April 19, 2011 – 8pm
If there is such a thing as raining brimstone and fire tonight was it. Words will never do justice to what I am experiencing right now. I finally fell asleep only to be awoken to winds that make the California Santa Ana’s look like a slight breeze. When you are living in a mud box with a tin roof held on by 2 inch nails secured into split trees for beams the noise is not something to be described. The sound of the wind cutting through the tin and where the beams come through the house to the outside is like a whirlwind. And just when I thought it couldn’t sound any louder or worse, the thunder and lightning started…then came the rains. The sound of the rain on the tin is deafening to say the least. It sounds like it’s hailing golf balls but I’m pretty sure it’s just rain. Hard rain. I can’t tell the noise from the wind, from the thunder, from the rain. It all is just blending together and it’s loud.
And in the midst of all of this someone (horny old guy) comes to my door. Waiting for me to get up and out of my tent, cursing all the way, getting dressed a third time tonight. I have been sitting in my tent wanting to get up and look anyway but afraid to move because it sounds like the roof is going to come off as if the thin screen of my mosquito tent is going to keep me from harm. When I get to the door, just like earlier, he wanted to check on me and see if I was in bed and OK. WELL I WAS!!! Thanks for asking. No sense whatsoever. Soaking wet, having to walk around holding his head so it wouldn’t rip off in the rain to make sure everyone is OK.
Now THAT was thunder…!!
When the rained slowed down I finally fell asleep. The whole storm was probably a total of 3 hours. It seemed like much longer. When the noise is so deafening that you have to cover your ears with your pillows or put in earplugs just to hear yourself think time moves very slowly. I woke at 3am to the sound of something wrestling with itself or with something else outside my tent on my mat. Of course since very little noise makes me freak out I got my headlamp out right away to see what it was I don’t know what’s better…knowing or not knowing. Does “what I don’t know won’t hurt me” apply in a case like this? I’m thinking it has to be pretty big to make noise when it’s moving around. Maybe the 3-4 inch long cockroaches they have hear. Only I haven’t seen any of those since I’ve been here. Then again, they usually hang out at night in the nyegen and you and me both know I don’t go into the nyegen at night.
Anyway I couldn’t find anything that was making the noise. It stopped and I fell back to sleep…until 5:30 when the wind, rain, thunder and lightning started again. I was just as happy now that it was almost getting light to lay in bed and listen to it. I still wasn’t feeling good and as long as it was raining no one would come by to bother me. It only lasted an hour or so. I’m still not feeling well. I just can’t seem to drink enough to get myself rehydrated. I got out of bed to find my room covered with termites. Not sure where they came from and how they got in there but I’m thinking, since I heard so much about the termite problems, that they’ve been in my room the whole time. There is something about the rain that made them come out from wherever they were in hiding. Probably the beams in the ceiling…which makes me feel even less confident that the roof won’t blow off someday. Especially since this was just a little storm. Rainy season will start the end of May. It will rain and the wind will blow like it did last night but for hours on end. I spend the next little while killing and sweeping up termites.
April 21, 2011
So again tonight I hear something thrashing around on my mat outside my tent. I have to figure out what is making this noise. I got my headlamp and from the safety and security of my room checked all around my tent with my headlamp only to find a small black beetle that must have a body like a brick because that what was making all the racket. It was trying to climb and fly up the wall and just fluttered about until it fell to the ground. That’s what’s been keeping me up. Unfortunately while looking for this creature I found a big black spider on the wall right behind where my head is. Thankfully I have this tent to protect me. Finally I fall asleep.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
April 17, 2011
April 17, 2011
Well the bat didn’t show back up…until around 2pm. I went to find my busy, busy friend Osmoune to find out when he was coming, as promised, to fix my roof and now get the present bat out of my house. By the time I came by the house with Miriam he was up the ladder working on it. Not patching mind you just shoving rocks into the whole and squishing them really good into there. Supposedly bats hang upside down first and then skoot over into whatever they are trying to get into. They won’t go if they can’t fit comfortably while hanging. You learn something new every day. So at least bats won’t get in and the holes left are probably too small for rats. But there is something else that lurks here at night. My guess is that it’s gekkos. They are tricky little things. They blend in with and stay low to the cement so you can barely see them. And unlike the other lizards here they do come out at night. And of course there’s the big black four inch spider up in the corner of my living room. Just out of reach of my broom. He’ll either come down further at some point or leave. So I will not worry for the time being.
All the above aside, I had a little bit better of a day today. I went to Bocari’s (the horny old guy) house first thing this morning and did all my greetings to his wife. He didn’t seem to be around. Just as well. Then I went to Miriam’s to chat and hang out. Of course the same 10 kids circled around me as soon as I sat down. So I taught them Old McDonald and we laughed for a bit. I finally met Miriam’s husband who lives in a different town. He has two wives and eight children. Not including the two of Miriam’s that died early on in their lives. He seems like a nice guy, although Miriam says he’s amine (bad), and he speaks English. Somewhat…enough that we could have a conversation. I wonder if Miriam thinks he’s bad because he doesn’t live or stay with her. He works for the government and makes decent money and gives her enough to live what I think is comfortable for Mali. Gives her money and doesn’t live with her…sounds like the perfect marriage/husband to me.
It’s 6pm and 100 degrees in my room. I need to go get water for my evening bath before it gets dark and the frogs come out. Right now there are just a few, but by next month….Miriam told me I need to walk with rain boots there are so many. Thankfully they only come out at night so I can avoid them for the most part…be home before dark. But, I will have to go out at night when it comes time to deliver babies or Miriam needs me at the clinic for some reason. I need pants tucked into boots and frog repellent (don’t know what that is yet but I’m working on something). So I was going to bring boots but ran out of room in my luggage. Guess it’s time to cash in on some of the offers to send me a care package. Boots it is. Even if not for the frogs, the rain comes down pretty hard and floods all around where I live. Just to get out and walk somewhere or get to the market is going to become quite a chore.
April 19, 2011
I thought I was dizzy and nauseas because it was so stinking hot out. But after I finished my laundry and then lunch I laid down inside and realized how hot my skin and head were. I took my temperature and it was 100.1. Within an hour 101.5. I realized then the burning when I tried to pee earlier and nothing really came out. I just figured I had to drink more. Then I realized I probably had a bladder or urinary tract infection. I am miserable. As if the 120+ temperatures (according to my thermometer) wasn’t enough I have a fever to boot. I contacted Dr. Dawn (PC medical officer) to find out what I should do. We have meds for just about anything we could get but we shouldn’t take anything without checking in first. She concurs that it is probably a bladder or urinary tract infection although I think she thinks it is more so that I am dehydrated and have not been drinking enough water. I probably drank 3 litres of water today, but haven’t peed yet. So I guess that means I haven’t been drinking enough water. I made myself some Oral Rehydration Solution which tastes like crap (being mostly salt) but supposedly works really well for a dehydration fixative.
My crazy neighbor came over probably to find out why I did my laundry myself today. I told her I was sick and she seemed shocked…as if no one here ever gets sick. She seemed generally concerned. I laid down again and someone else came to my door. It was Miriam (the Matrone) and Aramatou. They wanted to see my new wall/mud fence that some of the men of the village finally finished for me today. Again, they were very upset when they found out I was sick. They sat with me for a little while, fanning me to make me feel better. After they left it was getting dark so I went to lay down in my tent. After about ½ hour there was a knock at my door. Crazy neighbor was back with her mom. Really!!?? You knew I was sick and when I didn’t come to the door the first two times you knocked and called my name you would think you should just go away. But no. They waited for me to get up, cursing all the way in English (not that they knew what I was saying but they had to be able to tell from the tone I was not happy), get dressed as I was laying on my mattress in my underwear burning up just to ask me “You are sick?”, “Were you resting?” I couldn’t really say anything but “YYYYYEEEESSSS I am sick and YYYYYYEEEESSSSS I was resting.” Then they said “see you tomorrow” threw a blessing at me and left. Again I have to say “REALLY!!??” No sense.
I finally laid back down and ½ hour later…that’s right…another knock at the door and someone calling my name. Waiting for me to get, cursing all the way and get dressed again. It was Miriam again…with food. And although I appreciate the gestures you knew I was sick, I told you earlier not to bring me dinner I couldn’t eat as I didn’t feel good. Now with taking the medication which causes nausea I feel even less like eating. She insisted on leaving the food and wanted me to go and lay back down. Walked me to my bed and then realized I needed to lock my door. So back to my door, out she went and I locked it behind her. PLEASE for the love of god leave me alone.
Well the bat didn’t show back up…until around 2pm. I went to find my busy, busy friend Osmoune to find out when he was coming, as promised, to fix my roof and now get the present bat out of my house. By the time I came by the house with Miriam he was up the ladder working on it. Not patching mind you just shoving rocks into the whole and squishing them really good into there. Supposedly bats hang upside down first and then skoot over into whatever they are trying to get into. They won’t go if they can’t fit comfortably while hanging. You learn something new every day. So at least bats won’t get in and the holes left are probably too small for rats. But there is something else that lurks here at night. My guess is that it’s gekkos. They are tricky little things. They blend in with and stay low to the cement so you can barely see them. And unlike the other lizards here they do come out at night. And of course there’s the big black four inch spider up in the corner of my living room. Just out of reach of my broom. He’ll either come down further at some point or leave. So I will not worry for the time being.
All the above aside, I had a little bit better of a day today. I went to Bocari’s (the horny old guy) house first thing this morning and did all my greetings to his wife. He didn’t seem to be around. Just as well. Then I went to Miriam’s to chat and hang out. Of course the same 10 kids circled around me as soon as I sat down. So I taught them Old McDonald and we laughed for a bit. I finally met Miriam’s husband who lives in a different town. He has two wives and eight children. Not including the two of Miriam’s that died early on in their lives. He seems like a nice guy, although Miriam says he’s amine (bad), and he speaks English. Somewhat…enough that we could have a conversation. I wonder if Miriam thinks he’s bad because he doesn’t live or stay with her. He works for the government and makes decent money and gives her enough to live what I think is comfortable for Mali. Gives her money and doesn’t live with her…sounds like the perfect marriage/husband to me.
It’s 6pm and 100 degrees in my room. I need to go get water for my evening bath before it gets dark and the frogs come out. Right now there are just a few, but by next month….Miriam told me I need to walk with rain boots there are so many. Thankfully they only come out at night so I can avoid them for the most part…be home before dark. But, I will have to go out at night when it comes time to deliver babies or Miriam needs me at the clinic for some reason. I need pants tucked into boots and frog repellent (don’t know what that is yet but I’m working on something). So I was going to bring boots but ran out of room in my luggage. Guess it’s time to cash in on some of the offers to send me a care package. Boots it is. Even if not for the frogs, the rain comes down pretty hard and floods all around where I live. Just to get out and walk somewhere or get to the market is going to become quite a chore.
April 19, 2011
I thought I was dizzy and nauseas because it was so stinking hot out. But after I finished my laundry and then lunch I laid down inside and realized how hot my skin and head were. I took my temperature and it was 100.1. Within an hour 101.5. I realized then the burning when I tried to pee earlier and nothing really came out. I just figured I had to drink more. Then I realized I probably had a bladder or urinary tract infection. I am miserable. As if the 120+ temperatures (according to my thermometer) wasn’t enough I have a fever to boot. I contacted Dr. Dawn (PC medical officer) to find out what I should do. We have meds for just about anything we could get but we shouldn’t take anything without checking in first. She concurs that it is probably a bladder or urinary tract infection although I think she thinks it is more so that I am dehydrated and have not been drinking enough water. I probably drank 3 litres of water today, but haven’t peed yet. So I guess that means I haven’t been drinking enough water. I made myself some Oral Rehydration Solution which tastes like crap (being mostly salt) but supposedly works really well for a dehydration fixative.
My crazy neighbor came over probably to find out why I did my laundry myself today. I told her I was sick and she seemed shocked…as if no one here ever gets sick. She seemed generally concerned. I laid down again and someone else came to my door. It was Miriam (the Matrone) and Aramatou. They wanted to see my new wall/mud fence that some of the men of the village finally finished for me today. Again, they were very upset when they found out I was sick. They sat with me for a little while, fanning me to make me feel better. After they left it was getting dark so I went to lay down in my tent. After about ½ hour there was a knock at my door. Crazy neighbor was back with her mom. Really!!?? You knew I was sick and when I didn’t come to the door the first two times you knocked and called my name you would think you should just go away. But no. They waited for me to get up, cursing all the way in English (not that they knew what I was saying but they had to be able to tell from the tone I was not happy), get dressed as I was laying on my mattress in my underwear burning up just to ask me “You are sick?”, “Were you resting?” I couldn’t really say anything but “YYYYYEEEESSSS I am sick and YYYYYYEEEESSSSS I was resting.” Then they said “see you tomorrow” threw a blessing at me and left. Again I have to say “REALLY!!??” No sense.
I finally laid back down and ½ hour later…that’s right…another knock at the door and someone calling my name. Waiting for me to get, cursing all the way and get dressed again. It was Miriam again…with food. And although I appreciate the gestures you knew I was sick, I told you earlier not to bring me dinner I couldn’t eat as I didn’t feel good. Now with taking the medication which causes nausea I feel even less like eating. She insisted on leaving the food and wanted me to go and lay back down. Walked me to my bed and then realized I needed to lock my door. So back to my door, out she went and I locked it behind her. PLEASE for the love of god leave me alone.
Rough times
April 15, 2011
Well I didn’t get dinner last night…or breakfast this morning. I spent most of the morning moving stuff around, putting everything I won’t need right away in one suitcase and all my clothes in the other suitcase. The one suitcase I will close up into the corner. The other will remain out and available to me as I don’t have any kind of dresser. Lord only knows how long I’ll be living out of a suitcase.
