No Class Today Kids

There are some days where I leave class thinking ‘I love this job,’ so much so that I think about potentially doing a 3^rd year. Some days I leave class thinking ‘That was ok, there is always tomorrow.’ These are the days when my French is perhaps not at its best or days when, towards the end, a few students act up forcing me to act the role of parent-I wish I could say disciplinarian.

Then there are the days where all I can think about is leaving class to go home and read a book or watch a movie. These are the days where class is so unruly that I literally spend 30 minutes of my 2 hour session doling out punishments, usually point reductions or sending kids to the discipline office. These are the days that I hate, that make me want to leave. Everyone has them, they are called “bad days.”

I wish I could say that what happened today ranked in the “bad day” category. No, today was even worse. Today was a get-me-the-hell-out-of-here kind of day. Surprisingly, this was not the result of a student, or an unruly class. Yes towards the end of class students begin to get ansy, but hell, I would be to if I had to sit through a two hour math class-half of which you can’t even understand your crazy American teacher because he continues to babble on in French. (On another note, the system here needs a change in the way classes are run. Two hours of math in a row for a class of 100+ students is asking a lot for a group of adolescent teenagers. I can say this safely knowing that most of my Burkinabé colleagues feel the same way.)

About 30 minutes into class, the principal enters the room to make an announcement to students. It is very rare that the principal makes an appearance in class so I thought to myself ‘this must be important.’ With all the exterior events going on it must be so right?

WRONG!!!!!!

Proviseur (principal), “Good morning students.”

Students, “Good morning Monsieur le Proviseur.”

Proviesuer, “There is no class tomorrow or Saturday. (Students erupt into cheering). There is a sport competition tomorrow and the government has asked to use our school for their personal chambers.”

I’m sorry what?

Due to some random soccer tournament, the school will be housing all the competitors and there is not one free room for students to have school. So naturally, let’s just cancel class in a school year already shortened by civil unrest so we can play soccer.

I love soccer as much as the next person, but seriously? It’s as if the second half of this year never existed so why not go ahead and cancel whatever we’ve got left? Students are not even half way done with their course material and we are canceling 2 of the remaining 9 days of school to play host to a soccer tournament. This school week was a lousy 2 days. 2 days!!! Strikes closed school Monday and Tuesday, and now sport closes school for another two days.

That gives me 7 days to finish 5 chapters of my textbook and to give one test so I can actually have something to give a grade for. Semester 2 = 5 weeks of total class, Awesome.

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Continued Later

Even though I did not agree with cancelling school for this, it was a good time. Different sporting events took place throughtout town including soccer, handball, and basketball tournaments. Our highschool won the basketball! By default because there were no other entries. But thats ok, they had a tournament against themselves.

My What a Year it Has Been

365 days ago I was 24. That means that 365 days later from 365 days ago is today, and that 24+1 = 25, or better termed the “quarter-century mark.” Dylan Butler is 25 this May 5^th, 2011! Rather scary actually that I have gotten to be this age really, the future of America rests in the souls of folks like me. Good luck USA!

Enough with the sarcasm and comedy, this birthday marks a point in my life of deep reflection. So without further ado, it’s time to highlight the defining moments of what has been perhaps the most interesting year of my life so far.

While this technically does not count for this year since our one year anniversary was is in March, it is still very worth mentioning that this last year saw Dylan change his perennial Facebook relationship status from single to in a relationship. It’s certainly been an exciting and difficult year but the most solid thing throughout was a blossoming relationship with Ms. Kirstin Krudwig that continues to this day and onwards into the country of Belize.

Don’t worry parents, you still get recognized as well. Without the love, support, and strength of my parents I certainly would never be where I am today. While it is very difficult to think of the near tragedy that happened last August, it is a testament to the strength of my family that my mother was able to spend her birthday in absolute amazing health. For my family to have gone through such a difficult event and to come out even better is something to be thankful for and astounded by. And, while not yet arrived, my sister Hannah will be celebrating her 21^st birthday this August, another milestone soon to be achieved. I would also like to thank my Uncle Mark Schoofs and my Aunt Judy Bello for being so instrumental in ensuring that we could all celebrate the 4^th and the 5^th in happiness this year.

