Tuesday, September 21, 2010
9/20/10
Today was a great distressor! It was a gorgeous day and my sister, Adama had planned to take me to visit family in Koulaba and later, she surprised me with a guided tour of the zoo! Getting to Koulaba was a trip. We had to take a citroman (city bus) to the city, a motorized wagon through the big market and a lemon up a spiraling road to get there. Koulaba is where the president's palace is located. I didn't get a good look at it, because it has concrete walls built around it, but the surroundings were beautiful. Everywhere, off the mainroad, had flowers, grass and shrubs that are neatly manicured, and statues and monuments are everywhere celebrating the past rulers. As we were walking around, the police started making a commotion and making all the cars stop as the sound of sirens approached, and we soon saw a motorcade with the president! I quickly grabbed my camera to snap a picture and I suddenly felt like a tourist and my sister started laughing at me. After Jade, the tourist, was done taking photos, we descended down a short path right behind all the marble fixtures, to a humble abode on the face of a mountain, where her family lives. As always, I felt very welcome despite my lack of understanding. As we gazed upon the breathtaking valley, we ate rice and beans with sauce and for dessert, we had bananas and oranges. I had so many vitamins today! Everything was Malian-perfect. Afterward, my sister said that we were going to the zoo. I couldn't believe it because that is one of my favorite places to go and as I told her this, Jade, the kid, came out. So, we said our goodbyes and headed for the zoo, where she had somehow organized a private guided tour! I was so excited, but as soon as we entered the zoo, my heart dropped. I saw how unkept the grounds were, how dirty the water was and how mangeled the animals looked. The image of a zoo that I had in mind was not before me at all. It was then, that I remembered that I am in a third-world country where there isn't enough money to keep the people in good health, let alone the animals. As we traversed the grounds, walking on broken stairs, climbing slippery rocks and dragging through mud, I found myself wishing I had brought my hiking shoes! I felt especially sad for the animals there. The wolves growled and the panthers hissed at me. They were pissed, but I knew it wasn't because of me. I've never experienced a pissed off animal at the zoo before and I've visited a lot of zoos. I was appalled at the state of security and sanatation of this public space. At one point, my sister had to go to the bathroom and a grounds keeper handed her a salidaga and she went off into the grass! I couldn't believe that a public place would not have a restroom. I still don't believe that; there has to be one somewhere in that place. I don't think I'll be going back.
Whining Time
So, over the past few days, I've been pretty frustrated with the bossy women in my family and the overall rudeness. Or, so it seems rude to me. People have just been asking me for stuff without saying "please" and "thank you" and that really throws me off sometimes. I've also been frustrated because I can't defend myself as well as I'd like to because my language is not as strong as I'd like it to be. I've also had to change my attitude to protect myself from being taken advantage of. I really am out on my own here and I have to carefully sculpt my relationship with each person. I've been refusing to help my sisters with some of their chores because I don't want them depending on me. I got a heads up about setting precendents from my site buddy. She started going to fields one day during the summer vacation with her family, and now she can't stop going because they expect her to help everyday and she hates it! I don't want that to be me. I gotta keep switching things up. I also think that the lack of personal space is getting to me a bit. At the moment, I only have one room with all my stuff packed in it, but after the rainy season, my family will build me one or two other rooms. As bratty as that sounds, it really is needed for my mental health. Until then, I need to find a spot where I can chill away from everyone.
Lip Smacking
For my Black American audience, ya'll know exactly what I'm talking about. That smacking you do with your lips when someone is getting on your nerves. That smacking you do when you lose at a game of cards. That smacking you do when you're tired and your and your mom or dad ask you to do something as soon as you sit down on the couch or about to down some food. Or just smacking just because! Yeah. You know what I'm talking about. That stuff comes from West Africa, which makes sense when you think about our history. That same lip smacking continues 400 something years later and I don't think it will ever die.
Sharing bodily fluids
The other day, my sister asked me if I could wash off her daughter's bottom after she was done sitting on her potty trainer (which is hilarious that they use, because no one uses a toilet!). I looked at her and said, no. She expected me to take my hand with water and scoop poop off of her child's behind! What she doesn't know is that I don't even touch my own poop. I use toilet paper and will continue to use this amazing product during my time here. That is just one of the things I refuse to give up.
