Here is a video of one activity we did during a weekend-long field trip to the village of Meguet. It’s time-tested method for extracting black-eyed peas from their pod thingies. While in Meguet, I visited a gold mine, climbed on a mesa, trudged around in the fields, visited an alligator-laden reservoir, and talked to local kids about pro wrestler John Cena. Through these adventures, my eyes were wide and my intestines were a war zone.



After riding in a cloistered bush taxi for four painstaking hours, hitching a ride on a bottle truck was a welcome chance to stretch our legs. Even though these truckers were doing us a huge favor, we still spent the obligatory five minutes haggling for a lower rate. It's common practice here to quibble over nickels and dimes.

We’ve long since returned to Koudougou, our new home sweet home. It’s as comfortable as a warm slipper. I am obsessed with fried plantains and laughing cow cheese is my second most valuable commodity.

Remember how children like to chant “nassara” at us? The other day my group happened to bike through a schoolyard. Children were everywhere. It was eerie how the chanting surrounded us and the echoes grew louder and louder. It had the same feel of a zombie movie, except they were just happy little kiddies who all wanted to be our friends. So maybe a zombie movie about carebears.

These are jam-packed times. We find out our official site placements on Monday. We have only one month of training. I just took a placement exam for language. My French still sucks, but I think I think have enough skill to translate the lyrics of vague pop songs about love. I might start a notebook full of words to Backstreet Boys and N’Sync songs. For my studies… not because I listen to them every day. For my studies.

Yeah.