Just as I remember it.

Burkina is exactly the same. As soon as I stepped foot off the plane, the smells and sounds were so familiar (in a good way). I've eaten rice with peanut sauce and sheep liver (my favorite meal), drank water out of a plastic baggie and sweated like nothing else during my 1 block walk to get food.... just like the good old days. One major difference will be that I'll be living in Ouaga!!!! with an apt that has running water, electricity and possibly wifi. Now THAT is a foreign concept to me in Burkina. I can't wait!

It's amazing to me how much this feels like home, though. It's actually even more amazing that the US, Israel AND Burkina Faso all feel like home to me. What a whirlwird of a few weeks I've had....

I'm in meetings/training sessions all day with the Peace Corps, with a small swear-in ceremony to make my service official tonight. I was supposed to get one-on-one training with a shelter expert from Kenya who specializes in reconstructing homes after natural disasters... but he's on his way to help people in Haiti instead. So for me, I think I'll mostly be learning the scope of my job and visiting sites to better understand what's in place and what will be done while I'm here.

Otherwise just want to let everyone know I'm safe and sound and excited to get started on this new endeavor!!! I plan to get a cell phone tonight, so I will post that number as soon as I do.

Big hugs!