Death by Afrobeat

So, back to the blog.  Until we came back for the Summer, I had no idea that people really enjoyed it.  I quite like writing and sometimes 'nostalge' (if that is not a real word, I am claiming it) that letter writing is not a thing now.  Perhaps it will be called vintage in 10 years and get taken up by teenagers?  I found the unposted blog from where I had left off and may as well start there...

 I had heard of Afrobeat and Afropop before we got here.  The term encompasses all the arts and embraces the amazing contemporary vibe here.  

We have been doing African dance classes, a chance to boogie and exercise at the same time.  Our usual teacher had to move on and we were introduced to our new teacher this week.  Suspiciously young looking and when the pounding Afrobeat came on, louder than was comfortable, anxiety levels mounted.  It was twice the speed as the last class.  Can't he tell that I am approaching the tea dance years?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZOV93NoXSI

Little taste of some music.  Enjoy.  This is the calmer stuff.  I will ask him for a link next class.  Bless, he will think I want to practice...

We managed though and loved it.  I found out after that it was a particular music from the Ivory Coast.  A reminder to keep that open mindset alive.  Given the option, I could easily have walked out after 10 minutes.  

I now do weekly yoga, Pilates, African dance, a weights or walking session and cycle everywhere.  Despite inhaling clouds of street dust, we have been pretty healthy so far.  The rains are coming soon which will bring the increased risk of malaria.  That would be a good one to avoid.  The treatment is pretty tough on your system and is the same as the preventative.  The general view is wait till you get malaria and then treat it!  The long term preventative can really mess you up.  Fingers crossed.

Our friends, the crocodiles at the park, are now surviving in a smaller and smaller pool.  Their world will open up again when the rains come.  We saw them catching fish for the first time and seeing the jaws open, face on, was somewhat alarming.  We can name more birds with confidence now and distinguish some calls.  The leaves have all but fallen off the trees and it is as dry as a bone.  Can't wait to see the colour explosion once everywhere has had a good drink.

Our flights home are booked now.  I have met with the seamstress yesterday to have some outfits made for daughters.  With only one suitcase, it will be hard knowing what to bring back.  I love the work of the basket weaver 'Panier Paul'.  Hoping that a stack of his work will squash in amongst the fabrics.  

Very soon after this, movement stopped for me.  I had developed acute 'Achilles Insertional Calcifying Tendonitis'.  In short, 10 months of niggling leg pain turned to ouch.  Waves of ouchness and the threat of surgery.  Luckily I was flown back home for a second opinion and it was decided to try Electric Shock Wave Therapy first.  Done with that (10 weekly treatments in Lancaster over the summer) and the healing has gone amazingly well.  I am a good patient if told a practical set of exercises.  Forget medication though.  I need pain reminders so as not to behave like an idiot.  Anyway, sick of hearing about it.  Should get the final 'you don't need surgery' in October.

I can do anything as long as I don't 'launch' off it.  I don't launch by nature.

So, coming back to Burkina was a bit complicated.  Due to the coup in Niamey, our flights were cancelled-Air France will not presently fly over sensitive air space.  Flights were changed to a 'don't give a damn' company and here we are again.  It gave us 5 extra precious hours during which we raced around to say some extra goodbyes.  We arrived before our suitcases, who went on tour somewhere.  It was all to do with a strange delay at Brussels.  The plane was sat on the tarmac for 2 hours whilst a suspiciously large cargo of young chickens were loaded on.  I need to correct a few mental pictures here, the chickens were in crates not running loose.  Did they remove our bags for this?  I was OK clothing wise but Luke was surviving on one pair of underpants...I could elaborate on the political situation but the immediate lack of pants was way funnier.  We are on a list.  We will get airlifted if things kick off.  We are not the target.

There are some fantastic people here.  Deep belly laughs and genuine warmth.  It made coming back easier and the slide back into the school year has been fine.  I have cut back to 4 days and spend Thursdays on my own work.  On the first Wednesday before my first Thursday off I could not sleep.  I felt so guilty.  What was I doing?  I have always found it difficult to do anything other than throw myself into my job 110% Luckily the guilt wore off by 9am Thursday morning.  I had some paintings to finish and some sketches of some ideas mapped out.  Those have been a starting point and I am picking back up from around 30 plus years ago.   Strangely familiar.  How much do we essentially change?

Off for a walk tomorrow and will take some pictures of rainy season Ouaga.  The river has burst its banks, so who knows where the crocodiles are now.  The trees are in full leaf and you can breathe lungful's of rain washed air after every cloud burst.  I love the sound of the rain on our tin roof and think this is probably the best season!