Sitting here at the center where we have training at. This is the last week of model school and we only have one more month of training. Model school has been really helpful in acquiring more confidence in my French. My class is only 27 students but they are incredibly motivated and have adapted well with my accent. I taught chemistry for the first two weeks and now am teaching physics at about 9th grade level to students who range in age from fourteen to twenty-one. There is a mighty problem with students failing and retaking which is why the age range is so large.
Life is pretty much the same other than model school. This is supposed to be the most rainy month of the year but it’s been slow to come. The fields are sprouting up but because of the lack of rain I’ve been told this up-coming year will be a hard one for the people of Burkina. The funny thing about rainy days here though is that it’s like a snow day back at home. People don’t leave their houses and students don’t come to school. This is probably because the roads are made of red clay and when it rains it becomes like quick sand.
My host family is doing well.. Things have only gotten better and I even eat out of the same bowl as them sometimes. My baby brother, Vive- pronounced Evay, is starting to really love me. He’s only 1 year old so I am the first white person he has ever seen. He can only say a few words but now one of them is Ashley. A couple weeks ago he picked up my spoon and was trying to eat with it and my dad scolded him, all I could do was laugh. Everyone eats everything with their hands here and they are so good at it. Sometimes my sisters will try to feed me with their hands it’s so cute but at the same time I have some sanitary issues with it. That will probably go away. My family is small for Burkinabe families with only three children. We have four separate one-room houses in our courtyard. Mama Cecil sleeps with all the kids in one, Papa Jacob- pronounced Zacorb and I have our own, and Yabba (Grandma Pascaline) sleeps with my aunt Adeline.
Last night I shared a box of Don Garcia red wine-which ran me approximately $1.11 with my host cousin Sam. Going to site will be a huge change from living in relatively close proximity to 30 other Americans. I’m looking forward to some privacy and having more free time.
I’ve begun to find immense joy in the small things like a cold drink now and then or a cookie. Letters from home are empowering and keep me in the loop. Thank you so much for all of the support. Keeping mailing me!!
I know that some very dear people to my heart are going through some tough times.. Just know you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Congratulations to Allison Gilmore and Joseph Ross! I heard the wedding was gorgeous and too much fun! Also I wanted to congratulate Kimber and Caleb on their recent engagement!!!! I couldn’t be more excited !
