The small things that make me smile here in Burkina:

• Walking down the street and having little kids scream “Cindy!” or “Youmanli!” (my Gulmance name) instead of “La blanche!” or the Gulmancema equivalent, “U bonpienu!”
• Enjoying an ice cold sachet of water in 100+ degree heat (Bottles of water aren't common here. Usually, you'll find water in sealed plastic bags of 500 ml).
• On a similar note, finding that juice boxes are in stock and cold at the local alimentation, or grocery store.
• Sleeping through an entire night, not being woken by donkeys braying, calls to prayer, or the immense heat.
• Rain and overcast days.
• Baby animals! Animals have free reign of the land and wander wherever they please. Baby goats are especially cute and currently very plentiful.
• Having internet access that lasts longer than 5 minutes without losing signal.
• Making babies laugh and smile instead of cry.

The Future and Food

Starting off SW's birthday celebrations at the pool! Not sure why I'm the only one standing. Force of habit from generally being one of the shortest ones in the group, I guess.

The Fada bros got matching mohawks. But rejected my suggestion to shave FADA into the sides.

The only photo marginally related to IST (in service training), where we were split into regions and received a week of language instruction. As an in-the-field class session, SW, LC and I had our futures told by a sand reader. We asked questions, he drew lines in the sand and interpreted them. My future career has to do with steel or metal in some way, and it will make me rich. Woo!

Delicious donuts and birthday cake with guava filling! Unfortunately, this is not standard Burkinabe fare. Other food included in SW's "chicken crawl" birthday celebration: frites royale, fries with scrambled eggs, tomatoes, and onion, and poulet du chef, the chef's special breaded chicken, aka the KFC of Burkina.