Burkina Faso...here we come!

We're off to Burkina in December for 17 days! Hubby, Marlow's sister and I.

To say we're all excited is down-playing our emotions. Marlow is coordinating all kinds of activities for us but mostly I just so want to meet the people she has been living with. Specifically, I want to meet her host family in Sapone.

I am looking forward to the marche, the food, the people, the sights, the sounds, speaking my stumbling French. Being together as a family for Christmas under African skies. Getting to know first-hand what Marlow's daily life is all about. So much I want to take in.

We're very fortunate to be able to make this trip and it seems like the perfect timing at this stage of Marlow's service.

Getting the vaccines is the least favorite part but a small price to pay.

Burkina Faso...here we come!

Back for the First Stateside Visit - Manicure and Kofi Annan

Marlow is now 17 months in to her service. She always said that she didn't want to come back to the U.S until her service was over. Then something happened.

Marlow was flown to the US from Burkina by the United Nations USA Association to accept the 2012 Leo Nevas Youth Advocate for Human Rights Award in New York on October 16th. http://www.unausa.org/about-us/global-leadership-awards/368-marlow-svatek

Marlow arranged to be flown in two weeks prior to the UN awards ceremony so we could fly her down to Tampa and spend some time with her. Those two weeks were a fun mix of girly stuff with Marlow: hair salon and nails (de rigeur after being so long in the Sahel), shopping for NYC clothes, lots of dining out and any other excuse for other food consumption. (What is it with you Burkina PCVs and cheese??)  It was so nice to see Marlow hang out with her younger sister and U.S friends and have a really good time.

At the UN Global Leadership Dinner we were treated as special guests. Let's just stay that being in a private VIP room with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and also saying hi to Ted Turner is quite surreal and memorable. The awards ceremony to honor her at the luncheon the next day when she officially received her award was a very proud moment for us. I brought tissues.

We all had a fantastic time in NYC.

Of course, the hugs goodbye on the same day that we flew back to Tampa and she headed back to Burkina was a little hard. I forgot to bring tissues but, interestingly, I didn't really need them.

Marlow was returning "home" and I was so happy for her.

It's not about a year - it's about a life

I skipped a post about the obvious - Marlow has been in Burkina for one full year now (and counting.) It was its own milestone. It did not go unrecognized on any and all levels for her family here in the US, the UK and in Burkina with other PCVs. But it was not for me to celebrate as simply the passing of 12 months in a two year adventure. It's about a life.

A year is just a year. What happens in that time can often defy days, weeks, months, even a lifetime if you let it mold you into a better person.

Our Skpe calls may be mundane sometimes. Or, when the time is right, we have some incredible discussions about what works/what doesn't work in the situation that Marlow and the Burkinabe are in. These are not easy times in Burkina.

It's not about the year - it's about an every day.  Even if it's just schlepping on a porch enjoying a rainy afternoon after you've given every ounce of energy to something outside yourself that day (that could be Burkina or Florida.) It's about adapting, laughing, being yourself. Wherever you are and whatever your circumstances.

It's about a life. Your life.

Caroline

Burkina Faso PCV Packages and more

Three packages going out this week. It's incredibly carthartic for me to know that I'm sending stuff to Marlow that she can't get in Burkina and has asked me to send.

Shannon and Tony at the post office ask about Marlow every time I'm there - what is she doing this week, how is the weather there at the moment, did she have a good time in Ouaga? Seriously, my local post office in our sleepy town is now fully engaged in PC mission #3.

PCV's need to know that there are people they touch indirectly. I'm a "carrier" for the Peace Corps.

Marlow has been in Burkina for a year now and, believe me, you get excited about that. For your son or daughter, you know they are fully immersed. For you, as a parent, you know they have weathered so much to be proud of for what they have encountered, endured and learned.

Practical tips for packages: 1) Include what they crave 2) Include what they need 3) Surprise them with stuff.

Most of all, pack that USPS Large Flat Rate Box with everything you can cram inside. Your PCV will love everything. Of course, it's not cheap to send - $60 from Florida. It does not escape my conscience in terms of how that amount of money would better serve the Burkinabe.

Also, do not underestimate the gratitude for just sending letters (although, in my experience, they take longer than packages.)

But don't be surprised if they have other things to do instead of bicycling off  to pick up their packages. They're in Burkina for a reason and they're crazy busy with PC or just being part of the community.

Hugs to all the current/future Burkina PCV's and Parents.

