Back in Burkina

Last weekend was my grand return to Balla, my old village where I taught last year at the CEG. My Co-workers and friends from village had been anticipating my return for a long time. I told them when I was leaving that I was coming back, but none actually believed me. But I proved them all wrong after 8 and a half months... to say the least they were surprised. Smiles on their faces were easy indications of who were my real friends. I first arrived at dark and met the old teachers that I worked with and we sat late into the night discussing everything from American politics to the latest village drama. It was great to be back on the same terrace that I had spent some much time just relaxing with my friends and grading mounds of papers. The next morning as I made my return to the center of the village during our market day it was so fun to be back. The surprised smiles were worth more than enough for enduring the lengthy bureaucratic reinstatement process of the Peace Corps.

My students were so excited to receive their Pen Pal letters from America... they wrote back in a few hours and asked so many great questions about the US. They each wanted a photo of themselves with their new "Pen Pals" photo so that I could send it back to the states in proof that they got their letters. After they wrote their letters, I told them that I had a surprise for them in the office. It was then that I showed the few students what I had brought them from the US. I had all the supplies out on out office table and it was there that I taught the few students there how to use a real Microscope. It was their first experience seeing and using technology they had only read about. Those couple of hours were probably the most rewarding of my entire Peace Corps service. Some of the students were so amazed to see and use slides they had only read about and maybe seen drawings of in their textbooks... it made me feel maybe one of these students someday would become a doctor, being motivated from these small science supplies I had brought. Which is a story in itself... teaching never allows you to see your rewards and the changes you make in the students you teach until years later. That being said I have met a couple of current teachers that had Peace Corps Volunteers as teachers years ago that motivated them to help the country develop and go in to teaching.

This was short, but I will have much more in the week to come. I have been all over the country and really busy getting adjusted to my new village and the new health sector. I think the change in work will be a great new eye-opening experience for me. I think that I have learned more in the past month than I have learned in my entire first year here. Big statement but true.