My cousin Jackie just celebrated her quarter century and just received her Master’s of Education from Johns Hopkins, and while not the winner this year (hey we need to share achievements with others right?) Mark Schoofs was a finalist for a second Pullitzer Prize. It’s clear that I won’t win that award because I’m not even sure I spelled it right, but I am proud of the improvements and new-found love in my writing that this last year has granted me.

It is very important to note, that above all, I have spent the last year of my life in the peaceful country of Burkina Faso. Well, for most of the last year, peaceful. Burkina Faso has demonstrated an amazing test of wills in surviving through the near crisis that plagued its peoples for almost 3 months. Some of you are informed on the situation, and others not (it’s cool, don’t feel bad), but the last few months proved to be a very difficult time for the nationals of this small but great country and I owe much to my dear friends who assisted me along the way, through the good and bad.

In between my 24^th and my 25^th, the world has undergone quite a few changes. Most notably the revolutions across the Middle East and the geographical shift of the island-nation of Japan caused by one of the most tragic earthquakes in recorded history. I have news from my dear JICA friends, in particular Yoshie and Kaego are doing very well considering. Most recently the world has witnessed the death of the world’s most infamous man and #1 terrorist, Osama Bin Laden. The world has also seen the first Royal Wedding in years (which I don’t particularly care about), and the 4 game sweep of the Washington Capitals by the Tampa Bay Lightning (which I will cry about tomorrow, not today!).

In two months I will be home, where I plan on spending my 26^th birthday. Two birthdays across the sea in a land called Burkina Faso has put my life in great perspective, and I will never forget what has come to pass as a result of my experiences here.

Last but not least, R.I.P. Bob. You were a good little puppy.

*I want to apologize for the lack of photos. Ever since my ASUS netbook broke (they suck by the way and could use better customer service) I have been unable to shrink photos with Picasa photo-editor to make uploading photos a breeze.

Tenkodogo Futsol

When I lived in Thailand in 2007, football (soccer), or more specifically futsol, was my best tool to integrate and make friends. Futsol, played 4v4 with small goals on a blacktop, was the most popular sport at my university. Teams would gather every night for hours to compete for that coveted right to say, “I am better than you.” I played almost every night and made many friends doing so. My love of football and futsol has allowed me to make friends around the world; doesn’t matter that I’m terrible at it. I always bring a pair of cleats with me because you never know under what strange rock you will find a match.

Countries and places that I have played football in since 2007: Thailand, Burma, Vermont, Washington DC (all over), Seattle, Stanford University, Golden Gate Park San Francisco, Guinea, Mali, the beaches of Ghana, and of course Burkina Faso. I have played on almost every surface from turf, to grass, to dirt, to rocks with locals and friends alike. Only music in my opinion can rival the power football has in bringing people together.

When I went home for Christmas last December, I found a futsol that was donated to me in my pile of assorted donated soccer equipment. I remembered how much I loved futsol as a game; its fast-pace and quick footwork puts players above the rest. Playing on a hard surface limits contact and frankly that is just fine by me-I am not in the business of getting hurt.

Could I get a futsol group started in Tenkodogo? Why not, it’s worth a shot. Football is religion here, kids and adults never stop playing no matter what condition Mother Nature throws at them. I returned with the futsol ball and began organizing a group right away.

Along with two of my friends Rodrique and Las, the group began slowly. We started by playing Sunday mornings with a turnout of 6-10 people. This continued for two months and some days nobody would show up at all. Then, the strikes happened. My high school gave us permission to use the small metal goals we have for classes to play our own futsol matches and then futsol took off.

