smacky and bucky

WOW. I was browsing around the internet(s) and stumbled on a blog of someone currently in the Peace Corps in Burkina Faso, the country where I served. Actually, LOTS of volunteers there have blogs, and he links to a number of them. So if you want to check out pictures of where I was five years ago, look here: http://adaminafrica.blogspot.com. My first response to seeing all this: Lucky! They have laptops. They have internet access on a semi-regular basis. There's an internet cafe in Ouagadougou now!!! They mention having CELL PHONES!

When we were there, our only windows to the world beyond the horizon were scratchy broadcasts on BBC radio and the international edition of Newsweek (that actually came on more of a monthly schedule). My favorite hangout in Ouaga was a shack with a dirt floor, plastic chairs, cold beer, and a boom box blasting the latest Zouk music from Gambia. Awilo Longomba was HUGE over there. His big hit at the time sounded like he sampled the O-E-O! song by the guards outside the wicked witch's castle in the Wizard of Oz (seriously, go to this amazon link and play track 3, "Coupe Bibamba," and tell me if it sounds like that.)

I was showing the guy's blog to my wife, saying I couldn't believe how different it's become in such a short time, and she asked if I would have wanted those things when I was there. And really, I was happier without them. Yeah, I have a two-year gap in my pop culture memory, but in the long run the only thing I missed was the debut of Britney Spears, so no big loss. And getting the internet over there shows the country is moving forward a little more. Good for them. And cell phones were probably issued to volunteers after 9/11 and the various coups we've seen in Peace Corps countries. I know I sound like an old fart saying "Back in MY day, we didn't have laptops! Blah blah blah..." That's why I'll probably never comment in any of their blogs. I'll just check in with them once in a while, like an uncle. A hip, cute uncle.