New Tastes and Preferences

As I was mopping to the rhythm of "No Woman, No Cry" my assistant to the the store manager bustles into the back room grumbling, "I hate Bob Marley!" and before I can even start humming, the song on the Starbucks radio is changed. How could anyone hate Bob? I thought it was just because this lady was clearly jaded, but when I left for Africa two months later I had the same sour taste for Marley in my mouth. It's funny how association can completely ruin a song, or in this case, an artist. If I hear the soothing Jamacan beats I am overwhelmed with a sense that I'm forgetting to do something and I shouldn't be sitting around! I can't listen to Buffalo Soldier without the erge to restock the milk fridge in preparation for the next rush of customers. Even now in Mali where electricity is scarce, let alone fridges and jugs of milk, I am still filled with that sense of panic. While going through my daily task of sweeping out my hut I started humming along with the music playing outside, "One love, one life, let's get together and be all right..." Oh no did I remember to turn over the pastry case? I drop my broom and rush outside. "Hey Masaba, do you like Bob Marley?" English songs here are as scarce as ice cubes so I couldn't exactly say no to the comforting sense of familarity. Before I knew it I was translating the unifying lyrics into Bambara, "Umm it's an animal like a cow, but bigger, and a person that fights with the military. No the person isn't the animal, but yeah in the middle of Ameriki. And the rest you know, Whoah whoah whoah." Beggers can't be choosers and I am surprised to find what I can tolerate and even like when given little resources. Why yes I do like watermelon, and all melons for that matter. Yes I would like another piece of that lamb stomach and is that a noodle or intestines? Why fresh whole milk is delicious even if I can possibly get TB from it! No, no I would like more oil with my macaroni please and more carbs, do you have any bread, that's awesome. I wouldn't have described myself as a picky eater before, but being here takes that to a completely different level. I won't even start with the 3 second rule. I am picky if I don't really want to eat the nose fat of the goat, but then again I think I'm ok with being classified as picky if those are the peramiters. I will still try it once, but I may not finish a whole plate of it. And as a general rule of thumb, if it's found in the states, it's probably better tasting here than it ever will be, and if it's not, well then it's a great story for later. Bottoms up!

Foto Op

These are all wonderful pictures of various times, copywrite Hunter Gray:
Me and Rabayah in the cab in Bamako.

Me and my personal chef, aka Dave at my site.

Hunter's hike with his family


The view of the valley
The local mascot

From top left to right, Holly, Dave, Emily (front), Amanda, Me
The "Gang" Emily, Dan, Amanda, Holly, Me, my photographer Hunter, Jamie, and Chris front and center
My local transportation. I have to take the van on the left first and then the truck on the right when actually in Bamako. Totally safe I promise, or at least so far it has been!

