One Fainting Robin: 2009 Wrap-up (part 1)

The last time I wrote was in November. That means I have a LOT of ground to cover here.

Mid-November: Peace Corps Guinea closed in September and we received 5 transfers. By chance one of them happened to be an alum from the Chemistry Department at UW... small world. I hosted him for a week during which he shadowed me around Ouahigouya. As a bonus having him watch my class allowed me to get a few pictures of me teaching.

This is me teaching my 2^nd PC class

December: This was a strange month. First I didn't teach at all because of festivals, holidays and strikes. The first week I was in Ouaga for a VAC (volunteer advisory committee) meeting. Then it was back to Ouahigouya to practice marching for the Dec. 11^th independence day parade. The government of Burkina has started celebrating this national holiday each year in a different city. In 2008 their trial run was in Fada and in 2009 Ouahigouya was the lucky city.

For the last 6 months Ouahigouya has been destroying and building, painting and polishing, doing everything possible to get ready for a visit from the President. What was done:

3 new stoplights were added for a grand total of 5!
the roads around town were repared(!) meaning fewer jaw jarring potholes.
paved roads were extended, especially the one to the President's house north-east of town. Also there's a new road out to Youba and many of the smaller villages around Ouahigouya have received electricity.
new paved roads were added. Ouahigouya used to be a "one road" town, now there is an entirely paved loop. For those who know, the road by NEEED was paved, as well as the road Sol Beni was on.
Sol Beni and Chaine Avion were destroyed and rebuilt. There's now a legitimate boulangerie. Artwork was added around town, including a lion by the resting place of the Naba Kango, which was actually cleaned and weeded.
worst of all... a whole new neighborhood was built in only 6 months. The houses are huge, they have water and electricity (a neighborhood nearby has been waiting for water for years) and would fit in a suburb of Phoenix, AZ.

new neighborhood

people appreciating a new statue

Ouahigouya's red visitor

The big even on December 11^th was a parade. All the important people from Ouaga came to Ouahigouya for this event. There are two things people should know about parades in Burkina: 1) they are NOT like parades in the US and 2) the military oversees it and every MUST be perfectly aligned and marching together. The participants in the parade basically march in groups. No floats and no candy.

Last year volunteers marched in Fada, so this year Peace Corps was interested in having us march again. After numerous parade practices and miscommunications a dozen of us marched. There were also 3 JICA volunteers (the Japanese equivalent of Peace Corps) with us. The best part was that we had to wear uniforms. Trust me when I say we fit in and it wasn't awkward at all. I don't think I'll wear it in the US though ... except as pajamas.

Since I was marching I didn't get to see the parade, but I do have photos from Rob Hartwig, another volunteer (all photos below were taken by him). I did see the president of Burkina Faso as he inspected us marchers from his super dooper jeep. Pretty cool...