Tuesday, July 29, 2008
My Future Post
After another long day of lectures and structure, we were told where we will be serving and what job we will be doing. I will be up in the Segou region. I'm excited about this. I will be with a cool group of people, working on Shea Butter projects. Shea butter is a really big natural resource that Mali produces right now. As I become more educated on this subject I will post. As of now, I know what I will be doing here in Mali. This makes my reason for being here a bit clearer. Exciting times lay ahead. I will be away for the next week or so, so don't expect any updates. I am going back to a nice land where there is no electricity and where I can't walk more than 10 steps without having a little one call my name, ask how I am, where am I going, or offer to hold my water bottle for me. I keep trying to post pictures, but as I do live in Mali, internet connection isn't always my friend.
My Last 2 Weeks
Sorry I haven’t written, in two weeks…I’ve been out in the village. You know, the village where literally everyone knows your name. In my case my Malian name happens to be BaUmu, the ‘ba’ stands for mother or elder. Great. Really it is a sign of respect, so I am really not complaining. It’s just different.
In a quick paragraph or so, this is what has been going on in my world:
1. I have a cell phone. If you want my number, email me and I will give it to you. It doesn’t cost me anything if you call. It costs me to call the USofA.
2. My home stay village is complete with 400 people. 5 of us are the white ‘toubobs’ and there are many, many children. PC puts us in home stays so we can integrate with the society, learn the language, and for other governmental reasons…My family is really cool. My ‘dad’ is really caring and interested in me learning Bamanankan (language of the Bambara people). My family is Muslim. They are wonderful.
3. Bambara class. I am learning Bambara. My teacher is good. It’s a lot of info. for a short period of time but it needs to be this way. Bambara is a language widely spoken in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast- learn it). So, when you all come out and visit me we can travel to those three countries and combined with my Francois skills you’ll have your own tour guide.
4. Weight: I’ve lost the 10fat lbs I put on before leaving!! Woot woot! I planned on that happening, which is why I pigged out before I left the US. I lost them the old fashion way: drinking a ton of water, walking-not driving everywhere, and yes, the inevitable Mr. D that travels with me always when I’m in a new country for more than 5 days. My cloths fit!
5. Friends. There is a big group of us out here: 75 more or less. I’m not the only one out here. I am getting to know all these new people that have similar interests as I do, going through the same fears as I am, and are all just as scared as I am. It’s nice. It’s also comforting to hear that pretty much everyone’s parent (mothers) was thoroughly upset at departure time.
6. Brief history: Mali is the 3rd poorest country in the WORD. Yep. WORLD. Sierra Leon and Niger are ahead of us. The infant mortality rate is really high, the literacy rate is low, the GDP is low, they only got their independence in ‘60’s from France, and the country is land locked. I had a lot more planned to educate the masses reading this blog about Mali, yet it’s really late and I don’t want to disturb my roommates. Wikipedia Mali. Timbuktu is here. Pretty interesting history we have here.
7. Funeral: I went to my 1st Muslim/African/Child funeral. I went to bed knowing something was wrong at my house, but didn’t think too much of it. The next morning my sister had my bucket bathing water ready for me like always. I bathed, had my breakfast with one of my moms (she said my sister went into town-that’s why I didn’t have my peanutbutter-sandwhich-breakfast with her like I normally did). Thought that was weird, but got ready to leave for class anyway. As I was leaving my mom #1 was crying. I stink at Bambara right now, and I was late for class, so I just went to class and figured I would ask my prof. what was going on in my house bc nobody was going tell me. I was told that my 1yr old bro. died over night. Sad. We don’t know why, but he was sick? Anyway, we went to the ‘funeral’ I stayed with the women, while the guys in my group went with the rest of the men and buried the little one- all by 10am.
8. Parties: this week in village we are having a wedding and a baptism. Should be more excitement and culture shock for me. They say there is a lot of dancing and drum beatings at weddings. I don’t know what to expect to the baby thing.
9. In conclusion: I am alive and doing well. Of course I have my ups and downs, but we all do. Some days are worse than others- but there are the nights when I just look up at the sky and see so many stars and thank God for this opportunity that I have. We are lucky living in the US. We don’t have to worry about Malaria, if our children will live past the age of 1, or hope for rain during the rainy season so our crops will grow. You all have washing machines and dryers, refrigerators to keep perishable food, access to good education, and knowing that you will live for a long time. Life here is hard, but it’s pure. People talk to each other and think of their neighbors. People discipline others children for the good of the community. I think this is about all I have to write for now. I will be away again for another week- incommunicado. In case you are wondering, it takes about 3 weeks for me to get any mail, so feel free to send me things: Letters, skittles, the Economist or Cosmo, DVD’s, or vanilla wafer cookies.
