As our first week in the capital comes to a close I find it prudent to update the world on the latest goings on here in Burkina. This past week has been one of relearning. We have relearned everything down to the most basic levels of human functioning: how to eat, how to sleep, how to go to the bathroom, how to order food, how to greet people, how to shake hands, how to sit, and generally how to interact with people. It’s pretty incredible how much we have to go back to square one.
The week has been quite good. We’ve been staying in a compound in Ouaga paired up in rooms with a fan and (sometimes) an air conditioner and internet–incredibly luxurious conditions to say the least. We have received vaccinations, received our bikes, learned how to self diagnose some basic gastrointestinal problems, made practice malaria slides, worked on our French and Moore, and generally have enjoyed the “summer camp” vibe around the compound.
Eating out has been interesting as I’m not good enough at Burkinabe French (or Moore for that matter) to actually branch out. We all leave in a couple hours to meet our host families and start our new lives. Since finding out that the Ag volunteers will be serving in the Sourou valley off to the west by the border with Mali, my thoughts have turned to the local language of Jula and hope that my host family speaks both that and French. I stress the word hope.
That’s all for now, I’m well and enthusiastic and stay tuned for my first post from my training village of Ipelce.
Jason Tsichlis
Notes from the Sahel 
Hi Jason,
The rain is beating down here in Boston as I reply to this post. Sounds like your basic training is pretty basic. I look forward to more posts to learn what you’re doing. Tell your adoptive family that they can contact me anytime for background info…………
Posted by seb | June 17, 2011, 10:28 AMHi Jason. I have read your notes here where I live in Pennsylvania, and I am enjoying them. Keep writing, and I’ll keep reading them when your mother visits me. Love, Grandma
Posted by seb | June 24, 2011, 1:11 PMI told everyone in Non-Formal to put “Teach me how to Dougie” on their IST Needs Assessment. I figured that would be a better use of time than spending two hours telling us what they are eventually going to teach us.
Posted by Sam | November 22, 2011, 12:56 PM