What a confusing life

I went to Bobo-Dioulasso this week-end and it was most interesting on so many levels. The volunteers in Bobo have challenges that we do not have here in Ouaga. They seem to be more confronted with personality issues amongst themselves which do not make their integration easy. Some are not happy with their situation – others are very happy with their mandate but have other issues to contend with. Not necessarily easy for any of them.

One of the highlights of the day we arrived was a tour of an organization of women who actually recycle plastic bags into practical stuff such as handbags, wallets, grocery bags, key chains, even clothes. They have raw material more than what they know what to do with it because plastic bags are a big part of the rubbish in this country - not comestible so animals do not eat them and they are everywhere.

The city is somewhat different but not all that different. Bobo is a lot nicer visually at first glance – a lot more trees, a lot more paved roads and not so much dust. But Burkina Faso is Burkina Faso and much the same no matter where you go. The roads that are not paved (which are most roads) are still difficult to travel and still infested with garbage. The advantage is that they have fabulous mango trees that are plentiful in the city – but the security issues are the same – necessity of having a vigil (night watchman) and difficulties getting around at night (which basically starts at 6h30 pm). The aggressiveness between women & men is evident and disturbing.

Gabriel (my host in Bobo) and I had a great afternoon on Sunday in the old city of Bobo. We hired a guide by the Old Mosque and had not only a history lesson but many life lessons. The old city is divided in 4 castes – the Muslims are of the higher hierarchy and responsible for the law and order of the village – the big chief is Muslim; the “griots” are those that are responsible for marital issues i.e. marriages ( must go through the “griot” to ask someone in marriage) and divorces or anything in between such as family disputes or marital discord – they are also the musicians and social workers; the animists “fetish” are responsible for curing the ills, bad spirits and disease of the community and also those that are responsible for burials – the small chief is a fetish ; the steelworkers “forgerons” are at the bottom of the heap and are responsible for tools (for harvesting; for cooking; for initiations; for excision...). Although they all get along and have their respective tasks in the community intermarriages are forbidden. Our guide Oumar brought us through the many little alleys of the old city to witness their daily lives. We were entertained by musicians (jambalaya, balafone, tam-tam) for a good 30 minutes and children just gathered around to dance. So funny to see 3 year olds dance to the music in a sort of trance letting their infantile hips move like adults – or young boys go all out in energetic moves with big smiles on their faces. Quite the spectacle.

But life as it is we also saw the uglier side of their lives – no toilets so the alleys are also full of piss and shit ( the smells) – the river were they wash their clothes and bathe is infested with garbage and who knows what

- kids and adults are continuously asking for a “gift” of money with their hands begging. Oumar brought us to his place – a very small place with a bed, a TV, a chair and a 2 place bench (for when he entertains the girls) – no toilet or kitchen or running water to be seen. All that misery and at the center of it all is a party – people gathered around to celebrate the birthday party of the chief's son. Amongst them those who are brewing mill beer

or going about their hard daily shores. This country is full of contrasts. The very well to do and more privileged right beside the most in need and not the more generous for it – and it seems accepted by them all – that is the way it is.

After our tour in the old city we treated ourselves to a really good lunch by the pool at “L’Auberge” – great fish for me and what seemed a really good Calzone for Gabriel. On our way back to Gabriel’s this “crazy” man – “le fou” was walking about bare naked – a 60 year old just strolling around the city with nothing on him – and nobody to stop him. You can do anything here. (SIDEBAR: if our male species looked that good at 60 in Canada I do not know what would happen..... but maybe, just maybe our birthrate would go up just a bit).

Back in Ouaga and the shit hit my fan – my Program Manager with whom I am suppose to discuss my re-affectation has left VSO (not sure who decided what) so now I have no idea what my future holds here. I was supposed to meet with somebody else at VSO tonight but he did not show up and rescheduled for tomorrow. In the meantime my house in St-Sauveur is being sold and I do not even know if I really want to move now – so complicated, everything is so complicated.

My furniture never arrived – and the person (Abdulai) who recommended this carpenter really feels bad so he went to get the carpenter’s tools – with a machete. He (Abdulai) will keep the carpenter’s tools until the carpenter pays me back – but the story really goes like this: the carpenter’s wife is pregnant and he tells me she is in the hospital ready to give birth – he needs his tools to earn a living and cannot pay me back or provide for his family without his tools – so I should let him have his tools back and he will pay me back as soon as possible – promise (the nth promise) – to please, please, please forgive him as he sees the error of his way. I received 6 text messages and about 12 phone calls from him today – this carpenter has never worked as hard in his life as he is right now trying to get his tools back. Abdulai has no pity and tells me that he can borrow from somebody else to pay me back – his problem and not to be worried about any violent reaction on his part. Such a sad story when you think that all I wanted was to encourage this young carpenter.

I do not know what I am doing here but I met two young adults who are exceptional – one is studying at night (female 23) and still has 3 years to go before she finishes high school. The other (27 male) stopped school in 9th grade (8 years ago) because of family obligations when his dad passed away. They both have aspirations of going to university but know it is impossible for them – and I have the audacity to tell them not to let go of their dreams because you never know (maybe a Nassara like me may help them out to fulfill those dreams and they in turn will help others). Can you imagine that for 500 000F CFA ($1,250) a year they can actually change their entire life – and we flush that kind of money on a 1 week all inclusive. It is hard sometimes to put things in perspective.