Oh my word!...
ok...so it not only has been OVER a month since I have written, but it is also now very close to my leaving Burkina (3 weeks almost exactly to be precise...)
So since I left you completely empty handed for so long, I will give you a brief over view of everything....and then I would ask that you comment with questions or any needs for further information and I'll then answer those comments in my next blog (which I promise won't be in a month!!)
Uploading pictures on here is also very time consuming and I'd rather tell you all that happened rather than wait on pictures to show up. I have online albums for each event, and I would love for you all to see them. I have comments beside each picture to explain what they are.
Since June 6th (it seems like forever!)...The preschool ended. We had our ceremony as planned (well...the third time around ended up being the right one...) and the kids showed their parents what they had learned. They then got some popcorn, candy and Bissap (a juice that is made from hibiscus flowers...) and they had a blast while their parents were stil inside being told about what the plan was for next year and all the boring parent stuff!...heh...Because I want to make sure I cover everything, I won't put pictures of the final event because you've seen the kids in other posts. I will allow our attention to turn to all the other things God's blessed me with doing in the past month and almost a half...
Right after the preschool work, I joined Stephane and Myriam Gigandet in working and PanBila2. The organization was first started by a Belgian couple who wanted to help the street boys of Ouagadougou. They then extended to PanBila2 to service young women in difficult situations. The girls are all pregnant or have recently had a child, and they are either stepping off the streets for reasons tired to prostitution, familial rejection, a bad marriage...name it...they've probably had a girl from that situation come through. It was a very big learning experience for me because I could interact with the girls and ask them questions. I learned incredible amounts about the culture, but also about how the law works here when it comes to who a child belongs to. In Burkina, the child belongs to the father. There were a few hard pills to swallow when I hear about how things were done and how poorly treated the mother was in the whole equation, and it spoke a lot to my "social-work student brain". There were times where I wondered why all the Burkinabe women just didn't revolt...but I guess that's not really an option. The Gigandets also taught me a lot because they've been in contact with the legal and health issues around PanBila2 for about 9 months now. I really enjoyed my 2 weeks there. However...in the middle of those 2 weeks, I was so fortunate as to go to a picnic organized together all the organizations servicing the young women who are on the Ouaga streets. The food was just a little more than my untrained body could handle and I got to get amoebas. They're just a stomach parasite really...microscopic...but they had my in bed with a fever and the runs for a whole day after the picnic and then pretty much out of commission the day after that. I have never been so thankful for the invention of antibiotics! Cipro made me all better...heh. So I could only attend the last 2 days of my second week at PanBila2 but I had a blast with the girls...
If you'd like to see pictures, please copy and paste the following link in your browser's address line and it will lead you to an online photo album of all the photos I have from PanBila.
http://redeemeron.facebook.com/album.php?aid=37026&l=96b56&id=509130270
So a short break in time, I went horseback riding with some friends I've made here one day after being just done at PanBila. Here are some pictures for you to look at if you would like (it's very hard to take pictures on horseback!!) I learned 2 things however. I don't like to ride French sattle...and i need to get more leg muscles so I can go along with the horse's trot! Enjoy the pictures :)
http://redeemeron.facebook.com/album.php?aid=37046&l=ea518&id=509130270
Ok. Next, there was an other 2 weeks time where I left Ouaga and had little access to internet (which also explains why I then got so pushed back...for here until now, I spent about 3 days maximum in Ouaga before moving to the next thing...it was quite exciting!) Yako was the name of the town I went to. There is an orphanage there that was just a whole amazing experience. God spoke to me in ways I had never realized he could speak to me before...and I enjoyed playing with the kids and the babies, but my interaction with the missionaries was also a huge blessing. Rebekah ended up leaving after our first week there because her time here was over and it was hard for me because it left a void...I had been with her almost every day...for every activity for the past 6 weeks. But before she left, she gave a lot of wisdom bits that I still cherish preciously. God taught me how to appreciate me quiet time with Him in the morning and I hope to be able to make is a solid habit to spend time reading my Bible and praying in the morning. The other girls who were there and the lady who founded the orphanage were also very wise and I learned a lot from them as well. Age does make a difference on you maturity...and life experience is something that once cannot replace by mere knowledge. It makes me excited about growing older! In Yako, I participated in a distribution of goods to sponsored widows, in bringing two boys (7 and 8 years old) to villages where they would either be with a parent or a member of their extended family who could take care of them for the summer vacation to see how they integrated, and I also helped out at a distribution for sponsored orphans. I was amazed by all the things that God is doing in the 46 children from ages 0 to 20 who are there and how well things are going considering the orphanage is only seven years old. I also went to great church services. The second one was a special service that actually lasted 6 and a half hours!! we left after 5!!....it was REALLY hard to sit there for that long...and although the worship was lovely even in its length, and that the "short" message before communion was meaningful, the pastor kind of lots me after he had been talking for an hour. Once he was done, I thought..."oh...ok it wasn't that bad...i can't complain...4 hours..." and then a prayer marathon began, where the leader used the microphone even though I thought he had a strong enough voice to project to the end of the sanctuary and back to the podium...it didn't help that the speakers were all somehow pointed in our directions and that we were sitting in the front row as special guests...but...It was a new experience, and I would trade it for nothing!
