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

My house!!!!

The day my furniture arrived (last Friday) marked exactly 13 weeks at site living on the floor. Maybe it was worth the wait, but I'm definitely glad it's over!

View of the right side of my house from my courtyard door

Highlights: the mat that I like to sit on; the shed where I keep my bidon (aka 25L plastic container used to transport water from pump to my house) and my bike.

View of the left side of my house

Highlights: outdoor shower (left door), latrine (right door); my bedroom window.

Pano of my main room, from the front of the house.

Highlights (L to R): my fluoro light duct-taped to the wall; the bucket that keeps all my cords safe from mouse intruders; the rolled up mat from pic 1; the bench that I take outside when people come visit me; the REI chair gifted to me by Dana and Louis that I take outside.

My desk, kindly borrowed (fo free!) from my school.

Highlights: the peek into my bedroom and the stack of 88 5eme tests to be graded.

My chairs. No further highlights but yes, they ARE as comfortable as they look.

Kitchen area

Highlights: yellow can of Nido (powdered milk) that makes up a large portion of my diet; glasses and bowls (also new additions, before I only had my mug); the "cantine" thing under my stove table which keeps intruders from my food; the battery by the door with cord leading to solar panel outside.

Close up of my cabinet thing with my spices that fit perfectly inside

Water filter corner

Highlights: solar panel and broom but mostly the fact that my water filter is no longer sitting on a cinderblock; the purple "goblets" used to give water to visitors (because mostly my visitors are small children not to be trusted with glasses); also the essentials on top of the filter (TP, pepto, mouse poison).

My room!

Highlights: bug hut with cot inside; dirty clothes bucket.

MY SHELVES!!!!

Highlights: the nice rock I found in my courtyard to keep my door from falling shut; the fact that my clothes are no longer on the floor; the pics on the wall featuring some of you :)

My Life on the Floor

Tried to post this last week, but it didn't go through. I think it was fate, because my furniture is ready and coming home with me TODAY!!! In honor of that wonderful news, here are pictures of my life on the floor, as promised (to my parents, at least):

Two views of my big main room. And no, you're not crazy, I took one picture during the day and the other at night. :)

Pics from the end of stage

My host family and my class at model school!

Misc Stage Pictures