Thursday, August 23, 2007

SWEARING IN!!!

tomorrow is our big day! jon and i both got traditional outfits made for our swearing in. we leave for ouaga the next day and have a day for shopping there. we then set off for pissila on sunday! one of the other stagaiares found us two tiny kitty cats that will be joining us at our new home. their names are elanor and mali. they are trés mignon! (very cute)

i am hoping to be a lot better at updating my blog in the future. life should be less frazzled and crazy busy. there is not much new with stàge... i lost my cell phone (a real shocker) and i have a marché addiction. i don't have money but still manage to find tiny treasures.

OHH! i forgot that today we found out that the house we originally were going to live in will not be ready ( t.i.a. or "this is africa"/"ça va aller" as they say here which is another version of t.i.a.) anyhoo, we will now be movong to a smaller house that we've never seen and know nothing about!! Pas de probleme ( no worries!). We are only a little bit frustrated which must mean that our training has been successfully. haha

i would like to end on a poetic note. here is a poem that me and my B.F.F.B.F. ( best friend burkina faso) wrote:
"Donkeys in the Mist"
Morning came, cloudless, warm.
The donkey stood strong, unadultered.

What is this feeling? The donkey cried.
Who heard?

The schoolhouse stood flat, as if to hear;
To understand the river of emotion.
It flows brave, stolen.

Come back! I wept inwardly. The donkey still bellowed.
The wails of longing. Tired, bitter, misunderstood.

The donkey's coat begins to shine below the sun's glare;
Perhaps with love we find life, with hope, understanding.

A fly gently swoops around the donkey's visage.
I am here, I think. The donkey, the fly, moi.

I take a step back; I weep and the donkey echoes.
He stands blandly, as if to say, " I commend you my friend."

The sundrifts down in the sky of whirling dust; the donkey crouched down.
It is time for rest. No more stàge; it is time to be still.

My friend Beth and I composed this and performed it for the talent show. It was hysterical... maybe we've been in village too long!