roc, papier, ciseaux!

I leave for Sapone today! My stay in Ouaga has been lovely, but I am very excited to meet the doctor with whom I will be interning.

I spent the night at Maria's house, and had a great time playing games with her son, Yedi, who is seven. His all-time favorite game is "un, deux, trois, soliel!" which is essentially red light, green light, and he adored all of my shoes, all of which he insisted on trying on. Putting things in my hair and watching them slide out was also a big hit. After each item fell out, he laughed and laughed, and would put them in his hair and explain to me how I should fix my hair so like his, it would hold things.
Maria's niece Michu has also been very kind to me. She does everything around the house, including quietly show me how to do things correctly. I would have made a fool of myself at dinner without her showing me beneath the table how to open things and which utensil (or no utensil) to use. After our first encounter in which I understood everything, but was utterly incapable of replying with any clarity, she reverted to explaining things to me with wildly exaggerated hand gestures, which was great.
(I would like to include here that I have never eaten so much in one day. I do not know how to politely decline food, and so have probably consumed more meat-"you must be so hungry after so long a journey, here, please have more meat!"-and Coke than I have in the past ten years of my life. I gave myself gold stars for eating it all with a smile, but I forgot to leave some on my plate and was awarded-twice-another healthy portion.)
I gave Maria the gifts I had brought her from my family, including some family photos. She loved loved loved the photos and asked about every detail and was generally so happy to hold them and see pictures of "dear Spee" that I let her keep them. Everyone in the household has now examined the photos, and they are all especially fond of Will and Jesse (my younger blond-haired, light-eyed, super cute cousins). Yedi was very disappointed to find out that les bon bon (candies) were for the bureau and informed me, hands on hips, that adults do not like candies as they are for the children. Later, Maria disagreed. I succumbed to his big eyes and gave him a roll of Smarty's in the end.
Maria has sent her driver to "pick me" and take me to Sapone where I will "present myself well" and have a brief tour. I may come back to Ouaga to exchange money, but I will likely not have time to upload photos, I'm sorry-there are many! It is probable that in Sapone I will not have internet access (and possibly not electricity as well), so this may be my last post for a week or two.
Thank you all for your great emails! Even if I do not have time to respond to them all, I love to hear from you. I hope everything is well with you, much love.