us is in a different quartier. Mine is the one closest to the school and entrance to the village and there is, luckily, a water pump right outside of the compound. My family lives in this compound along with many other families – I’m not really sure how many because it’s hard for me to tell who is grouped with which family. The structure and definition of family members is much more fluid here, possibly because people are kind of closer to each other and depend on one another more. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I do know a bit about my own family, luckily. My grandfather is the chief of Bogoya Z (super cool!), which means that I see him all the time and must be very careful with my greetings…
<br /><meta equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><title></title><meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 2.2 (Linux)"><meta name="AUTHOR" content="Emily FQ"><meta name="CREATED" content="20090630;9380000"><meta name="CHANGEDBY" content="Emily FQ"><meta name="CHANGED" content="20090630;10210000"><style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { size: 21cm 29.7cm; margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } --></style>My father speaks French very well and is very well-respected in the community. He works as a photographer in Ouahigouya and I don’t really see him very often (possibly because I’m a woman). I’m pretty convinced that my mother is the coolest woman in Burkina. She is so spunky and straightforward and knows very well how americans work because she has hosted 3 other people before me. She always makes sure im doing well and she cooks the best food. Its great. She also seems to be very well known and liked in the community, which is really nice. I also have 2 awesome sisters who, along with my mom and all the other children around, constantly call out the name they gave me, which is Aida! </p>
<br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p>Now, I wish I could write more but my connection is about to expire so I think Ill have to get goin! Hope everything is well with all of you back home. I think about you so much and miss your loveliness!
<br />Emily Forsyth Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04215568660118904217noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004894193573040018.post-78799003149876317412009-06-05T13:31:00.000-07:002009-06-05T15:29:33.090-07:00Soaking it upHere I am, less than a week away from The Big Day, packing and checking off to-do lists like mad, and (the best part) enjoying being in the midst of many lovely going away gatherings...<br /><br />And it feels a little overwhelming. Not that that's a bad thing. I feel like I'm on the brink of experiencing a lot of Life (you know, because I've been dead up until now...). After 22 years of gaining many bits of experience/knowledge and a ton of support, I feel as ready as I'll ever be for this big big journey.<br /><br />The last few weeks have felt very interesting. America already looks quite different to me when I'm thinking about all the little luxuries I'll soon be leaving. And all the people in my life who mean a lot to me (I bet you're among them if you've stumbled upon this blog) are just these treasures that I'd love nothing more than to sit next to and soak up like a sponge so that I can take them along with me when I go.<br /><br />So, I'm soaking it all up and soaking you all up <span style="font-size:78%;">(twss?)</span> in the midst of packing it all up and finishing it all up. And it all makes me smile and cry. :)<br /><br />Whew, now that all that mush is over - a few quick practicalities. I don't know how easy it will be to keep this blog going strong in Burkina given the internet and electricity availability, but I'm gonna try my hardest to do so. I'll also try my hardest to make this something interesting and not too cliched to read.<br /><br />As for the big dates coming up: Tuesday morning I get on a train to Philly where I'll meet all my fellow Burkina Faso PCTs (Peace Corps Trainees). Wednesday morning we get all our shots and Wednesday night we fly off to Ouagadougou (with a brief mid-way layover in Paris).<br /><br />Silly pictures of me with my big old bags to come...<br /><br />For now, thanks for stopping by and make sure we get a good goodbye in however we can! You know it goes without saying that I'll miss you all very much...Emily Forsyth Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04215568660118904217noreply@blogger.com4