tour de badass

I would like everyone to know that I am now an awesomely skilled mountain biker. Hard to believe, I know. But I'm pretty sure all biking here would be considered mountain biking at home. And I have become an expert in changing bike tires (front AND back, thank you) and can ride on all surfaces: mud, dirt, sand, two inch deep gravel, water, mud caked into tire track formations, and, on special occasions, pavement. And I do so with school books hanging off of my handlebars, while dodging chickens, goats, dogs, children, donkey carts, motos, cars, pedestrians, cows, and more goats. I'm going to go now and ride my bike home through some gravel and a couple of water holes, while trying not to hit the cows on my street.

the fam

Can I just say how great my host family is? They are wonderful. My dad is super dad-like, fixing my bike and making sure my water filter works properly and watching the news with me. My mom is completely adorable, talking fashion with me and taking me to the tailor to get dresses made and giving me a necklace! My brother, who is six, shows me his karate moves and tried on my glasses (which sent him into uncontrollable laughter) and is fascinated by my painting. He watched me painting a mango like a globe to use in a class demonstration, then got some of his friends together and found me three really good calabashes (dried gourds) that I can paint like the world and which won't go bad. And my baby sister, Malika, who is now seven months old, has learned to crawl and started to talk and when you say my name she looks right at me, and laughs when I make faces at her. I'm going to be so sad to leave them this week, but I have an open invitation to come back whenever I want to and I'm hopeful about our mutual desire to keep in touch.

shut it down

Last week in Ouahigouya!! That's... kind of weird. I can't really think about it right now, because there are so many things I still have to do this coming week. But I'm pretty sure I'm ready to be done with training and get going with my actual Peace Corps service. I know this training is really important, and I've learned a lot, and it was good to be eased into the culture and life here in general, but it's felt very much like kindergarten. It will be so freeing to finally have control over my own life again, once I move to site.
As for this week: the end of model school! I don't really have any more lessons to teach, it's just test reviews then tests then handing back tests then calculating grades then having an end of school ceremony. Most of our other training sessions have been finishing up, too- cross culture, safety and security, education, even language is pretty much over. Next weekend we leave our host families, hang out all together at a hostel here in Ouahigouya for a night, then go to Ouaga!! To swear in as official Volunteers at the American embassy and have wild and crazy parties. Also, to eat genuine American style food (or even chinese food- that you can have delivered. Ouaga is a magical place.) Then to do our shopping for affectation (moving to site.) I am planning to seriously exceed my budget.

bagre: a photo essay

The quarry near my (future) house! I will not be swimming there, due to the alleged crocodiles therein.
Jack!! My new badass African cat, on my future front porch.
My future school! Note the bull just hanging out.
My new house!!!! Fancy fonctionnaire style.

more!!

This was our fourth of July party game. Oh Obama.
Site announcement! We were blindfolded and led to our sites on a giant map on the ground.
Dust storm before the rain! (The sky is actually that color. I'm distressed.)

pictures!!!!!!

This is my host family's courtyard
This is their front porch
This is me in my room!

sugar sugar

One thing that's nice here is the fact that all drinks are sweet, and there is no shame whatsoever about filling your coffee cup halfway up with sweetened condensed milk before adding a teaspoon of instant coffee in the morning. Or drinking hot chocolate for breakfast, or just a cup of tea with tablespoons of powdered milk and cane sugar. I used to drink coffee black, and now I'm going to go home at the end of this and pour unbelievable (and way culturally unacceptable) amounts of sugar and cream into my coffee without even a hint of embarassment. It's going to be awesome.