This past month of August has been a busy one, though definitely a fun one! I went to Quebec for two weeks to visit family. My time was well spent eating delicious homemade meals, visiting college friends, picnicking at a lake, occasional runs with the mom and getting lots in the streets of Montreal. I was also able to attend the wedding of one of my very good friends Christine. We played college basketball together so in addition to her, I saw several old teammates, which of course meant we had a good time!
Back in Ouaga, I’ve been busy with FAVL work and preparations for my Peace Corps Close of Service, which is September 26th! Right now I’m a mix of emotions: sad, happy, anxious, excited, nervous….emotions which I’m sure will only increase as September comes along! I’ve already begun job searching which so far isn’t proving too successful. Hopefully in the coming weeks it’ll be more promising! Luckily, I have basketball to help me de-stress!
For the past three months, I’ve been playing with a women’s basketball team here in Burkina. The team was put together last minute and no one really expected much from our team. Well, we made it all the way to the National Championship game! On the night of Aug.20th we played on live TV at the Palais des Sports in Ouaga 2000. The arena is like no other; even the Minister of Sports said (twice) that it felt like we were in another country. (Though the politics, the hour-long speeches by ministers and sponsor officials and the delay of game due to rain pouring onto the floor, quickly reminded me that we were indeed in Burkina Faso). Our team lost. Okay, we got our butts kicked by XX points. (Sorry but being embarrassed on national TV was enough for me…no need to put the final score up for all to see!). I was really pissed after the game but our wonderful coach quickly had us all laughing and enjoying the moment. Overall, the experience was great and definitely not something I was expecting when I decided to join Peace Corps! While it may have been my last time playing in Burkina, it has convinced me to find a women’s league to play in once I get back home.
