Hello Goodbye

We have made it to an interesting part of training!  We now no longer live in Ipelce but in Ouaga and will be here for the next few weeks doing nothing but learning Jula.  Despite feeling as though we hit a milestone (so to speak) and the fact that we get to experience a totally different life that–in conjunction with village life–makes up this complex fabric that is Burkina Faso, saying goodbye to my family in Ipelce was difficult.  There was so much about that village (and the villages of Narotenga and Nakombgo) that made me smile on a daily basis.  Thus, below are several goodbyes and hellos regarding my old and new lives of training:

Goodbye:  family, pintards in my tree waking me at 3 AM, sleeping with my door open, the kids that always said “ca va? ca va?” every morning as i rode by, l’arbre, the guys at the center that always helped with our pepinieres, the folle in the market that always wore a winter coat, dolo alley, the yogurt place, Jean-Baptiste and The Green Door, bike trails, and of course all the people that were so accepting and welcoming of us.

Hello:  new family! salads almost every night, DANGEROUS roads, the creamery, locking and bolting myself in at night because of “bandits,” Jula class all day every day, the pool, and the general chaotic nature of Ouaga

We’ll be here until September 22nd with a short little trip to Tougan to meet our counterparts.  Swear-in is on the 22nd and after a big fair, we’ll start moving to our sites on the 26th (happy birthday, Mia).  Needless to say, I think we’re all excited to be in the home stretch…

Aside from that, not too much to report.  I will try to upload some pictures later but for now, check out what I’ve got up of my old place in Ipelce.  I’ve got to get to class!