Happy Independence Day!

Friday, December 11 was Independence Day here in Burkina Faso, the 49^th annual. Some interesting facts:

The actual day that independence from France was declared was in August, but August is prime cultivating time since it’s in the thick of the rainy season. Sources we spoke to said that people wouldn’t leave the fields to celebrate Independence Day if it were in August, so the powers that be found a proxy date in December somehow.

Our host dad was made to celebrate Bastille Day when he was in grade school, which I found completely shocking.

People celebrate by marching in parades all over the country. This year, the regional parade was held in our village. All week people had been “practicing” marching along the main road. One of our fellow PCVs from a neighboring village agreed to march in the parade with his association. He told me his friends wanted him to march with his arms extended, like Frankenstein (seriously).

Oh, and we saw a cute monkey at the parade.