Hello!

Alright I'm here. I emailed a few of you last week to prove i hadn't yet died and now I have a few mintes to post here until my hunger wins out or I have to go back to class.

Last week we spent a couple days in Ouagadougou (the capital) and now we have arrived in Ouahigouya (big "city" in the north) where we will stay until swear-in at the end of August. We have been sorted into 5 groups: 4 groups of us going to surrounding villages (these are the girls' education and empowerment folk) and the 5th group, the science and math teachers, who will stay in the city here in Ouahigouya. For the GEE flk this means they're living village life now and face a 30 - 45 min bike ride into the centre for class whereas we are all with in 10 min of here and live with more wealthy families.

This means I've got it good. My family is a group of about 30 people who all live in a few tiny houses surrounding a small courtyard. In the house I'm living in there's a mom, dad, and 3 kids. There's electricity, a fridge that keeps things moderately cold, and a TV. The house is clay, I use a pit latrine, take 2 or 3 bucket baths a day (as is the custom), and eat using only my right hand. Let me emphasize, this family is very rich. Most of the volunteers in the villages simply didnt sleep last night because the temperatures in the mud huts are unbearable. Everyone is waiting for the rains to start to calm this ridiculous heat.

I have never felt heat like this. 100 degrees in the shade during most middle of the days. I drink about 6 liters of water every day and i'm still thirsty. I bet if it were physically comfortable, and the water was cool and not room temperture (i.e. HOT) I would drink 10.

My French is getting much better already. I'm not really afraid of the teaching in French part any more.

I haven't gotten sick yet but i know it's coming. I'm no good at latrines yet.

If you love me and want to send me things to make my life happier, you could send me any of the following:

Granola bars (no yogurt coating or chocolate or things that would melt) In particular I like the simple versions of the Nature's Valley ones. Breakfast here is simply a piece of a baguette and some tea or milk from powdered milk so I'm craving grains.

PRE-SWEETENED powder for drinks. I'm not living on my own so I don't have a personal sugar supply yet so anything really - what I have now is lemon though so as long as theres the choice; I'd prefer berry or cherry or grape or whatever and what ever brand. Just not the Koolaid packets that aren't presweetened, yet.

My blue Nalgene (this is to the parents). Needless to say, I'm drinking way more here than at home so I could use the bottle.

Cheez Doodles. I'll love you forever. The crunchy kind. They're light I promise.

The postage gets much cheaper the heavier the package (you can look it up at usps.com i think) and it'll take like 3 weeks to get here but it will be much appreciated. In fact I'll appreciate anything you send I'm sure. I'm not desparate yet but I may be in 3 weeks. Thank you in advance! Address is on Blog.

Got to run for now but I am fine and will write more soon and maybe even some pics. The Burkinabé are the nicest people i have ever met.