Marlow's Home is in Burkina Faso

My blog has always been about giving some insights to new Peace Corps parents based on my experience as a Peace Corps Mum for the past 11 months.

So it's coming up for a year with Marlow's stint in Burkina Faso.

At this stage, mums and dads, you will have lived through a lot with your PCV child. They will have gotten sick - check. They will question their efffectiveness on their mission - check. They will crave things that you can send in packages - check. They will crave things that you can never send in packages - check.

At the year mark, I think this is the point where your child is so immersed that you realize a pivotal change - where their home is. Marlow's home is in Burkina Faso. Truly her home - with furnishings and a garden that she's proud of.

I won't touch on all that Marlow has done so far.  Hard graft on her part and a lot of learning that makes her and the Burkinabe people she helps better in so many ways that are hard to define.

This is the point where you want to go to BF, if you can and haven't already.

Vegas Buffets, Bright Lights and To

Hubby and I got back from a decadent weekend in Vegas celebrating my birthday. The vista of bright lights from the window of our beautiful suite at the Vdara Hotel got me thinking - all that electricity on the Strip. The immaculate pool - all that water. The giant breakfast buffets - with all that food (from crab to Chinese to standard breakfast fare and Mimosas, etc., etc.) - got me thinking.

Everything about the comfortable and even indulgent lifestyle in the US gets me thinking about Marlow. Actually, just not Marlow, but the Burkinabe. It's not a sad, pitiful, the-world-isn't-fair feeling at all. Just a new perspective. A very logical comparison about how the Burkinabe live and how we live.

What my husband dropped (ugh) in the Vegas casinos would likely feed a family of six in Burkina for a year. For us, it was still a fun trip. Would Marlow's neighbors even be able to comprehend that? Does it matter? Yet, does it nag at me somehow?

By some standards I am a relatively worldy person, purely by fate through the kindness of a cross-cultural life in Europe and in the States. When I talk with Marlow about her life in Burkina it reminds me about my integration into a new culture; tolerance even. But more so, to truly accept that "it is what it is" wherever you are.

Indeed, wherever I am, such as a breakfast buffet in Vegas I can not help but suddenly and consciously contrast and compare with life in Burkina through what Marlow has relayed. Sometimes it's a palpable dissection in my mind of "have and have-not" and sometimes it's capricious thoughts of a type of happiness in Burkina that we do not have here. I can't decipher where the "have and have-not" really exists. What I can do is support Marlow in her Peace Corps missions and resoundingly let her know that she is absolutely fulfilling the mission to translate the way of life in Burkina to me in a meaningful way.

There was no To at the Vegas breakfast buffet. Maybe one day.

Thoughts on being with Marlow over Christmas

Terminal 4 at Heathrow. Hailey, Michael and myself waiting for Marlow to get through customs and passport control. We'd just done that ourselves the day before.

But then we saw her face which was what my heart was aching for. Nothing very dramatic (I wasn't fishing for drama) and a normal reunion, really. Just so special to have all of us together after 6 months. And in England too!

We had lots of great get-togethers over Christmas and New Years Eve with my mother, brothers, nieces, nephews, and Michael's relatives too. Fun times in London, Kent and Brighton. Too many memories to recount.

Then we said goodbye to Marlow at Terminal 4 with laden suitcases as she departed back to Burkina on  New Year's Day. I know she was itching to get "back home." And now she is.

Christmas 2011 with Marlow

So the flights have been booked and we're all excited for the family reunion in England over Xmas. We're flying Marlow out of Burkina the day after we get in to London.  Apart from the excitement of seeing Marlow for the first time in 7 months, the cool (cold!) weather and Xmas with hubby, my other daughter Hailey, mother, brothers and extended families is something I'm really looking forward to. Even though I've lived in the States for 25 years and get back to England quite regularly, I have not spend Xmas "back home" in all that time.

Anyone who knows me and Marlow will not be surprised that I had already planned this trip in my head before she left for Burkina in June and she prepared accordingly by pre-packing a suitcase with warm clothes that I will bring over. Now that's being organized!

It will be even more special for Marlow because the plan is to have her bf come over to England, too!

Really cool that Marlow will be flying through Casablanca on her way to Heathrow. How many people have been to Casablanca? Oh, never mind, how many people have been to Burkina Faso, right?

