so im in kongoussi. thats funny that i wrote about my inability to start a relationship in that last blog cause exactly two days after writing that blog i started dating someone!! his name's François, hes a beautiful man with a georgeous smile and he treats me like a princess. hes the history and french teacher at my school. he grew up in cote d'ivoire and now lives in ouaga when hes not teaching in my village in bourzanga. he makes me very happy :) ive been out of bourzanga two days and i miss him. anyway, hes been my best friend in village for about six months and i think its been pretty obvious from the beginning that we both liked eachother but for some reason he wouldnt ask me out until this last break we were hanging out at the american embassy in ouaga and i told him "you like me, i like you, for the love of god do something about this!" so weve been together ever since :) anyway, just wanted to report the good news!

i came down to kongoussi to go to the bank and it turns out there are seven other volunteers here for a birthday party so im staying the whole weekend and partying with them. last night we had meat and drinks (coke for me, beers for everyone else) (one doesnt eat meat very often here so eating a bunch of goat meat and then very good grilled chicken makes for a good celebration) and then today they convinced me to stay instead of going home to my man and we spent all day watching House DVDs and eating frozen M&Ms. life is good in kongoussi :) so i guess tonight well be partying again maybe with some more meat and coke, or im hoping to get my hands on some really awesomely good kongoussi yougurt ive been craving since i got here. they serve it very cold with bread and its amazing.

next weekend im in djibo for the big april birthdays joint party in the north! my birthday is monday im turning 25! i cant tell you how happy i am about turning 25 in africa. i feel like im accomplishing things, experiencing things and seeing things. i feel very good about where i am right now and i cant wait to spend my first birthday in africa!

okay well i do actually have to accomplish some things on the internet (ie write my quarterly report) so im going to get on that. africa rocks!! till next time bye!!