Once upon a time I rode my bike from Koudougo to Palago, about 7 - 8 km. Not far, an easy ride, but it seemed to take forever to get there. Then one day in Po, I rode what I was told to be 7 km to a farm/field, over hill and dale in the hot, mid-day sun; and then I rode another 2 km through muddy fields thick with tall grasses and cris-crossed with rivers and streams. I had to dismount and walk, even carrying the Barbie bike over gorges with rivers below. Like when Humphrey Bogart had to get out and push the African Queen . . . but without the leeches . . . and the boat. Today I rode way out to the Lycée, twice. I don’t know how far it is, but I know this: every trip seems quicker . . . much less far. I’ll be at Lycée quite often as tomorrow begins the Club de Commerce.

Arriving back in village about 20 minutes after sunset, Po was packed. This, in contrast to yesterday’s empty lanes due to Tabaski. I stopped in the grocer for some Humbolt Fog, then popped into Starbucks for an Eggnog Latte, then off to . . . . Wait! I mean, I went to the corner vendor for a pack of cigarettes. The town was packed shoulder-to-shoulder with hundreds of ladies in their soft silk and chiffon boubous with long beaded and sequined scarves. Stunningly beautiful women. What is going on? I asked Pouabizon. Tabaski, Day 2: The Peul Version.

Don’t quote me on this, but I believe that the Peuls are historically a nomadic people with some Eastern Arabic bloodlines. They drive their cattle, seasonally, from Côte d’Ivoire through BF, Mali, Niger, and who knows where else. But don’t hold me to that. Most Peuls have a distinct appearance with gorgeous skin, elegant features, and almost aquiline noses. Their dress for Tabaski tonight wasn’t in any traditional cotton pagne. Rather, all soft bejeweled fabrics, with the men in extravagantly embroidered boubous. This had to be experienced, so I stayed and watched for about 30 minutes. I gave a friend a couple of cigarettes just to clear the crowd so that I could eventually make my way home. I still can hear the party here on my hilltop. Gotta love this place.

So despite my work on the polio campaign, I feel as if the real Peace Corps experience won’t begin until tomorrow at Lycée. Tomorrow afternoon is the meeting, which follows tomorrow morning’s meeting, which followed two meetings today, which followed last Wednesday’s meeting, which followed the previous Sunday meeting.

This country is so suited for this obsessive compulsive gal, who makes a list, to make a list, to get ready to make a list. Other volunteers may find odd this series of meetings. For me, it’s fine, albeit hilarious. So tomorrow should finally kick-off the Club de Commerce. Of course, it's the first meeting with the students, and it will surely be a meeting only to decide when they want to meet.

When will the meetings ends and the club begin? How long will the Peul party last? What’s it called when you have a Peul at pool party? Election day is Sunday. Do the Peuls have much pull at the polls? We can only speculate.