As a nice ending to our Burkina Faso stay, Elli and I decided to take our last weekend in the country and be tourists. And as tourists in Burkina Faso, there is really only one place to go: south, to Banfora. Having had both a driver and a rented pick-up truck during most of ourContinue reading “the fickle public transport in Burkina Faso (December 5th)”
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the last two days of fieldwork (December 4th)
I think I alluded to it in an earlier post, but the day before I was set to go for my two last days of fieldwork, things just turned upside down with Elli’s laboratory things and our payments and everything worked out in the end, but not without me being half a day late toContinue reading “the last two days of fieldwork (December 4th)”
eating wild things (December 4th)
It is kind of hard to avoid, really, when that’s what most of my questions have been about. Food. What do people eat to sustain themselves. They tell me: That wild bush has leaves that can be used to spice tô (millet porridge). And they pick the leaves and start nibbling on them, offering meContinue reading “eating wild things (December 4th)”
the long road back home (present day)
Dear reader. I stopped uploading anything here in the beginning of December, due to lack of time and internet access and tiredness. But I made notes, of varying degrees of readability. About fifteen pages of notes, covering my journey from the last two days of fieldwork, a visit to Banfora, arriving in Ghana and whatContinue reading “the long road back home (present day)”
a brief pop cultural summary of my 2014
I’ve barely landed. The darkness is disorienting. I’m not completely sure of where I am at present, emotionally – as if the three months spent in West Africa have a too strong hold on my mind yet. Everything is just surreal. But I’m about to leave for a New Year’s dinner, I have painted myContinue reading “a brief pop cultural summary of my 2014”
season greetings to you all
We’re staying at an ecolodge by the beach outside Elmina, Ghana, mother and I. It is so organic, it doesn’t even have electricity, only solar-powered lights in the clay huts. But the food is good, and the cocktails are cheap. There are plenty of places to sit and read, and the ocean is lukewarm. WeContinue reading “season greetings to you all”
pause
And I wish I had more time to write. We’re in Kumasi now, in a super cozy B&B, and my brain is still a Swiss cheese. A melting Swiss cheese. I wish I was less petty. I watched a video clip of the Lucia choir that was put together last minute at the SRC, somethingContinue reading “pause”
(hopefully) the last night in Ouaga
What has happened since I wrote last? Tons. Can I write about it now? No. That will have to be for a later date. Possibly already tomorrow afternoon, if things go as I hope. Elli left yesterday morning. Helena left yesterday night. I feel abandoned – although, still not quite. I’m staying with Christina, a wonderfullyContinue reading “(hopefully) the last night in Ouaga”
the last dinner at Chez Tess
Yesterday: Yet another chock-realization that the cultures of Burkina Faso and Sweden are vastly different. Misunderstandings regarding laboratories and payments and bookings and how to get things done. Sometimes, just getting someone to answer the phone can be a whole-day mission. But now, hopefully, things have gotten solved and we’ll be able to finish the workContinue reading “the last dinner at Chez Tess”
a day of picking up the pieces (November 30)
I’ve logged photographs and transcribed notes. We ate lunch. Shared a liter of sangría, because it tastes almost like glögg and it’s first advent today. First Sunday of Christmas. I Skyped with Jessica for almost an hour. She’s trying to settle in on Iceland. After, we talked long about relationships, Elli and I. I’m listeningContinue reading “a day of picking up the pieces (November 30)”
Katja Malmborg 