Monday, December 28, 2009

Christmas, New Years, and Michael Jackson

Christmas has come and gone, and now I looked forward to a new year and a new decade. I spent the very nice holiday with 5 friends, and my new dog Bob, at my friends house here in Tenkodogo. We made burritos, sushi, and drank some delicious West African beer. The best presents I got this year, a new puppy and a visit by my fellow Peace Corps Guinea Volunteer, Obden, who was taking a trip to see me and Phil from his new post in Benin.


But alas, that is old news, and as this time of year always goes, it's out with the old and in with the new. I am going to Ouagadougou for New Years for what will hopefully be a very fun filled evening with what I estimate to be 50+ fellow volunteers and friends. It should be a very good time. But more than just New Years and its festivities, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on 2009.


2009 was a chaotic year for me, and a very important one as well. Outside of seeing President Barack Obamas inauguration and all the change that has brought, 2009 was a dramatic year of change for me personally. After breaking my knee cap on January 6th, my whole life 360d, sending me into what eventually became one crazy roller coaster ride in parts all over the world. After being denied a post in Uganda, I have seen the West Coast of the USA, lived in three different countries in West Africa, and through it all I have grown up more than I thought possible.


While I won't go into many details, much of it is too personal even for my blog, I wanted to say thank you to everyone and every thing that had an impact in my life this year. It was a fantastic year to be Dylan Butler, and I would not trade any of it for anything.


2010 of course brings a whole new set of challenges. I have now been at site for almost a month, and I begin to teach in less than two weeks. For better or for worse, it's about time to begin a job. That brings out unaccoutable stress, but it's my job and I am ready to step in and help my school in any way I can. They gave me a house with power and water, the least I can do is teach a few classes. To everyone else, may this decade be as interesting and healthy for you as it was for me. Life is a great experience and it never stops, so just enjoy it.


So why Michael Jackson you ask? Well he did die this year, as the whole world knows. No no, you must check out the new addition of TIME magazine this week, there is a photo taken by my friend Kevin Roche that was published, it's Peace Corps Guinea doing the thriller dance, and I'm in it! Well I don't know if I'm in the photo, but I was there, doing the dance! So please, someone send it to me.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Got My Ass A Bed, Because I Am Petron Like That

So Step 1 of the Dylan moving into apartment is complete, I am no longer sleeping on the floor. My bed, made by a local carpenter (carpentor, how does one spell that?), is actually quite awesome and petit-en-petit my house is coming togethor. Got a closet also, nice. Chairs and table are on the way as well, maybe my Christmas present?

In other news, December 11th was Independence Day. Independence Day consists of a nice march that unfortunately goes on for q bit too long for my tastes, but it was still a good time. It started with a military march, and then the school parade (with every school in the area). But by the end I was quite bored, and along with my friend we returned home. When all was said and done, we got a beer and then I took a nice nap.

Coolest thing about the parade: I got to sit in the King's section. Why, because I am petron like that. The King walked in with his own personal drum group (man I wish I had my own drum theme song when I walked in public). It wasn't the best rhythmic display I have ever seen, but it didn't matter, it was still an awesome display. I was in a whole array of photos that day, partially because I sat behind the King of the Mossi, and partially because I am petron like that.

Next day was quite the opposite. I was quite ill, stricken with what I like to call the I-Ate-Something-I-Will-Regret-Later syndrome. And oh yes, it was a very long Saturday indeed. But never fear, I am back to fine health.

Petron status: Recovered.

One more good story for the day before I chat a little bit about my situation. I totally and completely destroyed this guy's computer today. He thinks it's ok because around here I am known as the computer wizard (Which is a BIIIIIG mistake I must add). Little does he know that I'm totally freaking out because I have no idea how the hell I am going to fix this thing. But whatever, I'll figure it out, because I am petron like that.

Ok so a little more about Tenko. I am making friends very quickly, through basketball, school, and other methods. It's very easy to draw attention here, being the only white resident in a town of 30,000 will do that. My buddy, the school Censeur, speaks English quite well, and loves to drink a cold beer with me from time to time. There is nothing better than a cold beer in 100 degree heat. My other good friends are two older students at the school. They want to learn English more than anything so I negotiated a deal with them, one day English, one day French. One can actually rap in English, though he does not always understand what he is saying. The other is a total computer dork, and loves undoing all my work.

Between learning how to cook, fixing computers, learning French, and generally screwing around (or up), I manage to keep quite busy here.

Merry Christmas to all!

It has come to my attention that some folks don't know the meaning of Petron. Well in the dictionary it would look a little like this:

Petron: pé-trone n. Dylan, boss

And for those who do know me, I am totally not a petron. The only reason I got to sit behind the King was because I got there at 6:30 AM, at least two hours before the real petrons got there.

Monday, December 7, 2009

I Have a Toilet....

Oh yes, that is no typo, j'ai une toilette. Or as I like to call it, the patron throne. Yes I only have a limited amount of time left on the comp to write this, but I just wanted to provide a quick update about nmy town. I live in a pretty well populated area with a bunch of Volunteers around me (40k or so) and 3 Japanese JICA Volunteers, or better said the Japanese Peace Corps. One of them speaks English very well and I meet her sometimes for a quick beer, which , unlike in Guinea, is a perfectly acceptable habit.

I live in an apartment by the school, which is massive and has running water and electricity (which I don't have to pay for). I am already helping in my computer lab and the English Club, but I don't start teaching until next month, which is fine by me. Tenkodogo, in short, is a pretty sweet place and I think I will like it here a lot:. Hell, I survived a week already, one night longer than Tormelin.

Oh and before I leave, Guinea is not doing well. Dadiss was shot and it looks as if civil war is approaching. Please continue to hold Guinea in your hearts.