You
all remember Mad Libs. Those fill in the
blank word games were ridiculously fun, especially when one has the sense of
humor of a ten year old. Well I’m here
to tell you that a significant number of Peace Corps Volunteers in Burkina Faso
have retained, or reverted to, the sense of humor of a young child. As such, we
find Mad Libs incredibly entertaining.
The
perpetually semi-delirious state of mind that most volunteers find themselves
in during Peace Corps trainings occasionally gives birth to creative genius. Desperate to escape mandatory sessions from
Peace Corps Washington, volunteers seek refuge in their own imaginations,
pretending they are enjoying beers on distant beaches or finding humorous ways
to make the time pass.
It
was during one of those particularly boring mandatory training sessions that
the following Mad Libs were conceptualized.
An initial Mad Lib contained significantly more truth than initially
expected, producing much stifled laughter.
It made us realize that the situations we experience here in Burkina as
Peace Corps Volunteers are often just as ridiculous as a fill-in-the blank game
designed to make kids laugh.
Because
most of you are not, and will never be, Peace Corps Volunteers in the country
of Burkina Faso, I invite you to fill in these Mad Libs, hopeful it will allow
you to imagine what your life might be like if you joined Peace Corps
and were placed in this country. Remember,
the point of a Mad Lib is to be unaware of the context of the blanks you are filling,
so if you’re doing it alone, fill in the top before transferring the words to
the actual story. Don’t ruin the fun!
My First Blog Post from Burkina Faso
Your
Name:
A
Professional Sector:
Occupation
in a professional sector unrelated to aforementioned sector:
Village/city
ending in –dougou:
Direction
on a Compass:
Nickname
ending in –asara or –ubabu:
Plural
Noun:
Burkinabe
Local Language:
Number
over 1,000:
Life
Threatening Disease:
Manageable
Communicable Disease:
Profession:
Country
Bordering Burkina Faso:
Descriptive
Adjective:
Opposite
of Previous Adjective:
Animal
Found in Burkina Faso:
Plural
Noun:
Good-bye
in a Foreign Language:
Greetings
from Burkina Faso!
I’m
(your name), a Peace Corps Volunteer in the (professional sector) sector. Basically, that means I function as a
(occupation in a professional sector unrelated to aforementioned sector). I live in the village of (village/city ending
in –dougou), which is in the (direction on a compass) region of Burkina. My friends in village call me (nickname
ending in –asara or –ubabu) which means “Keeper of the (plural noun)” in
(Burkinabe local language
I’ve
been in Burkina Faso for 3 months, but it feels like it’s been (number over
1,000) days. I’ve managed to avoid
contracting (life-threatening disease), but unfortunately contracted
(manageable communicable disease) from a (profession) in (country bordering
Burkina). That particular vacation was
(descriptive adjective), but the time I spent with the (aforementioned
profession) was (opposite of descriptive adjective).
I
was vegetarian before coming to Burkina, but that was until I tried (animal
found in Burkina). Now I love meat! I
hope you enjoyed learning about my life in Burkina Faso, “The land of the
(plural noun).”
(Good-bye
in a foreign language)!
For
example, here’s the result when I did this Mad Lib with my friend Amber.
Greetings
from Burkina Faso!
I’m
Amber, a Peace Corps Volunteer in the business sector. Basically, that means I function as a ship
captain. I live in the village of
Gregadougou, which is in the northern region of Burkina. My friends in village call me “whitesara”
which means “Keeper of the beers” in Dan-ley-ley.
I’ve
been in Burkina Faso for 3 months, but it feels like it’s been 1,001 days. I’ve managed to avoid contracting malaria,
but unfortunately contracted chlamydia from a circus clown in Mali. That particular vacation was long, but the
time I spent with the circus clown was short.
I
was vegetarian before coming to Burkina, but that was until I tried donkey. Now I love meat! I hope you enjoyed learning
about my life in Burkina Faso, “The land of the upright people.”
Au
revoir!
Medical Separation from Peace Corps
Burkina Faso
Your
Name:
Verb
ending in –ing:
Parasite:
Body
Organ:
Adjective:
Body
Part:
Adverb:
Number:
Profession
in Burkina Faso:
Adverb:
Verb
(infinitive):
Noun:
Vehicle
in Burkina Faso:
Family
Member:
Noun:
Verb
(infinitive):
Member
of Peace Corps Burkina Faso staff:
Noun:
Dear
(Your Name),
I’m writing to inform you that your
request for medical clearance has been denied.
After (verb –ing) your physical, we discovered (parasite) in your (body
organ). Upon further review, we also
discovered a (adjective) (body part), which as you know is grounds for medical
separation from your Peace Corps posting.
As such, we regretfully ask you
leave the country as soon as possible to seek medical care in the United
States. Please pack all of your things (adverb) and fill out the (number) forms
required to officially separate from Peace Corps Burkina Faso. Please be sure to call your (profession in
Burkina Faso). (Adverb) ask him or her
to (verb infinitive) the (noun) in a (vehicle in Burkina Faso). We have arranged for your (family member) to
receive your (noun) to relieve common anxieties.
If you would like to (verb
infinitive) this decision, please call (PC Burkina Faso staff member) and
request a (noun).
Best,
Dr. Jean-Luc
Here’s
the result when I did this Mad Lib with my friend Hallie.
Dear
Hallie,
I’m writing to inform you that your
request for medical clearance has been denied.
After chanting your physical, we discovered worms in your small
intestine. Upon further review, we also
discovered an angry knee, which, as you know, is grounds for medical separation
from your Peace Corps posting.
As such, we regretfully ask you
leave the country as soon as possible to seek medical care in the United
States. Please pack all of your things anxiously and fill out the 27 forms
required to officially separate from Peace Corps Burkina Faso. Please be sure to call your mayor and
politely ask him or her to congratulate the coffee table in a donkey cart. We have arranged for your uncle to receive your
tofu to relieve common anxieties.
If you would like to understand this
decision, please call Paul and request a tank top.
Best,
Dr. Jean-Luc
Enjoy!
As
for my life in Burkina, June marked the start of the rainy season here,
although it didn’t start raining consistently until July. Everyone in my village, and for that matter
almost the entire country, has been focused on plowing their fields and
planting crops, so life has slowed down even more here. Yes, apparently that is actually possible.
I
was chosen to be a facilitator for the training of the new health volunteers
that will be arriving in October! I was
also invited to the capital, Ouagadougou, for a week of meetings to help plan
their training period, which is where I am now.
Other than that, I’ve been counting down the days until August 19, the
day I leave for my vacation in Cape Town.
I’m glad I’ve stayed in Burkina for this long at the beginning of my
service, but I’m looking forward to getting out of this country, going to an
amazing city, seeing my parents, surfing, and relaxing on a beach.
 |
| One month until Cape Town! |
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