So when do the nun-chuck skills come in handy?

Culture Shock

The strongest Burkinabe quality is human warmth. People always smile and laugh, no matter how hot the weather is or how difficult things get. Almost everyone is open and welcoming. It’s a great atmosphere. People work hard, but they always have time for each other. I really appreciate this mentality. Not like in Canada where everyone is plugged to their ipods and laptops and never want to be disturbed by other human beings. But, I have to admit, sometimes, I really miss listening to music and having no one talk to me…

Living conditions are measured on a whole different level of priorities, available resources, culture, and uncontrollable factors. For example, although we’re in the 3^rd largest city in Burkina, running water is a luxury. Everyday, women line up for hours just to get the water their family needs to drink, cook meals, and do laundry. A lot of things have pushed me out of my Canadian comfort zone, but no matter how much I get used to it, I can only admire how hard people work on a daily basis. I only have to live it for 4 months, but people here live it every day.

Everything comes in short quantity and in limited variety, compared to our consumer’s heaven. So, I better be happy with what I get, because no one likes a whiny complainer.

Bugs

Since the rainy season started, bugs have been crawling out of their hiding spots like crazy. Let me assure you that bugs here have nothing to do with the little insects we have at home. They’re bigger, meaner, faster, and ever unpredictable. I guess centuries of evolving under these conditions made them tough, not to mention they don’t hibernate/die for half the year. I’ve had a couple of unpleasant encounters in my hut, but nothing dangerous…yet.

I squashed my first scorpion the other day; it was really well camouflaged, but not enough to trick my wits. They say that if you get stung by one, you’ll live through the whole year. As for ants, they bite and it hurts. Flies are FAST, so don’t even try to squish one. I don’t have malaria since mosquitoes have not hatched yet, but my goal is not to catch it. I even had an encounter with this rare HUGE cockroach/scarab thingy (12cm by 6cm). It woke me up with a scratching/rattling noise, at 4am. I trapped it by putting a heavy bag on it because I couldn’t squash it due to its hide. Finally, I had to ask for help to remove it from my room. Turns out it was harmless, but I had no way to know this. My assumption is, the bigger, the worse. Tradition says that if you see one of these thingies, you’ll have good crops that year. So, I better get to the fields.

Socially

I've been nicknamed a lot of things since my placement in Burkina Faso began, such as Ouedraogo Wamikdou Dandare (which means that I'm an international vagabond). Lately, I’ve teased to be like the youngest in a family, because I eat slowy and always ask questions. I’ve been staying with a family in Ouahigouya for about a month now. This is where I’ll be staying for the rest of my stay and I’m really glad to have found such an amazing place. There are about 30 people living in this courtyard, all related.

There are a lot of students my age, they come and go over the years, but apparently, 30 people living in this courtyard is low. They’re used to having 40, 50 brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, uncles, grandmother, etc. Coming from North American standards where the usual household has 4 people who hardly talk to each other, this courtyard is amazing. I have the luxury of having my own electrified hut. It’s made of mud/clay and the roof is metal sheeting, so it gets really hot (40°C) in there during the day. It’s about 10” by 12”, which is really big. Usually, 3 people can easily live in this space, but they reserved it for the western dude. Besides, huts are only for sleeping and storing stuff. Even then, it gets too hot and people sleep outside.

Professionally

Some things really please me about how jobs work differently here than in Montreal. For example, if you get to work a little late, no one will lecture. Also, music in the work environment is a good thing.

My assignment in Burkina is with a program developed by the United Nations as an effort to eradicate extreme poverty. The program is called the Multi-Functional Platform (MFP). The program is based around a simple diesel engine that makes life easier if you live in a small and poor village. Basically, the engine can grind grain, supply power for a welding station, pump water from a borehole, and much more. The engine is managed by local women and it becomes their own income-generating business. This is a big deal for them since most of them didn't have the chance attend school.

My job is to work with these groups of women to assist them in saving money and obtaining micro-credit with the money earn with the MFP business. This credit will then be invested into more income generating activities, which will eventually empower themselves to win the battle against extreme poverty. My job here is also to evaluate how my co-workers use computers, to better equip them, and to train them in basic tools such as email, Word, and Excel.

It's been a lot of work, but I don't mind the 11 hour days. Most people take 3 hours for lunch and return home to their families, but I prefer taking a cat nap on my desk before continuing what I was doing. Besides, I don’t have the distractions I used have in Montreal such as watching TV, spending money in bars, and wasting time browsing the net.