It will only be a one week England trip for Marlow and she flies back on January 1st, but there are only so many available flights in and out of that part of West Africa.  And, I think it's important that she isn't out of Burkina for too long since she has only been at site for 3 months. There are stories of volunteers being wooed away from service after a vacation this early in, but no worries there for Marlow.

So, in almost exactly two months we'll all be together. Can't wait!

Two months! Say what?

So Marlow has now been in Burkina for a full two months and she says the time has flown by for her. Personally, I don't know if it feels much longer or much shorter than two months, especially when I consider that she has another 25 months to go. Very confusing. But I shall not argue with the Gregorian calendar - two months is two months.   

She's been getting my packages like clockwork. It's only taking 2-3 weeks for them to get to her, and that includes a bit of a delay from the time they get to the Peace Corps. in Ouaga to the time they drop the packages of in her town. That's pretty impressive service, I think. Of course, when you're in subSaharan Africa and you've just used the last of your barbecue sauce, 3 weeks can be a very long time to wait for its replacement. But luckily I happened to include a bottle of ketchup in a package which she got last week so she is not without an American condiment.

A couple of weekends ago I, her dad and sis got to do a video Skype with Marlow. Fantastic to see her face! She was at a training session in Banfora and got to spend a day relaxing at a hotel with a pool and wi-fi. Marlow's lost about 20 lbs but she looked great, other than the giant insect bites (I'm assuming mosquitoes) on her ankles, ugh. She showed us the landscape and we could just make out very large hills in the background and some beautiful, lush scenery. Banfora is close to where her full-time site will be come September and the area looks radically more inviting than her current host site.

Thank you Skype and the US Postal Service. Keep up the good work. We've got another 25 months to go!

Biara Ba Koko - Marlow's new home away from home

Yesterday I got to hear Marlow's excited voice as she told me that she will be placed as a volunteer in Biara Ba Koko (it's not on any map and I wouldn't be surprised if I may have spelled it wrong). It's a small village in the South West of Burkina, not far from the border with Cote D'Ivoire, and not that far from Mali. The closest town is Banfora, about a 12 mile bike ride for her. Of course, the first thing I did after our Skype call was Google the area. Seriously, Biara Ba Koko apparently doesn't exist unless you live there. But Banfora looks like it has a few creature comforts. Marlow will be relinquishing electricity when she leaves her host family in Sapone but the trade-up is what looks to be a much greener, lusher landscape than she has seen so far.  I'm very excited for her since it looks like a plum site allocation. She will get to visit the area for the first time next week.

And Marlow got the first package I sent her! Filled with all kinds of goodies that she was very grateful for. "Mom, the other volunteers are jealous" is a comment that pretty much guarantees I will keep those packages coming. Hearing that she is over her tummy troubles (the Peace Corps. took great care of her) and that she is revved up for her visit to her full-time volunteer site next week is the welcomed package she sent me in return.

So, it's only one month plus a few days since Marlow left for Burkina Faso. It seems like sooo much longer. We missed not having her around on July 4th. I've been trying not to think about future holidays that we will not spend with her. Yes, I continue to think about Marlow a trillion times a day but Peace Corps. mums and dads should know that it really does get easier with a little time, a little knowledge and a little Skype.

News of a little tummy trouble...bound to happen

Couldn't wait for Sunday for our weekly planned call. So I Skyped Marlow yesterday for a full hour chat. So much to absorb about what she is doing and feeling after her two full weeks in Burkina. Mixed bag from a mother's perspective because I know that there are a lot of challenges. Short summary: 1) Peace Corps are keeping her VERY busy in training 2) She's adjusting to the elements 3) She's doing just fine but clearly misses a few things about home (duh!) and had a few additional requests for her next package

Oh, yeah, the stomach troubles - to be expected. Dubious water mixed with doxycillin for malaria prevention and a whole new diet. Peace Corps Mum doesn't like to think of her child being sick so this was something I approached with concern but also dignity for not soliciting details.

On a different note, there was an article in the St. Petersburg Times today about a local woman, Ali Halverson (21), who did volunteer work teaching kids in Tanzania for 5 weeks this past spring. Her story is so reminiscent of Marlow's volunteer work in Ghana when she was 18 (also a St.Pete Times story). What struck me most about the article was a quote from Ali about engaging her kids in a science experiment. "The kids are never asked what they think," she said. "That was the most rewarding part, seeing them actually think and process for themselves rather than repeat what they're told." Uncannily, that's exactly the sentiment that Marlow related to me just yesterday afternoon about her impressions of teaching practices in Burkina.