The little Masaba that could

Ne be say. This is the phrase that I learned the fastest and since learning it I have used it more than once a day. It means "I can". This is because although Malians are incredible nice and helpful, they are convinced I can't do anything. I thought that with my first family it was just because they knew I was in training, but now that I have spent two months in the village I will be living in for two years (yeah place your bets now, if I remember correctly Arzhange already lost?), I now know that it is just the view the Malians have of me. They're number one, and frankly only, argument is that things are different in Mali that in the US. When I go to wash my own dishes I am met with a laughing 8 year old, "Oh Masaba, i te say, in Ameriki you have machines that wash that wash the dishes right?" Well yes, but that doesn't mean..... "Oh Masaba you can't wash your clothes, isn't there a machine for that too?," Yes but if you would just teach... "Oh Masaba you can't sweep, in Ameriki they have long handles on the brooms," That doesn't make me lazy just smarter, "Oh Masaba you definitely can't cook. In Ameriki you use, what, gas and electric stove tops?" How do you know... "Oh Masaba you can't speak Bamabara," but I just had a conversation with you and explained how to do factors and about prime numbers!!! If you notice all, but the last accusation, are gender specific. When my friend who is the son of the Iron Chef 2005 comes over, clearly I'm going to let him cook me garlic sauteed eggplant without putting up a fight. "Oh Masaba, you really shouldn't let the men cook." I saw this as an excellent opportunity to have a cross cultural exchange and defended myself with, "Oh but in Ameriki men cook just as much as women!" "Well Masaba, you're in Mali now, not Ameriki." Too true host grandma, too true. I would be fine with all this negative feedback if they would only help me when I want to learn. My clothes washing lesson started with me washing five shirts. That trial run earned me the role of the official clothes hanger. It's just as complicated as it sounds, I take the clothes to the clothes line and well, hang them. Yes you're right the 8 year's job. I cooked them curry chicken from scratch, which was FANTASTIC by the way, but as Malians aren't very adventurous with food, I don't think they liked it much. I have been promoted from the guava eater to the sweet potato peeler during dinner preparation. There are a few other things that the Malians will let me do, like pull water from the well and, after I insisted, I now carry 20 liters of water on my head 200 yards from the pump to my house once a week for my drinking water. This constant feed back has led me to need to remind myself what I am good at. No I can't wash my dishes well, but I can debug a computer. No I can't get my skirts completely clean, but I can tell you what the use of the invisible hand does on your national economy. No I can't cook the millet mash you call "toe" but I can make chocolate flan. No I'm not fluent after being here for five months but I can read and write in my native language. Because French is the official language, all children learn how to read and write in French. As a result, of the few that are literate even fewer know how to read and write Bamabara*. This makes it interesting when you are, for instance, having a meeting about taxes conducted completely in Bamabara, but the agenda and notes from the meeting are all written in French. Even after all of this, I'm not deterred, I'm determined. I will sweep my house everyday, I will learn how to make onion sauce better than anyone, I will learn how to get a hibiscus stain out of my "complet", and when I do, I will tell you how I did it in Bamabara and French, and then tell you all about the failing economy. Or at least I think I can.

*They are trying to change this in the school system right now. I also went to a mass today that was conducted mostly in Bambara. The French and Italian priests speak both French and Bambara and have taught those in the church how to read and write in Bambara. I also was excited to find a bible and a hymnal written in Bambara.

Obama Oh eight.

If a 60 year old African women with the ability to make a grown man cry with just the shake of her finger asks you who you are voting for in the only US presidential election she has ever heard of in her life, how do you answer? For me it was an easy and enthusiastic response and I didn't think twice. It wasn't until the boys of Dombila responded when asked who Barack Obama is by saying, "Oh I know him, he's the president of Ameriki!" that I started to realize the impact this election will have on the entire world. Their response came more than 2 weeks before many people even voted. As election day came closer the volunteers in Mali migrated to the capital. By the time I arrived with "the crew" we met up with a surprising amount of other volunteers. The energy was not unlike that of Christmas eve without all the watered down carols. The results wouldn't be announced until at least 5 am but that was not even acknowledged as an issue. We set up camp at the one of the hotels and watched as states lit up one by one. Red, Red, Red, Blue!! Red..... I was nervous, if nothing else just to avoid jinxing it. Slowly we became more confident, more emotional, more excited. When Obama was elected there was a small cheer, larger from those at the bar, and a huge sigh of relief. It didn't actually sink in until the victory speech. We sat silent, attentive, eating up every word he said. Even though it was the wee hours of the morning and none of us had naps, there wasn't a pair of heavy eyelids in the room. Granted this a group of highly motivated young people out to change the world living in Mali but, when Obama finished speaking, we couldn't sit still with excitement. This election is more than a response to the frustrations of a nation, more than just a reminder of what the youth of the nation can do when motivated, for us on the other side of the world, it is a symbol to those we are preaching change to, that we too can take a step to change the world starting with our own country. It is a symbol to the world that we still do care what they think and that we still value soft power. When I go back to my site tomorrow and greet my wiry neighbor I can shake her hand and laugh with her when we cheer "Barack-o" "Bama!" He will not single handedly fix the economy, he will not solve the conflicts in Iraq, he will however forever change the image of the United States of America in the eyes of the international community. Let's hope it doesn't stop there but rather, the American people continue to be inspired to invoke change to better the world around them. Again that is coming from motivated young woman out to change the world dooni dooni (little by little).

