Soupe de Mutton

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm typing the majority of this blog in village and then once I get to the internet cafe, I can upload it. So, currently I'm lying outside, in my bug hut (like a tent), with a mattress and some kids sleeping outside of the tent next to me. I just saw my fifth shooting star since being here! The stars are amazing because there's no electricity and it gets dark by 6:15.
This weekend I got to try goat head soup. In Burkina, it's extremely rude to turn down food. Even if you don't want it or if it looks scary, you should accept it and try to have a bite. In Burkina, if you are around people you don't know that are eating, they usually say "vous etes invite," which means you are invited. You can usually respond by saying thanks and it doesn't mean you have to actually go over and eat. However, if it's someone you know giving you food, it's culturally appropriate to take it. So...on Sunday my host dad brought over goat head soup- for breakfast.
Also, in Burkina, people eat everything with their hands. Well, actually just their right hand. The left hand is used for things in the bathroom, so it's really bad to eat or do anything with the left hand. Even greeting people is always done with the right!
I tried to eat some of the soup and then looked around at everyone else eating it. They were licking their plates and were thoroughly enjoying it. Meat is expensive here so it's a big deal if they have it to eat. Later, my host sister announced that she found a tooth in the soup from the goat's head. I then realized I couldn't eat anymore and gave my plate to the kids.
After the delicious breakfast I went to my professors house. The dad from his courtyard apparently died before we arrived and they were having the funeral. It only lasted about an hour and then everyone went home to share meals. We had rice with sauce at my professors house.
The professor that lives in my village is my French teacher. Last week, we had our second French exam to see if we have progressed since we first arrived in country. The test was pretty hard and when I couldn't think of the word in French I basically just spoke Spanish. Apparently, this worked! I originally was in the novice low group but now I'm in intermediate low. This is good news because to be able to swear in and serve as a volunteer in December I have to reach intermediate high. So, I only have one more step until I can officially become a volunteer!
Next week we get to go to Ouaga for a three day counterpart workshop. My counterpart is the head nurse from the health clinic in my new village. He is the main point of contact between Peace Corps and the village. I will work closely with him at the clinic and also run project ideas by him. He will be useful and introduce me to the villagers in Komtoèga. It will be nice to go to Ouaga, meet him and prepare for the move in December.
When I talked to Anna, the girl I'm replacing at site, she said she really liked the counterpart and one of the best things about my village is how motivated he is! Anna and I have been talking a lot because she is leading some sessions of training in Lèo, so I have been able to drill her with questions. It's crazy to think that it's only a couple of weeks left until I move there!
The other day when I got home from training I found a bat in my room. I screamed a little and opened the door and it flew out. I went back in to change my clothes and realized there was another bat inside. At this point the door was closed so it was just me, half dressed, and the bat. I started screaming and tried to make it to the door. Finally, I ran out and let my younger host siblings go in and kill it. They didn't understand why I was so scared and they thought it was hysterical that I would curl up on the side of my house and scream because a bat was inside. For the rest of the night I sat outside reading. Every now and then I would hear my name and look over, only to find my host sister imitating me and showing a huge audience what I looked like when I was scared. The next night I got into my tent to go to bed and a cockroach crawled over me. I'll let you imagine how I reacted and what they thought of it!
Today we took two field trips. The first was to a tofu garden where we learned how to grow soja and why it is nutritious and important. We can teach our village how to grow it as well and use it as an income generating activity in the community. Our second trip was to the CREN. This is a hospital for severely malnourished children. We saw a three year old that was incredibly skinny and sick. We learned about the programs the CREN offers and we met with the head doctor.
Tomorrow we are teaching our health clinic, our local restaurant, and my host dad how to make hand washing stations. We are teaching them how to make the station and why it is important to wash your hands and use soap! Since there is no running water in village, hygiene is a huge problem. Hopefully after the demonstration they will start to use the stations and wash their hands more. It's pretty crazy to think the local clinic doesn't even have a sink or place for the doctors to wash their hands! Hope everyone had a yummy Thanksgiving! N