Yako pictures can be found at the following link:
http://redeemeron.facebook.com/album.php?aid=37033&l=b0a4b&id=509130270
I came back to Ouaga for a night, and headed out to Yimdi (an area also known as the village of hope) for the SIM prayer retreat. Amazing! I loved spending so much time talking to God and communicating concerns and requests as a whole missionary family. Those 2 days seemed very long, but it was a good long. I got to meet some people whose names I had heard but whose face were unfamiliar...and I also could spend some time with those I had already met from different parts of Burkina, and had clicked with. The pictures from that weekend are not the greatest because I was very focussed on the whole theme of the retreat....but enjoy anyway...
http://redeemeron.facebook.com/album.php?aid=37048&l=30b27&id=509130270
SOOOOO....we're getting a little closer to the present...A few days after we came back from the weekend, I was now heading out on a four day trip to Mali! a few things to point out...(I encourage you to see the pictures from this bit if none of the others because they have much detail attached to them and some are simply beautiful!!) It's a completely different climate!!, we dropped off a father/son team who went off to camp in the Dogon cliffs for a couple nights (the killed a snake and caught a scorpion just to show us....), The whole drive up is just full of beautiful landscapes and I’d have so many more pictures had I not been in a car going 100 km/h...We went to see Djenne, town with the world's largest mud mosque (and I must say it was quite impressively large...), we visited Mopti, famous for being the place were the Bani and Niger convolve (but the waters don't mix...it's the weirdest thing!...one of the pictures shows it well...), I got sick...AGAIN! but it was nothing big this time...a little virus that everybody I was with ended up getting. I was just the unlucky one to have in the day we were driving the 13 hours back in the car on the bumpy African roads!...but I should not say it like that because I am counting my blessings that it was nothing big...I was fearing amoebas again or worst...malaria...so...I’m all good now...Enjoy the pictures
http://redeemeron.facebook.com/album.php?aid=37131&l=96ca2&id=509130270
SO That's a very brief overview. Now I am in Ouaga for most of the time until I leave in 3 weeks (only!!) and I will make sure to keep up a little more. In a little over a week, I’ll be working out a VBS type program for a week which is exciting...and in the mean time...I’m trying to settle things out in my brain...trying to figure out what God's taught me....what I need to take home....in terms of both knowledge and luggage...(I’ve got a lot of African stuff I’m bringing back!!...heh...first time in Africa!...what can I say!)
Thank you all for you prayers and for all you support even when I fail at giving you any news.
God bless you all and I'll catch you later!!!
Monday, July 16, 2007
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
It's been a month!!
Hi everyone!!
Blogs are much harder to keep up with than I thought. However, I am glad to announce that I have officially been here for a full month! How exciting! Some days, it feels like forever, and others it feels like I just got here. Well lets see what new things happened since the last time i updated...
So an other week went by at the pre-school, and it was supposed to be the last, but i have officially learned that when people say that one must be flexible when coming to Africa, they are not joking, because the final date of the school year was extended to ths Tuesday, June 5th, and has now been pushed back until next Saturday, June 9th! I am learning that I THOUGHT I was flexible, but that was to Western standards! :)
The highlight of the past week and a half is most definitely my trip to Djibo! If you look at the map that is a few posts back, you'll see that Djibo is in the North of the country. Saturday morning, I took off with Malcolm and Jenny Watts and their 2 girls and Lawrie who is an STA who had just come in and who is shadowing Dr. Ken Elliott in a hospital up there for 2 weeks. It took us about 4 hours to drive from Ouaga to it. About 1/2 of the road is fairly nice and paved and has loads of cattle crossing it. The rest of the road would qualify as horrible in most people's words....I'm slowly getting used to the Burkinabe roads, and
thus I call it bumpy...it was a Red Drit Road (anybody know the song??...heh) and it was indeed in need of some major leveling...but we figured out that if you drive fast, you can manage to skip some of the bumps from getting air off of the first few...it was quite something to drive on there...and I am very glad I didn't have to drive, because it would require more concentration than any driving I've ever done. Avoiding big holes, cows, sheep, goats, pigs, donkeys, dogs and monkeys....it's a lot of work!
Once we got in Djibo, we had lunch with Dr. Elliott and his wife and then we went on a tour of the great city and met some people. We then had dinner with the Gibson family. The one thing I noticed is that my english was
sounding a little weird by the end of the weekend because the Watts and the Elliotts are Australian and the Gibsons are British....so if I come home with a mixed up accent, times like that would be the reason why! We had a very nice evening and went to bed early because there is simply not much to do in Djibo....it's getting pretty close to the Sahara so you can imagine! Sunday, we went to a Fulani church (the Fulanis are an originally nomadic people group. They are also majoritarily Muslim, but small churches like this one are slowly emerging which I think is amazing.) The service was all in Fufulde which is the Fulani language. I have learned a few greetings in that language for the sake of the weekend. 
Good morning is said Jam Bali, good evening is Jam Miali, and the answer to all other questions or 
comments is to be Jam Tam or Bessifuale (which both mean something along the lines of "it's all good"...) After church, I got back to the Gibsons' since we were set to have lunch there. When i walked in, there was a cake and a "Happy Birthday" banner waiting for me. :) After lunch, we hung out with the Gibsons, and then headed to a 
Touareg (Tamachik to be politically correct) camp. There, we got to RIDE CAMELS!!!!!! I was so excited...I'll let pictures speak for how the experience was, all there is to say is that 1) they are huge and you sit really high up, 2) they get you at an incredibly steep angle when they get up and kneel down, 3) they are most definitely not all too comfortable! 4) They have 8 knees in total!!...go figure...they're such weird animals! 5) They are very LOUD!! heh
After our camel ride, I went back to the Elliotts' with Lawrie. We were both staying in an appartment that is attached to their house and she will remain there until the end of her 2 weeks there. After dinner, Mrs Elliott brought out a carrot cake!!...that's right...I got 2 cakes...my 2 favourites at that (chocolate and carrot!) I was so blessed and I had an amazing time. I will never forget my 20th...