Ho ho ho it's almost Halloween?

So for all of you planners in my family, aka everyone, here's a list of ideas for Christmas presents. I really am not expecting anything. It's just that some have asked for one and I keep forgetting also if you want it to be here by Christmas it should be sent now-ish. Love you all!

Crystal Light and other powder beverages
Clif Bars Clif Bars Clif Bars
Just add water and/or milk and/or oil foods
Earrings
Nice black pens
Books (Fitzgerald, Hemingway, funny books, classics)
TV on DVD (the office, arrested development, ect.)
Stationary

For the parents that want to know what I'm living in. Other than this I am flossing everyday and putting on sunscreen at least twice a day. Moms be proud.

This is where I rest my head.



Where I go to remember what my favorite people look like.

My entry way/parlor

My room with a view

My humble abode

Quick take the wheel!

Have you ever been asked to fly a plane? Imagine this scenario if you will. You have been playing the nintendo Top Gun game, the only one I remember having as a kid, and you've mastered all of the first level but the landing, the only part of the game I remember. You then, during a trip in a plane, are extremely curious to see how a plane looks like in real life. The pilot is excited to show a youngster such as yourself his "office", pre 9/11 of course, and chats with you about someday being a pilot. As you are only 12 years old anything is possible and you start to entertain the idea of someday being a pilot. Just as you are imagining your first day of flight training, the pilot starts the engine and takes off. You are surprised you aren't rushed back to your seat but decide not to ruin a good opportunity. The copilot gets up and says the view is better from his seat and he is going to get a drink so you rush over and enjoy the view. While day dreaming about a snow ball fight with the clouds you the pilot says to you, in all seriousness, "Can you take over? I might be awhile but you know how to land right?" And without waiting for a response disappears. Wait what? Me? But I can't get passed level one at home.... oh crap!!!

That basically has been my last 2 weeks. Oddly enough two of my friends have had similar experiences. The first 3 months at site we are suppose to be surveying the lay of the land. At most planning out projects to start after our January training. As a small enterprise development volunteer (affeciationally called a SEDie), the most "business" I am to do is a fesiblity study in my last month at site. My health volunteer friend last week was watching her homologue give a presentation on the importance of giving birth at the doctor's office rather than their house when all of a sudden the Malian got up and motioned for Emily to continue. Emily did her best but was completely lost on what to say and how to say it in Bambara. My other friend, Hunter, is working with the education system in Mali and has already been asked on the fly to teach 2 classes, one in ninth grade science and one in English. Not only has Hunter never taught before all in French, he also has never taught before in English. I'm happy to say he did superbly considering. After both of these stories I felt a little less bothered by being made to give a speech without notice durning my women's shea butter meeting. I did have a few things written down luckily and did better than I would have thought. I was suppose to address all of the women in the surrounding villages at the next meeting so I thought my homologue was better at preparing me than my friends' homologues. That was until today, Saturday, market day, my day "off", the day when no one works....... except for of course random meetings you are uninformed about. As Emily and I were getting ready to leave to do our weekly shopping my homologue informs me that 2 men have come from the capital and that I have to meet them. No big deal I'll just buy a few things, run back and shake some hands, have lunch and call it a day. Before even getting to the market we run into the "big wigs" and I have to go back for the meeting. Emily continued on with the thought that I would catch up with her in 30 minutes or so. We started talking about an organic certification process that will start in January and ended with the need to make this village the center for shea butter production for the surrounding villages. After a 2 hour long meeting in a mix of Bambara, French and a small amount of English I am asked to write up a business plan for the shea butter co-opportive including wages for the women making the butter and packaging designs for the shea butter in the next two weeks before our next meeting. Wait what? Where did the training wheels fly off to? I can barely speak to the women, much less help them decide how much to be paid! Needless to say I will not be going to the waterfalls next weekend. I hope my economics and business classes will come in handy now. I feel completely unprepared and unqualified for this, but as I hear from Mindy this is how the real business world works. It's a good thing I recently came to the conclusion I work best under pressure. The "fassen your seat belt" sign has been illuminated, please prepare yourself for landing.

