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My last blog updates were when I was on a mini-vacation to Bobo, the second largest city. I met up with a bunch of volunteers who are currently taking part in the Peace Corps Burkina Faso Bike Tour, a fund raiser for the Gender and Development committee. They biked just about the entire way around Burkina! I, unfortunately, was not able to join them for any of the actually biking (there are rules about how much you can leave site your first 3 mos), but it was fun to see them and wish them luck!
Other than that, nothing else has really been going on here. Toby is doing well! I attempted to make him some tô (the corn-flour goo that is the staple food source here), but it didn’t turn out so hot. He still eats it though. To the make the tô, I first had to make my own flour, which was interesting. I bought dried corn at the marche a while ago, but finally got around to finding a neighbor to help me.
First, we had to wash the corn, then pilé, or pound, the kernels to remove the skins. (and when I say “we,” I mean mostly my neighbor because I’m actually pretty useless when it comes to manual labor here. I’m pretty sure my neighbor girls who look about 7 are stronger than I am…) After the skin was removed and the kernels were washed again, they had to soak overnight. The next morning I went to the mill where my kernels became flour!
To make tô, I had to boil the water the kernels were washed in (mixed with some lime juice) and add in the flour mixed with more water (so it doesn’t clump). Then stir like crazy until your arm feels like it will fall off, and finally place the goo in a bowl to cool and form. And that’s it. Unfortunately, I waited a couple days in between making the flour and making the tô, so the flour was starting to go bad. When the flour comes back from the mill, it’s moist. All of our flour in the US has been dried, something I didn’t even think of as I just let the flour sit (covered to keep bugs out, which unfortunately kept the moisture in) for a couple days. Like I said though, Toby still eats it and that’s all I’m really asking for :) Also, my neighbor saved the skins from the kernels to feed to her pigs, so I liked that nothing was wasted in the process! As I mentioned, even the same water was used to clean the kernels and to make the tô!