With all the downtime allotted to the residents of Tenkodogo with the school closings, people picked up futsol as a replacement activity. We played so often (it was my friend Rodrique that took charge) that we destroyed our ball. Just the other day we had over 20 people come out and over 50 spectators. We have officially become a club, and as a result players are pooling in money to pay for new balls. I have loved watching this project grow from nothing to a very popular sport and for others to share my interests in the great game.

Football creates bridges that no other game can do. If you are a world traveler and enjoy spending time with locals, not other travelers, pick up the game of football (guitar and/or drums is another option). You may be terrible at it and often you will be the worst on the field-playing against kids who have played since they first walked will do that to you. But that’s not the point. It’s the spirit of the game that is important. Nobody cares that you stink (but being awesome makes you pretty badass), most people are just happy to have an exchange created only through the football pitch. Pick up this activity and just watch the fruits of it grow, there is a damn good chance that you will find footballers everywhere.

Maybe one day you will win the right to say on the football or futsol pitch, “I am better than you.”

First Class in Two Months!

Yes that is exactly right. Monday was the first time I had a math class since February 17. In between my last class and my first class of April the world has seen the fall of Gaddafi’s government in Libya, an astronomical earthquake in Japan, and the escalation of the crisis in the Ivory Coast (but authorities have arrested Laurent Gbagbo so hopefully we will see that situation end). Amazing really how our singular planet can change so match in such relatively little time.

If you have noticed (or have not), I have not mentioned at all on my blog why I have not been teaching since February. Burkina Faso too has seen its fair share of…change? After the softball tournament I was forced to stay in the Peace Corps medical unit and the day I returned was the first day of student led strikes in an effort to support a fellow student who was mistreated by authorities but the cause was blamed on something different (I won’t go into details but I encourage everyone to read up on it). Since those strikes started there has been a whirlwind of activity.

Schools were closed nationwide for weeks with marches flaring up in every major town throughout the country. Tenkodogo was relatively untouched by the demonstrations for weeks until last week.

The last week of March signaled my close of service conference, or the conference for those volunteers who will be finishing in a short period of time (my official day is July 29). During the conference, tempers in Tenkodogo flared up and as a I result I stayed in Ouaga for an extra week.

During the week in Ouaga other Volunteers and I decided to at least make the most of our situation by doing something in Ouaga. We visited an orphanage, helped our medical team with inventory, and planted moringa trees. Volunteers who are stuck in Ouaga often choose to stay very inactive. There is always work to do in Burkina Faso, no matter where you are, and the four of us (coined the M-Team for our medical inventory work) made the most of our respective situations.

Country wide situations have calmed, and finally we are back in school. Students are very happy to be back, especially those who have major tests at the end of the year. Teachers as well are happy to be back because now we have something to do again! Tenkodogo as a whole is calm and life is returning to normal.

So what has happened the last 7-8 weeks? I’m not really sure. I don’t wish to disclose any more than I have. There is clearly much more that has happened, but I tried to write the dullest, detail-lacking blog entry as possible for two reasons: 1) to encourage you to read up on what has passed here and 2) to let people know that I have not been a ghost the last month. Things happened out of my control and my blog suffered for it

So Many Colors in the Rainbow

Oh so many colors...

Negativity and selfishness have defined my life in the past few weeks. A combination of heat and events outside my control have limited much of my ability to do work. I have tried, with little success, to create activities and opportunities to occupy the extraordinary amount of time recently made available to me. A library project and a youth conference discussing public health and water sanitation have both been delayed until further notice (effectively canceled). I've been trying, but with situations as they are it is proving to be a very difficult time.

Some of the basketball team painting and participating in the Rainbow Project.

The problem with all of this is that I have allowed the boredom and lack of motivation to take over. So many activities, so many cancellations, what am I to do? Frankly, I have not been occupying the time as well as I could be doing, no fault can be blamed on anyone but me for that. Yes things are difficult right now, but I need to stay motivated or all of this becomes a dull existence.