Miriam, the Matrone, bought me lunch. Good thing. I was starting to feel a little woozy. The usual, rice with peanut sauce. A Malian favorite. After I finished eating I left to bring her the leftovers. Of course on the way out the door I spilled the remainder of the peanut sauce down the front of my shirt and skirt. I changed and headed out to her house with my clothes in a bucket to wash. No matter where I go the kids gather round, adults stop by when they otherwise would just keep on walking. I am the center of the universe in Bougoula. Which has its pros and cons. I want to take care of myself and do for myself and that is just out of the question. They grabbed my clothes to wash. If I can even make it to the pump to get water without someone grabbing my bucket, usually someone will run over and pump the pump for me, or carry my bucket back, and of course there’s the smart asses that just like to make fun of me and mimic me pumping the water. You would think you would like everyone doing everything for you but it’s really annoying. I have to literally sneak out of my house. If the 19 year old next door sees me doing anything she runs over to stop me and do it for me. From getting water, to sweeping…I’m surprised she doesn’t want to wipe my ass for me. Sorry, I’m not feeling this whole experience right now. What starts out good always seems to turn out bad.
Now it’s time for bed and it’s 95 in my room. It’s cooler outside but since they didn’t finish my wall and everyone stares at me during the day there is no way I’m sleeping outside with them leering at me while I sleep. So I will stay inside and get my usual 3-4 hours sleep…whether I need it or not.
April 16, 2011
Some of you wanted all the details about what I’m doing…even my bowel movements…which, by the way, haven’t been anything to speak of. No Mr. D (Peace Corps doctors nice way of saying diarrhea) so far. But this adventure sure has been the emotional roller coaster they said it would be. So roller coaster you will get good and bad. I am sitting in my tent/bed balling, wondering what the hell I’m doing here. I hate it here, I hate the people, I hate the heat, I hate frogs & lizards & spiders, I hate the noise I hear on my roof all night, I hate the footsteps of what I can only imagine is a bird (or hope it’s a bird) that I hear up there now, I hate that every time I open my door everyone in hearing distance looks and wants to know where I’m going. I hate that no matter how much I study I can’t understand or communicate with anyone. And even when I try they just mimic me (kids and adults) and make fun of me. What the hell!! At this point I can’t imagine staying here another minute. The thought of two years makes me want to shoot my own foot just to get sent home. I keep pushing through because I think it has to get better, right? But so far no relief from the constant torture called Africa. I left my children, my family & friends. My motorcycle…MY BED!!! My big beautiful bed!! Two years. I can’t do it. Maybe I need a nap and I can write more later…or when I’m feeling more positive. If you never hear from me again you’ll know why.
7pm – it just keeps getting better
As waking up from my nap I opened my eyes to a bat hanging from the beams just above my bed. So am I feeling better now…that’s a big NO! I told the regional director when he came out when I was here for site visit that something was going to be living in my house soon. If I can see light from where the beams go in and out of the house then something can get in. He argued with me that nothing could get in that small whole. HOW ABOUT A SMALL BAT!! I called him and yelled at him. He came by after installing the last person to their site. He says, “Oh yeah I can see where something would be able to get in there through the end opening.” Really!?? In the morning my jatigi (host family…a 20 year old guy, Osmoune, and his 19 year old wife, Cheta, with a 2 year old and a 6 month old) is going to get right on that. Since he spends most of his day sleeping he shouldn’t have trouble finding the time. In the meantime, Cheta’s father, who seems to be the horny old guy of the neighborhood came over when I told him there was a bat in my house to get rid of it. Apparently “get rid of” means he’s going to try and beat it to death with my broom. He chased it around a little until he lost sight of it. It still hasn’t come into sight again so I don’t know if it’s gone or just hiding. The good thing about bats is that they sleep all day (much like a Malian man) and they are gone all night (from what I’ve seen…also like a Malian man). So I guess I can spend one night trying not to think about it. There so tiny too. Maybe five inches long if that. But they can really swoop and fly when they’re out at night.
Talking about the horny old guy, I found out last night that he has 3 wives and 15 children. The kid I saw last night that was maybe 6 months old is his. He’s gotta be 65-70 if he’s a day. He likes to come over to chat at night at my house. As I open the door I try to push my way out as he’s pushing his way in. This morning I finally won that battle. I sat on a tree stump and he laid down on my deben (rug/mat). Every time I turn around he seems to be there. He thinks he’s helping me with my language but he’s more or less a pain in the ass.
He came with me to Miriam’s house after lunch so I could return her dishes. We chatted for a while…I mostly listened and then Miriam said for us to leave and that she would come by with some women later for more chatting. About an hour later about 20 women showed up outside my house squished into the shade of my jatigi’s house. Of course they all had their youngest children with them. I couldn’t understand most…any…of what they were saying but at one point it was some kind of heated conversation that many of them felt very strongly about.
Well I didn’t get dinner last night…or breakfast this morning. I spent most of the morning moving stuff around, putting everything I won’t need right away in one suitcase and all my clothes in the other suitcase. The one suitcase I will close up into the corner. The other will remain out and available to me as I don’t have any kind of dresser. Lord only knows how long I’ll be living out of a suitcase.
Miriam, the Matrone, bought me lunch. Good thing. I was starting to feel a little woozy. The usual, rice with peanut sauce. A Malian favorite. After I finished eating I left to bring her the leftovers. Of course on the way out the door I spilled the remainder of the peanut sauce down the front of my shirt and skirt. I changed and headed out to her house with my clothes in a bucket to wash. No matter where I go the kids gather round, adults stop by when they otherwise would just keep on walking. I am the center of the universe in Bougoula. Which has its pros and cons. I want to take care of myself and do for myself and that is just out of the question. They grabbed my clothes to wash. If I can even make it to the pump to get water without someone grabbing my bucket, usually someone will run over and pump the pump for me, or carry my bucket back, and of course there’s the smart asses that just like to make fun of me and mimic me pumping the water. You would think you would like everyone doing everything for you but it’s really annoying. I have to literally sneak out of my house. If the 19 year old next door sees me doing anything she runs over to stop me and do it for me. From getting water, to sweeping…I’m surprised she doesn’t want to wipe my ass for me. Sorry, I’m not feeling this whole experience right now. What starts out good always seems to turn out bad.
Now it’s time for bed and it’s 95 in my room. It’s cooler outside but since they didn’t finish my wall and everyone stares at me during the day there is no way I’m sleeping outside with them leering at me while I sleep. So I will stay inside and get my usual 3-4 hours sleep…whether I need it or not.
April 16, 2011
Some of you wanted all the details about what I’m doing…even my bowel movements…which, by the way, haven’t been anything to speak of. No Mr. D (Peace Corps doctors nice way of saying diarrhea) so far. But this adventure sure has been the emotional roller coaster they said it would be. So roller coaster you will get good and bad. I am sitting in my tent/bed balling, wondering what the hell I’m doing here. I hate it here, I hate the people, I hate the heat, I hate frogs & lizards & spiders, I hate the noise I hear on my roof all night, I hate the footsteps of what I can only imagine is a bird (or hope it’s a bird) that I hear up there now, I hate that every time I open my door everyone in hearing distance looks and wants to know where I’m going. I hate that no matter how much I study I can’t understand or communicate with anyone. And even when I try they just mimic me (kids and adults) and make fun of me. What the hell!! At this point I can’t imagine staying here another minute. The thought of two years makes me want to shoot my own foot just to get sent home. I keep pushing through because I think it has to get better, right? But so far no relief from the constant torture called Africa. I left my children, my family & friends. My motorcycle…MY BED!!! My big beautiful bed!! Two years. I can’t do it. Maybe I need a nap and I can write more later…or when I’m feeling more positive. If you never hear from me again you’ll know why.
7pm – it just keeps getting better
As waking up from my nap I opened my eyes to a bat hanging from the beams just above my bed. So am I feeling better now…that’s a big NO! I told the regional director when he came out when I was here for site visit that something was going to be living in my house soon. If I can see light from where the beams go in and out of the house then something can get in. He argued with me that nothing could get in that small whole. HOW ABOUT A SMALL BAT!! I called him and yelled at him. He came by after installing the last person to their site. He says, “Oh yeah I can see where something would be able to get in there through the end opening.” Really!?? In the morning my jatigi (host family…a 20 year old guy, Osmoune, and his 19 year old wife, Cheta, with a 2 year old and a 6 month old) is going to get right on that. Since he spends most of his day sleeping he shouldn’t have trouble finding the time. In the meantime, Cheta’s father, who seems to be the horny old guy of the neighborhood came over when I told him there was a bat in my house to get rid of it. Apparently “get rid of” means he’s going to try and beat it to death with my broom. He chased it around a little until he lost sight of it. It still hasn’t come into sight again so I don’t know if it’s gone or just hiding. The good thing about bats is that they sleep all day (much like a Malian man) and they are gone all night (from what I’ve seen…also like a Malian man). So I guess I can spend one night trying not to think about it. There so tiny too. Maybe five inches long if that. But they can really swoop and fly when they’re out at night.
Talking about the horny old guy, I found out last night that he has 3 wives and 15 children. The kid I saw last night that was maybe 6 months old is his. He’s gotta be 65-70 if he’s a day. He likes to come over to chat at night at my house. As I open the door I try to push my way out as he’s pushing his way in. This morning I finally won that battle. I sat on a tree stump and he laid down on my deben (rug/mat). Every time I turn around he seems to be there. He thinks he’s helping me with my language but he’s more or less a pain in the ass.
He came with me to Miriam’s house after lunch so I could return her dishes. We chatted for a while…I mostly listened and then Miriam said for us to leave and that she would come by with some women later for more chatting. About an hour later about 20 women showed up outside my house squished into the shade of my jatigi’s house. Of course they all had their youngest children with them. I couldn’t understand most…any…of what they were saying but at one point it was some kind of heated conversation that many of them felt very strongly about.
Starting my new life!
April 14, 2011
Today we left Tubaniso. It’ll be 2 months before we go back again.
Thankfully most of our gear went out on big trucks on Saturday to be taken to our transit houses. In case I’ve never explained a transit house…there is one house in each region available for PCVs use. It is somewhere that a PCV can go to decompress with electricity, internet, air conditioning, running water…shower, toilet and everything. You can stay up to 36 nights a year. You have to sign in and out and make plans to stay overnight before hand. It’s usually a fairly big, traditional as we would know it, house. A living room, dining room, full kitchen and several bedrooms…big enough to fit several bunk beds in each room. So the plan was that PC was taking the bulk of our luggage, trunks, gas tanks and stoves, bikes, etc to each of the transit houses in our area. Then today we would take a bus to said transit house. Spend at least two nights giving us the opportunity to go to the big market and buy things we will need to get settled in…pots, plates, buckets, mattresses, maybe a chair to sit in (which I did not get, along with the bed frame I needed…so I am sitting in my mosquito tent with my mattress in it), etc. Spending a second night and then “installing” ourselves by taking public transportation with all the above mentioned items into our homesites on the third day.
So I would have to get myself, 2 large suitcases, a small suitcase, a metal trunk, a gas tank, stove, water filter system, buckets, camping backpack, regular backpack, 2 rugs/mats, a mattress and a bike to the bus stop, on the bus, negotiate a price (the ticket for me will always be the same but if you have a lot of luggage you have to pay extra), have them drop me and all my stuff off at the bus stop by my home and then get all this stuff off the bus and to my house. Hmmm!! And this is new this year for PC. Up until now they have always dropped the PCVs off and “installed” them right to their homes. Thanks!! I guess for them no matter how you do it it’s a logistical nightmare. For us it would just be a nightmare. I only live about 35 minutes from the transit house by bus. By car about 25 minutes. So I told my regional director, “Now, I don’t mean to sound like a baby but, by the time you put all my stuff in and on the car, take me to the bus station, we buy the ticket, take all the stuff off the car and put it in the bus it will take an hour. You can just drive me to my site in 25 minutes and be back in 25 minutes.” Makes sense, right? Luckily we have a fantastic regional coordinator and he didn’t think it was a good idea to have us go out to site by ourselves. Our stoves have to be set up and they didn’t show us how to do it, we don’t have the language to properly go to the dugutigi and say hello and give blessings and it is just plain stressful…not to mention almost impossible. At least I live on the main road, but some people live 5, 10, 20+ kilometers off the main road and the only mode of transportation is a donkey cart. Anyway, he is helping to “install” all 6 of us from the Bougouni area. We said we would do whatever we had to to make it work. That included 2 of us having to be installed today instead of spending the night and doing it tomorrow. So guess who got to go early. Yeah…me!! This is something you have to mentally prepare for so I was not happy. I know they picked me because it was already getting late and I live the closest to the transit house. So travel time would get me there and them back to Bougouni before dark. But knowing this did not make me feel any better. The only good thing about it is that it is finally done. I would have stressed all night about having to leave in the morning. Now it’s done and over. I’m at site, by “bed” is set up, my shit is all together in one place and I’m ready to start my new life.
Everyone seemed really happy to see me. As soon as the car pulled off the road in front of Maternity people swarmed us, all shaking my hand, giving greetings and blessings galore…I didn’t even get out of the car. I was a little excited to be back as well. I finally will be able to start what I came here for. Almost. I’m not supposed to really do any planning or start any projects until after the 2nd part of training which is in 2 months. On June 11 we will return to Tubaniso for 2 weeks for more intense technical training. After that I can begin real work. In the meantime, I will integrate into the community, work on my language skills, do some community assessments (finding out what the community thinks they need) and I will go to work with the matron at the maternity (clinic). She sees sick babies and moms, does prenatal consultations and delivers babies. I may actually get to see my first baby be born. I’m excited.
Only problem with me installing early…unfortunately in the morning I was going to go to market and buy some fruits, vegetables, rice, pasta stuff, etc. so I can cook and have food for the coming week…as my market day in the next town over was today and I missed it. Now I am here and have no food and market day is a week away. I told the matrone before I left site visit that when I come back I’ll be set up to cook for myself. It’s 20 after 8. I don’t think she’s coming with dinner…which also means no breakfast. I’m a little hungry.
Today we left Tubaniso. It’ll be 2 months before we go back again.
Thankfully most of our gear went out on big trucks on Saturday to be taken to our transit houses. In case I’ve never explained a transit house…there is one house in each region available for PCVs use. It is somewhere that a PCV can go to decompress with electricity, internet, air conditioning, running water…shower, toilet and everything. You can stay up to 36 nights a year. You have to sign in and out and make plans to stay overnight before hand. It’s usually a fairly big, traditional as we would know it, house. A living room, dining room, full kitchen and several bedrooms…big enough to fit several bunk beds in each room. So the plan was that PC was taking the bulk of our luggage, trunks, gas tanks and stoves, bikes, etc to each of the transit houses in our area. Then today we would take a bus to said transit house. Spend at least two nights giving us the opportunity to go to the big market and buy things we will need to get settled in…pots, plates, buckets, mattresses, maybe a chair to sit in (which I did not get, along with the bed frame I needed…so I am sitting in my mosquito tent with my mattress in it), etc. Spending a second night and then “installing” ourselves by taking public transportation with all the above mentioned items into our homesites on the third day.