When in Mali....

It seems to be either one thing or another that happens here in Mali to make things not go quite the way you want them to go. Traveling or studying or even just talking to people on the phone from Ameriki. Take talking on the phone for example, at the training site I had all the time and power and phone credit I could use, but spotty reception. At my homestay I had perfect reception but no power. Last week I had everything but time. Just when I thought I had it all figured out for my site, I was going to buy extra phone credit and be frugal with my battery, my phone fell out of my pocket in the taxi on the way home. Well crap. I can't just stop by the nearest Target and pick one up either. Of course this is all must have happened because I made such a big deal about Meghan finally getting skype. As of now I have no phone until further notice. Sorry if you have tried to call and assumed the worst, i.e. maybe that I was eaten by a hippo. Fun fact, Mali actually means hippopotomus in Bambara, although I have yet to see one.

Now for some updates about my exciting life in Mali. Tuesday was a holiday to celebrate the end of a month long fast known as Ramadad for Muslims. It seems to be a combination of Halloween, the kids dress nicely and walk around to their neighbors who give them candy, and Thanksgiving, they eat all day long to celebrate the end of the fast. Since the holiday was on Tuesday I thought I would definately get some work done by Friday but alas there are no dice. Wednesday everyone seemed to be in a food comma, as they should be. Thursday the Mayor went to the capital, as I found out he does about 4 times a week, and of course Fridays are always half days because it is the day that most people go to Mosque. Saturday is the market day and Sunday..... well it's Sunday! Why work when you can start fresh on Monday. I gave up on finding a tutor, honestly I didn't work hard on finding one, but I have set up my own study schedule that seems to be working out for me. I also had a productive talk with my homologue and I now know where we are going to start with the women's group. My family is warming up to me. I showed off my skills tonight by "raising the tea", the literal translation for making the extremely strong, extremely sugary loose leaf green tea. The kids loved it. I also found out that Dio is the Florida of Mali. Not in the sense that it has a great view of the ocean and terrible hurricanes, but in the sense that there is a large population of "retired" people here. Retirement here is a little bit different than the 401k plans in the states. The kids in Dio go to school until they are about 13 and then after that they spend half of the year living in the capital and going to school and half of the year kicking it with the grandparents. Of course that is until they get married and then they move to Bamako and come back only for holidays. This is all great except all of the friends I have made in the last 3 weeks are going to be leaving soon. This leaves me with the grandparents, still really cool but sleep a lot, and the kids, still really cool but don't talk a lot. I'll have to change my game plan up a little. Basically I will have to talk to myself in my sleep..... wait no.

Other than the day to day life, I am helping to plan a bike trip to educate people on the importance of small enterprise development. Most of the work has already been done by an amazing PCV who has been in Mali for a year named Holly. We're also planning a trip to the wonderful waterfalls east of the capital. I promise to bring my camera this time. I can't believe it's already October!!! I hope you all are getting excited about the up coming election. We're going to have a big party here and stay up until the results are out, about 4 am Mali time. Please send me some updates. I would love to hear what you guys are up to too. I showed my family pictures that I brought and they say you are all "Tres jolie!" I must say I agree. Miss you all!

Totto we:re not in Keleya anymore!