Today, as I am wallowing in a state of purgatory, I see a blind child with the largest smile on his face. He is singing along to the radio, and singing loud for all to hear. Other children and adults giggle to themselves, but I am inspired. Here is a child, blind perhaps since birth, taking pride in the spirit of music. He does not notice those around cracking jokes at his expense, the child is simply enjoying himself.

My Japanese friend Akiko instructing us on what to do. The Rainbow Project is an art project using paint as a platform for discussing diversity created by JICA.

How can I be so selfish and negative? How can I think life is so awful because I have not been allowed to work lately? I am an able bodied 24 year old male, in terrific overall shape and with an education not afforded to those that I work with to no fault of their own. Yet, I whine and moan that my life is so terrible.

This child, pending unforeseen medical advances, will never be able to distinguish the beautiful colors of the rainbow. If he is one day to have children of his own he will never be able to see them with his own eyes. I can't imagine such a fate.

I live in a land where my problems are laughable. My petty needs, seeming so grave to me, would be problems desired by most of the world. I have a job. I have healthcare. I can pay for myself to eat, to drink a cold beer, to travel and see friends whenever I feel.

The finished project, before connecting them to form "the rainbow."

I pay for medicine with my own money knowing that I will be reimbursed. That is not the case for most of the world. Burkinabe health clinics do not have the money for sterile latex gloves, it is the people that must buy them for the doctors. Why would you pay for a pair of gloves knowing that if you do there will be no food for your family that evening? I certainly would rather risk unsanitary treatment over not feeding my family.

Then we see the devastation of Japan. An astronomical earthquake of 9.0 wipes out an entire part of a country leaving thousands of people dead and hundreds of thousands displaced. I received an email from my dear friend Yoshie telling me about the situation. She cannot find some of her friends. I know that fear, all of us Americans do. It's a fear that nobody ever wants-remember September 11^th 2001, and then Hurricane Katrina, August 2005. Man made disaster or natural, both are equally devastating. My buddy Kaego is returning to Japan Sunday after finishing two years of JICA volunteer service in Burkina Faso only to return to the most horrible natural disaster to ever hit Japan. I cannot imagine the fear and anxiety that is plaguing my Japanese friends here in Burkina, the feeling of helplessness that I know so many of them feel.

After finishing the first assingment the kids started painting whatever they felt. Students are very creative, they just need encouragement and the means.

Then there is Cote d'Ivoire. The devastation of a failed government on the verge of war has preyed on the mind of many of my friends here in Burkina Faso. Almost every Burkinabe has a friend or a family member in what was once the most successful and stable country in West Africa. Many of my friends live in fear that everyday one of their own will fall victim to the deteriorating situation in Cote d'Ivoire.

Nevertheless, these people are surviving. I am truly inspired by the spirit of those around me, and disgusted with my own attitude. My friend Akiko asked me to organize a group of students to participate in the Rainbow Project. While I did not know the project, I agreed to help when she explained it as an art project designed to discuss diversity and acceptance. Here is a Japanese woman, not directly affected by the earthquake but certainly still affected, moving on and trying to do what she can despite tragedy. Boys and girls who came to participate are still in high spirits despite difficult situations outside of their control throughout West Africa.

Still unsure how writing in Japanese encouraged this student to write in English. On the left is "I love you," on the right is his name in Japanese.

The idea of the project is to mix colors in ways to demonstrate that while each color is distinct, each one is also a mix, a platform to discuss the topic of diversity. Even though Burkinabe, Japanese, and Americans are all from different backgrounds, religions, and cultures, it's amazing the things that we share in common. We must embrace our differences and celebrate our similarities, it's the only way people will make it in this world.

I have family and friends that love me, a wonderful girlfriend who reminds everyday that this world is a beautiful place, an African community that has welcomed me and taken care of me, and of course my health. I try to take none of it for granted.

Things that Go Bump in the Night

This "little" guy is the real reason why I use a mosquito net at night. Heard him hit my screen door with a large *thud* last night while I was getting ready for bed.