So I would have to get myself, 2 large suitcases, a small suitcase, a metal trunk, a gas tank, stove, water filter system, buckets, camping backpack, regular backpack, 2 rugs/mats, a mattress and a bike to the bus stop, on the bus, negotiate a price (the ticket for me will always be the same but if you have a lot of luggage you have to pay extra), have them drop me and all my stuff off at the bus stop by my home and then get all this stuff off the bus and to my house. Hmmm!! And this is new this year for PC. Up until now they have always dropped the PCVs off and “installed” them right to their homes. Thanks!! I guess for them no matter how you do it it’s a logistical nightmare. For us it would just be a nightmare. I only live about 35 minutes from the transit house by bus. By car about 25 minutes. So I told my regional director, “Now, I don’t mean to sound like a baby but, by the time you put all my stuff in and on the car, take me to the bus station, we buy the ticket, take all the stuff off the car and put it in the bus it will take an hour. You can just drive me to my site in 25 minutes and be back in 25 minutes.” Makes sense, right? Luckily we have a fantastic regional coordinator and he didn’t think it was a good idea to have us go out to site by ourselves. Our stoves have to be set up and they didn’t show us how to do it, we don’t have the language to properly go to the dugutigi and say hello and give blessings and it is just plain stressful…not to mention almost impossible. At least I live on the main road, but some people live 5, 10, 20+ kilometers off the main road and the only mode of transportation is a donkey cart. Anyway, he is helping to “install” all 6 of us from the Bougouni area. We said we would do whatever we had to to make it work. That included 2 of us having to be installed today instead of spending the night and doing it tomorrow. So guess who got to go early. Yeah…me!! This is something you have to mentally prepare for so I was not happy. I know they picked me because it was already getting late and I live the closest to the transit house. So travel time would get me there and them back to Bougouni before dark. But knowing this did not make me feel any better. The only good thing about it is that it is finally done. I would have stressed all night about having to leave in the morning. Now it’s done and over. I’m at site, by “bed” is set up, my shit is all together in one place and I’m ready to start my new life.
Everyone seemed really happy to see me. As soon as the car pulled off the road in front of Maternity people swarmed us, all shaking my hand, giving greetings and blessings galore…I didn’t even get out of the car. I was a little excited to be back as well. I finally will be able to start what I came here for. Almost. I’m not supposed to really do any planning or start any projects until after the 2nd part of training which is in 2 months. On June 11 we will return to Tubaniso for 2 weeks for more intense technical training. After that I can begin real work. In the meantime, I will integrate into the community, work on my language skills, do some community assessments (finding out what the community thinks they need) and I will go to work with the matron at the maternity (clinic). She sees sick babies and moms, does prenatal consultations and delivers babies. I may actually get to see my first baby be born. I’m excited.
Only problem with me installing early…unfortunately in the morning I was going to go to market and buy some fruits, vegetables, rice, pasta stuff, etc. so I can cook and have food for the coming week…as my market day in the next town over was today and I missed it. Now I am here and have no food and market day is a week away. I told the matrone before I left site visit that when I come back I’ll be set up to cook for myself. It’s 20 after 8. I don’t think she’s coming with dinner…which also means no breakfast. I’m a little hungry.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
...So help me god...
April 12, 2011
Today we were sworn in as Peace Corps volunteers under the below conditions. The ceremony was held at the president’s palace. We didn’t get to see much of it but it was sure exciting to be there. It wasn’t the White House of anything but an experience none-the-less. We took a tour bus up a hill and down winding roads to get to the palace. We were sat down and had to wait for an hour before the president arrived. You should never be late. We were allowed to take pictures inside but DON’T step on the rug that has the president’s chair on it and NEVER touch the chair. We didn’t ask why, just agreed.
After the president arrived there were speeches from Boca, the PC Country Coordinator, Mike, the PC Country Director of Mali and Gillian A. Milovanovic, the US Ambassador to Mali…all in French. I got the gist of the speeches. After we had our official swearing in (I cried a little) speeches were given by some of our group (not me..someone with actual language skills) in each of the 5 different languages this group has been trained in. They were frickin awesome. They did such a good job. I was very proud of them. Then the president spoke. He spoke about how proud he was of us and how we are doing such a great thing for Mali and wished us all the luck over the next 2 years. There was a reception with some finger foods and COLD soda. Really cold soda. That in and of itself was a real treat!!
Tomorrow we leave for our permanent sites. Although I’m looking forward to this part of the journey it brings on a whole other set of fears and anxieties. I will have no other American’s around me, no one there speaks English, AT ALL. I will be living on my own, have to cook on my own, get water on my own…I will be on my own…alone…in Africa. Lord help me.
INVITATION TO SWEAR-IN AS A PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER IN MALI
Congratulations! You have succeeded in fulfilling the requirements established by Peace Corps to demonstrate the technical and linguistic competence, resiliency, and determination which are essential for service as a PCV in Mali. At this time we would like to review the 10 Core Expectations, presented to you at the time of your initial invitation to Mali:
1. Prepare your personal and professional life to make a commitment to serve abroad for a full term of 23 months.
2. Commit to improving the quality of life of the people with whom you live and work; and, in doing so, share your skills, adapt them, and learn new skills as needed.
3. Serve where the Peace Corps asks you to go, under conditions of hardship, if necessary, and with the flexibility needed for effective service.
4. Recognize that your successful and sustainable development work is based on the local trust and confidence you build by living in, and respectfully integrating yourself into, your host community and culture.
5. Recognize that you are responsible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for your personal conduct and professional performance.
6. Engage with the host country partners in a spirit of cooperation, mutual learning and respect.
7. Work within the rules and regulations of the Peace Corps and the local and national laws of the country where you serve.
8. Exercise judgment and personal responsibility to protect your health, safety and well being and that of others.
9. Recognize that you will be perceived, in your host country and community, as a representative of the people, cultures, values and traditions of the United States of America.
10. Represent responsibly the people, culture, values and traditions of your host country and community to people in the United States both during and following your service.
Today we were sworn in as Peace Corps volunteers under the below conditions. The ceremony was held at the president’s palace. We didn’t get to see much of it but it was sure exciting to be there. It wasn’t the White House of anything but an experience none-the-less. We took a tour bus up a hill and down winding roads to get to the palace. We were sat down and had to wait for an hour before the president arrived. You should never be late. We were allowed to take pictures inside but DON’T step on the rug that has the president’s chair on it and NEVER touch the chair. We didn’t ask why, just agreed.
After the president arrived there were speeches from Boca, the PC Country Coordinator, Mike, the PC Country Director of Mali and Gillian A. Milovanovic, the US Ambassador to Mali…all in French. I got the gist of the speeches. After we had our official swearing in (I cried a little) speeches were given by some of our group (not me..someone with actual language skills) in each of the 5 different languages this group has been trained in. They were frickin awesome. They did such a good job. I was very proud of them. Then the president spoke. He spoke about how proud he was of us and how we are doing such a great thing for Mali and wished us all the luck over the next 2 years. There was a reception with some finger foods and COLD soda. Really cold soda. That in and of itself was a real treat!!
Tomorrow we leave for our permanent sites. Although I’m looking forward to this part of the journey it brings on a whole other set of fears and anxieties. I will have no other American’s around me, no one there speaks English, AT ALL. I will be living on my own, have to cook on my own, get water on my own…I will be on my own…alone…in Africa. Lord help me.
INVITATION TO SWEAR-IN AS A PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER IN MALI
Congratulations! You have succeeded in fulfilling the requirements established by Peace Corps to demonstrate the technical and linguistic competence, resiliency, and determination which are essential for service as a PCV in Mali. At this time we would like to review the 10 Core Expectations, presented to you at the time of your initial invitation to Mali:
1. Prepare your personal and professional life to make a commitment to serve abroad for a full term of 23 months.
2. Commit to improving the quality of life of the people with whom you live and work; and, in doing so, share your skills, adapt them, and learn new skills as needed.
3. Serve where the Peace Corps asks you to go, under conditions of hardship, if necessary, and with the flexibility needed for effective service.
4. Recognize that your successful and sustainable development work is based on the local trust and confidence you build by living in, and respectfully integrating yourself into, your host community and culture.
5. Recognize that you are responsible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for your personal conduct and professional performance.
6. Engage with the host country partners in a spirit of cooperation, mutual learning and respect.
7. Work within the rules and regulations of the Peace Corps and the local and national laws of the country where you serve.
8. Exercise judgment and personal responsibility to protect your health, safety and well being and that of others.
9. Recognize that you will be perceived, in your host country and community, as a representative of the people, cultures, values and traditions of the United States of America.
10. Represent responsibly the people, culture, values and traditions of your host country and community to people in the United States both during and following your service.
All fun day
April 11, 2011
Today was a day of fun for PC trainees. It started with a shuttle taking a bunch of us into Bamako to do some shopping. We went yesterday too. We got to go to the suguba (big market). The market is like going to a swap meet only intensified by people following you, touching you, pulling you into their stores/stalls. They sell clothes, jewelery, pots, pants, shoes, purses...anything you could possibly think of. It was almost like being in Tijuana to go shopping. Everyone trying to lure you into their shops. Only here they will follow you an annoy you and intimidate you beyon belief. You have to learn to say no and try and skate around them. Because if you turn one place or move another place they will just move with you. It was almost scarey at times. That was yesterady. Today we went over to the artisan area. This was a little more quality malian made artsy stuff. Including jewelery, paintings, wall hangings, musical instruments, leather goods, wood carvings, etc. Touristy but Malian made for sure. It was nice but because they follow you and bug you it makes me not want to buy stuff instead of making me want to by stuff. Between yesterday and today I bought two outfits, some material to have some work clothes made, some bead bracelets and some silver earings. I'm happy with my purchases...except the guy that sold us the material totally ripped us off. That's a hole other story. Live and learn...that won't happen again.
Then we came back to camp. Most trainees then went over to the America Club where we went a couple of weeks ago to have lunch and swim in the pool. I decided not to go. Out of 61 of us only 4 of us didn't go. We are leaving in 2 days for our home sites. I wanted to get all my stuff together, do some laundry and relax before our big night out. Plus the lunch last time sucked and it was expensive. I would rather stay back from doing that and have a nice dinner tonight and not have to worry about the money. And boy I'm glad I did. At 5pm a car took me and 2 other trainees over to the hotel where everyone (except a few of us) were going to spend the night. We ate dinner there. I had Canard a l'orange (orange duck) and garlic roasted potatoes. It was frickin awesome. A hamburger at the pool would have cost what I paid for my duck and this was a hell uva lot better. I had a beer and some wine. After dinner everyone got shuttled over to the first bar/night club for the evening. Unfortunately by the time we got over there it would be only an hour before the shuttle would come to take us back to camp. That was a shame. I was just starting to have fun and dance and it was time to go.
But not before they named our staje (group). Every new group that comes in gets a name after training from the group that was before them. The name is usually based on what they've learned about the group in the first 2 months they've known them. Team America was the last staje (they couldn't think of anything else). Before that was Risky Business. I hear they are a bunch of partiers and drinkers. Based on the fact that this particular staje that I'm in has been very spoiled, that the other stajes are jealous of all the field trips we've had, gone to the swimming pool, anytime someone wanted to go into Bamako they would arrange an unscheduled field trip, we changed our hours at school because it was too hot. Change different training sessions here and there because we wanted to sleep in. We have a Jackie-O type chick and a couple of Marilyns...All these things considered they named us Kennedy Staje. We like it!!
So the group of us that wasn't staying over night left on a 10pm shuttle back to camp. The rest of the group all stayed in the hotel. The last shuttle from the night club to the hotel was 3am. From what I understand a pretty big group was still hanging tough at 3. I can't imagine because there were some folks that were wasted by the time we left at 10. I don't how they made it. But I just got the scoop from one of the other volunteers. I got some (not all) the dirt about who hooked up with who. Apparently being a PC volunteer doesn't change the fact that you re a 20 something year old girl or guy. Behavoir here at a club isn't any different than behavoir in the states at a club. The only difference here is that a certain level of behavoir is expected and their can be consequences regarding your service with Peace Corps if those behavoirs are compromised. That being said, that's why Peace Corps staff does not participate in these extra curricular activities. What they don't know won't hurt them. So there were hook ups and mix ups and match ups...and I'm sure alot of regret this morning. Or not...
The shuttle left the hotel at 10am to bring everyone back to camp. I can't wait to here the rest of the stories. I'm sure some no one will ever know. Tonight is our swear in at the president's palace. Should be quite the spectacle. Story and pictures to follow.
Today was a day of fun for PC trainees. It started with a shuttle taking a bunch of us into Bamako to do some shopping. We went yesterday too. We got to go to the suguba (big market). The market is like going to a swap meet only intensified by people following you, touching you, pulling you into their stores/stalls. They sell clothes, jewelery, pots, pants, shoes, purses...anything you could possibly think of. It was almost like being in Tijuana to go shopping. Everyone trying to lure you into their shops. Only here they will follow you an annoy you and intimidate you beyon belief. You have to learn to say no and try and skate around them. Because if you turn one place or move another place they will just move with you. It was almost scarey at times. That was yesterady. Today we went over to the artisan area. This was a little more quality malian made artsy stuff. Including jewelery, paintings, wall hangings, musical instruments, leather goods, wood carvings, etc. Touristy but Malian made for sure. It was nice but because they follow you and bug you it makes me not want to buy stuff instead of making me want to by stuff. Between yesterday and today I bought two outfits, some material to have some work clothes made, some bead bracelets and some silver earings. I'm happy with my purchases...except the guy that sold us the material totally ripped us off. That's a hole other story. Live and learn...that won't happen again.