Hey folks! I'm now an official volunteer here in Mali. I got to set up my house and by some furniture or at least a bed. Day to day I don't really do too much yet as I am still learning the language. I go running every morning and then "study" aka lay a book in my lap while the kids play market with their favorite toy, the white girl. Then I work up the courage to talk to the mayor's office staff, three guys that assume I speak French better than Bambara... if they only knew... After that I make an awkward departure to go to my homologue's house to have lunch which is a 2 hour process. In order to feel like I'm not just eating a running, I sit around to chat but soon they realize I only know what they're saying about 60% of the time (and that works everytime) and I realize they really just want to watch TV and could care less if I stayed an extra 30 minutes after eating. I walk home and use the excuse of a nap to have a few hours to myself. After I feel guilty for being such a hermit I "wake up" refreshed and ready to intregrate! On my 3rd walk through the village of the day I greet my neighbors who are now use to me and all know my name. If you thought I was bad a names in the states (which I am, the starbucks customers I won over with my extremely amazing personality and good looks, not my memory of their names, but Mrs. Venti 8 pumps mocha, breve, 210 degree extra whip lady loved me) I'm even worse when the names are Niare, Djara, Shekabubakar, and Zumana. They also have nicknames for everyone which makes it easier/more confusing. After my stroll through town I either "gossip" with the girls (mostly just joking about who is who's "che"/man) or play soccer with the little boys. Unfortunetly it's near impossible to play soccer in a wrap around skirt and flipflops, but damn if it isn't hilarious. My homologue feeds me lunch and dinner, but her house is on the other side of town and Malians don't eat dinner until after sunset. This is fine except my homologue is actually part coworker, part stern grandmother and insists that I can't walk home after dark. We now have a system that she packs me a little dinner to go and I take it home to eat next to my family. This was a little weird at first, but now we both use it (that's what she...). I have to plan my eating percisely so that I am still eating when they are so I can politely decline the Malian need to forcefully invite people to eat with them. We end up drinking tea, talking politics and exchange views on globalization and who should be responsible for global warming..... and by that I mean we just drink tea and I look up at the stars. I make a goal to socialize until at least 9 before going to bed. Last night I was near my goal when my host dad noticed I was zoning out and asked why I wasn't chatting. My host mom then took the opportunity to complete shift so that it was clear I had her full attention. The conversation was menial but the gesture and the routine it has set up was priceless. My accomplishments so far are small and often hard to measure. I'm proud to say that I read 2 books in the last 2 weeks, I know all of my family and homologue's family names, I run every morning and I feel comfortable buying things in the market (so crowded that mom would last about .5 seconds). Small victories, but I have to get know the community before I can ask deeper questions like, "How do you think we could provide a sustainable form of income to boost the Malian economy?" or " Don't you think it would be better for women to go to school for more than 3 years before getting married even if they don't have to work outside of the family?" All in all I think I have a pretty sweet gig here. I miss you all, I will let you know when I get the ruby red slippers to work!

Picture-tastic

Here are some more pictures , much requested from the padres.
I can still get my dance on in Africa.



Here's my small class of 3 for Bambara and our amazing karamogo(teacher), Moussa.



Me and my "husbands" to deter male suitors.


One of my good friends after we both swore in as new Peace Corps volunteers.


I go out to my new house tomorrow so I won't have the internet for at least 2 weeks. Call me if you can't live without me. Miss you all!

Pictures!!! Eat your heart out.

Ok friends this is what you all have been waiting for... me to stop talking!!! Here are some pictures that I got from my friends. I will post more from my new camera that was sent to me soon.

Oh yeah I carried this all the way across the village.

If I can't laugh at myself.... others will definitely take the lead.

When the going gets tough.....
Our formal classroom!
If you were ever wondering where shea butter comes from, this is me mixing it up with one of the Peace Corps directors.My host dad, BabaMy little sister and host mom, Balikesa and Jennajay.

Answer: definately yes.