Blogs are much harder to keep up with than I thought. However, I am glad to announce that I have officially been here for a full month! How exciting! Some days, it feels like forever, and others it feels like I just got here. Well lets see what new things happened since the last time i updated...
So an other week went by at the pre-school, and it was supposed to be the last, but i have officially learned that when people say that one must be flexible when coming to Africa, they are not joking, because the final date of the school year was extended to ths Tuesday, June 5th, and has now been pushed back until next Saturday, June 9th! I am learning that I THOUGHT I was flexible, but that was to Western standards! :)
The highlight of the past week and a half is most definitely my trip to Djibo! If you look at the map that is a few posts back, you'll see that Djibo is in the North of the country. Saturday morning, I took off with Malcolm and Jenny Watts and their 2 girls and Lawrie who is an STA who had just come in and who is shadowing Dr. Ken Elliott in a hospital up there for 2 weeks. It took us about 4 hours to drive from Ouaga to it. About 1/2 of the road is fairly nice and paved and has loads of cattle crossing it. The rest of the road would qualify as horrible in most people's words....I'm slowly getting used to the Burkinabe roads, and
thus I call it bumpy...it was a Red Drit Road (anybody know the song??...heh) and it was indeed in need of some major leveling...but we figured out that if you drive fast, you can manage to skip some of the bumps from getting air off of the first few...it was quite something to drive on there...and I am very glad I didn't have to drive, because it would require more concentration than any driving I've ever done. Avoiding big holes, cows, sheep, goats, pigs, donkeys, dogs and monkeys....it's a lot of work!Once we got in Djibo, we had lunch with Dr. Elliott and his wife and then we went on a tour of the great city and met some people. We then had dinner with the Gibson family. The one thing I noticed is that my english was
sounding a little weird by the end of the weekend because the Watts and the Elliotts are Australian and the Gibsons are British....so if I come home with a mixed up accent, times like that would be the reason why! We had a very nice evening and went to bed early because there is simply not much to do in Djibo....it's getting pretty close to the Sahara so you can imagine! Sunday, we went to a Fulani church (the Fulanis are an originally nomadic people group. They are also majoritarily Muslim, but small churches like this one are slowly emerging which I think is amazing.) The service was all in Fufulde which is the Fulani language. I have learned a few greetings in that language for the sake of the weekend. 
Good morning is said Jam Bali, good evening is Jam Miali, and the answer to all other questions or 
comments is to be Jam Tam or Bessifuale (which both mean something along the lines of "it's all good"...) After church, I got back to the Gibsons' since we were set to have lunch there. When i walked in, there was a cake and a "Happy Birthday" banner waiting for me. :) After lunch, we hung out with the Gibsons, and then headed to a 
Touareg (Tamachik to be politically correct) camp. There, we got to RIDE CAMELS!!!!!! I was so excited...I'll let pictures speak for how the experience was, all there is to say is that 1) they are huge and you sit really high up, 2) they get you at an incredibly steep angle when they get up and kneel down, 3) they are most definitely not all too comfortable! 4) They have 8 knees in total!!...go figure...they're such weird animals! 5) They are very LOUD!! heh
After our camel ride, I went back to the Elliotts' with Lawrie. We were both staying in an appartment that is attached to their house and she will remain there until the end of her 2 weeks there. After dinner, Mrs Elliott brought out a carrot cake!!...that's right...I got 2 cakes...my 2 favourites at that (chocolate and carrot!) I was so blessed and I had an amazing time. I will never forget my 20th...
Monday morning, I ran some errands with Mrs Elliott while Lawrie was in the hospital watching her first surgery in Djibo and I watched her make bread!...I am so trying it when I get home! and no cheating and using a bread maker! The Watts joind us for lunch, and we headed off after that. The road was nice...considering its condition and we had to dodge some more animals! It was an amazing trip all together!
Once I got back, I managed to talk to my family on Skype and they all wished me a happy birthday (Thanks guys!) and then I went to bed because I was so tired from the trip and the excitement! I am looking forward to meeting some of the parents of the kids that I take care of at the pre-school on Saturday and also looking forward to taking on my next project, Pan-Bila!! But you'll all have to wait until next time to hear about this one!
Ciao!!
~Ariane
Friday, May 25, 2007
Oh my...it's been a while...
Well hello everyone...
I am glad to say that I have not fallen off the face of the earth, but that I have simply been busy! It's a good thing only because it makes time fly and it allows for amazing experiences to happen. So since 9 days ago, when I wrote my last blog, there are LOADS of things that I got to do and that are worth telling of. I will do my best to break things up and to make it interesting, cutting the details down to what is important and to use pictures seeing as an image is worth 1000 words. Some of you might know that doing all is VERY hard for me, so hold on tight....here we go!!
So the day after I last wrote was a holiday here in Burkina. Ascension! In that honour, there was nothing open, including the pre-school I help at. I got a day off in my first week of work...how great is that? I was very glad to have been able to participate in a picnic that was put on by the SIM related churches of the area. It took place in the national park here in Ouaga and gathered people for some food and worship and prayer. All a very good experience...including the million ants that were out because of the rain about a week before that day, and the insane amounts of bats that were flying around...at 8 AM!! How weird!
