Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Bobo Diaulasso, Burkina Faso
As soon as we entered Burkina Faso, the scenery turns green. We are heading into the greenbelt of the country. Orchards, healthy-looking corn fields, fruits and vegetables being sold in pyramids on the side of the road, and attractive people. We pull off the road for lunch and find a mango grove under which tables have been set up to serve a Sunday meal of chicken and tasty beans and rice. A university professor walked up to us and graciously explained that we had stumbled upon a proletariat country-side retreat, an informal worker's rest stop. Our meal suddenly tastes better.
I had been introduced to the idea of workers' country side retreats in Marin, at a German socialist cabin that served as a beer hall for thirsty hikers along a trail through Muir Woods. I was glad to see that the concept had spread to Africa also. Burkina Faso is not unique in West Africa for having a socialist past; many newly independent nations in the 1960's implemented socialist policies in the dawn of their statehood. However, I was surprised to see that these concepts had endured through the decades and that people still seemed tied to proud parts of their history.
Feeling proletariat, I decide that my next article would focus on urban women. Many urban women work in the sex trade, some officially, many unofficially. I began to formulate an approach to talk with these women, but found myself dumbstruck. How do I approach them? Where do I find them?
As we were sitting at a bar later in downtown Bobo Diaolasso, I explained my idea to Sean and Nate. They pointed out with a hint of sarcasm that I had not recognized that the young girls walking by would have been great to approach on this subject. How will I research my idea if I am unable to distinguish who will be insulted by questions about sexuality, and who will not? In my eyes, many of the so called prostitutes look like girls ready for a night out on the town...
As soon as we entered Burkina Faso, the scenery turns green. We are heading into the greenbelt of the country. Orchards, healthy-looking corn fields, fruits and vegetables being sold in pyramids on the side of the road, and attractive people. We pull off the road for lunch and find a mango grove under which tables have been set up to serve a Sunday meal of chicken and tasty beans and rice. A university professor walked up to us and graciously explained that we had stumbled upon a proletariat country-side retreat, an informal worker's rest stop. Our meal suddenly tastes better.
I had been introduced to the idea of workers' country side retreats in Marin, at a German socialist cabin that served as a beer hall for thirsty hikers along a trail through Muir Woods. I was glad to see that the concept had spread to Africa also. Burkina Faso is not unique in West Africa for having a socialist past; many newly independent nations in the 1960's implemented socialist policies in the dawn of their statehood. However, I was surprised to see that these concepts had endured through the decades and that people still seemed tied to proud parts of their history.
Feeling proletariat, I decide that my next article would focus on urban women. Many urban women work in the sex trade, some officially, many unofficially. I began to formulate an approach to talk with these women, but found myself dumbstruck. How do I approach them? Where do I find them?
As we were sitting at a bar later in downtown Bobo Diaolasso, I explained my idea to Sean and Nate. They pointed out with a hint of sarcasm that I had not recognized that the young girls walking by would have been great to approach on this subject. How will I research my idea if I am unable to distinguish who will be insulted by questions about sexuality, and who will not? In my eyes, many of the so called prostitutes look like girls ready for a night out on the town...
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