Biking through the bush!

**written on July 22^nd**

Hi everyone,

I hope you are all doing well. Things are good if a little weird here. As I have probably mentioned, it’s a weird time of year, since everyone is in the fields growing corn and cotton during the rainy season, and school is out, adding to the ghost-town feel you sometimes get.

Still, there are things to stay busy with. Plans are underway for an information/planning session with the latrine project. I am trying to plan ahead a little for work with students once the school year does start. I am trying to think now about any materials that will be helpful. I am working on developing plans on the solar light project. My post mate Camille and I have also gotten in some work related exercise!

As I mentioned before, a group of Kandi volunteers is hoping to do a malaria awareness bike tour at some point. Camille and I are both getting more excited about the Malaria Awareness aspect, but were a little apprehensive about the biking. We decided to do a test 20-kilometer ride, since that would probably be one of the longest stretches on the tour. We practiced doing a 10k ride and picked a date to set out. It rained the night before, so we were anxious that the roads would be too muddy, but we decided it was worth trying. I am happy to say that we were able to do the 20k ride without any major problems. We had to get of our bikes a handful of times because of mud, but made it through without a problem. I think we did a good job of taking turns leading, stopping for short breaks, and most of all just keeping on going. It really was very pretty to go by the cornfields and small villages. The trip was definitely an experience.

 When we finished the ride we got to say hi to the surveyant, or vice-principal of the secondary school in Founougo, and he was very friendly and gracious. He even fed us, which was especially generous since, as we came to find out, he was observing Ramadan and wasn’t eating during the day! Oops. Still, I think he was very happy to see us and was a wonderful host. I hope I get to drop by and say hi again sometime soon.

I have made a friend here named Vincent who worked closely with another Peace Corps volunteer back in 2008. He was trying to get some money together to work is own corn field and he solicited my help to get in touch with his friend. There was some confusion, and wrong types of IDs and failed trips to Banikoara, but at the end of the day (and the week) the returned volunteer was indeed able to help Vincent out, and I was able to mediate the exchange. I hope the cornfield is a big success!

I am trying to settle into the idea of being the only volunteer in Founougo for a little while, since Camille is taking a very much-deserved vacation, and getting to see some family. I can’t wait to hear her stories!

That’s it for now. Thanks for reading, hope you are all staying cool in the summer heat.

With love,

Lauren