Fingers crossed that Marlow is over the worst of any tummy troubles for the next 27 months!

Thoughts about what to send next

Yes, it's quite expensive to send packages to Burkina. Worse is not knowing if the package will be received (it's apparently not that bad for package interception, but you never know). Package #1 (duly noted on the box) was sent two weeks ago and may not arrive for a while. Still, I'm working on Package #2. Today I got all the "produits necessaire" that Marlow asked for in our last Skype call on Sunday. Nothing much outside of shampoo/conditioner and something to wash her clothes with (a better alternative to the local bar soap).

Of course, I am sending a whole lot more for her as well as for her Burkinabe host family (the kids). I won't spoil the surprise for Marlow here.

Actually, I know that Marlow doesn't really need anything much from me right now, other than the standard love and support that she knows she gets from her family, ZXJ, and her friends here in the US. But, hey, doesn't hurt to send some extra reminders of home, right? Just trying to make sure it's not stuff she doesn't have to needlessly carry.

Anyway, wandering up the store aisles, thinking about what Marlow might want makes me feel a little closer to her. 

First phone call and first package

Very early on Monday morning my phone rang twice and then stopped ringing. I knew immediately that it was Marlow. A clever nudge to call her back so she doesn't have to pay for the call. Redial didn't work but thanks to her boyfriend I could get the number (thanks, Jobin!) The connection was excellent and it was sooo good to hear Marlow's voice. We talked for quite a while about what she is doing and will be doing for the next few days. She sounded happy and excited - not that I would expect anything else. For me, it was another big boost in my morale.

Which takes me to the first package that I have sent her. This was fun. After a quick trip to the post office on Monday I confirmed the best shipping options. I went home, unpacked the regular box she had previously put together for herself and crammed 16 1bs of "Peace Corps Training Materials" into the large flat rate box (maximum weight is 20 1bs). Everything she had in the original box (would have cost $250 to ship) fit into the USPS flat rate box (shipping cost $58) with the exception of a frying pan and cutting board which I will send separately. Writing religious messages on the box in English and French may seem weird but it's suggested and if it helps to stop the box being pilfered when it gets to Burkina, why not? Customs form is a little crazy but now I know exactly what to write down. I've heard all kinds of horror stories about shipping to Africa so I just hope she gets the package! 

It has been a very strange set of personal experiences since Marlow left. From the teary, very emotional (for me) parting at the airport in Tampa to a bit of a personal roller coaster ride since she arrived in Burkina.  Now I'm feeling a whole lot better to have had the first email, first phone call and sent the first package. So I'm now settling into the Peace Corps mum role.

Marlow has jestingly reminded me, on occasion, over the past few years when she was at college that she is not a little girl anymore. I know this. She is a remarkable 21 year old with incredible smarts of every kind. I also know this: that she will always be my little girl :-)

Marlow is in Ouagadougou!

So happy to get an email from Marlow from her hotel in Ouagadougou today. Long flights (but she is used to that between her numerous Tampa to London flights and many long haul flights to other countries).

Knowing that she is now in Burkina Faso is a huge relief.  Not because of silly flying/travel concerns but because that's where she wanted to be and has worked so hard to be. I was anxious to know that she had taken that first step off the plane in Ouaga.

As an aside, I had forgotten how much better I felt when Marlow let me know that she had arrived in Ghana when she was a Humanitarian Rights volunteer in the summer of 2009 http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/article1022761.ece

So, a good day for this PCV mum just to know that Marlow has arrived in Burkina but paradoxically is now able to truly start her journey.

Marlow is on her way to Burkina Faso

Via New York and Brussels, Marlow is on her way right now to Burkina Faso. I'm feeling so much happier knowing that she is fully on her way to her destination from Philly. I make no apologies that the last couple of days have left me feeling very emotional at times. Maybe I'm the only PCV mum to feel this way but I don't think so. Best kindred wishes to all the other parents of PCVs leaving for Burkina Faso today :-)

24 hours

She's packed. She's ready to go. This time tomorrow, Marlow will be in Philly for "staging." Friday she leaves for the trip to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso via New York and Brussels. I've read the Peace Corps booklet: "On the Home Front - A Handbook for the Families of Volunteers." Funny thing is that the Peace Corps doesn't (and, duh, couldn't) prepare me and her dad for this. I think the "staging" began when Marlow was born so I'm actually quite prepared. Couldn't be prouder. Couldn't be happier. Couldn't be sadder.