I'm in Africa. That may seem like an obvious, almost needless, statement but today may be the first time I had enough time to actually realize it. We have been so busy and so overwhelmed with information and new exciting things that I have not had anytime to think of the reality that this is going to be my life for the next two years. This all hit me on the top of a mountain over looking a scene I swear I've seen in The Lion King. We went on a field trip to learn how shea butter is made and how we can help Malians be more productive and receive a larger profit for one of their biggest natural resources. I now feel pretty solid on how I'm actually going to be doing some important work for the next few years. Then we went to a waterfall and a cave, at which point I just had to tell myself, this is what my life is now, mixing shea mush and climbing mountains in Africa. I feel pretty freaking lucky.

Everything thus far I would have to chalk up to luck actually, that and my inability to be really bothered by anything, but mostly luck. Even in my training group there have been some much worse situations that could have just as easily happened to me, in which even my rainbows and butterflies would have been smashed. This last week I spent time in my site and honestly I thought it was going to be much worse, and after hearing other trainees' stories it could have. I have a great homologue (french for counterpart), I had amazing food, a bed and I didn't get sick or bored at all. My village is smallish: I have cell phone reception, easy water to get, a main road (key for reliable transportation) and a large market. My house has 2 cement rooms and a tin roof in a concession with 2 other families. I'm also really close to 3 great other volunteers and semi close to 6 more. I'm in the middle of the country so I can really go anywhere and am surprisingly close to the capital. Also, more importantly, I'm not a PCV in Georgia right now.

For the next 19 days I'm going to be doing nothing but training in my homestay (the picture at the top is from our training village) on our last long stretch before we are sworn in as actual volunteers. In less than a month from now I will be living on my own and starting my real job. This next few weeks, though, are going to be a bit challenging. I imagine I will get very frustrated with almost everything by the end, but that will be a perfect set up for our giant party after swear in.

Some not so noteworthy points (Lindsay feel free to tune out now), I'm still happy, healthy and safe. I do get your comments and love all of them so keep them coming. I'm not sure how to respond to them except to write another blog, but thank you all. I will be without internet for the next 19 ish days, but I do have my phone and reception so feel free to call me. Also next time I am planning on having TONS of pictures from my friends that took pictures on our trip and other such activities. I haven't receive mail yet, but others have so it will get here and I promise to let you know when I get it. I hope you are all reading the news, and Tim if my absentee ballot doesn't show up in time, I have dibs on Mom's vote this year. Have a great few weeks guys.

While you're up...

As I am about to visit my site, with only my Malian counterpart and minimal language skills, I would like to reveil some typical American things I have been able to do. As I said before I do watch TV with my family almost every night. All you that thought I would not drink for 2 years (myself included), you will be slightly dissapointed to know that we as a group (almost all 75 of us) have already gone to a bar at least 3 times. By bar I mean someone's house where they sell Castle beer which is comprable to Rainer. I also have more soda here than I did in the States (sorry mom and meghan there is no diet soda here). On one of our field trips to the capital we got hamburgers for lunch. It was waaaay too much food, but that is the American way is it not? Back at the training center I have already found out whom I can ask to get me things when I'm feeling a little lazy which is...... almost all of the time. To counteract that I make sure to get people water or more food or clean up plates every time I get up.

I am being rushed to get off to go meet my Malian co worker so I will just do a little list to help out Lindsay and those of you that want to send me things.

Things I'm glad I brought
Crank lantern: not batteries baby!
Quick dry towel: it is the rainy season
Laptop/ipod/solio: sanity
Yoga ish pants: soccer, under skirts, all around good times
Face sunblock: All the protection without all the breakouts!
Babywipes: so I can be clean at least before bed
Makeup/ mirror: to remember I can still look good even in Africa.

Things I could use more of (wink wink):
Hand sanitizer
Hotsauce and chips (Hey Laura while you're at the store....)
headbands
cheap cute shirts
DVD's (mostly just mine that I left)
Earrings
Cliffbars/ snacks
Cards
Camera
More face sunscreen
babywipes, shampoo
razers
ipod speakers

I can live without most of these, but I would love any of them. That's all for now! I am starting to miss most of you.

