So on Thursday we talked about security in Burkina-Faso. Which was fine. Until people started asking questions like, "What should I do if people start rioting around me?", or "How should I act towards the police". First of all, what would you do in Canada (or wherever you're from) if a riot broke out where you are?? Get out! (As a side note, this also makes me think of the "victims" in horror movies who "investigate" weird noises instead of run away, which would be the smart thing to do...). Secondly, how do you normally treat the Police wherever you're from?? Politely! "Yes sir/maam, no sir/maam, thank you for the ticket sir/maam".
But that isn't even the good part. You know when you're in a meeting that's taking much longer than needed, and just as the meeting is about to be adjourned, the same person who was frustrating you with the silly questions before REPEATS a question that was already answered during the meeting... At the time I was trying to hold back my death stare and be polite but now that I think of it I shouldn't have...?
Thursday night we went to the Centre Culturel Francais (CCF) in Ouaga and watched a jazz band play... They rocked. They also made me miss playing the sax ALOT. I couldn't help smiling the whole time we were there... It was a jazz combo: Drums, Bass, Electric and piano, with a guest drummer and sax player every few songs. I have a video of the drummer playing for four minutes, no break, as a solo... It was insane how talented these Burkinabes were!! Another little note: The MC said a very cool quote before introducing the band, "Quand la tete est la, le genou ne porte pas le chapeau"... The band was indeed fantastic.
Friday we talked about "working in Burkina-Faso"... Finally, the last drawn-out meeting I have to endure for the rest of my internship. Basically, we learnt to follow suit: if the Burkinabes get up and wait at the door if the boss is coming, do it as well... if they walk – walk. And if they run... run! On another note we went for dinner at Angele's (our coordinator) on Friday night and enjoyed some yummy Tabouleh, Filet skewers and Avocado salad... It felt really good to have home-cooked food. I also picked up my new shoes!!!!! (See picture) They are so cool and well made and the little Burkinabe (remember... scared of my feet...) who made them is definitely a master craftsman. All jokes aside, I know they will last me forever and I've already sent several envious colleagues to see him.
Saturday is a wonderful day. You can wake up whenever you want and do as much or as little as you want. That is what I enjoyed this Saturday. The ultimate "laissez-faire" of the week; I took full advantage of it...I slept until 12pm. I also happened to have gone out the night before until really late (to the tune of 5am bedtime) with my fellow interns... Why go to Burkina-Faso if you can't take advantage of the African music and nightlife? I was especially happy when "Like a Virgin – House remix" started playing at the "boite de nuit"(club)... We eventually found ourselves alone on the dance floor after about 2 minutes... But it didn't matter – You can take the girl out of the house but you can't take the house out of the girl...
Cab Drivers. They are supposed to be the ultimate know-it-alls when it comes to directions, but in Ouaga, some can't tell the difference between right and left! On Saturday night we decided to go out for dinner in the city... Which is unnerving itself, since we don't know the city at all. Add a cab driver who has no idea where he is, and you get a wonderful cocktail of nerves, frustration and paranoia. I must say, however, that his antique 1986 Toyota Tercel sure did hold its own on the long (at least it seemed long) trip home. As a side note, this section is not a generalisation – I have empirical evidence proving that every cab driver we stopped in Ouaga had no idea how to get to the main road in the city... Thus two conclusions are possible: 1)The majority of cab drivers in Ouaga don't know where they are or 2) We are indeed the unluckiest group of cab patrons in the world.
So Sunday was "Le grand voyage" from Ouaga to Bobo via Leo, a small town in which we dropped off one of the interns at. There, we got a special treat: the people at the NGO organised a little show for us that included not only singing and dancing but theatre as well... And it was fabulous. I love how art penetrates all cultural barriers and conveys any message. I felt so special to have been able to watch it. After lunch (which was really nice – we went to another "cooperative's" house and ate spaghetti a la tomato sauce with grated cheese... ) we were off to Bobo. Apparently the highway on the way had to be re-done twice in the last 4 years, as our coordinator says, because they keep cutting corners to pocket construction grant money... The road was therefore brand new but still very uneven... It will probably have to be re-done in a few years... again.
We killed two goats today. With a Toyota Land Cruiser. Thank God we were in that truck, which surely saved our lives, but I still felt really bad for the goats... Which is a view I can say our coordinator did not share. As I was still covering my eyes and squealing like a baby after each time, she would say enthusiastically, "at least the kids will get to eat now!" I couldn't help but laugh... Poor goats. I also saw my first monkey... It was amazing – it ran across the highway and was beige and really fast... So fast I couldn't get a picture in time. What I do have pictures of, however, are the transport trucks. I guess that the companies try to maximise their transporting potential every trip the trucks make, to they decide to pile them so high that they look like they are about to topple over. Add a highway speed of 120km/hr and you get a pretty good show. Did I forget to mention that they put PEOPLE on top of the goods as well?
So tonight I am dead tired from the last week and am trying to stay awake to finish this blog post... I'm really excited to settle into my new digs, which we will figure out where tomorrow. For now I'm in a hotel – again. House hunting in Bobo – how exciting. I also get to finally meet the president of the association I'm going to be working for... Voeuves et Orphelins du Houet... equally exciting.
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