A Village for Chelsea

Dirt, dust, and garbage bags. That’s pretty much all you’ll see in the more rural areas of Burkina. Not to say that this pollution doesn’t exist in Ouaga. It’s just not what you look at when there is so much else to see. In Béréba, and on the way to Béréba, to the untrained eye, you won’t see much. But as I am an observer of things, I am therefore an analyst of everything. While my first trip to the village was overwhelming, it quickly became the most calming and soothing place as I realized the life I would be living for the next two months. Now this is not to say that I don’t have a lot of work to do. I have more than enough to keep me rolling everyday for the next three months. But upon my arrival in the village, instant encouragement and support assured me that all will be well.

When we arrived in Béréba, we being Viviane, Adama (the driver), Emilie and I, it was three o’clock and we were tired from the hot, long drive. We quickly picked rooms and I inspected the place that would be my home for the next two months. It really is he nicest place in the village, with a large brick gate around it, sturdy, concrete flooring and walls, and the ever so normal pit toilet and shower area outside. It’s just like camping, except I do have a big metal blue door I can lock at night, though I highly doubt I’ll need to. Life in the village is simple and safe. Now don’t get me wrong. This is not a woman f the world letting her guard down. This is Chelsea, in Africa, in a rural village of Burkina Faso – feeling safer here than in her little trailer with a shitty lock she sleeps in every summer in Alaska.

With that said, the next few days entailed a lot of introductions. On the day we arrived I met Dounko, the head librarian of the Béréba library. I will be working a lot with him, coordinating and discussing as I install my programmes, seeing what works and what doesn’t. Blandine will cook and do my laundry if needed. She’s very nice, about the same age as me and the best damn cook I’ve met here so far.

On Wednesday we started out with a tour the village, and introductions to locals. I was supposed to meet the Chef de Terre (the chief of the village) but he was apparently away on business. I got to taste the Dolo, the local beer the they make there and though it as delicious, it was to strong for more than a couple of sips at ten in the morning. Then we visited the libraries of Dohnun and Kéréba, were I met the librarians and asked a few questions.

That afternoon, our plans to head to the Sara library were interrupted by a mishap that could happen to anyone. I knew it, I knew it before she said anything about it by the sudden gasp that she inhaled, and waited briefly before she exhaled “Shit”. Shit was right. In the back pocket of her pants Emilie had here phone, and in the pit toilet down the phone went. I feel bad to admit that I was laughing before she came out from behind the wall, but couldn’t help it. It’s just one if those things you always here about happening, but rarely see. Emilie had a decision to make. Who wants a phone literally drowning in shit and piss, decaying, fly and maggot infested feces? Well, one thing for sure I have learned since I have been here is that Burkinabes’ do not waste anything. If someone didn’t crawl in and get it for Emilie, it was sure that they were going to crawl in after anyways to get it for themselves. Any cellphone, Motorola Razor or not, has value in Burkina. While Adama tried to conjure up a device of a long pole from a hoe, we soon, realized it would not fit through the 3 inch space. The only other option was to lift open the cement casing to the hole by breaking the surrounding cement. After a man went down in the hole and retrieved the maggot infested phone, the whole incident lasted only an hour. Commotion over, Emilie, alcohol, q-tips, and tissue in hand, began to clean her phone, hoping to retrieve her only data source of phone numbers. In the end, we were not able to visit the Sara library after all, but I have to say it was all worth it. It only cost Emily about $8 for labor and all, and we all went away with a valuable lesson to not take your cell phone to the bathroom with you…and a great souvenir.

After, it was hard to eat lunch, but we stomached it. Later that night we went on a mini night tout of the village were I discovered that some of the villagers have a little casino on the street made of from a few painted tables and lanterns for light.

On Thursday we said goodbye to Emilie as she headed back to Ouaga by bus and I attended the monthly FAVL librarian meeting. Here I was able to meet the tow librarians from the Koumbia library and finally, the one from Sara. While this meeting was interesting to observe, I have to say the best part of it was the food. While it was simple, chicken, bread and chile sauce, I got t eat with my hands. Sadly, I cant remember the last time I ate with my hands so I had away with it, just like everybody else.

Friday, Viviane and I took the long drive to the Sara library. I say ‘long’ because we took Dounko’s moped, which has more of an improvised seat, rather than a real seat, down the dirt road at heat peak hour. My ass felt it for three days after and the left side of my body is now a shade darker than my right.

Saturday, I met finally got to meet the Chef de Terre, who seemed a very modern and casual chief. Then I met the director of the schools who seemed excited to have me in the village and interested in working with the teachers on weakly programs at the schools. Afterwards, me, Viviane, Dounko returned to the library were we spent two hours creating a schedule of activities I will be doing each day at the library. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, there will be story time, for an hour and a half, each day being a different age level. On Thursdays, since the students do not have school, I will do drawing and coloring activities for three hours in the morning and two hours in the evening. For now, Fridays will be dedicated to working on a book about Dolo since it is the big market day in Béréba. Saturdays afternoons will be a chance for songs and/or games and Sundays I will conduct a book club with middle school students from 9 to 11. As this schedule has not been tried, I am anxious to see results.

Later in the afternoon, it was obvious that the temperature was beginning to rise. I spent the next two hours after lunch not moving out of the shade. That night, I started packing since it was decided early that day that I would return to Ouaga to get supplies for my programs. Although I was not looking forward to the drive back, I figured one last trip in the city wouldn’t hurt before the long haul of camping it out n my own. Little did I know then that it would be the best decision I could of made, and only made me believe even more, that we are always where we are exactly supposed to be. Always.