Yesterday, Rebekah came to the preschool with me. This means 2 things, 1) I get to say goodbye to the bumpy bike rides and hello to the company for the way there and back, and 2) that it now takes me 3 time as long to get there and that I'm getting a very intense tan! She is loving hanging out with the children, and they are loving having a new foreigner to "explore". We had the children race in the field, sing, dance, and drum on the table (both actions are very natural in them and just happen as soon as someone starts to sing.) I figure that here is a good place to let pictures talk for me. You all finally get to see the kids I've been writing about all this time and at least one of the teachers (Silvie). Enjoy!
I am glad to say that I have not fallen off the face of the earth, but that I have simply been busy! It's a good thing only because it makes time fly and it allows for amazing experiences to happen. So since 9 days ago, when I wrote my last blog, there are LOADS of things that I got to do and that are worth telling of. I will do my best to break things up and to make it interesting, cutting the details down to what is important and to use pictures seeing as an image is worth 1000 words. Some of you might know that doing all is VERY hard for me, so hold on tight....here we go!!
So the day after I last wrote was a holiday here in Burkina. Ascension! In that honour, there was nothing open, including the pre-school I help at. I got a day off in my first week of work...how great is that? I was very glad to have been able to participate in a picnic that was put on by the SIM related churches of the area. It took place in the national park here in Ouaga and gathered people for some food and worship and prayer. All a very good experience...including the million ants that were out because of the rain about a week before that day, and the insane amounts of bats that were flying around...at 8 AM!! How weird! That Friday, I returned to the pre-school and we finished the testing that the children had to go through. We made sure that all those who had missed a day were present and had a chance to catch up on the tests they hadn't done. I find it interesting that so many children end up skipping school at the age of 5 because there is nothing to hold them back form doing so...It has been a cultural element to get used to.
Pauline and I decided that Saturday was a good day to go downtown to pick up a few things, and to then take a cab to the Artisan village. That cab ride was one of a kind since our cab ran out of gas (we almost had to push) and got a flat tire all within 20 minutes! We finally got there and took a few hours to look at all the beautiful things that all the Burkinabe artisans make. I figured out what I will be getting in terms of souvenirs and I was simply amazed at the things that can be made from the limited resources that some people had! I will definitely have to go back there soon, but apparently not before I go to the leather factory! (that should be a very interesting adventure.)
This past Sunday, I chose to go to one of the churches that had put the picnic together, the SIM Zogona church. It is the one in our neighbourhood. Now...I have a most important comment about Northwest African churches...They are NOT what we think they are. The international church mentioned in an other blog has obviously been very westernized. I went into this neighbourhood church expecting a very lively, impressively gifted in singing, and music playing church. What I found was nothing different than any of the churches at home, except with a majority of black people instead of the opposite! The service was very good even considering the length and as a guest, I was so lucky as to stand in front of the whole congregation and shake everyone's hand!!...it was nice to see the welcome that they give to new comers!
This Monday, I came to the school completely unaware of what we were supposed to be doing with the kids for the week. I was then announced that we are to use the next 2 weeks to put together a presentation for the parents on Friday, June 1st. I will make sure to let you know how 2 weeks of prep does for that!... the children were all very excited to not be tested, and were full of energy; what a tough crowd!
A new STA come in for the next 6 weeks. Rebekah Daniel is studying linguistics and is here to study and analyse Maure, which is great because I can learn a bit from what she is learning...and teaching it helps her remember it!I also got to talk to Dan on Skype and, although his microphone wasn't working for most of the conversation, it totally made my day to hear his voice for even a short while.
A new STA come in for the next 6 weeks. Rebekah Daniel is studying linguistics and is here to study and analyse Maure, which is great because I can learn a bit from what she is learning...and teaching it helps her remember it!I also got to talk to Dan on Skype and, although his microphone wasn't working for most of the conversation, it totally made my day to hear his voice for even a short while.
On Tuesday, Silvie, the teacher who has most, if not all, of the authority over the children was not there because she had to write an important exam. As a result, Elisabeth and I scrambled to get the children to stay focussed for anything and everything. I had prepared double-sided pages for them to colour and I think that might actually have saved us. I can honestly say that it was the toughest day of work there. Despite that, Tuesday was a good day and I felt it was very productive. ESL went incredibly well. So well that I could not finish what I had planned because the class was discussing in depth on every topic! For a conversational English class, they sure converse! :)
Wednesday was a pretty normal day, but I was just amazed at the fact that Silvie really is the only person that the kids listen to. They were angels since she came back! We did our best to play some games of red-light/green-light and to keep the kids entertained by teaching them the months of the year and days of the week. I was able to have some really good chats with everybody who is down in the guesthouse and with all those who were at the prayer meeting. I really do enjoy those!
Yesterday, Rebekah came to the preschool with me. This means 2 things, 1) I get to say goodbye to the bumpy bike rides and hello to the company for the way there and back, and 2) that it now takes me 3 time as long to get there and that I'm getting a very intense tan! She is loving hanging out with the children, and they are loving having a new foreigner to "explore". We had the children race in the field, sing, dance, and drum on the table (both actions are very natural in them and just happen as soon as someone starts to sing.) I figure that here is a good place to let pictures talk for me. You all finally get to see the kids I've been writing about all this time and at least one of the teachers (Silvie). Enjoy!