Another thing that is customary here is to eat out of the same dishes. I usually get my own dish because they serve me a fork, but sometimes there is toh to eat and toh is eaten with one's hands and you dip the toh in a sauce. Luckily for me though, they give me my own sauce- dipping bowl. But, sometimes they ask me to come eat food out of the same bowl with them and out of my own cultural upbringing and health consciousness, I am extremely cautious. I'm much more of a clean freak here out of fear of getting sick, again. However, sharing out of the same bowl means a lot here, it creates a bond between the group. It is also customary to ask visitors to come and eat with you. In American culture, you usually only share dishes with family members and close friends. If someone is unfamiliar to you, it is a subconscious thought that that person is dirty. You don't know their background, so you don't know what kind of germs they have, but as you get to know them and learn their habits you may or may not trust to eat with them. That does not exist here and I find that is problematic, for me, especially when people do not regularly wash their hands with soap. I hope to work together with my uncle and homologue to help ameliorate this situation. Soap isn't expensive, so it's not an issue of cost, it's an issue of behavior change.
Another thing that is customary here is to eat out of the same dishes. I usually get my own dish because they serve me a fork, but sometimes there is toh to eat and toh is eaten with one's hands and you dip the toh in a sauce. Luckily for me though, they give me my own sauce- dipping bowl. But, sometimes they ask me to come eat food out of the same bowl with them and out of my own cultural upbringing and health consciousness, I am extremely cautious. I'm much more of a clean freak here out of fear of getting sick, again. However, sharing out of the same bowl means a lot here, it creates a bond between the group. It is also customary to ask visitors to come and eat with you. In American culture, you usually only share dishes with family members and close friends. If someone is unfamiliar to you, it is a subconscious thought that that person is dirty. You don't know their background, so you don't know what kind of germs they have, but as you get to know them and learn their habits you may or may not trust to eat with them. That does not exist here and I find that is problematic, for me, especially when people do not regularly wash their hands with soap. I hope to work together with my uncle and homologue to help ameliorate this situation. Soap isn't expensive, so it's not an issue of cost, it's an issue of behavior change.
Here's a list of my favorite foods
Mooni - balls of grain that are like the texture of peach cobbler dough, mixed with water, sugar, and spices that make it taste like apple sauce
Wosso - fried sweet potatoes (I like to eat this with salt and foronto, a spicy pepper sauce)
Pate - fried bread with spices. You can also put meats, fish and veggies inside. (I also like to eat this with foronto)
Gateau - sweet cakes
Zame - fried rice with onions and green pepper, but you can put whatever you want in it
Ceri - rice mixed with water, sugar, and yogurt or milk
Furufuru - Malian pancakes
I know this list makes me sound like a fat-fat, but I've lost 20 pounds since I've been here. The food here is realtively "healthy" because everything here is made fresh, there are no preservatives. Another thing about food here is that there is a lack of nutrients here. Although the people here eat a lot, they are not eating a lot of fruits and vegetbles. That is one thing that I miss TERRIBLY! I used to eat one banana, at least one apple, berries, carrots, tomatoes and lettuce every day. This week, I've had three bananas, one pound of watermelon, half of a pomegranate, and two tomatoes. The rest of my vitamins come from the sauces that are served with rice and my multivitamins.
Wosso - fried sweet potatoes (I like to eat this with salt and foronto, a spicy pepper sauce)
Pate - fried bread with spices. You can also put meats, fish and veggies inside. (I also like to eat this with foronto)
Gateau - sweet cakes
Zame - fried rice with onions and green pepper, but you can put whatever you want in it
Ceri - rice mixed with water, sugar, and yogurt or milk
Furufuru - Malian pancakes
I know this list makes me sound like a fat-fat, but I've lost 20 pounds since I've been here. The food here is realtively "healthy" because everything here is made fresh, there are no preservatives. Another thing about food here is that there is a lack of nutrients here. Although the people here eat a lot, they are not eating a lot of fruits and vegetbles. That is one thing that I miss TERRIBLY! I used to eat one banana, at least one apple, berries, carrots, tomatoes and lettuce every day. This week, I've had three bananas, one pound of watermelon, half of a pomegranate, and two tomatoes. The rest of my vitamins come from the sauces that are served with rice and my multivitamins.
Random Thoughts/Observations
Time:
The way that people spend their time here is so different from the way Americans use theirs. The people move so slowly here. I've heard Malians make comment on how fast I walk, when I think I'm going really slow. Another thing I've noticed is that meal time here is not exactly a social occassion. People eat, and they eat rather quickly, and when they are done eating, then they will talk. I also eat really slowly in general, but here it seems like I'm eating for twice as long because they are all finished before me.
Sounds:
I wish that I could record some of the Bambara phrases that I find hilarious when I hear them. They're mostly phrases used towards kids telling them to sit down, to put something down, to stop or to go away.