Malaria is a scary thing, but there is no way I want to be waking up with that guy in my bed (I've already woken up to a bat flapping around inside my mosquito net). This beetle thing happens to be the same size as a medium sized bar of soap. Scary huh?

A Very Bizarre Two Weeks

Peace Corps is known for being an experience where no day is like any other, and Burkina Faso is certainly a country that has the ability to give the gift of surprise each and every day. Given my interesting experiences in the weeks passing since the infamous softball tournament (which I am now known for as being the coach who led his team to an 0-3 record!), I can certainly verify the truth in each day being different from the last.

Even the desert has flowers

It all started actually 2 months ago in the USA after a soccer match with my buddy Chris and his family. After returning home from the friendly match I began to complain of abdominal pain. Various people can attest to this fact. I simply figured the pain was sport induced so I did nothing about it. It continued to bother me for a few days, than I decided it was time to do some of my own research online. I discovered that the only problem most related to what I was feeling was a failure to pass gas...

During the last two weeks I visited a family that makes ceramic pots for a living

Sure enough, the pain went away. And then it came back. But then it went away again. And then it returned. Can you see the pattern? Every time I thought it was time to see the doc, the pain went away and I decided against it. Then came the softball tournament.

When I last blogged, I had done so in the state of good health-about two hours before my body began to fall apart. I went to bed that night with intense abdominal pain centered in the oblique section of my body. This was it, I was already in Ouaga, and it was time to go see the doctors. At first the answer seemed simple. It was ruled an oblique muscular strain, an injury often sustained in baseball or softball. Treatment was easy, I needed to do something that frankly I am simply not good at-rest and no physical activity. In order to force me into a regime of no sports, I had to stay in Ouaga for 3 more days after the softball tourney.

Finally Thursday rolled around, doctors gave me the OK, and I went to site. I was not happy that I had already missed a week of school, but health always comes first. That's when Burkina decided to give a surprise.

I went back to site only to find all doors to school locked tight. No students have been allowed in the school grounds since Friday, February 25^th. So I have been sitting around twiddling my thumbs, watching Dexter and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and reading The Help, among others.

That's when my stomach concluded that is was time to say hello again, and this time it decided to bring with him an ankle injury. Taking advantage of the no-school situation (every cloud has a silver lining right?), I went to Ouagadougou again for further examination on both injuries. Turns out that by neglecting to treat my stomach early I allowed an infection manifest. Treatment is simple, just some antibiotics, but it's quite a relief to no longer feel the cramping that accompanied my stomach for months. I suffered a rolled ankle, whose treatment requires that I wear an Ace Bandage for several weeks. But what kind of story would this be if I didn't have something else go wrong? I had to get a mole removed and as I type this I have 3 stitches in my back where a mole used to be.

My body is finally recovering, and I believe that Burkina is returning back to normal-all good things. This past weekend, Ouagadougou played host to the biannual FESPACO film festival. I had the privilege to see two films, one from Egypt and another about Chinese business in Africa, and specifically Zambia. The preceding was very entertaining, and the latter was extremely interesting. Though I wish I had seen more (apparently the winner was a Burkina made kung fu movie), I was very happy that I was able to be a part of the moment.

Look at all those ceramic pots, afterwards they gave me one

But best of all, last night I saw the legendary Malienne singer Salif Kaeta in concert. The set was horribly done, acoustics were worse than my high school dances, and the opening act lip-sang. Thank goodness Mr. Kaeta is such an excellent musician. Despite all the negatives, Mr. Kaeta delivered a beautiful performance and I encourage anyone interested in music from West Africa to listen to Mr. Kaeta.

After a very bizarre two weeks (or maybe this is normal now?), I am back in Tenkodogo preparing for a return to school tomorrow. I remain highly skeptical, especially considering that Tuesday is International Women's Day, a federally observed holiday here in Burkina. Nevertheless, I will be there, hopefully giving my first math lesson in over two weeks to a group of students that I hope will be excited to have class again. Best of all, my health seems to be returning too!