Sunday, November 16, 2008

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.

2 comments:

Andrea said...

I wash my dishes by hand. And some of my delicates are hand wash too. I wonder if I could make it in Mali? No, probably not. What would I do without my stylish high-heeled shoes? :)

btw... you're lookin pretty fit there Ma soeur.

Unknown said...

Oh Caroline!

I have missed so much! I finally got onto your blog (Chris sent it to me)and read your last four or so entries. Your life in Mali is so inspiring. I am very proud of you for trying so many bizarre foods (way stranger than anything I attempted in India!) and for being determined to drag through the trials of not knowing how to do things with the confidence that you will know how to do them. Keep it up!