Let the rollercoaster begin

Well I now know what it looks like outside the Camp Mali and the grass is actually greener. That's right Mom there's even grass in Africa, reason #14 to travel outside of Nevada. I would post pictures to prove it, but somehow the camera won't turn on anymore even with the special batteries. I'm going to try to get my friend's pictures until I figure out a way to take my own.

For training they split up the group of 75 trainees into groups of 4 to 11 depending on sector and language level. Most of the homestay sites, where we all go to learn language and culture before starting our real jobs, are about a 15-20 min drive outside of the training center, but mine... was an hour and a half, but it's the best one!! The name even means "jealousy" in Bambara. When we got there we met all of the important people including the dugutigi (chief) and the mayor and the people we were going to live with. After a lot of translating by our language teachers, we stood by our new families and before we knew it we were dancing in a circle to drums! Apparently this was the naming ceremony. My Malian name is Masaba Samake. My first name means Queen. So I really am the African Queen! After the drums faded away we walked with our new families to our new homes.

I now live in a square mud hut with a thatched roof. It is really nice because unlike the tin roof, the mud hut keeps cool during the entire day which is key for my 1 o'clock nap after lunch. My host mom is amazingly similar to my mom back home.... She's bossy and loud and... I mean she's fun, loving and patient! Haha. She really is a ham and starts dancing while walking every time she thinks I am looking. It just so happens that I am always watching her because I really have no idea what I am doing most of the time, which in turn makes her dance that much more. She really looks after me (even to the extreme of insisting I go to bed at 8pm because she thinks I am going to melt in the rain storm, if she only knew...). The food is very different, obviously, and I am still getting use to it. I also eat every meal with my hands with one exception when I was sick and used a spoon as a result, I don't eat very much at eat meal. I had a flashback moment last week when I insisted that I was incredible full (needed in order to leave the table), and she responded by telling me that I could be done when I ate all my meat. I laughed and chewed for another 20 minutes. My younger host sister (age 5) reminds me of Bailey, she's bossy and loud.... I mean she's soooo cute!!! She is always excited to see me and never gets tired of me asking how to say things like table and shirt. Whenever I get too tired to dance, I make her sing and when I have too much energy I can always count on her to round up the 20 kids from our side of the neighborhood to play a massive game of "duck duck goo".

The village I am staying in is about 3,000 people and has electricity, cell phone reception (feel free to call me, it's free for me to receive calls!), but no internet or running water. My typical day at my homestay consists of waking up way after everyone else in my family at the incredible late hour of 6 in the morning, eating bread and tea with my host dad, getting a good morning Tubob (word for any white person) chant while walking to school, learning Bambara under the mango trees with 2 other trainees, eating lunch with my moms (cultural note, polygamy is common here), napping for about 40 minutes, learning about Malian culture with the rest of the trainees (there are 8 fantastic people at my homestay), taking a bucket bath at sunset (so amazing after sweating from just sitting all day), eating dinner with my host dad while watching a Brazilian soap opera dubbed in French (either way I have no idea what is going on), and then dancing and singing with the kids until I finally tell them I have to go to bed.

I am baffled at how friendly Malians are, even though I can literally say about 7 sentences right now. The amount of rain when it rains and the amount of stars has yet to fail to impress me. I was handed a baby to take with me on my walk to the market and the kids helped me tie a cloth around her so she was strapped to my back and I got her to fall asleep. Of course there are the few people that think it is funny to see how many questions and how fast they can greet me with on my walk to school before I can't function anymore, I had a baby pee on me (not the same one that I took to the market and back) and I think I might explode with all the carbs I am eating. Over all as far as the culture shock "phases" go (there are 5, to be explained as they happen later), I am still in the first stage: the honeymoon.

I got my site assignment today.... get excited to hear about it soon.