Then we came back to camp. Most trainees then went over to the America Club where we went a couple of weeks ago to have lunch and swim in the pool. I decided not to go. Out of 61 of us only 4 of us didn't go. We are leaving in 2 days for our home sites. I wanted to get all my stuff together, do some laundry and relax before our big night out. Plus the lunch last time sucked and it was expensive. I would rather stay back from doing that and have a nice dinner tonight and not have to worry about the money. And boy I'm glad I did. At 5pm a car took me and 2 other trainees over to the hotel where everyone (except a few of us) were going to spend the night. We ate dinner there. I had Canard a l'orange (orange duck) and garlic roasted potatoes. It was frickin awesome. A hamburger at the pool would have cost what I paid for my duck and this was a hell uva lot better. I had a beer and some wine. After dinner everyone got shuttled over to the first bar/night club for the evening. Unfortunately by the time we got over there it would be only an hour before the shuttle would come to take us back to camp. That was a shame. I was just starting to have fun and dance and it was time to go.
But not before they named our staje (group). Every new group that comes in gets a name after training from the group that was before them. The name is usually based on what they've learned about the group in the first 2 months they've known them. Team America was the last staje (they couldn't think of anything else). Before that was Risky Business. I hear they are a bunch of partiers and drinkers. Based on the fact that this particular staje that I'm in has been very spoiled, that the other stajes are jealous of all the field trips we've had, gone to the swimming pool, anytime someone wanted to go into Bamako they would arrange an unscheduled field trip, we changed our hours at school because it was too hot. Change different training sessions here and there because we wanted to sleep in. We have a Jackie-O type chick and a couple of Marilyns...All these things considered they named us Kennedy Staje. We like it!!
So the group of us that wasn't staying over night left on a 10pm shuttle back to camp. The rest of the group all stayed in the hotel. The last shuttle from the night club to the hotel was 3am. From what I understand a pretty big group was still hanging tough at 3. I can't imagine because there were some folks that were wasted by the time we left at 10. I don't how they made it. But I just got the scoop from one of the other volunteers. I got some (not all) the dirt about who hooked up with who. Apparently being a PC volunteer doesn't change the fact that you re a 20 something year old girl or guy. Behavoir here at a club isn't any different than behavoir in the states at a club. The only difference here is that a certain level of behavoir is expected and their can be consequences regarding your service with Peace Corps if those behavoirs are compromised. That being said, that's why Peace Corps staff does not participate in these extra curricular activities. What they don't know won't hurt them. So there were hook ups and mix ups and match ups...and I'm sure alot of regret this morning. Or not...
The shuttle left the hotel at 10am to bring everyone back to camp. I can't wait to here the rest of the stories. I'm sure some no one will ever know. Tonight is our swear in at the president's palace. Should be quite the spectacle. Story and pictures to follow.
Have I adjusted you ask!!??
E-mail to Stephanie...
I am starting to adjust better for sure. The first 2 months (5-6 weeks especially) sucked big time. I cried...alot. I was more homesick than I thought i would be. I feel bad for leaving the boys and just miss the simple little life I had. It is simple here but in a different way. You don't have to think much, no one really gets up and goes to work in the morning, etc. BUT i have to walk to a pump to get water, going to the bathroom and bathing is a big chore, you have to start a fire to cook (I won't have to because i have a gas tank and stove top), you have to collect and burn your trash, you have to go out of your way to buy food and use a bike, walk 4 miles or take a bush taxi to get there and back. You have to do laundry by hand...still walking to get the water to do that. So just day to day shit takes up all your time. But then when there's down time it's really down. after dark there is NOTHING to do. There's no electricty, no TV, no phones...NOTHING. Thankfully I have my computer and when I get to site I'll be able to keep it charged as the marternity house (where I'll be working has a solar panel and I can charge my stuff). I have TV shows and a ton of movies downloaded. I don't think I'll be able to watch it all in the 2 years I'll be here. As far as the 2 years go. Am I going to stay the whole time...i don't know. Before I left I was adamant that if I commit to the 2 years I'm going to do the 2 years. but after these 2 months I think I'll play it by ear!! hahahaha...one day, one week, one month at a time. This shit is hard and it's hot as balls here!! Of course that won't last. It's hot season and so it's been as hot as 115 during the day and it's 80 at night...but 90+ in my room. Soon the rains will come and everything will flood. The road that goes to the matrone's (mid wife) house is a dry river bed. So that will fill up and I will need to find other ways to get around town. The mosquitos will come along with the frogs. Give me a lizard anytime. After rainy season is dry season that starts out the first part (October thru February is dry, cold season). i think this weather will be very comparible to San Diego. 70-80 during the day and down to 50 or less at night. Should be AWESOME!! Then back to dry, hot season.
I shower/bathe out of a bucket at least 2 times per day. Sometimes I will take another shower in the middle of the day because it's so hot you think your brain is going to fry. That's not as bad as it sounds (the bucket bath not the brain frying0. I bought a five gallon camping shower bag so at least I can run water over my body once I set it up at my site. I leave tomorrow for the place that I should be living in for the next 2 years. i'm excited and scared. I already have some projects in mind so that makes me excited. I really liked the people that i met and will be working with. but NO ONE speaks english. My language skills are mediocre at best. So communication is going to be at a real minimum. I'm nervous that my language skills will never be enough to work as effectively as I could if I had those skills. But I am going to study and I have a tutor lined up to help me. I passed the language test at Intermediate mid. That's better than I tested at in French when I got here after 2 semesters.
What do you do when you have your period. Well...the same thing you do at home but instead of putting your products in the trash or flushing them everything goes down the nyegen. Some of the older peace corps volunteers said to make sure to put everything down the nyegen. She had thrown out her trash and later that same day saw some kids running around with her used tampon tubes on their fingers playing like monsters. LOL!!! You can't make that up. That's some gross, funny shit right there.
I am turning color for sure. One of the girls at my new home site when I went for my visit was asking me why I had a white stripe across my wrist (watch mark) and the rest of me was brown. I tried in my broken Bambara to explain how white people change color. Didn't go over that well. My face is a mess. All that time i spent getting rid of the sun damage I did to myself in my younger tanning years and in 2 months it all back...with a vengence. I don't get to look in a mirror that often in a good enough light to see myself and that's probably a good thing. I have lost 18 pounds. I haven't seen myself in a full length mirror since I've been in Africa so I can't see the good progress either. i imagine I will lose more weight when I get out to site. My hope is to cut out all the carbs they fill up on here. Rice, toh (a startchy nutritionless substance they use to fill up their bellies) and potatoes...OK maybe not the potatoes because they are really good here...both white and sweet...but I won't eat them all the me. I'm going to try to stick to fresh vegetables and fruits as storage will allow. without refrigeration it's hard to keep things for any period of time. Anyway, I had bought some pants with me that didn't fit before I left the states and now they do...one pair is already to big. And I have a pouch at Loreen's to be mailed that has extra underwear and some smaller size bras (from before I gained all this weight) that I think she needs to send. I have a pucker in the bras that I'm wearing now. Bye bye girls!!
So, that's my life in a nutshell. Our swearing in ceremony is tonight. It is at the president's palace. first time ever that Peace Corps has been able to have their ceremony there. We are all really excited. I have a very fancy Malian outfit that you wouldn't catch me dead in in the states. But here...I'm gonna be the bomb. Pictures will follow.
I am starting to adjust better for sure. The first 2 months (5-6 weeks especially) sucked big time. I cried...alot. I was more homesick than I thought i would be. I feel bad for leaving the boys and just miss the simple little life I had. It is simple here but in a different way. You don't have to think much, no one really gets up and goes to work in the morning, etc. BUT i have to walk to a pump to get water, going to the bathroom and bathing is a big chore, you have to start a fire to cook (I won't have to because i have a gas tank and stove top), you have to collect and burn your trash, you have to go out of your way to buy food and use a bike, walk 4 miles or take a bush taxi to get there and back. You have to do laundry by hand...still walking to get the water to do that. So just day to day shit takes up all your time. But then when there's down time it's really down. after dark there is NOTHING to do. There's no electricty, no TV, no phones...NOTHING. Thankfully I have my computer and when I get to site I'll be able to keep it charged as the marternity house (where I'll be working has a solar panel and I can charge my stuff). I have TV shows and a ton of movies downloaded. I don't think I'll be able to watch it all in the 2 years I'll be here. As far as the 2 years go. Am I going to stay the whole time...i don't know. Before I left I was adamant that if I commit to the 2 years I'm going to do the 2 years. but after these 2 months I think I'll play it by ear!! hahahaha...one day, one week, one month at a time. This shit is hard and it's hot as balls here!! Of course that won't last. It's hot season and so it's been as hot as 115 during the day and it's 80 at night...but 90+ in my room. Soon the rains will come and everything will flood. The road that goes to the matrone's (mid wife) house is a dry river bed. So that will fill up and I will need to find other ways to get around town. The mosquitos will come along with the frogs. Give me a lizard anytime. After rainy season is dry season that starts out the first part (October thru February is dry, cold season). i think this weather will be very comparible to San Diego. 70-80 during the day and down to 50 or less at night. Should be AWESOME!! Then back to dry, hot season.
I shower/bathe out of a bucket at least 2 times per day. Sometimes I will take another shower in the middle of the day because it's so hot you think your brain is going to fry. That's not as bad as it sounds (the bucket bath not the brain frying0. I bought a five gallon camping shower bag so at least I can run water over my body once I set it up at my site. I leave tomorrow for the place that I should be living in for the next 2 years. i'm excited and scared. I already have some projects in mind so that makes me excited. I really liked the people that i met and will be working with. but NO ONE speaks english. My language skills are mediocre at best. So communication is going to be at a real minimum. I'm nervous that my language skills will never be enough to work as effectively as I could if I had those skills. But I am going to study and I have a tutor lined up to help me. I passed the language test at Intermediate mid. That's better than I tested at in French when I got here after 2 semesters.
What do you do when you have your period. Well...the same thing you do at home but instead of putting your products in the trash or flushing them everything goes down the nyegen. Some of the older peace corps volunteers said to make sure to put everything down the nyegen. She had thrown out her trash and later that same day saw some kids running around with her used tampon tubes on their fingers playing like monsters. LOL!!! You can't make that up. That's some gross, funny shit right there.
I am turning color for sure. One of the girls at my new home site when I went for my visit was asking me why I had a white stripe across my wrist (watch mark) and the rest of me was brown. I tried in my broken Bambara to explain how white people change color. Didn't go over that well. My face is a mess. All that time i spent getting rid of the sun damage I did to myself in my younger tanning years and in 2 months it all back...with a vengence. I don't get to look in a mirror that often in a good enough light to see myself and that's probably a good thing. I have lost 18 pounds. I haven't seen myself in a full length mirror since I've been in Africa so I can't see the good progress either. i imagine I will lose more weight when I get out to site. My hope is to cut out all the carbs they fill up on here. Rice, toh (a startchy nutritionless substance they use to fill up their bellies) and potatoes...OK maybe not the potatoes because they are really good here...both white and sweet...but I won't eat them all the me. I'm going to try to stick to fresh vegetables and fruits as storage will allow. without refrigeration it's hard to keep things for any period of time. Anyway, I had bought some pants with me that didn't fit before I left the states and now they do...one pair is already to big. And I have a pouch at Loreen's to be mailed that has extra underwear and some smaller size bras (from before I gained all this weight) that I think she needs to send. I have a pucker in the bras that I'm wearing now. Bye bye girls!!
So, that's my life in a nutshell. Our swearing in ceremony is tonight. It is at the president's palace. first time ever that Peace Corps has been able to have their ceremony there. We are all really excited. I have a very fancy Malian outfit that you wouldn't catch me dead in in the states. But here...I'm gonna be the bomb. Pictures will follow.
Passed my test
April 8, 2011
Much to my surprise, I was able to retake my language test today. I PASSED...intermediate-mid. I think the tester was being very generous with me. Either way, at least I don't have to worry about coming back in 2 months and retesting. I will still have a tutor at site and work very hard at improving my skills on my own, using my notes and the text book we got. I really have no choice but to improve my skills. Otherwise it's going to be a really lonely, unproductive 2 years.
Much to my surprise, I was able to retake my language test today. I PASSED...intermediate-mid. I think the tester was being very generous with me. Either way, at least I don't have to worry about coming back in 2 months and retesting. I will still have a tutor at site and work very hard at improving my skills on my own, using my notes and the text book we got. I really have no choice but to improve my skills. Otherwise it's going to be a really lonely, unproductive 2 years.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
"Bamunan ni kasanke ce ka surun."
April 6, 2011
There’s a Malian saying “Bamunan ni kasanke ce ka surun“. The length of material between that which you wrap a baby and that which you wrap the dead is too short. Today someone I’ve been friends with since 6th grade died. I never felt so far away.
April 7, 2011
I just took my Bambara language test. I tested at Intermediate Low. We were supposed to test at Mid. Oh well. I was planning on doing tutoring at site anyway. This means that when we come back to camp in 2 months I will need to take the test over again. Bummer. But I get some one on one tutoring.
There’s a Malian saying “Bamunan ni kasanke ce ka surun“. The length of material between that which you wrap a baby and that which you wrap the dead is too short. Today someone I’ve been friends with since 6th grade died. I never felt so far away.
April 7, 2011
I just took my Bambara language test. I tested at Intermediate Low. We were supposed to test at Mid. Oh well. I was planning on doing tutoring at site anyway. This means that when we come back to camp in 2 months I will need to take the test over again. Bummer. But I get some one on one tutoring.
Monday, April 4, 2011
A tearful goodbye
April 2, 2011
PC picked up any extra luggage, our water filters and trunks today. I have one suitcase and 2 backpacks. I spent the afternoon doing my laundry and I’m hiding in my room until I have to go back to school in another hour. I’m ready to get the flock out of here. 18 hours and counting.
*I’ve met several young girls here (20 ish or so) since I’ve been here that are kind of snots and think they are the shit. One girl that must be a niece to my host mom in particular. She has a diva attitude. She is tall, think, pretty (ignoring the lazy eye) and she always has her hair done and nice clothes on. I give her that, but, once your take someone that looks good and you sit them down to eat and they stick their hand into a bowl of rice and sauce and then they stick their hand in their mouth up to the wrist it really does take away some of the hotness. Not to mention the spitting and burping. Of course that’s only one girls opinion.