In a quick paragraph or so, this is what has been going on in my world:
1. I have a cell phone. If you want my number, email me and I will give it to you. It doesn’t cost me anything if you call. It costs me to call the USofA.
2. My home stay village is complete with 400 people. 5 of us are the white ‘toubobs’ and there are many, many children. PC puts us in home stays so we can integrate with the society, learn the language, and for other governmental reasons…My family is really cool. My ‘dad’ is really caring and interested in me learning Bamanankan (language of the Bambara people). My family is Muslim. They are wonderful.
3. Bambara class. I am learning Bambara. My teacher is good. It’s a lot of info. for a short period of time but it needs to be this way. Bambara is a language widely spoken in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast- learn it). So, when you all come out and visit me we can travel to those three countries and combined with my Francois skills you’ll have your own tour guide.
4. Weight: I’ve lost the 10fat lbs I put on before leaving!! Woot woot! I planned on that happening, which is why I pigged out before I left the US. I lost them the old fashion way: drinking a ton of water, walking-not driving everywhere, and yes, the inevitable Mr. D that travels with me always when I’m in a new country for more than 5 days. My cloths fit!
5. Friends. There is a big group of us out here: 75 more or less. I’m not the only one out here. I am getting to know all these new people that have similar interests as I do, going through the same fears as I am, and are all just as scared as I am. It’s nice. It’s also comforting to hear that pretty much everyone’s parent (mothers) was thoroughly upset at departure time.
6. Brief history: Mali is the 3rd poorest country in the WORD. Yep. WORLD. Sierra Leon and Niger are ahead of us. The infant mortality rate is really high, the literacy rate is low, the GDP is low, they only got their independence in ‘60’s from France, and the country is land locked. I had a lot more planned to educate the masses reading this blog about Mali, yet it’s really late and I don’t want to disturb my roommates. Wikipedia Mali. Timbuktu is here. Pretty interesting history we have here.
7. Funeral: I went to my 1st Muslim/African/Child funeral. I went to bed knowing something was wrong at my house, but didn’t think too much of it. The next morning my sister had my bucket bathing water ready for me like always. I bathed, had my breakfast with one of my moms (she said my sister went into town-that’s why I didn’t have my peanutbutter-sandwhich-breakfast with her like I normally did). Thought that was weird, but got ready to leave for class anyway. As I was leaving my mom #1 was crying. I stink at Bambara right now, and I was late for class, so I just went to class and figured I would ask my prof. what was going on in my house bc nobody was going tell me. I was told that my 1yr old bro. died over night. Sad. We don’t know why, but he was sick? Anyway, we went to the ‘funeral’ I stayed with the women, while the guys in my group went with the rest of the men and buried the little one- all by 10am.
8. Parties: this week in village we are having a wedding and a baptism. Should be more excitement and culture shock for me. They say there is a lot of dancing and drum beatings at weddings. I don’t know what to expect to the baby thing.
9. In conclusion: I am alive and doing well. Of course I have my ups and downs, but we all do. Some days are worse than others- but there are the nights when I just look up at the sky and see so many stars and thank God for this opportunity that I have. We are lucky living in the US. We don’t have to worry about Malaria, if our children will live past the age of 1, or hope for rain during the rainy season so our crops will grow. You all have washing machines and dryers, refrigerators to keep perishable food, access to good education, and knowing that you will live for a long time. Life here is hard, but it’s pure. People talk to each other and think of their neighbors. People discipline others children for the good of the community. I think this is about all I have to write for now. I will be away again for another week- incommunicado. In case you are wondering, it takes about 3 weeks for me to get any mail, so feel free to send me things: Letters, skittles, the Economist or Cosmo, DVD’s, or vanilla wafer cookies.
Monday, July 14, 2008
I'm Really in Africa
Mali….so many things already to report. I am now protected against MMR, Yellow Fever, Hep. A, Rabies, Typhoid, oh yeah- importantly Malaria. Shots were not fun, however one must take the good with the bad. The language I will be learning is Bambara. When greeting someone, it’s not just a ‘hello’ it is a “how are you?, how is your mother, how is your father, how is your family? I am well, my family is well....get the point? I like it though, it’s not like learning Italian though!
