The sun rising over the shrublands. The smells of dawn, soft, dry and earthy.
The sounds of donkeys and goats. The desperation in a donkey’s scream, or the very un-animal-like braying of the goats. Whereever I hear them, I can’t help laughing. I just can’t.
And the people. I’ll miss working with the villagers. Their sincerity and helpfulness, going out of their way to make sure I got what I needed.
Now that it’s over, I can safely say that my stay in Ouahigouya was a mostly nice one. Despite the house arrest that almost drove me mad, the misunderstandings due to culture differences, the rashes and mosquito bites, the inhumanly early mornings, the exhaustion and the constant heat. Despite all of that, it was good. It really was.
Katja Malmborg 