April 3, 2011
I’m back at Tubaniso. Leaving was way more emotional than I had thought it would be. I didn’t feel a real attachment to this family. My host mom and sister didn’t come to say goodbye to me. The mom spent the night at the garden and my host sister was in her room. The brother said she was sick. We had to meet the PC truck up at the school so we all had to walk up there with our stuff. My two brothers helped me and walked me up to the school. My younger brother, Burama, who is 12 was crying before we even left the house. I was so touched by his emotions. He is the one person in the family that I haven’t really talked about. Why? Because he wasn’t being an asshole. He has been nice to me and has talked to me and patient with me while learning the language since the day I arrived in Muntugula. That says a lot about me. I remember when I was young I could have bought home a report card that was all A’s and B’s (I didn’t…but I could have) and got one C and that would be what my father would comment on. “You got a C??!!”….AAHHHHHH!!!! What about the A’s and B’s!!?? WHAT ABOUT BURAMA!!!??? He wasn’t constantly up in my face and being an asshole to me and I haven’t talked about him once because he didn’t give me anything to bitch about. After all is said and done he is the one most upset about my leaving. So now both of us are crying and we are walking up to the school together holding his hand and telling him in my best language how much I would miss him. Both him and Gaussu (the older brother) waited at the van with me while they packed our stuff on top. Every time I looked at Burama he would well up with tears. There was about 30 kids and some adults that were waiting with us. The other kids will never let Burama live it down that he was crying. Malians just don’t cry and when they do they get teased…forever about it. It took a lot of balls for him to show such emotions. Again I was touched. I was hugging him and kissed him on the forehead a couple of times. While he was sobbing he took my hand, as if he was going to hold it, and slipped me some money. I think in my whole life I have never experienced such a heartfelt gesture of kindness from another human being. It was 100cfa’s which is about 20 cents, which isn’t much to us but to him it was surely everything he had and again just the fact that he slipped it to me the way he did as if to say “for your journey”. I have never been so touched. I am going to have a whole drilled into the coin and will wear it and keep it always. I swore I would never go back to Muntugula after training was over but I have changed my mind. When my Bambara is better and I can convey to Burama how much his gesture meant to me I will go back. I will show him the coin and let him know I will always remember him.
In the meantime, I was standing with Gaussu, who is 20. I held his hand and in English told him that I couldn’t stand him and that he has been a little shit and mean to me the whole time I have been here and that I will never come back and visit him…then I noticed a big tear slide down his face. GOD I’M SUCH A SCHMUCK. Luckily he had no idea what I was saying. We hugged, said our goodbyes and passed a few blessings back and forth and we were off.
I’m still carrying my coin around. I will always carry it.
PC picked up any extra luggage, our water filters and trunks today. I have one suitcase and 2 backpacks. I spent the afternoon doing my laundry and I’m hiding in my room until I have to go back to school in another hour. I’m ready to get the flock out of here. 18 hours and counting.
*I’ve met several young girls here (20 ish or so) since I’ve been here that are kind of snots and think they are the shit. One girl that must be a niece to my host mom in particular. She has a diva attitude. She is tall, think, pretty (ignoring the lazy eye) and she always has her hair done and nice clothes on. I give her that, but, once your take someone that looks good and you sit them down to eat and they stick their hand into a bowl of rice and sauce and then they stick their hand in their mouth up to the wrist it really does take away some of the hotness. Not to mention the spitting and burping. Of course that’s only one girls opinion.
April 3, 2011
I’m back at Tubaniso. Leaving was way more emotional than I had thought it would be. I didn’t feel a real attachment to this family. My host mom and sister didn’t come to say goodbye to me. The mom spent the night at the garden and my host sister was in her room. The brother said she was sick. We had to meet the PC truck up at the school so we all had to walk up there with our stuff. My two brothers helped me and walked me up to the school. My younger brother, Burama, who is 12 was crying before we even left the house. I was so touched by his emotions. He is the one person in the family that I haven’t really talked about. Why? Because he wasn’t being an asshole. He has been nice to me and has talked to me and patient with me while learning the language since the day I arrived in Muntugula. That says a lot about me. I remember when I was young I could have bought home a report card that was all A’s and B’s (I didn’t…but I could have) and got one C and that would be what my father would comment on. “You got a C??!!”….AAHHHHHH!!!! What about the A’s and B’s!!?? WHAT ABOUT BURAMA!!!??? He wasn’t constantly up in my face and being an asshole to me and I haven’t talked about him once because he didn’t give me anything to bitch about. After all is said and done he is the one most upset about my leaving. So now both of us are crying and we are walking up to the school together holding his hand and telling him in my best language how much I would miss him. Both him and Gaussu (the older brother) waited at the van with me while they packed our stuff on top. Every time I looked at Burama he would well up with tears. There was about 30 kids and some adults that were waiting with us. The other kids will never let Burama live it down that he was crying. Malians just don’t cry and when they do they get teased…forever about it. It took a lot of balls for him to show such emotions. Again I was touched. I was hugging him and kissed him on the forehead a couple of times. While he was sobbing he took my hand, as if he was going to hold it, and slipped me some money. I think in my whole life I have never experienced such a heartfelt gesture of kindness from another human being. It was 100cfa’s which is about 20 cents, which isn’t much to us but to him it was surely everything he had and again just the fact that he slipped it to me the way he did as if to say “for your journey”. I have never been so touched. I am going to have a whole drilled into the coin and will wear it and keep it always. I swore I would never go back to Muntugula after training was over but I have changed my mind. When my Bambara is better and I can convey to Burama how much his gesture meant to me I will go back. I will show him the coin and let him know I will always remember him.
In the meantime, I was standing with Gaussu, who is 20. I held his hand and in English told him that I couldn’t stand him and that he has been a little shit and mean to me the whole time I have been here and that I will never come back and visit him…then I noticed a big tear slide down his face. GOD I’M SUCH A SCHMUCK. Luckily he had no idea what I was saying. We hugged, said our goodbyes and passed a few blessings back and forth and we were off.
I’m still carrying my coin around. I will always carry it.
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| My younger brother, Burama The one that lipped me the cash!! |
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| Me and my host mom getting ready to party at the going away party. |
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| The older pain in the ass brother. He's going to miss me. |
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| My host sister, Sitan. |
April fools day
April 1, 2011
It just dawned on me, it’s April fool’s day. I wouldn't even know how to explain this particular "holiday" to a Malian. Holidays don’t mean much here. I also just realized that next week is Good Friday then Easter is coming. Life in the states moves on without me. Who’d of thunk it.
Today we all went over to the butiki to buy gifts for our families. It seems that they eat so well here but from what I know and have seen our host families are eating this well because Peace Corps is paying them $6 a day to feed us. Which may not seem like a lot to you but that’s huge here. That’s what a person makes in a week. So for gifts we bought them about 40 pounds of rice ($16) and tea and sugar (another $4 or so). So we gave them these gifts already. Not like you can hide 40 pounds of rice under your shirt. They were very happy to receive these gifts. I wanted to get some material for my host mom and sister as an extra somethin somethin. My sister especially. The mom hasn’t done a lot except for agree to let a volunteer stay in her home…and get paid for it. But my host sister has cooked, cleaned, pulled water for me twice a day, has done my laundry and sacrificed what I imagine was her room and lived in the same room with her mom and her brother for 2 months. Although in exchanged I’ve put up with her busting my chops, talking to me like I’m an idiot for not understanding or being able to speak her language, especially lately, there has been more good times than bad and I really will miss her. I will miss all of them I realized today. I may not go out of my way to come back and visit, but it truly has been a once in a lifetime experience living here and I do have to thank them for the culture training, their language training, their time and effort and all the sacrifices they made having a stranger live in their home. There are times when I thought PC could really rethink this part of their training, but immersion did serve its purpose. I’ve been in Africa 2 months and am a different person…already.
Tonight there is a party at the dugutigi’s house. All of the trainees and their host families will be there. There will be music and dancing. I hope there is something cold to drink. Although I somehow doubt it. We wrote a speech that each of us will read a part of in front of the community. I’ll leave out the Bambara and just give it to you in English…to the best that it can be translated:
Brothers and sisters of Muntugula, dugutigi and his council, men and women, young and old, good afternoon. We find our day in peace. Allah gives us peace. Today the dugutigi finds everything here without problem. Allah has everything good.
Bambara people say “everything has it’s time”. Because it has been 2 months since we came to Muntugula, now it is time to leave. We remind you that since we came here we have only respect. We weren’t hungry, we weren’t thirsty, we weren’t dirty. You welcomed us well and didn’t get angry once. You took care of us. You helped us with Mali culture, to learn/say greetings, blessings and solidarity. This will make our stay in other parts of Mali easier for the next 2 years.
Muntugula people you took care of us like our own moms and dads. On behalf of me and my peers, on behalf of Peace Corps we greet/thank you all very much for your good care.
May allah reward you. May allah let us stay in good relationship. May allah allow us to live long. May we leave peace behind us here. If we see each other again may allah make it peaceful.
Of all things I am doing the last part. All the blessings. What do you think about that America. It should be a swinging good time…Muntugula style.
Sunday we leave here for good. It still seems so far away but it’s less than 2 days. Today PC came with pick up trucks and took our bikes. Tomorrow they will come and get any luggage and trunks and stuff that we won’t need between tomorrow and Sunday. I’m getting rid of everything except my small suitcase, which is filled right now with dirty clothes (I’m hoping I can get my sister to wash all my stuff tomorrow morning so I don’t have to worry about dirty laundry as soon as I get back to camp), my water filter, and my backpack that has all my electronics…computer, phone, kindle, etc. The less I have to worry about the better.
So we also found out that after these next 12 days at camp when we get installed into our permanent sites we have to get there by public transportation. A big truck will come and get most of our gear and drive it out to our transit houses (a community PC house in our banking town that we will visit (by bus) once a week to do our banking, recharge our electronics for those without electricity, get on the internet, connect with other Americans) and leave it there. The day after our PC swearing in we will then get on a bus to these transit houses and stay for the night. The next day we have to get ourselves and all of our luggage, trunks, backpacks, water filters and buckets to our sites on the same public transportation. I can’t even imagine. How the hell are we supposed to get all this stuff to the bus station. We have only our feet. It would take me 5 trips to get all my stuff from the transit house to the bus station. Then who will sit at the bus station and wait with my stuff while I go to get other stuff. There are three other volunteers that will use the same transit house so they and all their stuff will be there as well. Maybe we need to call a bush taxi just for us. Once the stuff is on the bus it doesn’t matter to me that there is 7 different things, heavy or light. It will be underneath in the cargo compartment. When I get to my site which is right on the main road I’m sure there will be plenty of people to help me get the stuff to my house. Kids love carrying your stuff.
I already bought a bed. The volunteer that lives in my area from the last group that came in 8 months ago that stayed the night with me in Bougoula (my permanent village) mentioned that she was going to sell her bed. So I texted her the other day. She is selling a full mattress and the girl that lives at my transit house is selling her frame. I bought both for 15,000francs ($30). I didn’t ask about the thickness of the mattress though but I figure even if it’s a piece of crap it’s one less thing I have to think about initially. She said she was going to contact PC for me and see if they would drop it off in my village. Wouldn’t that be awesome.
*There was another sand/wind storm just now. Man can that wind really blow. There has been sand in my eyes and hair and every other nook and cranny I have all day. When the day is windy it’s usually windy all day. It would be like a San Diego Santa Ana wind. It blows all day and then dies down at night. But we had a gust just a few minutes ago that nearly took my roof off. I just finished sweeping and all kinds of cement fell from the ceiling.
*I carried water on my head yesterday. I was just practicing in the courtyard at school. Video is attached for your amusement. Actually if you use your hands to balance the bucket it is easier than carrying a bucket normally (our normal). If you center the bucket correctly your whole center of gravity is in balance. When you carry a bucket as we would normally everything is thrown off balance. No I did put my hands down for a few seconds. That didn’t work out that well as you will see in the video. My bucket was also only half full. We’ll see what happens when I’m at site and need to carry a full bucket…or make 2 trips.
*I’m starting to really figure out the creatures of Africa. Lizards are out during the day…big lizards. But they hate us as much as we hate them. They run away as soon as they get wind of you coming. I’ve been trying to take a picture of the big, giant black and yellow ones but apparently they are camera shy. At night the frogs and cockroaches come out. They do not run from you. The frogs don’t move at all and the cockroaches run around in circles but never really leave. Frogs can be anywhere but the cockroaches usually stay in the nyegen. As far as other bugs go, flies are only around during the day. Creepy, crawly things occupy the night. So, lizards are no worry, stay out of the nyegen at night, bring your fan with you during the day and make sure to stay tucked under your mosquito net while you sleep. All is good in the world.
*NEVER look down in the nyegen. I don’t know what’s living down there but there’s a million of something…not to mention cockroaches the size of cats. Those ones never come out. They are nyegen bottom dwellers.
10pm – Our going away party, speech, dance was a great success. We met in the same room with the dugutigi and the elders/council that we did the day we arrived. Many of the host family representatives spoke and said what a wonderful experience it’s been having us here. We are always happy, we always greet, we always bless. We eat whatever they give us and don’t complain and we have not been a burden. Part of their greetings/blessings in a situation like this include asking as well as forgiving for any offense we/they may have caused over these past 2 months and if our paths should cross again may allah bless us all. I think they are full of crap but they say what is traditional and right whatever the case may be. We’ve been hot and cranky, each one of us has at one time or another been caught crying, and a good portion of the time we don’t return greetings because all they ever do is call us and say our names over and over again. Our annoyance is apparent. My host mom said how nice it’s been. We dance every night. WHAT!!?? Maybe the past couple of nights and that’s because I’m excited to be leaving and although I think I may miss them and think about them a bit after I’m gone it hasn’t been real fun for me…or them as well. It’s apparent on both sides. But, greetings/blessings and their “niceness” is part of who they are. So they say what’s expected.
