14/6/02

Birthday

e-mail on 11/08/03 Return to List

I wanted to write and let you know that I got your birthday package yesterday on my big day. It couldn’t have been better timed. Thank you so much! It was a perfect package: candy, magazines, and a movie. I really do feel lucky to have such great parents. I miss you guys, but my time will be up here sooner than I’ll like, or at least it feels that way sometimes.

It turned out that the three new kids for my region were going to be passing through Banfora yesterday on their way back to finish stage. So I was able to spend the day with all my region mates, which was great. I “lucked out“ with all of them, they’re all a lot of fun. There’s Nichole who lives 9 km east of me. She’s my age, from New York, and should be a great neighbor to have (even if she’s still getting used to the slightly messier way of life here). Then there’s Roger and Stacy who are a married couple from North Carolina. Roger is in his late thirties and was practicing law before coming here. Stacy is a little younger and worked at a bank. They’re both hilarious and I couldn’t be happier. Then there’s Brita who I might have mentioned earlier. She’s from the first group and has been in village for almost three months now. From Gig Harbor, she’s also a lot of fun. So my region is shaping up rather nicely.

Other big news, we had a party up north last week, and two of my best friends (volunteers) announced that they’re getting married this March up in Gorum. Amazing huh? I’m so happy for them as they are a perfect match. I have to say it’s going to be incredibly surreal seeing two of my best friends getting married in Africa. They’ll be going on to China together when there service is up here, doing another two years there with Peace Corps. I’m hoping to go visit them sometime while they’re there.

Lately I’ve been leaning heavily to coming back home, then applying to the JET program, teaching English in Japan. The program timing is such that I’d have to kill a year between Burkina and it, or fly home just to interview. Which is fine. I’m thinking I’ll travel around a little bit, both in the world and in the states, work for six months or so, and then apply. Keeping my fingers crossed, I hope to get accepted to teach English. I’d be making money, and I’d love to live in Japan. Looks like Ras might come along and do the same.

Well I’ll be back in village for two plus weeks, then off to Ouaga for a volunteer conference. Then it looks like I’ll be tied up with Bike-a-thon and Christmas stuff and won’t see my village until February. I hope to spend all the time between then and the wedding soaking up village.

Well, I’ll talk to you guys soon.

Love you,

Shaffer

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