Expression:
The Bambara language is relatively simple compared to other languages. For example, there are no articles. Also, the language is very limited in terms of expressing different degrees of adjectives. For example, there is no exact translation to distinct words expressing the degrees of happiness, like "joyfulness" or "elateness." And I've also noticed that there are not a lot of facial expressions. If I recall correctly, the Russian language does not use any articles or degrees of expression either and the people do not show a lot of expression on their face as well. So, I hypothesize that if a culture does not have the words to express degrees of emotion they will not show many emotions and vice versa. Another interesting thing to note is that I've met a lot of Malians who have studied Russian, so maybe there is some truth to what I'm thinking.
Another thing to note, is that there are only nine colors in the Bambara language. It's strange because I've noticed that Malian's love to wear a lot of colors and patterns. Where are the words to express all the varying colors I see?
The way that people spend their time here is so different from the way Americans use theirs. The people move so slowly here. I've heard Malians make comment on how fast I walk, when I think I'm going really slow. Another thing I've noticed is that meal time here is not exactly a social occassion. People eat, and they eat rather quickly, and when they are done eating, then they will talk. I also eat really slowly in general, but here it seems like I'm eating for twice as long because they are all finished before me.
Sounds:
I wish that I could record some of the Bambara phrases that I find hilarious when I hear them. They're mostly phrases used towards kids telling them to sit down, to put something down, to stop or to go away.
Expression:
The Bambara language is relatively simple compared to other languages. For example, there are no articles. Also, the language is very limited in terms of expressing different degrees of adjectives. For example, there is no exact translation to distinct words expressing the degrees of happiness, like "joyfulness" or "elateness." And I've also noticed that there are not a lot of facial expressions. If I recall correctly, the Russian language does not use any articles or degrees of expression either and the people do not show a lot of expression on their face as well. So, I hypothesize that if a culture does not have the words to express degrees of emotion they will not show many emotions and vice versa. Another interesting thing to note is that I've met a lot of Malians who have studied Russian, so maybe there is some truth to what I'm thinking.
Another thing to note, is that there are only nine colors in the Bambara language. It's strange because I've noticed that Malian's love to wear a lot of colors and patterns. Where are the words to express all the varying colors I see?
Friday, September 17, 2010
Work? What is that?
09/16/10
Today, I met with Bakary, my homologue and we went to greet people at the Mayor’s office and then, we went to fix my bike at a shop. Whenever you go anywhere in Mali, you can’t just do your business and leave, you must baaroke (chat). So, to go put air in my tires took at total of 1.5hr. No one in America has time to just sit around at a bike shop and drink tea. Plus, today is a work day, well actually, everyday is a work day. There’s no such thing as a weekend break and that’s a good thing because the work-life here is so relaxed. It seems like you can come and go and work as much or as little as you want and the concept of “time is money” does not exist here at all. I seriously wonder what I’m going to do on a day-to-day basis. I have one idea of what I’d like to do and it’s awesome! So awesome, that I can’t share it in case someone steals it before I even start. I also talked with Bakary about his work with the Mayor’s office and I found out that he is the equivalent of a Public Sanitation Officer in the States. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, because one of the things that I want to focus on is health education and I expressed my interest to help him with his work, and he gladly accepted! I don’t know how I got so lucky; let’s just hope God keeps giving me His grace. I really hope that my ideas can come to fruition and I think it will be possible to obtain in my two years here, at least on a small scale. On another note, this afternoon I spent some time talking with my host grandpa. I found out that he’s 85 years old, he has 11 children, and he worked for the military and that he fully supports the current Malian president. He was nice to talk to, he reminds me of my uncle John, and talking with him is a good way to learn Malian blessings.
Today, I met with Bakary, my homologue and we went to greet people at the Mayor’s office and then, we went to fix my bike at a shop. Whenever you go anywhere in Mali, you can’t just do your business and leave, you must baaroke (chat). So, to go put air in my tires took at total of 1.5hr. No one in America has time to just sit around at a bike shop and drink tea. Plus, today is a work day, well actually, everyday is a work day. There’s no such thing as a weekend break and that’s a good thing because the work-life here is so relaxed. It seems like you can come and go and work as much or as little as you want and the concept of “time is money” does not exist here at all. I seriously wonder what I’m going to do on a day-to-day basis. I have one idea of what I’d like to do and it’s awesome! So awesome, that I can’t share it in case someone steals it before I even start. I also talked with Bakary about his work with the Mayor’s office and I found out that he is the equivalent of a Public Sanitation Officer in the States. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, because one of the things that I want to focus on is health education and I expressed my interest to help him with his work, and he gladly accepted! I don’t know how I got so lucky; let’s just hope God keeps giving me His grace. I really hope that my ideas can come to fruition and I think it will be possible to obtain in my two years here, at least on a small scale. On another note, this afternoon I spent some time talking with my host grandpa. I found out that he’s 85 years old, he has 11 children, and he worked for the military and that he fully supports the current Malian president. He was nice to talk to, he reminds me of my uncle John, and talking with him is a good way to learn Malian blessings.
