Eating out in Burkina

FIRST I forgot the name of the restaurant.  I am hoping someone that was with us can fill that in for me.  The lady, Elaine, that invited me to the fair wanted to thank all the volunteers and staff that helped with the fair.  I was included and loved it.  Eben and I got there first - we walked from Paul's house, the PC Director of Training, and we got there on American time.  American time not African time is what we always ask when asking for a meeting.

 

This is the table that sat us and I had to look around before I could sit still because it was so exotic looking. 

 

 

 

 

Here I had to take a picture of the ceiling because it was all beautiful rugs.  The colors and designs were wonderful.

 

Here is the table full and you have to look back and on the right to see me.  We had two buyers with us and was very interesting listening to their travels and business dealing with importing.  Harper is a young women that has been doing her textile importing from Guatemala and is expanding into Africa now.  She takes the textiles and makes products of her own design in  Guatemala.  Her website is Proud Mary Textiles, beautiful things.  The other buyer was Mathew, a French man that has moved his family to New York to experience doing business in the good old USA!!!  His experiences and views were very interesting.  Besides all that he paid for the wine all night so you can imagine what wonderful wines we had and after dinner drinks.  Good thing Eben and I were walking and not riding bikes. Ha!!! 

Yes, that is beautiful white sand that is the FLOOR!!!! You could take your shoes off and play like you were at the beach.  Don't ask me how they keep it clean and smooth but.....

 

I loved my time in many different ways in Ouagadougou (pronounced Waa ga dew)

I loved meeting people even those I had to try and say I did not know French, the business experience, the food, and sooo many new friends. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fashion Show

 

The fashion show - getting ready.  So much fun helping everyone get to put on accessories!!! 

Yes, this is one of our purses!!  Look at those necklaces.  So pretty.

Another one of our purses and agian those necklaces are wonderful!!!

This girl works with the project and put together the workshop.  I spent alot of time helping her.  Sweet young woman.

Yep our fancy purse!!!

 Here they all are looking good.  It was lots of fun for everyone.

Here Anita and I were getting ready to leave for the show this am and Paul took our picture in his beautiful yard.

 

Probably last day of show for me going to try and go to the hotel pool and spend a little time swimming.  Another great experience for me in Africa.

Working the SIAO Fair

The fair has started and the booth is ready.  Notice the bolga basket in the front.

Here is part of the team deciding on many things.  It is truly a team effort with the group and I was so excited to be part of it including the gofering I did.  Always interesting.

One of the perks was wearing the jewelry carrying the purse to the cocktail party.  Out by the pool, small eats, wine oh yeah this is normal for some people.

My new fashion friend.  If I were going back to work and need a wardrobe Eben would be required to come see me in Austin.  He leaves PC in the next couple of weeks and will be home in time for Thanksgiving.  He is very excited about all the contacts and possibilities with the experience of the show and working with Elaine the head of the team.  Oh yeah I bought the necklace.

 Last day of the workshop and Muburka (spelling I am sure is wrong) getting his certificate.  He is the brother of the owner of the Craft Center that was at the fair.

 Here is furniture outside the bldgs.  Many different kinds.

Shop across from our booth.  Look at that mask Need One??

I really enjoyed my week at the fair plus met many interesting people.

 

 

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My time in Burkina Faso

We left Nyariga at 6:30 and headed for the border with the baskets following.  Got through with my VISA will little problems although they lectured me that Anita should have a passport not a voters card.  But I just smiled.  Then we got to customs with our baskets to go through and I changed a little money.

 

 

 Motos and bikes are the main transportation in Ghana as in Burkina Faso.  The guys were very friendly but we had to wait for the baskets to be okayed before we could continue.

Now our transportation was a truck and they loaded the baskets on it and a man rode on the top.  The bottom of the truck is full of cement bags our baskets then this poor man on top that went over bumps, swerves etc.and he stayed on top.  We got to trois trois about 1 hour later.  Anita is looking at CFF's trying to figure out the money to pay the man.