It’s pretty hot here, but it is rainy season so it’s a lot cooler than during dry season. Two nights ago I was awoken at 430am by a huge storm passing through. It was amazing! The fresh air that came through my hut was so refreshing- until it started coming the windows. Then we had to shut them until we couldn’t bare the heat anymore. Really though, it was a pretty impressive downpour.
Yesterday we had the cultural fair. There were artisans that came in to sell some fabric, jewelry, there was also a music group, dance troop, and girls braiding hair and putting henna on! I got a really cool henna design on my feet. See picture. I decided against getting my hair braided. The music group was awesome. (See picture/video?). They are from the northern part of mali which has the more Arabic influence. There was also an amazing dance group. They danced a welcome dance for us.
It’s pretty hot here, but it is rainy season so it’s a lot cooler than during dry season. Two nights ago I was awoken at 430am by a huge storm passing through. It was amazing! The fresh air that came through my hut was so refreshing- until it started coming the windows. Then we had to shut them until we couldn’t bare the heat anymore. Really though, it was a pretty impressive downpour.
Yesterday we had the cultural fair. There were artisans that came in to sell some fabric, jewelry, there was also a music group, dance troop, and girls braiding hair and putting henna on! I got a really cool henna design on my feet. See picture. I decided against getting my hair braided. The music group was awesome. (See picture/video?). They are from the northern part of mali which has the more Arabic influence. There was also an amazing dance group. They danced a welcome dance for us.
I also had my first laundry experience here. Not to keep comparing Mali to Africa BUT here in Mali the women just use a little hand held washboard. In Nica. I had a whole sink to use with the concrete washboard molded into it. This is going to prove a bit challenging for me. So when you all are throwing laundry in the automatic, running water- washing machine, just think of me. I will be in the hot Malian sun, under a tree somewhere hand washing my cloths from water that I had to get from a well. I will update you all on this experience as my time here passes.
For the next 12 days I will be immersed in Malian culture. I will be staying with a family. They tell us to be prepared for tons of children coming up to you, touching you, wanting to feel your hair, and just wanting to be around you....the truth is that I can't wait! I miss being around children, and the thought of having a bunch of little ones with those big white eyes staring at me just thrills me. Also, they are the best creatures to practice a second (or 3rd, or 4th) language too. They don't judge and they have fun.
I already could go on with a bunch of funny stories, but I'll cut it off for now. I am still happy with my decision to to come out here. I will get to see a little more of life out here in the following days.
Now I will try to post some pictures.
Au revoir mes amies y familia (spanish?)
Friday, July 11, 2008
I Am In AfriCa!
I made it! I finally made it! After 1 year of looking forward to this adventure, I am finally here. My excitement started when I boarded the Air France B777 and was in row 41! I didn't care that it was a middle seat- i was excited to be on a B777! Ofcourse I compared everything to what I knew from USAirways, but overall it was an awesome experience. I slept as soon as we hit the tarmac until lights came on for breakfast. After we landed in Paris-CDG we had about 4hrs of layover. I was excited to get a nutella crepe or a croussiant(spelled) but in the end i didn't find one...well I cruossiant for 2.5oeuro (4$ no thanks!).
I am here in Mali now. We are in the training center-about 77 of us. There is a good mix of males and females of all ages...not just people out of college. I am happy with the people that are here. We seem to have the same ideas and emotions about this whole experience. It was great to see that I wasn't the only scared one, it great to see other people crying in the airport when they were saying their last 'goodbyes' to their loved ones. I was lucky to have Brian come meet me at the airport to say 'au revoir' to me. I'm really greatful that my brother and I are once again close.
Well, to tell you a little about my life here so far: I am sharing a cute round hut with 2 other girls. We are sharing a nygene (outhouse) with 9 other girls. This outhouse is not like the nicaraguan one that I was used to....this one is just a hole in the ground- as opposed to the nice little seat we had in Nica. Last night we slept with the windows and door open (screens on them) and i was sung to sleep by all the insects making their noises.
Malaria med gave me an interesting dream, which I don't remember, but I remember it was crazy! We are staying in the Peace Corps compound for another 3 days, then off to the homestays. I like it here so far, but then again I really haven't been exposed to much.
I'll try and write more as things come up!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
