Thursday, June 24, 2010

Welcome to Burkina Faso

This is my first ever blog post in an attempt to share my experiences in Burkina Faso, West Africa with my family and friends.

The experience of traveling to West Africa can be life changing. I myself have visited the African continent two times before. I have even visted Burkina Faso but something felt different this time as I boarded the plan from Paris to Ouagadougou. I had committed to the Peace Corps. I was no longer a tourist but a volunteer on the adventure of a lifetime.

Before departing for Africa, Peace Corps volunteers must complete a rigorous staging in a selectd American city. The volunteers and I assembled in Philly to begin our 27 month journey. Everyone in my group is wonderful and we enjoyed our only night in Philly with a few hamburgers, beers and ice cream. The process of transplanting 57 volunteers from America to West Africa is no easy ordeal. The fatigue began to mount but the constant rush of adrenaline keeps you moving though the endless airports, bus rides, baggage claims and checkpoints.

Arriving in on the Ouagadougou tarmac was like coming home. It had been exactly 2 years since my previous adventure in Togo and it all came rushing back to my head. The smell of charcoal and fruit hits your nose and the culture shock turns the most benign incident into a cultural experience.

The Peace Corps brought us to an interesting hotel and so far everything has been amazing. Our days have consisted of meetings, language tests, food and security updates. Moving abroad is no simple task. The process of starting of life overseas is tedious, especially when you are in a devleoping country. The people of Burkina Faso are extremely friendly as they guide us through the task of getting bicycles, ATM accounts, cell phones and changing money.

The weather has been hot and humid and the silence of the night is broken by a million grasshoppers having an orchestra outside my window.

In the next few days, we will begin our training in the northern half of Burkina Faso. By monday I will have my host family and begin community health training. My french skills are coming back fast and I think everyone is looking forward to experiencing the culture of Burkina firsthand.

I hope everyone is doing well back in the States. I miss everyone very much. I want to thank ya'll for the support. Leaving for the Peace Corps is no easy task and everyone including my family were very supportive of my endeavor. I will try my best to keep in contact with everyone as much as possible. The internet situation can be flaky at times so please bare with me. If you interested in my adventures just shoot me an email or facebook message. Or you could always come visit. Africa is waiting for you!

Au revoir mes amis,

Austin