Here's to the year of 007

Hey friends and family. Back once again. I feel compelled to apologize for my infrequent posts. While simply finding access to internet is a chore enough, finding the time when I am in a town that has internet (such as now) proves to be quite difficult as well. So while this post will lack in length and substance, it will hopefully make up for it all in sentimentality. I hope. If nothing else, I want to extend to all of you my holiday wishes. Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year! This was my first Christmas away from my family, and in an environment that is not at all resemblant of Christmas, at least for someone from Colorado. Today is January 1, 2007. I leave the comforts of Ouagadougou today, to journey back north, back towards home. For the entirety of my time here in Ouaga, part of me has dreaded the inevitable return back to Pobé-Mengao... who could blame me, right? There's no electricity there, there is no running water, and there are no other Americans that can share my many observations and musings. As much as the next person, I felt unready to return to work after a long vacation...but last night, as I was watching the fireworks from the roof of our transit house, as we tried to guess when the clock officially struck midnight (what can I say, our watches are all out of sync), I realized I am ready to go home. I remember saying it to myself. But then I realized I was speaking of my new home. Pobé-Mengao. I am ready to get back to work, to give this whole volunteer gig a go. Call it a fresh start, a New Years resolution, call it what you will. I want to say thank you for all the people that have sent me care packages. The day before I left for Ouaga, I went to my local post office in Djibo and was pleasantly shocked to find 6 care packages waiting for me! I am somewhat shocked that my plan to make a wishlist, whereupon I would seal it in an envelope, mail it home, and have my dad type it on to the blog, actually garnered results. In any event, thank you all. I've never been so ecstatic to receive Cumin and Thyme as Christmas gifts. As I have done in past posts, I may be writing my parents a letter from village, whereupon, if they are willing, they will transpose (I think that's the right word) my letter into blog form. My goal is to make smaller posts, more often, little dispatches from a little village in the Sahel. I plan to talk more about the environment there, the people, my work. More simple things, but things that are nevertheless noteworthy. I can imagine it is very difficult for someone who has never been to West Africa to have any justifiable impression of life here. But I at least hope I can shed some light on the culture here. But not today. Today, I hop on a bus, assuming the bus lines are running today, and I return to the land of no internet. To the land of dust, flies, and high-carb low-fiber diets. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I should be back for a visit come next December. I will keep you posted on this development. Until next time.