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Just a quick note to say that a stranger is in the mix (at least a stranger by French language standards). My little brother has been running around with me for a number of days now. It's been really nice to be able to share a bit of Burkina with him, including long hours in buses and weird animal smells.

Justin (my brother) comes with an automatic issue in hand, vegetarianism. It's nothing to me but it is a horribly difficult idea to explain to people that see meat as a wonderful luxury. Why would you reject meat? It's almost to the point of 'why would you burn money, you rich jerk'? Luckily, one can connect via religion. The idea being that I explain to them that Adam and Eve did not eat meat in the Garden of Eden which was paradise (in both the Quran and Bible). Thus, Justin is trying to build his diet in the manner of paradise. Burkinabe seem to be relatively content with such an explanation but others still seem to understand that the condescending tone in which they say 'he's a VEGETARIAN' translates despite the language barrier.

Even now in Kong (my home), when we have control of food and its preparation, the issue can rise in a different way. Most burkinabe do not have the capacity to eat out often so the restaurants cater to their desire for something grander and more luxurious which translates into meat. Thus, it becomes hard to find anything on any menu that does not have meat, meat sauce or a general wafting odor of meatiness. Even when the menu item is not injected with 'dead animal flesh' (his words, not mine though it is true), they are typically raw vegetables which pose the problem of digestion. To put it simply, vegetables are not often thoroughly washed and can contain traces of animal feces and pesticides, as they do. Not the worst thing if you are use to parasites and have had giardia three or so times (me) but can be rough if you want to spend the month visiting your brother and not wafting your tell-end over a latrine hole for 18 hours a day (Justin). (I am keeping Justin from posting any possible visual aids to the former) Thus, it is a lot of cooking at home and seeing my African diet from yet another point-of-view. Luckily enough, we've kept him well enough feed. Partially, we can thank the M&M's he brought.

In other news, we have turned the house into as much of a Christmas vacation spot as is possible. With stockings, a small tree, candy canes, a few lights and some homemade holly/paper chains, the house has turned into a reminder of family and home. It is our first Christmas away from the family and that has come with a sort of heaviness. In modern western society, it happens. Really, being together every Christmas for as long as we have (28 years) is rare for a family, especially a family that lives in multiple places abroad. It was bound to happen sometime which is apparently translated to this year. For me, no family really would equate to no real Christmas. The little brother helps make Christmas real this year. The decorations help breakdown the distance.

Today was the 21st market day, which is a larger market. We ran around town with David (visiting) and Molly. Molls and Justin ran through the market looking at fabrics and laughing. Dduck (David) sneakily bought little things for Christmas gifts (mine was an awesome calculator watch). I walked around getting poked by kids, only to look down and realize it was my students stopping me to say hi. It was not exactly Christmas shopping but it had the right feel and that's what really counts. It even came with minions for Justin to summon and do his bidding (two little market urchins that kept trying to hold my hand and get us to buy them things).

Soon the trip will turn to Rambo and a visit amongst the village. Then, Molls, Justin and myself will probably turn southward and try for a Togo vacation. We will see if success is in the adventure cards for the closing of the year.