Regardless, the party was a hit. There was drums and singing and dancing. I have great video. Hopefully I can download it. Apparently the more dust you kick up while you’re dancing the bigger hit you are. We dances for almost an hour straight, and you’ll see from the video it’s not like dancing in the states. Maybe comparable to the raves the kids go to. The women dance their asses off. There was a 70 year old woman with a 6 month old baby strapped to her back that you couldn’t stop from dancing. They kept asking us if we were tired. We certainly could not admit to 60 and 70 year old women that we were tired. Unless they were hoping we were tired and would stop so they didn’t have to do it first. We kicked it up!!
It just dawned on me, it’s April fool’s day. I wouldn't even know how to explain this particular "holiday" to a Malian. Holidays don’t mean much here. I also just realized that next week is Good Friday then Easter is coming. Life in the states moves on without me. Who’d of thunk it.
Today we all went over to the butiki to buy gifts for our families. It seems that they eat so well here but from what I know and have seen our host families are eating this well because Peace Corps is paying them $6 a day to feed us. Which may not seem like a lot to you but that’s huge here. That’s what a person makes in a week. So for gifts we bought them about 40 pounds of rice ($16) and tea and sugar (another $4 or so). So we gave them these gifts already. Not like you can hide 40 pounds of rice under your shirt. They were very happy to receive these gifts. I wanted to get some material for my host mom and sister as an extra somethin somethin. My sister especially. The mom hasn’t done a lot except for agree to let a volunteer stay in her home…and get paid for it. But my host sister has cooked, cleaned, pulled water for me twice a day, has done my laundry and sacrificed what I imagine was her room and lived in the same room with her mom and her brother for 2 months. Although in exchanged I’ve put up with her busting my chops, talking to me like I’m an idiot for not understanding or being able to speak her language, especially lately, there has been more good times than bad and I really will miss her. I will miss all of them I realized today. I may not go out of my way to come back and visit, but it truly has been a once in a lifetime experience living here and I do have to thank them for the culture training, their language training, their time and effort and all the sacrifices they made having a stranger live in their home. There are times when I thought PC could really rethink this part of their training, but immersion did serve its purpose. I’ve been in Africa 2 months and am a different person…already.
Tonight there is a party at the dugutigi’s house. All of the trainees and their host families will be there. There will be music and dancing. I hope there is something cold to drink. Although I somehow doubt it. We wrote a speech that each of us will read a part of in front of the community. I’ll leave out the Bambara and just give it to you in English…to the best that it can be translated:
Brothers and sisters of Muntugula, dugutigi and his council, men and women, young and old, good afternoon. We find our day in peace. Allah gives us peace. Today the dugutigi finds everything here without problem. Allah has everything good.
Bambara people say “everything has it’s time”. Because it has been 2 months since we came to Muntugula, now it is time to leave. We remind you that since we came here we have only respect. We weren’t hungry, we weren’t thirsty, we weren’t dirty. You welcomed us well and didn’t get angry once. You took care of us. You helped us with Mali culture, to learn/say greetings, blessings and solidarity. This will make our stay in other parts of Mali easier for the next 2 years.
Muntugula people you took care of us like our own moms and dads. On behalf of me and my peers, on behalf of Peace Corps we greet/thank you all very much for your good care.
May allah reward you. May allah let us stay in good relationship. May allah allow us to live long. May we leave peace behind us here. If we see each other again may allah make it peaceful.
Of all things I am doing the last part. All the blessings. What do you think about that America. It should be a swinging good time…Muntugula style.
Sunday we leave here for good. It still seems so far away but it’s less than 2 days. Today PC came with pick up trucks and took our bikes. Tomorrow they will come and get any luggage and trunks and stuff that we won’t need between tomorrow and Sunday. I’m getting rid of everything except my small suitcase, which is filled right now with dirty clothes (I’m hoping I can get my sister to wash all my stuff tomorrow morning so I don’t have to worry about dirty laundry as soon as I get back to camp), my water filter, and my backpack that has all my electronics…computer, phone, kindle, etc. The less I have to worry about the better.
So we also found out that after these next 12 days at camp when we get installed into our permanent sites we have to get there by public transportation. A big truck will come and get most of our gear and drive it out to our transit houses (a community PC house in our banking town that we will visit (by bus) once a week to do our banking, recharge our electronics for those without electricity, get on the internet, connect with other Americans) and leave it there. The day after our PC swearing in we will then get on a bus to these transit houses and stay for the night. The next day we have to get ourselves and all of our luggage, trunks, backpacks, water filters and buckets to our sites on the same public transportation. I can’t even imagine. How the hell are we supposed to get all this stuff to the bus station. We have only our feet. It would take me 5 trips to get all my stuff from the transit house to the bus station. Then who will sit at the bus station and wait with my stuff while I go to get other stuff. There are three other volunteers that will use the same transit house so they and all their stuff will be there as well. Maybe we need to call a bush taxi just for us. Once the stuff is on the bus it doesn’t matter to me that there is 7 different things, heavy or light. It will be underneath in the cargo compartment. When I get to my site which is right on the main road I’m sure there will be plenty of people to help me get the stuff to my house. Kids love carrying your stuff.
I already bought a bed. The volunteer that lives in my area from the last group that came in 8 months ago that stayed the night with me in Bougoula (my permanent village) mentioned that she was going to sell her bed. So I texted her the other day. She is selling a full mattress and the girl that lives at my transit house is selling her frame. I bought both for 15,000francs ($30). I didn’t ask about the thickness of the mattress though but I figure even if it’s a piece of crap it’s one less thing I have to think about initially. She said she was going to contact PC for me and see if they would drop it off in my village. Wouldn’t that be awesome.
*There was another sand/wind storm just now. Man can that wind really blow. There has been sand in my eyes and hair and every other nook and cranny I have all day. When the day is windy it’s usually windy all day. It would be like a San Diego Santa Ana wind. It blows all day and then dies down at night. But we had a gust just a few minutes ago that nearly took my roof off. I just finished sweeping and all kinds of cement fell from the ceiling.
*I carried water on my head yesterday. I was just practicing in the courtyard at school. Video is attached for your amusement. Actually if you use your hands to balance the bucket it is easier than carrying a bucket normally (our normal). If you center the bucket correctly your whole center of gravity is in balance. When you carry a bucket as we would normally everything is thrown off balance. No I did put my hands down for a few seconds. That didn’t work out that well as you will see in the video. My bucket was also only half full. We’ll see what happens when I’m at site and need to carry a full bucket…or make 2 trips.
*I’m starting to really figure out the creatures of Africa. Lizards are out during the day…big lizards. But they hate us as much as we hate them. They run away as soon as they get wind of you coming. I’ve been trying to take a picture of the big, giant black and yellow ones but apparently they are camera shy. At night the frogs and cockroaches come out. They do not run from you. The frogs don’t move at all and the cockroaches run around in circles but never really leave. Frogs can be anywhere but the cockroaches usually stay in the nyegen. As far as other bugs go, flies are only around during the day. Creepy, crawly things occupy the night. So, lizards are no worry, stay out of the nyegen at night, bring your fan with you during the day and make sure to stay tucked under your mosquito net while you sleep. All is good in the world.
*NEVER look down in the nyegen. I don’t know what’s living down there but there’s a million of something…not to mention cockroaches the size of cats. Those ones never come out. They are nyegen bottom dwellers.
10pm – Our going away party, speech, dance was a great success. We met in the same room with the dugutigi and the elders/council that we did the day we arrived. Many of the host family representatives spoke and said what a wonderful experience it’s been having us here. We are always happy, we always greet, we always bless. We eat whatever they give us and don’t complain and we have not been a burden. Part of their greetings/blessings in a situation like this include asking as well as forgiving for any offense we/they may have caused over these past 2 months and if our paths should cross again may allah bless us all. I think they are full of crap but they say what is traditional and right whatever the case may be. We’ve been hot and cranky, each one of us has at one time or another been caught crying, and a good portion of the time we don’t return greetings because all they ever do is call us and say our names over and over again. Our annoyance is apparent. My host mom said how nice it’s been. We dance every night. WHAT!!?? Maybe the past couple of nights and that’s because I’m excited to be leaving and although I think I may miss them and think about them a bit after I’m gone it hasn’t been real fun for me…or them as well. It’s apparent on both sides. But, greetings/blessings and their “niceness” is part of who they are. So they say what’s expected.
Regardless, the party was a hit. There was drums and singing and dancing. I have great video. Hopefully I can download it. Apparently the more dust you kick up while you’re dancing the bigger hit you are. We dances for almost an hour straight, and you’ll see from the video it’s not like dancing in the states. Maybe comparable to the raves the kids go to. The women dance their asses off. There was a 70 year old woman with a 6 month old baby strapped to her back that you couldn’t stop from dancing. They kept asking us if we were tired. We certainly could not admit to 60 and 70 year old women that we were tired. Unless they were hoping we were tired and would stop so they didn’t have to do it first. We kicked it up!!
March 28, 2011
I slept ok. Hot, tossed and turned a bit and woke up soaked…as usual. I took my bucket bath this morning already. It is 7:30am and I am in my room with sweat dripping off my face and right down between the girls (boobs). My shirt is wet and my crotch is on fire. Ahhhh Africa.
It is very cloudy and looks like it could rain. That would be nice. Maybe get rid of some of the heat and humidity. It’s been cloudy and very humid since the sand/wind storm last night. Today I have to do a presentation at the CSCOM…in Bambara. Me and 2 of my site mates will do it together. It is on malaria and how to avoid it…mosquito nets, repellent, etc. I’m sure we’ll do fine. Nothing is going on at the CSCOM on Monday morning so there should only be a few that we can embarass ourselves in front of with our basic at best bambara skills.
*All the women carry their babies on their backs. With our babies we hold them in front watching to make sure we cradle their heads. When someone want to hold them we hand them over with warning, “watch his head, put your hand on the back of his head, watch his neck”. Here they take a 1 week old baby by one arm and fling them onto their back while standing bent at the waist in a 45 degree angle. Then while still bent over throw a shawl over their back covering the baby up to their neck. They then tie the shawl at the top, stand up (so basically the only thing holding the baby on their back is this shawl tied around the back of their neck) and the gather up the rest of the material under their bottom and tie the shawl in front of them at the bottom. It looks like they are carrying a sack of potatoes. Head bouncing around by the neck as the mom walks and pulls water and cooks and cleans.
I’ve wondered since I’ve gotten here, since babies don’t wear diapers, how come moms are never wet and poopy. Apparently moms can tell by the body movements of the baby when they have to go to the bathroom. The will un-tie their shawl swing the baby around their side to their front. Sitting in a chair they will stretch their legs out separating them at the ankles a bit and sit the baby on their feet facing in towards their legs (babies face resting on mom’s legs) and the baby will take care of business. Potty trained from day one.
March 29, 2011
Last night I slept outside after sleeping the past 2 nights in my room. We are definitely into hot season and besides the 120 degree temperatures during the day there isn’t as much relief at night as there was a few weeks ago. When I set up my tent outside there wasn’t much difference in temperature between in my room and outside. I should have taken a Benadryl. I tossed and turned and heard things all night and woke up with sweat as usual.
I decided after having to pee with frogs the other night, and with rainy season coming the frog situation is going to get worse, that if I have to pee during the night I am going to pee in a bucket. Don’t judge me…you haven’t seen these frogs and I’m pretty sure you’ve never had to pee with/by them. But last night before I went to bed it was still kind of early, there was light and noise and I thought surely there isn’t any frogs in there yet so I attempted to use the nyegen before hitting the tent. Well there wasn’t any frogs in there but there was about 40 cockroaches, 4 inch big fat brown cockroaches sitting around the rim of the pee hole. I thought, screw this, went into my room and peed in a bucket. That makes the decision final. I will never pee in the nyegen at night again. It’s like learning to dive…the first time you leave the edge is the hardest after that it’s just a matter of perfecting your style. Maybe tomorrow night I won’t get any pee on the floor.
This morning for school we were to re-give our presentations on the local radio station. The radio station is in a little brick building I pass every morning on my way to the main road. There are three guys in there that do the radio show, without getting paid. Just to do something besides making and drinking tea all day and they get to listen to and play their favorite music…off of cassettes and their cell phones. It’s pretty funny. They will put the music on pause and start singing, the cell phones are ringing as the show is on, people come in and out talking. They are only on the air from 8:30 to 1pm. And again 6:30pm to midnight when the electricity goes out. There is a boom box in there and some kind of wood sound board with about 5 buttons/knobs. High tech stuff. There was a second year volunteer that came with us. He talked about the fact that he does a 1 hour radio show every week in his region. He is a health volunteer as well and each week he does his show on a different topic. Nutrition, vaccines, prenatal care, HIV/AIids, using condoms, healthy eating. I was surprised he breeched so many topics I would think we be considered inappropriate. He said as white folk in Mali we are already outcasts, anomalies, inappropriate, you may as well use it to your advantage and talk about whatever you want. In the next couple of weeks he is going to talk about voting being that voting time for a new president is drawing near. We aren’t allowed to talk about politics but he said he can make sure everyone knows they have a voice and they should use it. He was pretty inspiring. Oh yeah…the radio station he works at was a project started by a PC volunteer several years ago. Nice job!!
School is getting shorter and shorter every day. It’s not just us. Africans can’t sleep in this heat either and the teachers are as sleepy and cranky as we are. School used to be 8 to 12 and 3 to 5. Now it’s 8 to around 11 and 3 to about 4 before we can’t stand the heat anymore. 4pm is just as hot as the rest of the day. In a way it’s hotter. The heat actually rises from the street and you can feel it all the way up to your face. The is the first time they’ve ever had a group of volunteers come into Mali this time of year and this is exactly why. It is really hard to concentrate and learn in this heat. They used to have only one group a year deploy to Mali and they did it in June which is a month into rainy season and quite bit cooler (100 instead of 120) than it is now. PC decided they are going to send in two groups this year and we are it. Right as hot season is getting ready to start. Great timing.
4 more days, 4 more days, 4 more days. I can do this!!
I slept ok. Hot, tossed and turned a bit and woke up soaked…as usual. I took my bucket bath this morning already. It is 7:30am and I am in my room with sweat dripping off my face and right down between the girls (boobs). My shirt is wet and my crotch is on fire. Ahhhh Africa.
