Meet Nadez

Okay first things first.

Adults hugging kids isn't really a thing here. Kids will hug on their friends, and little kids will go up to their mom and like lean/hug on a leg, and the mom might like pat their back or something, but that's about it. As you might imagine, it's very sad for me, BUT I just got my first real hug from one of my neighbor kids and it was so magical!!!

So Nadez is approximately 7 and lives in one of my neighbor compounds -- but she just lives here to go to school (ie her mom/family don't live here). She's probably the most perpetually joyful child, and she's always the most excited to greet me or to come visit to get candy**, so it's hard not to adore her.

Example: Clarisse and Isa are both rocking the typical Burkinabe face of stone, but Nadez is cheesing hard.

**It should come as no surprise that I am the village candy supplier. Normally it's just my neighbor kids, but based on the amount of non-neighbor-kids who have come today, I think word has spread...

So she came to get candy for her little gang who were on their way to the pump, and after she comes into my courtyard and says hello, she smiles and just throws her arms around my waist! Not only was the hug itself magical, but the look on her face was like she was just overcome and couldn't resist the urge. Obviously, I died. I mean just look at this face.

Also the other day, I saw her and her bestie Isa (who is also living there for school) on my way home from the marché and they informed me that they were "my children." Pardon me while my heart melts.

xo, chlo

A hunting expedition

Backstory:

Every time someone finds out that I live alone, they always ask, "you're not scared??" And I always brush it off, but after the fourth or fifth time (most recently was this afternoon), I start thinking, "well I wasn't, but everyone keeps asking me that...should I be??"

For the record Mom, no, I don't think I should. I've discussed this with other volunteers and we've come to the conclusion that it's just that Burkinabe are NEVER alone and the thought of being alone is so foreign to them that they figure it must be scary.

So anyway tonight I was reading in my house in shorts (per usual) and I heard (male) voices outside my back window. I thought I recognized a couple as belonging to some of my neighbors, but in light of this afternoon's question (and my shorts), I decided to be cautious. I took careful note of the obstacles between the light and the window, turned off the light, and went to spy.

Closer attention to voices confirmed that these were in fact my neighbors.  The four oldest boys, three flashlights, and the most no-nonsense tanti I've met so far. Comforting, but gives me no idea as to why they're there. If only I knew what they were saying...

They were surveying the corn field and the tall weedy grass surrounding it and shouting strategy at each other. For the record, men-folk discussing strategy sounds the same in every language. 

I was thoroughly confused as to the goal, especially when they all ran from the one area to another and then turned their flashlights up into the tree.

What are they looking for? A cat? No, that wouldn't make sense, Burkinabe don't care so much about pets...

I missed this part, but because of what happened later, I know that a kid climbed into the tree, hit a limb, and the creature they were seeking fell. It was this next part that clued me in: the boys are running after it trying to beat it with sticks. (Tanti is supervising)

Now where had I seen that behavior before? Oh, that's right, when one of my students came to say hello, saw a snake in my courtyard, picked up a  2x4, and chased it around the courtyard trying to beat it to death.

Lesson learned: when they said during stage that the Burkinabe hate snakes, they meant REALLY hate snakes. All snakes. For the record, I've gotten conflicting reports on the presence of venomous snakes in this area - but the one in my courtyard was definitely not...so again, don't worry, Mom. ;)

Ah, the things I see in village...

xo, chlo