ESL was also very interesting since the discussions went on for a really long time and seemed to have everyone's interest! I am really enjoying the members of my class. They make it much easier to teach!! :)
Today was pretty similar to yesterday at the school, and I (obviously) have been catching up with things I put aside during the week! Tonight, the plan is to go see the play/musical Oliver at the ISO because the kids are putting it on and it's bound to be really cute! Hopefully, I will also get to talk to Dan on Skype (and his microphone will hopefully work...)
I therefore bid you all farewell, and I hope that you enjoyed reading this edition of my adventures in Burkina Faso!
Catch you on the flip side!
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Some more news...
Hi everyone!
well, it's only been a couple of days...but I thought that maybe I could be more concise if I wrote more often.
So...a few things have happened since Monday. I got to talk to quite a few people online, including my parents through Skype (what a wonderful idea it was to download it!! Thanks Mark & Leanne!), and Mel and Dan (even though the time difference is of 6 hours and it has been very hard to make our schedules match up). I can't say that I wasn't extatic to talk to them all!!
Yesterday was bordering awful at the pre-school. We had 3 things prepared for the kids to work on, but because they took longer than expected on the first two, there was too little time left to do the third, but loads of time still that had nothing planned. I figured out tonight however, that that's how African schooling works. I'm very used to my "ultra-structured, go by the exact plan for the whole year" kind of schooling and so to see a full hour go by where both kids and teachers just sit around was especially hard for me. To add to the equation...it was actually quite warm yesterday, and the kids, when not given anything to do, decided they wanted to sit on my lap and climb in my arms and on my back. I'm usually fine with all that, except when I am covered in sweat and would rather not move for fear of sweating more. (You can all imagine that at that particular moment, I had no will to have 10-15 kids sworm around me to cuddle or play...) On the up side however!, I don't really mind the bike ride anymore. I mean, I don't necessarily enjoy it because I never really did like bikes to begin with, but I must say that you learn quite quickly where to ride on the road and how to avoid the bumps, rocks, and dents!
I then spent the afternoon prepping (photocopying, mostly) for ESL and welcoming my new house help person!...it's kind of hard to let someone do all the work that you are used to doing yourself at home!! but I must say, she did a fantastic job and I will be glad to see her again on Friday. I got all my stuff ready for the ESL class, and I would like to thank you all for your prayers because it went quite well!...they are all willing to discuss and chat about all kinds of different topics. I have decided to integrate a Bible study as part of the Biblical outreach section of the ministry, but I think I might have a few Muslims in my class. So I hope not to offend them, and to use the outreach of what it is supposed to do, reach out :) I mainly want to have the class discuss different part of the study questions along with all the other discussions I hope to fit in.
Today was fairly relaxed. The kids behaved alright, or at least in comparisson to yesterday. I wish I spoke Maure (that's how you spell it apparently, not Moré) so I could get them to listen a little more, but I know that they are also only kids and that I need to be gentle and patient with them. I worked on my prep for tomorrow's class, and as I said earlier, talked to Mel and Dan. Both were kind of randomized and definitely not planned (or at least, not on my part...) but I was very very glad to hear from them and what they're up to! I also went to the prayer meeting, and actually had a very good time and a few really nice chats with Jenny and Leanne.
So off I go now, to talk to Dan on MSN some more actually...
Take care everyone!...and I'll catch you on the flip side!
well, it's only been a couple of days...but I thought that maybe I could be more concise if I wrote more often.
So...a few things have happened since Monday. I got to talk to quite a few people online, including my parents through Skype (what a wonderful idea it was to download it!! Thanks Mark & Leanne!), and Mel and Dan (even though the time difference is of 6 hours and it has been very hard to make our schedules match up). I can't say that I wasn't extatic to talk to them all!!
Yesterday was bordering awful at the pre-school. We had 3 things prepared for the kids to work on, but because they took longer than expected on the first two, there was too little time left to do the third, but loads of time still that had nothing planned. I figured out tonight however, that that's how African schooling works. I'm very used to my "ultra-structured, go by the exact plan for the whole year" kind of schooling and so to see a full hour go by where both kids and teachers just sit around was especially hard for me. To add to the equation...it was actually quite warm yesterday, and the kids, when not given anything to do, decided they wanted to sit on my lap and climb in my arms and on my back. I'm usually fine with all that, except when I am covered in sweat and would rather not move for fear of sweating more. (You can all imagine that at that particular moment, I had no will to have 10-15 kids sworm around me to cuddle or play...) On the up side however!, I don't really mind the bike ride anymore. I mean, I don't necessarily enjoy it because I never really did like bikes to begin with, but I must say that you learn quite quickly where to ride on the road and how to avoid the bumps, rocks, and dents!
I then spent the afternoon prepping (photocopying, mostly) for ESL and welcoming my new house help person!...it's kind of hard to let someone do all the work that you are used to doing yourself at home!! but I must say, she did a fantastic job and I will be glad to see her again on Friday. I got all my stuff ready for the ESL class, and I would like to thank you all for your prayers because it went quite well!...they are all willing to discuss and chat about all kinds of different topics. I have decided to integrate a Bible study as part of the Biblical outreach section of the ministry, but I think I might have a few Muslims in my class. So I hope not to offend them, and to use the outreach of what it is supposed to do, reach out :) I mainly want to have the class discuss different part of the study questions along with all the other discussions I hope to fit in.