It is very cloudy and looks like it could rain. That would be nice. Maybe get rid of some of the heat and humidity. It’s been cloudy and very humid since the sand/wind storm last night. Today I have to do a presentation at the CSCOM…in Bambara. Me and 2 of my site mates will do it together. It is on malaria and how to avoid it…mosquito nets, repellent, etc. I’m sure we’ll do fine. Nothing is going on at the CSCOM on Monday morning so there should only be a few that we can embarass ourselves in front of with our basic at best bambara skills.
*All the women carry their babies on their backs. With our babies we hold them in front watching to make sure we cradle their heads. When someone want to hold them we hand them over with warning, “watch his head, put your hand on the back of his head, watch his neck”. Here they take a 1 week old baby by one arm and fling them onto their back while standing bent at the waist in a 45 degree angle. Then while still bent over throw a shawl over their back covering the baby up to their neck. They then tie the shawl at the top, stand up (so basically the only thing holding the baby on their back is this shawl tied around the back of their neck) and the gather up the rest of the material under their bottom and tie the shawl in front of them at the bottom. It looks like they are carrying a sack of potatoes. Head bouncing around by the neck as the mom walks and pulls water and cooks and cleans.
I’ve wondered since I’ve gotten here, since babies don’t wear diapers, how come moms are never wet and poopy. Apparently moms can tell by the body movements of the baby when they have to go to the bathroom. The will un-tie their shawl swing the baby around their side to their front. Sitting in a chair they will stretch their legs out separating them at the ankles a bit and sit the baby on their feet facing in towards their legs (babies face resting on mom’s legs) and the baby will take care of business. Potty trained from day one.
March 29, 2011
Last night I slept outside after sleeping the past 2 nights in my room. We are definitely into hot season and besides the 120 degree temperatures during the day there isn’t as much relief at night as there was a few weeks ago. When I set up my tent outside there wasn’t much difference in temperature between in my room and outside. I should have taken a Benadryl. I tossed and turned and heard things all night and woke up with sweat as usual.
I decided after having to pee with frogs the other night, and with rainy season coming the frog situation is going to get worse, that if I have to pee during the night I am going to pee in a bucket. Don’t judge me…you haven’t seen these frogs and I’m pretty sure you’ve never had to pee with/by them. But last night before I went to bed it was still kind of early, there was light and noise and I thought surely there isn’t any frogs in there yet so I attempted to use the nyegen before hitting the tent. Well there wasn’t any frogs in there but there was about 40 cockroaches, 4 inch big fat brown cockroaches sitting around the rim of the pee hole. I thought, screw this, went into my room and peed in a bucket. That makes the decision final. I will never pee in the nyegen at night again. It’s like learning to dive…the first time you leave the edge is the hardest after that it’s just a matter of perfecting your style. Maybe tomorrow night I won’t get any pee on the floor.
This morning for school we were to re-give our presentations on the local radio station. The radio station is in a little brick building I pass every morning on my way to the main road. There are three guys in there that do the radio show, without getting paid. Just to do something besides making and drinking tea all day and they get to listen to and play their favorite music…off of cassettes and their cell phones. It’s pretty funny. They will put the music on pause and start singing, the cell phones are ringing as the show is on, people come in and out talking. They are only on the air from 8:30 to 1pm. And again 6:30pm to midnight when the electricity goes out. There is a boom box in there and some kind of wood sound board with about 5 buttons/knobs. High tech stuff. There was a second year volunteer that came with us. He talked about the fact that he does a 1 hour radio show every week in his region. He is a health volunteer as well and each week he does his show on a different topic. Nutrition, vaccines, prenatal care, HIV/AIids, using condoms, healthy eating. I was surprised he breeched so many topics I would think we be considered inappropriate. He said as white folk in Mali we are already outcasts, anomalies, inappropriate, you may as well use it to your advantage and talk about whatever you want. In the next couple of weeks he is going to talk about voting being that voting time for a new president is drawing near. We aren’t allowed to talk about politics but he said he can make sure everyone knows they have a voice and they should use it. He was pretty inspiring. Oh yeah…the radio station he works at was a project started by a PC volunteer several years ago. Nice job!!
School is getting shorter and shorter every day. It’s not just us. Africans can’t sleep in this heat either and the teachers are as sleepy and cranky as we are. School used to be 8 to 12 and 3 to 5. Now it’s 8 to around 11 and 3 to about 4 before we can’t stand the heat anymore. 4pm is just as hot as the rest of the day. In a way it’s hotter. The heat actually rises from the street and you can feel it all the way up to your face. The is the first time they’ve ever had a group of volunteers come into Mali this time of year and this is exactly why. It is really hard to concentrate and learn in this heat. They used to have only one group a year deploy to Mali and they did it in June which is a month into rainy season and quite bit cooler (100 instead of 120) than it is now. PC decided they are going to send in two groups this year and we are it. Right as hot season is getting ready to start. Great timing.
4 more days, 4 more days, 4 more days. I can do this!!
Building and digging and dirt
March 26, 2011
Today the health volunteers from the other villages came to Muntugula and we built a soak pit…well we mostly watched and helped a little. We’re not accustomed to working in this African sun. A soak pit is a way of getting rid of wastewater by sending it underground to be filtered through the earth back into the groundwater system. Pretty much it’s a large hole filled with sand, gravel and rocks with a pipes leading into it from the nyegen water run-off, laundry run-off, dishwashing run-off, etc. The rocks and gravel will filter out organic matter which is decomposed by bacteria, and that and the dirt stay in the rock area and the water seeps back through the ground. The idea is to avoid standing water, which, besides smells like shit, avoids mosquitos, which then avoids malaria. These pits need to be dug up and redone every 5 years or so. I find it hard to believe that anyone will buy into the idea of building one of these for themselves to begin with no less then having to clean it every 5 years. Apparently they haven’t minded the standing water, smell and mosquitos before now. Why fix something if it isn’t broken.
But it was sure good seeing 20 other people from around town that we don’t usually get to see. Tomorrow we get to see everyone, all 61 of us that’s left. We are being picked up at 8am. Taken into Bamako to the museum for 2 hours then spending 4 hours at the American Club. They have a pool. I am so excited to have water, cool water, on me I can hardly stand it. We are having hamburgers and hot dogs, French fries and soda or beer for lunch. It’s going to be awesome. I just want to be in the pool. I wish it would get dark so I can go to sleep and wake up tomorrow and go!!!
March 27, 2011
Promptly, for a change, at 8am the car showed up to take us to the museum. We drove out to Bamako. The museum was ok considering where we are. They have a lot of wood sculptures and masks are very big here. They are used for all types of social ceremonies and religious celebrations/sacrifices. At 11 we boarded back up in the buses and cars and left for the “club”. It was air conditioned. I could have stayed there all day. We ate lunch…American food. Hamburgers and hot dogs. I had a hot dog, fries and a diet coke. OMG…it was cold and awesome. Then we spent 3 hours in the pool. I didn’t join in all the reindeer games but it was cool and refreshing and I enjoyed myself. We got back “home” around 6pm. My family was at a wedding all day but got home just before dark. My host sister and brother and I were sitting outside and it was getting a little breezy. All of a sudden my sister said, “fin~e” which means wind. Her and her brother got up and picked up some bowls and stuff around the yard and put them in the house. I stood up and went to the front gate just in time to see a wall of sand headed right for me. If you’ve ever seen the movie Hidalgo when Vigo Mortenson is on his horse with the sand storm coming up behind him. The horse is running as fast as it can to try and outrun the wall of sand…that’s what this looks like. OK…not quite that bad, but it’s still time to run. I closed my window, ran into my room and shut and locked the metal door behind me.
I’m standing in my room right now. No lights, window and door locked up. The wind is blowing so hard I swear my room is moving. I know it sounds like the roof is going to blow right off. It amazes me that it doesn’t. The beams look like leftover wood they had lying around and they don’t have hammers per say so lord know what tool they used to attach the tin to the wood. Not to code I’m sure. On a usual night I hear cement dropping from the ceiling when a bird lands or a little breeze comes by. Right now it sounds like someone throwing handfuls of sand and gravel in my room. Maybe it would be better if I sat on my bed under my mosquito net. At least nothing can hit me. I’ll read a little and wait for the winds to pass. Surely it can’t last that long.
An hour after although the wind is still gusting here and there it is much better now. I brave it and open my door. Everyone is outside already waiting to eat dinner. We eat and hang out. One thing I can say for the wind is it really gave some relief to the heat. It rained for about 2 minutes and then we sat and got sleepy. I went to bed around 10 exhausted from a day of swimming, eating and running from dirt. Hopefully my tiredness will far outweigh the heat that awaits me in my room.
Today the health volunteers from the other villages came to Muntugula and we built a soak pit…well we mostly watched and helped a little. We’re not accustomed to working in this African sun. A soak pit is a way of getting rid of wastewater by sending it underground to be filtered through the earth back into the groundwater system. Pretty much it’s a large hole filled with sand, gravel and rocks with a pipes leading into it from the nyegen water run-off, laundry run-off, dishwashing run-off, etc. The rocks and gravel will filter out organic matter which is decomposed by bacteria, and that and the dirt stay in the rock area and the water seeps back through the ground. The idea is to avoid standing water, which, besides smells like shit, avoids mosquitos, which then avoids malaria. These pits need to be dug up and redone every 5 years or so. I find it hard to believe that anyone will buy into the idea of building one of these for themselves to begin with no less then having to clean it every 5 years. Apparently they haven’t minded the standing water, smell and mosquitos before now. Why fix something if it isn’t broken.
But it was sure good seeing 20 other people from around town that we don’t usually get to see. Tomorrow we get to see everyone, all 61 of us that’s left. We are being picked up at 8am. Taken into Bamako to the museum for 2 hours then spending 4 hours at the American Club. They have a pool. I am so excited to have water, cool water, on me I can hardly stand it. We are having hamburgers and hot dogs, French fries and soda or beer for lunch. It’s going to be awesome. I just want to be in the pool. I wish it would get dark so I can go to sleep and wake up tomorrow and go!!!
March 27, 2011
Promptly, for a change, at 8am the car showed up to take us to the museum. We drove out to Bamako. The museum was ok considering where we are. They have a lot of wood sculptures and masks are very big here. They are used for all types of social ceremonies and religious celebrations/sacrifices. At 11 we boarded back up in the buses and cars and left for the “club”. It was air conditioned. I could have stayed there all day. We ate lunch…American food. Hamburgers and hot dogs. I had a hot dog, fries and a diet coke. OMG…it was cold and awesome. Then we spent 3 hours in the pool. I didn’t join in all the reindeer games but it was cool and refreshing and I enjoyed myself. We got back “home” around 6pm. My family was at a wedding all day but got home just before dark. My host sister and brother and I were sitting outside and it was getting a little breezy. All of a sudden my sister said, “fin~e” which means wind. Her and her brother got up and picked up some bowls and stuff around the yard and put them in the house. I stood up and went to the front gate just in time to see a wall of sand headed right for me. If you’ve ever seen the movie Hidalgo when Vigo Mortenson is on his horse with the sand storm coming up behind him. The horse is running as fast as it can to try and outrun the wall of sand…that’s what this looks like. OK…not quite that bad, but it’s still time to run. I closed my window, ran into my room and shut and locked the metal door behind me.
I’m standing in my room right now. No lights, window and door locked up. The wind is blowing so hard I swear my room is moving. I know it sounds like the roof is going to blow right off. It amazes me that it doesn’t. The beams look like leftover wood they had lying around and they don’t have hammers per say so lord know what tool they used to attach the tin to the wood. Not to code I’m sure. On a usual night I hear cement dropping from the ceiling when a bird lands or a little breeze comes by. Right now it sounds like someone throwing handfuls of sand and gravel in my room. Maybe it would be better if I sat on my bed under my mosquito net. At least nothing can hit me. I’ll read a little and wait for the winds to pass. Surely it can’t last that long.
An hour after although the wind is still gusting here and there it is much better now. I brave it and open my door. Everyone is outside already waiting to eat dinner. We eat and hang out. One thing I can say for the wind is it really gave some relief to the heat. It rained for about 2 minutes and then we sat and got sleepy. I went to bed around 10 exhausted from a day of swimming, eating and running from dirt. Hopefully my tiredness will far outweigh the heat that awaits me in my room.
March 23, 2011
March 23, 2011
Back to regular school day. By 9am it was already 95 degrees. By 2, about 115. I barely said one word in class today and I really need to study and concentrate. I feel like so much of my lessons went out of my head these 2 weeks since I’ve been gone. Especially the 2nd week as I was at camp again speaking English. But studying in this heat is almost impossible. You’re brain does not function the same when it is 115-120 degrees. I don’t know what I’m going to do. It will continue to get hotter and stay this way until the end of May…into the beginning of June.
*A grasshopper flew into the side of my head last night. Of course I screamed a little. Now everyone thinks I’m afraid of grasshoppers. I don’t like them, but I’m not afraid of them. I just don’t want them in my hair…or on any other part of my body for that matter. Small creatures are hunting me down and targeting me.
*I peed 12 inches away from a frog last night. I thought I wouldn’t make it out of the nyegen alive. Of course I had to straddle the hole from the side and then keep my eye on the frog to make sure it didn’t move and get closer to me. You know what happens when you straddle the pee hole and then don’t watch where you’re peeing. You don’t usually pee in the hole. So I missed…but the frog didn’t move. All is well in the world.
*We’ve been back at school for 2 days. I feel like I know less and less every day. How can that be? My teachers say I’m doing great but I’m not feeling it.
*I would have thought that cement and /or mud bricks would stay cool. When in fact, cement apparently retains heat very well. At night when It’s cooler out and I go to take a bath I put my towel over the wall. When I go to use it it’s actually hot. So my room which is mud bricks and cement retains heat and then they put a tin sardine can lid type roof on it to seal the deal. No wonder it’s so stinkin hot in here. My house at my new site is also mud brick and tin. Can’t wait. Hot season is just starting up now. It’s only 8 to 10 weeks long. Fabulous. If I live to see rainy season it will be a miracle.
