We're Number Two!

Admit it . . . it's on everyone's lips. Because it's everyone's favorite topic. The subject? Diarrhea!

How long did you wait for your PC Invitation? How long was your application process? When I received my coveted invitation to serve the wonderful people of the BF, I immediately Googled the country name. Indeed, I read everything I could get my hands on. What? Wikipedia doesn't equal reasearch?! I must have missed that memo. In any event, I discovered that among all countries evaluated by the U.N. for human development (or some catchy, politically-correct, grossly-overused grant-application phrase), Burkina Faso was next to last. Something like 169 out of 170. Don't quote me here.

The precise measurement used by the U.N. isn't important in this context. The point is, we're number two! Next to last. The penultimate failure in human development, GNP, or some other measure of something with which I might want to acquaint myself in the event I ever really work in international development. Yeah, right . . . that's on my Bucket List.

The important thing is that being next to last pretty much ensures frequent encounters with non-potable water sources. It's a virtual guarantee of HepA-carrying street food, and deliciously evil parasites and bacteria. Yo, it's tô . . . it's riz gras and gumbo, it's leaf sauce! You were expecting what . . . L'Arpège?

So . . . what . . . you didn't Google the standard of living in The B.F. and now you wonder what's happening to your G.I. tract? Come on, folks.

Our advice? Actually, we have none. And if we did, we might not share it. But fear not, for now that you're finally a PCV you can embrace the fact that you're number two! So suck it up and deal!