Today was fairly relaxed. The kids behaved alright, or at least in comparisson to yesterday. I wish I spoke Maure (that's how you spell it apparently, not Moré) so I could get them to listen a little more, but I know that they are also only kids and that I need to be gentle and patient with them. I worked on my prep for tomorrow's class, and as I said earlier, talked to Mel and Dan. Both were kind of randomized and definitely not planned (or at least, not on my part...) but I was very very glad to hear from them and what they're up to! I also went to the prayer meeting, and actually had a very good time and a few really nice chats with Jenny and Leanne.
So off I go now, to talk to Dan on MSN some more actually...
Take care everyone!...and I'll catch you on the flip side!
Monday, May 14, 2007
First weekend in Ouaga
Hi all...
So Sunday was the interesting day!...
I went to the International Church of Ouagadougou (ICO) with the Dartnell's and Christina...I was quite something...it reminded me of why I always wanted to go to a Haitian church!!...Bring on the clapping and intense enthusiasm! The message was really good and given in English and translated into French. Next Sunday I might go check out a more local church that is in French and translated into Moré (the local language here in Ouaga!). We had lunch with the Dartnell's and were joined by an elderly couple who is actually one of the attending pastors and his wife. They came with their 7 years old granddaughter who lives with them and their 12 years old youngest son!...it was quite odd to me...but considering they have seven kids...I guess it makes a
little bit of sense...
So...the weekend has passed and I must say it was quite good...
Friday, I spent the morning at the pre-school that I am now teaching at to prep up with the other two teachers there for the evaluations that the kids are going through this week...it's pretty intense considering they're in kindergarten! That night, we went to the ISO's restaurant for dinner...and then headed to the Dartnell's for a movie...it was great...Christina (who is staying in the guesthouse until this Wednesday and who's my age) was staying at the Dartnell's for the weekend because the guesthouse was getting a bit crowded with visiting families from different part of Burkina who were taking a weekend off from being in the bush to come to the city...oh my...
Saturday was a bit of a funny feeling stomach day...but I pulled through...it had to happen eventually....heh...and after I started feeling better (at around 10 am...) I came down to the guest house and Christina, Pauline (who I might have forgotten to introduce...she flew here on the same flight as me and we've had some really good chats!!...she spent 10 year in Benin as a missionary and she's from Australia!), and I went to the ISO garage sale!! (I know...garage sales in Africa...how odd...). I actually found 2 peices of the same fabric and I am hoping to get a few tops out of it...the rest of the day was pretty quiet and I made my first dinner!...Tuna MacNcheese!...lol...it's really hard to cook for one I must say...going from a dorm of 8 to that makes it even harder...so from now on I think Pauline and I might try to share dinners...while 
she's in the guest house anyway...and later, there is supposed to be a girl my age coming in from Fada...so maybe she'll wanna team up with me... :)
she's in the guest house anyway...and later, there is supposed to be a girl my age coming in from Fada...so maybe she'll wanna team up with me... :)Here's a map of the part of Burkina that SIM works in... just so you can situate where Fada is compared to Ouagadougou...it's East...
So Sunday was the interesting day!...
I went to the International Church of Ouagadougou (ICO) with the Dartnell's and Christina...I was quite something...it reminded me of why I always wanted to go to a Haitian church!!...Bring on the clapping and intense enthusiasm! The message was really good and given in English and translated into French. Next Sunday I might go check out a more local church that is in French and translated into Moré (the local language here in Ouaga!). We had lunch with the Dartnell's and were joined by an elderly couple who is actually one of the attending pastors and his wife. They came with their 7 years old granddaughter who lives with them and their 12 years old youngest son!...it was quite odd to me...but considering they have seven kids...I guess it makes a
little bit of sense...After Church, I sat in the guesthouse with Pauline and Christina for a while and then we heard the wind pick up!...that, in Burkina, is a sign of rain...and I'm not talking about a little bit of wind either...it lifted so much dust that the sky looked like this!
Soon afterwards, one of the most massive downpours I had ever seen happened and just mesmorized me!...(unfortunately rain is kinda hard to take pictures of, so this is the best I have...)
Afterwards...since the power kept cutting in and out...The girls 
and I decided to have a pizza (there are frozen ones here in the guesthouse freezer...) unfortunately, we let it thaw before putting it on the pan which made it really had to take it out of the plastic...after some folding and such, we ended up with a nicely half thin-crusted and half deep-dish pizza... :)
and I decided to have a pizza (there are frozen ones here in the guesthouse freezer...) unfortunately, we let it thaw before putting it on the pan which made it really had to take it out of the plastic...after some folding and such, we ended up with a nicely half thin-crusted and half deep-dish pizza... :)It rained all night, and all the rain allowed for a beatifully cool night where I even had to use the sheet on my legs!...it was the first night I didn't wake up from, drenched in sweat from the heat and most definitely my best night here so far!...Come come rainy season!...It will mean more cooler nights!!!!!
Today was my first day of actual teaching at the Pre-School...I can honnestly say I did not enjoy the bike ride there and I am not looking forward to having to do it every morning...but the kids there are just something else, and that made it all better (until I hopped on the bike for the ride back home...) I will make sure to have some pictures of the kids before I leave there just to show you...but I am sure there will be many differnet stories to tell from there. They all love me (partially because I'm new and a foreigner...) and they all wanted to play with me...only problem...slight language barrier. The kids only know a little bit of French and so even getting them to do something is kind of hard...but the other 2 teachers are more than helpful, and since we are doing testings for the week, it has been pretty easy. It's a good tool to learn the kids' names too...I get to call them out and point to letters and shapes and colours and get them to count up to 10 in French. They are quite an adorable bunch!...There are 48 kids registered although some don't always come...and 3 sections...petite, moyenne, and grande (take a wild guess at what those are!.. :)...and ages range from 3 to 6 years old.