Yep, that is two motos on top, with all our baskets.  I could not believe the amount of baskets that they brought to the fair.  This trois trois broke down twice before they sent off for a radiator.  We stayed under a tree on a rock until dark.  Then I made an executive decision.  The man could stay with the baskets, but Anita and I were heading into town on the next trois trois that passed and we did.  Got to a new friend, Paul, house who works with Peace Corps in Burkina Faso that opened his home to both Anita and I because it was so late she could not find her friends.  At 9:00 he greeted us then went out with friends and let us shower and get to bed.  What a trip!!!  Thank goodness PCV's and RPCV's take care of each other and always seem to be there to help.

The Day of Celebration continues

Home from Mosque and preparations to feed many many people.

 

Carrying lots of water.

Children playing

Sheep killed – if you want to know the details get picture

close but me I just ate it and it was wonderful!! Best meat in Ghana, of course I don’t eat meat in

Ghana.  Made a huge exception today!!!

Again don’t look close but the seasoning was good.  Bob would

have loved it the rest of us got water!!!

Chicken plucked and ready to cook.  I eat chicken

here when it is hot so I just concentrated on the sheep.

Dishes still have to be washed.

Cooking rice, spaghetti and sauces in small pots???

Told you it was spicy.  No more cups so I got one of

my peanut butter jars. 

No room on porch so kids sat on corn that had been

harvested.

Here is where everything was moved when a big rain

storm came.  The kitchen was full of food.

Everyone full and happy!!!

I ate meat because I can get rice any time.  I enjoyed it all especially

learning things about my family.   Hope you enjoyed my story in pictures.

To continue our morning Celebrating Eid al-Adha

After everyone is dressed, and that is no easy thing when there is over 30 people in and out of our house not than anyone thinks anything of walking through in a towel and dripping water, or putting on their top and no pants (I threaten to take pictures but they thought I was serious!!!) , I wanted pictures outside.

I hope those that follow see all our new furniture and new floor covering.  They came last night bringing it and I was ready to decorate and get rid of TV.  The children had a fit so I left it to them.  This morning all was set up, (yes with ear plugs and being so tired I slept through it all)  including a hole already put in the floor covering.  But it was fun to have something to sit on while they got ready this am.  And yes TV was gone but I hear it on with the kids that did not go to mosque.

Everyone in immediate family ready to go.

Ella, Senior wife, is having so much fun.  If I am not mistaking she was the shopper for the family.  She danced all over the floor and you felt her happiness.

 

Getting assistance with ear rings and head piece then finished look. Ha!!!

Here they are ready to leave!!! Tieheru with Senior Wife, Tolota, with youngest and oldest daughters.

Oldest son and oldest son with Tiehru’s brother, Mubarack

All climbed into a Trois to go to Mosque.

Beautiful clothes, wonderful smiles, lots of laughs so like home and yet So….different!! of course holiday meaning was not even close but the celebration was just as much fun.  Notice children in back seeing the camera and wanting in the pictures!!!

Will follow day and send up dates.  Enjoy!!!  Barbara

Celebrating the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha

 

As you can imagine I know little (but am learning) much about Muslims traditions, holidays etc.  Well, last night we found no buses would be running today October 26th because of Eid al-Adha.  So I decided to get on Internet and find out what this is all about.  It is a very important holiday because this is when God appeared to Abraham in a dream and was asked to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience.  Won’t go into detail but when Abraham was to sacrifice he shut his eyes because he could not watch himself doing this to his son.  When he opened his eyes a lamb had been sacrificed and his son was not harm.  Proving to God Abraham’s obedience.

This is just the first part of the day and as things keep going I will document what I learn. 

All the noise started about 6 am and I thought about our Christmas morning how many we had been up that that time.

Everyone gets dressed and oiled up!!!

Waiting for new clothes – new shoes and

underwear all ready!!

These shoes are two big.  Oh yeah

Mom put paper in toe.  She tried and tried to walk – like watching a 12 year

old in their new pair of heals and yes there was very small heals on all girls

new shoes.

Here I am just like Christmas morning

taking off tags, cutting string, and impatient kids wanting their new clothes.

Here is Tieheru’s Oldest daughter all dressed

in new clothes.

Baby brother’s shoes are to big and he is having

none of it but the other two children are ready to go.

See Barbara how big my shoes are!!!

        Here is corner or room sort of like under our Christmas tree.  Going through things that have been purchase looking for something for each person.  It is all clothes and looks like our Christmas when everyone is teenagers and clothes are about all they want except for money. Ha!!!