“February’s already here,” writes new Global Voices Online author Paula Odhiambo in a recent post, “but we’re all still finding our place and getting our footing in 2008. It is bound to be an interesting year, and is already full of great expectations.” Ditto that for those blogging from Burkina Faso in English. Keith from Under the Acacias immediately got to work on one of his new projects for 2008 of planning to build a Christian primary school in Gorom-Gorom. The project is still in the initial stages, and he’s using this time to coalesce design ideas that will allow the building to be more aesthetically pleasing and eco-friendly than “the cement-brick ‘ovens’” that often double as schools in Burkina Faso. He traveled 200km southeast to view the Gando school and meet the Burkinabé architect who designed it, Francis Kéré, winner of the 2004 Aga Khan prize for architecture. It was here where Keith found inspiration: Almost all materials and work is local – mostly earth and rock, both in ready supply. The walls are made from pressed mud bricks, with a measure of cement mixed in, using the brick press. The bricks are resistant, but need to be protected from the rain – in this case by the suspended tin roof. Two adjoining classrooms had different floors – one cement, one dammed earth. The dammed earth seemed visibly to be resisting better. The ceiling of the classrooms was made by lying bricks on top of rows of metal bars, providing insulation and allowing air flow. The tin sheet roof is suspended over the brick ceiling by a metal frame, protecting the building from rain, and allowing air flow. Kéré says that they have not had any problems with the wind, even during very high winds that knocked down trees. When the calendar turns to February in Burkina Faso, the whole country becomes covered in a not-so-fine film of dust, brought on by the winds of the Harmattan from the Sahara Desert. From Becca Faso: WOW. How do I describe it? The Harmattan is an amazingly gusty and constant wind that sweeps across the Mahgreb and the Sahel knocking over all the sky scrapers, light-up signs, electrical poles, and trees in its path. That last part was a joke. We don't have any of those. It is sooooo gusty! It moves my outdoor chair around and lifts my tin roof. The thing you must remember is that we've not had rain since early september. This coupled with persistent gale force winds means that the ground is now in the air. There is a general haze all the time because of all the dust and dirt in the air. Is dirt a greenhouse gas?? Haha. No, really? If I dont keep my mouth tightly closed outside, my teeth will wear dirt sweaters. Gross. Teeth are not the only things that suffer. There is a constant battle between me and the perennial layer of dirt covereing my house. Thank you GOD that I only have a two-room crumbling shack to sweep out. My entire world is the color of mud . . . my clothes, my skin, my formerly white cat, the air, the ground . . . the harmattan displaces what usually stays beneath my feet and repaints the whole world. Perhaps we can pin it on the beginning of 2008, with those obligatory New Year resolutions. Or, maybe it’s the dry, hot winds that force everyone indoors for cover. However you look at it, people are just more contemplative this time of year. Especially so for Peace Corps bloggers, when the first months of the year mark a major hurdle: either they are well into their first full year of service or they’re making their final laps because in a few short months, their time in Burkina Faso will be complete. For those leaving soon, it’s a natural time to question whether they’ve done any good at all. Girl Raised in the South recently had an epiphany regarding her work: I feel like every Peace Corps volunteer talks about that “moment”…the moment where they suddenly feel the impact that they are having in their villages (however small they may be). I had done some interesting projects…but I hadn't quite felt that impact and gratitude from the people involved. I think it was something that I needed to buoy me through…to give me that extra spark. It surprised me that the one project that I didn't dedicate all that much attention or time to was going to turn out to be that moment. From the first day all the way through to the last, it was the most fun and beneficial experience that I have had. The group of 8 guys were AMAZING! They all participated, and laughed, and shared their experiences…there was never a moment of silence in the room…. I couldn't believe the response that I was getting from them. I honestly swelled with pride.