Tonight, Pauline, Christina, and I went to a restaurant called the Paradisios and had some really good meet!...it was totally worth it. I also bought some more mangoes!...I can't get enough of them!
So that's about my weekend (in a big nutshell) and beginning of the week...maybe I should post more often so that they're a bit shorter!...
I hope you are all enjoying whatever it is that you are doing and that the weather is nice at home too!
God Bless!
P.S. I get to teach my first ESL class tomorrow!...do pray for me...it's a little nerve recking!
Thursday, May 10, 2007
On the tail end of week one in Ouaga!
Hi everyone!!
(sorry...there are no pictures on this one...i'm still figuring things out...so i haven't taken too many since paris and getting here..)
So today is Thursday…almost the weekend!!…not that I’ve been working all that hard or anything…things have been quite easy going around here…kinda like how the whole African culture is…
So yesterday…I went for a few errands with Pauline Golder (who flew here on the fame flight as me…) and I went to one of the local markets and got a few things there like bleach for my fruit and veggies…I also went to buy fabric with Leanne later on that day because Pauline had told me that the tailor was coming today and I am dead set on getting a few outfits made!…I’ll have pictures when I get them…I got to take a little bit of a car tour around our area of Ouaga with Mark, but today was the big adventure….THE DOWNTOWN MARKET!!! I must say…if anything has ever been exciting/overwhelming/amazing…it was definitely that…There’s no “market place” per say…but rather…it spreads for like 5 or 6 streets…(maybe more…) basically…there are people selling things everywhere!!! And they are persistent to a level I had never experienced before (we got followed for a few blocks by some guys selling dresses and table cloths…which were all very nice…but I’m not quite at “souvenir buying” yet...I’ve got loads of time…and the tailor is coming today so there’s no need for me to buy a dress…J) So yes…there were a few grocery stores (2 main ones) where I got some staple foods like cheese and meats…and sugar!…oh…and coconut cookies!! Yumm!! Only problem is…today is HOT!!! And the power has gone down…so my fridge and freezer are doing a really pitiful job at keeping things cold…hopefully the power comes back on soonish…I’m longing for those fans to work again…they’re my new best friends!
After the Market, I got to go help the two teachers that teach at a pastor’s pre-school prep for the evaluations that they are going to be giving the kids…I was there from 11 am till 12:15 pm…and I got to draw elephants and chickens…and hear a bit more about the pre-school because I will be teaching there for the rest of the month (until the school year is done…at the end of May). I also got to prepare the biblical outreach that we’re gonna do with the ESL class that I will co teach with Alan Ashmore tonight…and take half of starting next week…so that’s what I’m doing…if anybody has an good ideas about ice-breakers and games to do with either the pre-schoolers (ages 3-6) or with the ESL class (university students who need more speaking practice than anything else…) PLEASE let me know…because in case you all don’t know…I’m not quite trained for teaching…I’m a social worker!..lol…
I was also told, to my great enthusiasm, that I will be spending 2 weeks in an orphanage outside of Ouaga. Those will be the last week of June and the first week of July. This is a well in advance warning that I will not be able to post anything during those 2 weeks…or be in contact with anyone…sorry…but I promise I will tell all about that experience as soon as I come back…
So that’s it for now…plan for tonight is dinner with the Watts…and ESL…and measurements taking for outfit making…I might also go to check out a kids program at a church outside of Ouaga in an area that is currently being zoned…that would mean that it’s an area where poor people all just settled in, not buying land or anything…and once the city is ready…they level everything out to make streets and sell off the lots…those who don’t get one…move to an other area that hasn’t been zoned until the next time that happens to them…
Do pray for this country…there’s a lot to mention and for fear of forgetting anything I won’t…but there’s a lot of sad times and incredibly hard work on the part of the Burkinabe for very little results in the end….
I’ll catch you all later
~Ariane
(sorry...there are no pictures on this one...i'm still figuring things out...so i haven't taken too many since paris and getting here..)
So today is Thursday…almost the weekend!!…not that I’ve been working all that hard or anything…things have been quite easy going around here…kinda like how the whole African culture is…
So yesterday…I went for a few errands with Pauline Golder (who flew here on the fame flight as me…) and I went to one of the local markets and got a few things there like bleach for my fruit and veggies…I also went to buy fabric with Leanne later on that day because Pauline had told me that the tailor was coming today and I am dead set on getting a few outfits made!…I’ll have pictures when I get them…I got to take a little bit of a car tour around our area of Ouaga with Mark, but today was the big adventure….THE DOWNTOWN MARKET!!! I must say…if anything has ever been exciting/overwhelming/amazing…it was definitely that…There’s no “market place” per say…but rather…it spreads for like 5 or 6 streets…(maybe more…) basically…there are people selling things everywhere!!! And they are persistent to a level I had never experienced before (we got followed for a few blocks by some guys selling dresses and table cloths…which were all very nice…but I’m not quite at “souvenir buying” yet...I’ve got loads of time…and the tailor is coming today so there’s no need for me to buy a dress…J) So yes…there were a few grocery stores (2 main ones) where I got some staple foods like cheese and meats…and sugar!…oh…and coconut cookies!! Yumm!! Only problem is…today is HOT!!! And the power has gone down…so my fridge and freezer are doing a really pitiful job at keeping things cold…hopefully the power comes back on soonish…I’m longing for those fans to work again…they’re my new best friends!