March 25, 2011
My house was a pain in the ass tonight. My pain in the ass brother may as well be home. There always seems to be a bunch of girls here night after night. Tonight there was three plus my sister. And one in particular bugging me and bugging me about talking. Then with everything I say laughing. What the hell is wrong with these people. I don’t get it. Supposedly Malians are so nice and respectful. I’m not seeing it. The thought of staying here 2 years is beyond my comprehension at this point. I went to my room telling them I had to study. I do that a lot. They’re probably wondering why my Bambara isn’t better since I study so much. Whatever…
In the meantime, on Monday we need to give presentations about health issues at the CSCOM (clinic) on Monday. We broke into groups of two and had to pick a subject. I am doing Malaria…how you get it, symptoms, how to avoid it and what to do if you do get it. We have to make it as simple as possible. Attention spans are limited and time is of the essence here as women can’t sit still long enough for anything more than simple, not to mention they all need to get home to do chores. Our minimal language skills makes anything more than simple impossible anyway. We wrote them out, practiced them with our teachers and we’re ready to go.
I’ve been sleeping outside the past couple of nights. It doesn’t matter if I’m in my room or outside there are little noises throughout the night that keep me from having a good night sleep. Inside the stucco around the ceiling beams falls and I think bugs are walking around. Outside I know there’s bugs walking around and I heard something jumping around (not a frog…more like a grasshopper or cricket) last night but I’m cool and I can kinda sorta sleep. I took a Benadryl last night. That helped a little until 4am when I had to pee. But I wasn’t going to fight with a frog again. I waited it out. I dozed back off until the call for prayer went out at the mosque. That’s at 5am…every morning. I wonder if anyone actually goes to the mosque at that time. Or is it just enough to wake them up, they pray and then go back to bed. Although everyone is up at 6 anyway. Hmmm. I guess if I was curious enough I’d go out there and look for myself. Anyway, I can’t bear the thought of going back outside. Setting up my tent and sleeping with these other chicks out there. Maybe I’ll just sweat and tough it out in here. Maybe another Benadryl is in order. I’ll take one, watch a movie for a little while (thank god I brought my computer with me) and hope for sleep. I know I’m being stupid but sometimes I just can’t stand to be with these people another minute. I hope things are different when I finally leave and go to my permanent home site. There I think I may feel too alone and be bitching about that. Time will tell I guess. I’m only here for another 8 days. Then back to Tubaniso, then swear in at the president’s palace, then off to site. 8 more days…8 more days…8 more days. I said it three times whilst clicking my heels. Is it over yet.
Back to regular school day. By 9am it was already 95 degrees. By 2, about 115. I barely said one word in class today and I really need to study and concentrate. I feel like so much of my lessons went out of my head these 2 weeks since I’ve been gone. Especially the 2nd week as I was at camp again speaking English. But studying in this heat is almost impossible. You’re brain does not function the same when it is 115-120 degrees. I don’t know what I’m going to do. It will continue to get hotter and stay this way until the end of May…into the beginning of June.
*A grasshopper flew into the side of my head last night. Of course I screamed a little. Now everyone thinks I’m afraid of grasshoppers. I don’t like them, but I’m not afraid of them. I just don’t want them in my hair…or on any other part of my body for that matter. Small creatures are hunting me down and targeting me.
*I peed 12 inches away from a frog last night. I thought I wouldn’t make it out of the nyegen alive. Of course I had to straddle the hole from the side and then keep my eye on the frog to make sure it didn’t move and get closer to me. You know what happens when you straddle the pee hole and then don’t watch where you’re peeing. You don’t usually pee in the hole. So I missed…but the frog didn’t move. All is well in the world.
*We’ve been back at school for 2 days. I feel like I know less and less every day. How can that be? My teachers say I’m doing great but I’m not feeling it.
*I would have thought that cement and /or mud bricks would stay cool. When in fact, cement apparently retains heat very well. At night when It’s cooler out and I go to take a bath I put my towel over the wall. When I go to use it it’s actually hot. So my room which is mud bricks and cement retains heat and then they put a tin sardine can lid type roof on it to seal the deal. No wonder it’s so stinkin hot in here. My house at my new site is also mud brick and tin. Can’t wait. Hot season is just starting up now. It’s only 8 to 10 weeks long. Fabulous. If I live to see rainy season it will be a miracle.
March 25, 2011
My house was a pain in the ass tonight. My pain in the ass brother may as well be home. There always seems to be a bunch of girls here night after night. Tonight there was three plus my sister. And one in particular bugging me and bugging me about talking. Then with everything I say laughing. What the hell is wrong with these people. I don’t get it. Supposedly Malians are so nice and respectful. I’m not seeing it. The thought of staying here 2 years is beyond my comprehension at this point. I went to my room telling them I had to study. I do that a lot. They’re probably wondering why my Bambara isn’t better since I study so much. Whatever…
In the meantime, on Monday we need to give presentations about health issues at the CSCOM (clinic) on Monday. We broke into groups of two and had to pick a subject. I am doing Malaria…how you get it, symptoms, how to avoid it and what to do if you do get it. We have to make it as simple as possible. Attention spans are limited and time is of the essence here as women can’t sit still long enough for anything more than simple, not to mention they all need to get home to do chores. Our minimal language skills makes anything more than simple impossible anyway. We wrote them out, practiced them with our teachers and we’re ready to go.
I’ve been sleeping outside the past couple of nights. It doesn’t matter if I’m in my room or outside there are little noises throughout the night that keep me from having a good night sleep. Inside the stucco around the ceiling beams falls and I think bugs are walking around. Outside I know there’s bugs walking around and I heard something jumping around (not a frog…more like a grasshopper or cricket) last night but I’m cool and I can kinda sorta sleep. I took a Benadryl last night. That helped a little until 4am when I had to pee. But I wasn’t going to fight with a frog again. I waited it out. I dozed back off until the call for prayer went out at the mosque. That’s at 5am…every morning. I wonder if anyone actually goes to the mosque at that time. Or is it just enough to wake them up, they pray and then go back to bed. Although everyone is up at 6 anyway. Hmmm. I guess if I was curious enough I’d go out there and look for myself. Anyway, I can’t bear the thought of going back outside. Setting up my tent and sleeping with these other chicks out there. Maybe I’ll just sweat and tough it out in here. Maybe another Benadryl is in order. I’ll take one, watch a movie for a little while (thank god I brought my computer with me) and hope for sleep. I know I’m being stupid but sometimes I just can’t stand to be with these people another minute. I hope things are different when I finally leave and go to my permanent home site. There I think I may feel too alone and be bitching about that. Time will tell I guess. I’m only here for another 8 days. Then back to Tubaniso, then swear in at the president’s palace, then off to site. 8 more days…8 more days…8 more days. I said it three times whilst clicking my heels. Is it over yet.
March 22, 2011
Today we leave Tubaniso and head back to our homestay sites. I was actually enjoying myself before I left 2 weeks ago and am looking forward to seeing my homestay family. First the health sector is having a field trip. We are going to an HIV/Aids facility.
As it turns out all HIV/Aids consultations, treatments and medications and any and all group and individual counseling are all paid for by the government here. Everything is free. Statistics show that those who start treatment when HIV is first detected live long lives without ever getting full blown Aids. Unfortunately, due to the stigma related to HIV/Aids, and the fact that no one usually gets tested until they are already symptomatic many cases of HIV go undetected. At that point the Aids is treated the best it can be and counseling is offered to help deal with their disease. Statistics show that the largest percentage of those testing positive for aids are married women between the ages of 18 and 35. I don’t believe their numbers are accurate as they are not testing the same number of people from each gender/age/marital status group. More young married women are coming in and being tested. There go there are more young married women with detected HIV. This facility does all their own testing, treatments, blood transfusions and counseling and men, women and children. If you need a blood transfusion they suggest coming in with your own donor. They will be tested for type and HIV, etc once there and they will transfer the blood directly. Waiting for blood from another source is next to impossible. It’s a sad place but necessary. Although there is a very small percentage of those affected with HIV/Aids in Mali. It is definitely not their main concern as it is in other parts of Africa.
After leaving the facility we were able to stay in Bamako and go to an American restaurant and then to the tubob (white person) store. I got pizza, which has no sauce, so it was more like a open quesadilla…which was still good. I also got a diet coke, which was awesome. It is very difficult to get diet soda here…and it was cold. I was in heaven. At the tubob store I got some candy to bring home to my host family, and a couple of things I will need when I move to my permanent site. I could have waited but there were a few things I think I will need immediately after being installed and it will just cause me less stress to bring them with me. Soap, laundry detergent, a non stick skillet (which you can’t find other than in a tubob store…and now that I think about it and do the math it was expensive…oh well), clothes pins and a new notebook. I really need to get my language notes in order.
We got home by 2 with instructions to be back at school to start language lessons again at 3. I saw my sister first and she was so excited to see me. I think she actually missed me. She told me her older, pain in the ass, brother was now staying in Bamako to go to university. That’s nice. I am dealing with him better these days but if I could spend the next 10 days not worrying about him giving me a hard time all the better. And it’s about time he did something besides sit around and drink tea. He is a typical 20 year old American kid. His mother told me he does “nothing”. So I’m glad. He will be home Saturday for the day and night and then return to Bamako on Sunday again. My younger brother Burama is now home and he also missed me. We kicked around a soccer ball for a little while out front of the house. It was fun. Then “mom” came home and we made dinner. All and all it was a good night. I set up my bug tent outside. Since I’ve been gone and it’s gotten hotter out everyone now sleeps in the courtyard. I was glad to do it…as long as I’m in my protective net. As you know creatures seek me out and step on me or jump on me or fly on me. There was no wind and it was definitely cooler then my room will ever be. I almost slept through the night.
As it turns out all HIV/Aids consultations, treatments and medications and any and all group and individual counseling are all paid for by the government here. Everything is free. Statistics show that those who start treatment when HIV is first detected live long lives without ever getting full blown Aids. Unfortunately, due to the stigma related to HIV/Aids, and the fact that no one usually gets tested until they are already symptomatic many cases of HIV go undetected. At that point the Aids is treated the best it can be and counseling is offered to help deal with their disease. Statistics show that the largest percentage of those testing positive for aids are married women between the ages of 18 and 35. I don’t believe their numbers are accurate as they are not testing the same number of people from each gender/age/marital status group. More young married women are coming in and being tested. There go there are more young married women with detected HIV. This facility does all their own testing, treatments, blood transfusions and counseling and men, women and children. If you need a blood transfusion they suggest coming in with your own donor. They will be tested for type and HIV, etc once there and they will transfer the blood directly. Waiting for blood from another source is next to impossible. It’s a sad place but necessary. Although there is a very small percentage of those affected with HIV/Aids in Mali. It is definitely not their main concern as it is in other parts of Africa.
After leaving the facility we were able to stay in Bamako and go to an American restaurant and then to the tubob (white person) store. I got pizza, which has no sauce, so it was more like a open quesadilla…which was still good. I also got a diet coke, which was awesome. It is very difficult to get diet soda here…and it was cold. I was in heaven. At the tubob store I got some candy to bring home to my host family, and a couple of things I will need when I move to my permanent site. I could have waited but there were a few things I think I will need immediately after being installed and it will just cause me less stress to bring them with me. Soap, laundry detergent, a non stick skillet (which you can’t find other than in a tubob store…and now that I think about it and do the math it was expensive…oh well), clothes pins and a new notebook. I really need to get my language notes in order.
We got home by 2 with instructions to be back at school to start language lessons again at 3. I saw my sister first and she was so excited to see me. I think she actually missed me. She told me her older, pain in the ass, brother was now staying in Bamako to go to university. That’s nice. I am dealing with him better these days but if I could spend the next 10 days not worrying about him giving me a hard time all the better. And it’s about time he did something besides sit around and drink tea. He is a typical 20 year old American kid. His mother told me he does “nothing”. So I’m glad. He will be home Saturday for the day and night and then return to Bamako on Sunday again. My younger brother Burama is now home and he also missed me. We kicked around a soccer ball for a little while out front of the house. It was fun. Then “mom” came home and we made dinner. All and all it was a good night. I set up my bug tent outside. Since I’ve been gone and it’s gotten hotter out everyone now sleeps in the courtyard. I was glad to do it…as long as I’m in my protective net. As you know creatures seek me out and step on me or jump on me or fly on me. There was no wind and it was definitely cooler then my room will ever be. I almost slept through the night.
March 21, 2011 - Another one bites the dust
One of the girls in my homestay village went home today…to America home. She used to come by my house after lunch to pick me up on her way back to school. During the first 2 weeks one day she would show up crying saying how she hated it here and wanted to go home. I would tell her just hang in there. We can’t look at this as “2 years” just one day, one week at a time. We just have to hang in there another 5 days and we’ll be back at Tubaniso. We’ll be OK. The next day she would show up to pick me up and I’d be crying. I hate these people, I hate it here, I want to go home…and she would give me the same one day at a time speech. I knew she wouldn’t make it very long but I didn’t think it would be this quickly. She said she was going to keep moving forward until we went this past week to our homesite visits. Maybe her site and the people in her village where going to be perfect and she would want to stay, but if not, she was out of here. Well I guess things didn’t go as well as she had hoped for. We got back to Tubaniso on Friday and she spoke to the director then and told them she wanted to go home. They brought her back out to Muntugula, our homestay village, to pick up her stuff and the next day…BAM…she’s on a plane. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass. That’s 3 so far in the first 7 weeks.
Talking about going home. 6 people from the group that got here 8 months ago are being sent home. With the state of affairs being what it is in the West Africa and Al Quadda in northern Mali the borders of Peace Corps Mali are becoming smaller and smaller with each passing month. Recently the borders that PC Volunteers are allowed to cross within the country had been changed and were brought in closer. They do this for our own safety and security and of course PC does not want to be held responsible if something happens to one of us. This group of 6 knew the borders had been changed, lied to PC about where they were going and got caught. They are all being administratively separated from Peace Corps and are being sent home. Some things are just not open for discussion.
Talking about going home. 6 people from the group that got here 8 months ago are being sent home. With the state of affairs being what it is in the West Africa and Al Quadda in northern Mali the borders of Peace Corps Mali are becoming smaller and smaller with each passing month. Recently the borders that PC Volunteers are allowed to cross within the country had been changed and were brought in closer. They do this for our own safety and security and of course PC does not want to be held responsible if something happens to one of us. This group of 6 knew the borders had been changed, lied to PC about where they were going and got caught. They are all being administratively separated from Peace Corps and are being sent home. Some things are just not open for discussion.
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