"With all respect, Sahib, you have little to teach us in strength and toughness. And we do not envy your restless spirit. Perhaps we are happier than you? But we would like our children to go to school. Of all the things you have, learning is the one we most desire for our children."
~Urkien Sherpa to Sir Edmund Hillary,
the first man to summit Mt. Everest

Thursday, June 7, 2007

Ouaga Fun

This afternoon we had interviews with the medical and language staff. My French interview was terrible. I know a total of seven verbs…but I don’t remember how to conjugate them. Looks like I’ll be in the beginner class, but that’s OK.

Dinner tonight was at M’s (the country director) house, in a very nice neighborhood in Ouaga. She and her neighbors all have gated yards with 24 hour security surveillance. The rest of the city is not nearly as nice. Caleb, Liz, and I went for a walk this afternoon. Garbage is strewn all over the streets, ground into the Earth by cars, motos, and feet. People on the sides of each street selling things, doing laundry, or just sitting. They have bikes, motos, and cell phones but no clean water. There are adorable kids everywhere. What kind of life will they lead? What kind of life did their parents lead?

The in-country staff (native Burkinabé) is incredibly inspirational. Z, the Girls Education qnd Empowerment Director was educated in Burkina and Europe. Yet she came back here because she understands that the Burkinabé people must help themselves. She spoke eloquently about giving girls the self-confidence to run their personal and professional lives.

This is exactly where I should be right now, despite the heat.

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