After the Market, I got to go help the two teachers that teach at a pastor’s pre-school prep for the evaluations that they are going to be giving the kids…I was there from 11 am till 12:15 pm…and I got to draw elephants and chickens…and hear a bit more about the pre-school because I will be teaching there for the rest of the month (until the school year is done…at the end of May). I also got to prepare the biblical outreach that we’re gonna do with the ESL class that I will co teach with Alan Ashmore tonight…and take half of starting next week…so that’s what I’m doing…if anybody has an good ideas about ice-breakers and games to do with either the pre-schoolers (ages 3-6) or with the ESL class (university students who need more speaking practice than anything else…) PLEASE let me know…because in case you all don’t know…I’m not quite trained for teaching…I’m a social worker!..lol…
I was also told, to my great enthusiasm, that I will be spending 2 weeks in an orphanage outside of Ouaga. Those will be the last week of June and the first week of July. This is a well in advance warning that I will not be able to post anything during those 2 weeks…or be in contact with anyone…sorry…but I promise I will tell all about that experience as soon as I come back…
So that’s it for now…plan for tonight is dinner with the Watts…and ESL…and measurements taking for outfit making…I might also go to check out a kids program at a church outside of Ouaga in an area that is currently being zoned…that would mean that it’s an area where poor people all just settled in, not buying land or anything…and once the city is ready…they level everything out to make streets and sell off the lots…those who don’t get one…move to an other area that hasn’t been zoned until the next time that happens to them…
Do pray for this country…there’s a lot to mention and for fear of forgetting anything I won’t…but there’s a lot of sad times and incredibly hard work on the part of the Burkinabe for very little results in the end….
I’ll catch you all later
~Ariane
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Once upon a time in Ouagadougou!
Welcome All... 
To this new adventure of Ariane Jaeger-Dumont.
A week ago, I was in orientatio, discussing this trip with all kinds of people and spending some time carefully preparing myself for what was to come. I never would have thougth it would be this!
On May 6th, I hopped on a plane that traveled 3600 miles from Toronto to Paris. I was blessed to find my great-aunt there who gladly toured me around Paris and where I managed to take quite a few pictures (form the car...) Now, I HAVE to go vist Paris once more to see it all properly... here are some pictures of what I managed to see...
My next plane was flying for Paris to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Both were relatively calm flights except for the [art where we flew through a storm before landing in Ouaga. All my luggage made it here safely (yay!!) and I am still in one piece!
Guess what everybody!...It's HOT here!..lol...i'm sweatting just sitting here...but hey...rainy season is on its way and it should cool things off a bit...
My appartment here is quite cozy, and everybody is SO nice. I have 2 neighbours who share the appartment beside mine, Kirsten and Lydia (if that's how you spell their names...) Their are very very nice and were so kind as to offer me a mango for breakfast!...Any of you mango fans?!...because this one was better than any mango i've ever eaten!!.....you'll have to come here and try it some time!...:) 
So now i'm off to the Dartnell's for lunch and have dinner plans. I will get shown around, and I get to sit in on an ESL class tonight. I'm pretty much all settled in, and looking forwards to this new life for 3 months!...
If you know of anybody who would like to receive email updates for whom I don't have an email, please leave a comment with whichever email addresses in it so that I can make sure everybody gets updated. (the same goes for whoever is reading this but didn't receive my email with it and got it from someone else. Please leave a comment with your email address and I will makes sure to put you on my address list!)
well, Off I go!...
Have a great day!
To this new adventure of Ariane Jaeger-Dumont.
A week ago, I was in orientatio, discussing this trip with all kinds of people and spending some time carefully preparing myself for what was to come. I never would have thougth it would be this!
On May 6th, I hopped on a plane that traveled 3600 miles from Toronto to Paris. I was blessed to find my great-aunt there who gladly toured me around Paris and where I managed to take quite a few pictures (form the car...) Now, I HAVE to go vist Paris once more to see it all properly... here are some pictures of what I managed to see...
My next plane was flying for Paris to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Both were relatively calm flights except for the [art where we flew through a storm before landing in Ouaga. All my luggage made it here safely (yay!!) and I am still in one piece!Guess what everybody!...It's HOT here!..lol...i'm sweatting just sitting here...but hey...rainy season is on its way and it should cool things off a bit...
My appartment here is quite cozy, and everybody is SO nice. I have 2 neighbours who share the appartment beside mine, Kirsten and Lydia (if that's how you spell their names...) Their are very very nice and were so kind as to offer me a mango for breakfast!...Any of you mango fans?!...because this one was better than any mango i've ever eaten!!.....you'll have to come here and try it some time!...:) 
So now i'm off to the Dartnell's for lunch and have dinner plans. I will get shown around, and I get to sit in on an ESL class tonight. I'm pretty much all settled in, and looking forwards to this new life for 3 months!...If you know of anybody who would like to receive email updates for whom I don't have an email, please leave a comment with whichever email addresses in it so that I can make sure everybody gets updated. (the same goes for whoever is reading this but didn't receive my email with it and got it from someone else. Please leave a comment with your email address and I will makes sure to put you on my address list!)
well, Off I go!...
Have a great day!
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