Muy Mali, phase one:camp

Alright alright, I'll do more blogging. You do need to realize I am in Africa getting at least 4 shots now (yeah and I didn't even flinch), learning how not to get malaria, learning 2 new languages, playing soccer (vital to my mental health) and then taking a bucket shower. Well now Caroline what is a bucket shower? Good question Suzie, but I think the answer should be rather obvious, you take a bucket, go to the nyuegen (a box where you do everything you would do in a bathroom) and try to scrub the grim off your arms at least. When I get back to my mud hut I can use the baby wipes to clean my feet more throughly(note to readers, send more baby wipes, the word cosco comes to mind). I know you are cringing Mindy and that is why you're not doing the PC, I can read minds, ha!

Honestly so far it feels like Camp Mali. Yes a 6th grade science camp you stay at to appreciate things like running water. But camp is fun right?! We'll see how I feel in a year. At this rate I will be tanner and skinnier than a bride at her own wedding (motivation Andrea....?). We had a cultural fair inside the training compound so we could buy some Malian clothing and eat on the floor with our hands!! It looks like fun, but not as easy as I thought. Best part though, getting down on the dance floor (dance dirt?) Malian style. Needless to say I didn't need to play soccer yesterday. Other than that the days seem to entail: eating breakfast at 7am (yes I am dressed and "showered" that early, stop laughing), doing language training (I am learning Bambara first and then French), health education (no really guys you DO have to wash your hands here), safety training (don't go anywhere by yourself, and if you do carry a stick, jk mom stop freaking out), soccer until we pass out (one more goal, one more goal!), then delicious dinner (sometimes with our hands) and then my dear readers I play a card game called Caroline is Faster Than You (aka any game I decide to play, thank you Meghan). Although now I have the reputation with my good friends that I am competitive, if they only knew my family....

Over all it has been great. All of the type of people that do Peace Corps are amazing, I'm almost always amongst friends. Tomorrow we start the part of training where we stay with local families. I will be one of 7 Peace Corps Trainees (PCT from here on out) in a village with a local that is employed by PC to teach us Language and Culture (otherwise known as LCF's). This is scary, but where it really all starts. We stay there for 12 days. Needless to say I won't have internet (needless, Caroline, we thought you won't have internet at all! funny guys, really funny). So I won't post anything, but hopefully I will have more time to write at night and I will post 2 when I get back.

Note about the picture situation, someone (aka mom....) didn't tell me I need a certain type of AA batteries (alkaline) for the camera so until I can snag some from my friends, you will just have to enjoy my witty banter. OK, ok I'll get on that fast, stop foaming at the mouth!!

Love you all! I'm sure I will miss you as soon as I have time to breath.

Ready or not here I am!

Hey so I made it safely with all my stuff. I will write a better blog about my experience when I have more time. They are keeping us very busy. So far it's hot (obviously) and overwhelming, but really exciting!!! They are taking really great care of us so stop worrying! And Lindsey, you're going to love it.

Umm...that's what she said.

Someone, who happens to be right more than I would like to admit, once said that saying goodbye when moving far away is a lot like dying. Not in the morbid "let's all mourn my decaying body" kind of way, but more in the "I'm going somewhere you can't really picture and I may or may not ever see you again," kind of way. In the end this makes it extremely hard to say, well anything all. There's so much to express, so many people I want to take with me, but at the same time I am ridiculously excited to do this adventure all on my own.

So we have our wakes in the form of walking dogs, happy hours, working through fire drills, sitting in an empty house until all hours of the night, shopping, driving and avoiding the hard goodbyes. Hopefully through this blog you will be able to get some sort of insight into life in Mali so that it's less like I'm dying and more like I'm on an extended vacation, paid for by your tax dollars. So thank you in advance and I hope I live up to the expectations and to do wonderful things in Mali. If nothing else, let's hope they think I'm a little bit funny and entertaining.

Wish me luck this is going to be hard to pull off....

See you soon!