5 November – Romongo 10:14pm

Habibu (the oldest daughter, the one who speaks to me) told me she's going to Bobo for lycee (high school). I'm really happy for her because a lot of girls from farming families don't get that chance, especially as the oldest girl who might otherwise stay home and help care for the other kids. The downside is that I'm going to miss having someone nice to talk to. She's going to go live with a distant family member, who will pay for her schooling but presumably in exchange for working around the house. She already works incredibly hard right now, so I can't imagine it would be worse, but I still think it's brave to decide to go away for school and not be able to come home again. I wrote her a letter and put the dreamcatcher and a postcard in it – I'll give it to her right before she leaves.