It was 8:20 a.m. when we got a call from the PC driver- “Where are you?” We were at the transit house and had been since 7:30, were we not suppose to meet here at 8? He’d be right over. I continued to franticly try to get everything ready for our departure- one last email to Nany, writing a Thank-you card to Roger in French, fill up our water bottles, gather the left over glass bottles from the wedding, and so on. Since I was running around trying to squeeze in one last thing, Josh helped the driver pack up the car. When I got out there it was a typical conversation- Did you remember my bike, talk to the diver about the bottles, go to the bathroom once last time? Josh assured me everything was set and we hopped in the car. The back of the big PC SUV was packed with our bags, so Josh and I both sat up front with the driver, it was a cozy ride. First things first, we needed to return the bottles from the wedding (Soda and beer bottles are reused here and are worth money, so are very precious to restaurant owners). Since Yassine, from the Bureau, had signed for them with a promise to return I felt very responsible to get them back for her sake. The Driver said the Jardin was out of the way, but assured me he would drop off the bottles for me upon returning to Ouaga. With that, we were off to my site.
We talked, in French, almost the entire 2 hours to my village. I was surprised that neither Josh or I dozed off for a cat nap, as cars makes us sleepy. As bad as it may sound, I was also a little sad that we talked and I didn’t get a chance to read my book- I love long car rides because it usually means time to read. And yet, for the life of me, I have no idea what we talked about. Once we got close I directed the driver down the little dirt road that led to my village, and then threw the market area to my house. The big white Peace Corps SUV didn’t attract the attention it did the first time it came, to drop me off, but as soon as we got the house unlocked and started carrying out boxes we caught the eye of all the neighbor children. First we placed all the things I was moving out in front of the house, so the driver could see everything. The kids helped carry what they could from my kitchen to the pile. Then Josh and the driver loaded everything up as I did last minute work. There were a few left over boxes and packing supplies I didn’t use, which as soon as the kids realized I was putting in my burn pit they fought over. One little boy even ripped a box out of my hand as I was walking to the pit. There were a few pieces of bubble wrap that 2 girls started to play with, quickly discovering that the bubbles popped and then popping them all as kids do, which made me smile. Last in was my water filter which was full of water. I offered “l’eau pour boire” to the children, since they came to my door daily asking for a drink, and they jumped at the opportunity to drink the magic Nasara water- clearly it had special powers of the white person. Once we were all packed up and my old house was locked up I gave each kid a goodbye gift- a dumdum sucker- and a postcard to my little friend Angina with my contact information on it. She couldn’t read it and I know it was probably a lost cause, but I’d like to think that I was her special friend too and one day I’ll hear from her. Too bad just as soon as I gave it to her her older brother ripped it out of her hand, interested in the Statue of Liberty printed on the front. The kids were too excited by the candy to be sad that I was leaving.
On the way out of village we stopped by the CSPS. The Major was the only one there working. He asked how the wedding was and I gave him my house keys. Alright then, goodbye. I don’t know what I was expecting, but more than that. Next I went to the pharmacy to find Roger. He was behind his desk, as usual, and his check was all bandaged up. A bull had gotten him in the face. I gave him my sympathies and wished him a quick recovery. He asked about the wedding, then I told him that the table he had given me was still in the house and the Major had the keys so he could get it back. I also gave him a postcard with my contact information on it and Thanked him for everything he had done for me. He walked me to the car and said hello to Josh and the driver, and waved as we drove away. Goodbye, little village!
We were back on the road, back to Ouaga. This time we talked mainly about the driver- where he was from, where his family lives, etc. We stopped for lunch in a quant little restaurant in Ouaga 2000 that the driver knew of. Then off to Josh’s village. After the first hour and a half that road stops being paved. Around this point I started to worry- I was going to a new village. I wouldn’t know anyone. I’d have to start the integration process all over again. A completely new language, completely new market, completely new CSPS staff, new kids to annoy me. What was I doing? Before I had always been really excited; Josh had made it sound so much better then my old village, and he was already pretty well intergraded. But now I couldn’t stop thinking about how the last 7 months had been a waste. The driver stopped at a police checkpoint, and bought us each an orange while stopped. I didn’t eat it, but the gesture made me feel better. Soon enough we were in the new village. I had been there before, for Christmas, and was filled with excitement as we drove up to the house. My new house. A handful of kids, my new everyday kids, came to the car to help unload and check out what was going on. At least there wasn’t 30 of them this time. We unloaded everything into the courtyard, thanked the driver, and he quickly departed to drive halfway back to Ouaga where he was going to stay the night.
I looked around to survey the scene. So this was now home. It was already 5 and I wanted everything inside before it got dark. Josh had promised he had cleaned up the house and prepared it for my arrival, but I’m not quite sure what his definition of cleaned-up was. If it meant put everything in the middle of the floor, then yes, he had done it. The house was a mess (to his credit, it had rained since he had left and rain always makes sand and dirt fall into the house). First things first, everything had to be swept and dusted. I was not bringing my things into a dirty house. Next all the furniture had to be properly arranged. At this point we were both tired. Josh was blindsided- he had expected to come home and have a nice quite evening, our first night in our first home. Upon my suggestion, we sat down outside and ate the oranges the driver had given us while watching the sky turn colors at dusk. We both needed a break and to regroup. I don’t know why, but for whatever reason that was the best tasting orange I’ve ever eaten. Very sweet, yet tangy and delicious. Unlike any other orange I’ve ever seen in Burkina. Then back to moving in. We got everything inside- my extra stuff (mattress, stove) in the outside room we call the shed, my clothes and such in the bedroom, my food and cooking supplies in the kitchen- and unpacked what needed to be unpacked that night. The rest could wait until the morning. I made a soup mix from a care package for dinner, something easy, and we ate it outside under the starts. Took turns bucket bathing, then crashed into bed, exhausted.
I was pretty much completely unpacked, everything re-organized and re-arranged in the entire house, by noon the next day. Poor Josh- I came in and took over like a hurricane, he didn’t know what hit him. We spent the next week adjusting to married life. I met the chef and the CSPS staff. He took me to all the nearby markets; there was now a marche within biking distance everyday of the week. We checked out all the little boutiques so I knew where to get things- I can now buy more the just spaghetti and tomato paste in village! Much, much more! Any day of the week! He took me to some of the satellite villages and showed me around. We even went to a general assembly meeting at the CSPS where I met the CoGes (CSPS board members), Community health agents, and village midwives- something I never did in the 7 months living in my old village. We even set up a Bissa tutor and started lessons, and bought 2 pigeons, which were dinner after a couple of days. All in all, it was a smooth transition.
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