Cultural Matters
09/13/10
So, today was really strange. First of all, I saw my first Malian hug between my sister and her friend and they even kissed cheeks. I was very surprised at the amount of affection shown. Secondly, my sister came over to where I was sitting and I could tell she had been crying! In a culture where it’s socially unacceptable to cry, I was surprised to see her tear-stained face and I had no idea what to do, but I couldn’t ignore her emotions. So, I asked her what was wrong and of course she said nothing. I can only guess that something went on between her and her husband. In America, I would have given her a hug, but I wasn’t sure how it would be received, so instead, I gave her some water and gave her a smile. Sooooo lame. Then this afternoon, I got divorced and then remarried to my sister’s brother, who I haven’t even seen a picture of, because I don’t want 10 children. I think the most I could handle is one, but I’m not even thinking about having kids at this point. Then, my sister tried to compromise with me and asked me if four kids is a good number, I jokingly said yeah, so I’m engaged again. Ha! Then, this evening was reeeeally strange. Since I’ve been here, I have always eaten dinner with my uncle, my sister’s husband. But, tonight, Adama asked me to get up and eat at another spot! I was really confused and so was my uncle. The only thing I can think of to explain this behavior change is that because Moussa likes eating with me, and because she was still upset, she didn’t want me sitting with him. Or, she wanted me to eat away from him because I am a woman and men and women eat separately, but that would be so random. So, out of confusion, and because it is my job as a PC volunteer to promote equality, I picked up my seat and I sat next to Moussa. And when Adama returned, I think Moussa asked her why I was moved and I didn’t hear a response, but I saw her walk into the house. She came out a minute later, luckily she wasn’t crying, but I am still confused. I don’t know what’s going on, but I will not be brought into the middle of it. It’s hard being an American female in a Muslim country because I want to assimilate to the culture, but at the same time, I am here to help change the culture. I guess it’s all about balance, not forgetting my values, and not marrying a Muslim.
So, today was really strange. First of all, I saw my first Malian hug between my sister and her friend and they even kissed cheeks. I was very surprised at the amount of affection shown. Secondly, my sister came over to where I was sitting and I could tell she had been crying! In a culture where it’s socially unacceptable to cry, I was surprised to see her tear-stained face and I had no idea what to do, but I couldn’t ignore her emotions. So, I asked her what was wrong and of course she said nothing. I can only guess that something went on between her and her husband. In America, I would have given her a hug, but I wasn’t sure how it would be received, so instead, I gave her some water and gave her a smile. Sooooo lame. Then this afternoon, I got divorced and then remarried to my sister’s brother, who I haven’t even seen a picture of, because I don’t want 10 children. I think the most I could handle is one, but I’m not even thinking about having kids at this point. Then, my sister tried to compromise with me and asked me if four kids is a good number, I jokingly said yeah, so I’m engaged again. Ha! Then, this evening was reeeeally strange. Since I’ve been here, I have always eaten dinner with my uncle, my sister’s husband. But, tonight, Adama asked me to get up and eat at another spot! I was really confused and so was my uncle. The only thing I can think of to explain this behavior change is that because Moussa likes eating with me, and because she was still upset, she didn’t want me sitting with him. Or, she wanted me to eat away from him because I am a woman and men and women eat separately, but that would be so random. So, out of confusion, and because it is my job as a PC volunteer to promote equality, I picked up my seat and I sat next to Moussa. And when Adama returned, I think Moussa asked her why I was moved and I didn’t hear a response, but I saw her walk into the house. She came out a minute later, luckily she wasn’t crying, but I am still confused. I don’t know what’s going on, but I will not be brought into the middle of it. It’s hard being an American female in a Muslim country because I want to assimilate to the culture, but at the same time, I am here to help change the culture. I guess it’s all about balance, not forgetting my values, and not marrying a Muslim.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
skin-lightener
skin-lightener products are everywhere in this country and i've seen a lot of women using them. it's disgusting and i'm honestly saddened when i see these pasty orange-skinned women walking around. it's just not natural and it causes all types of skin and health problems as the stuff poisons them. if i see any of my sisters with that stuff, i will slap it out of their hands! how did lighter skin become the standard of beauty across the globe? the people here are so beautiful and they are ruining their gorgeous, flawless skin with these horrible chemicals.
American toh (mashed potatoes)
09/13/10
Today was a pretty good day. As I promised, I cooked American toh, mashed potatoes with onion, garlic, salt, pepper and butter that doesn’t need refrigeration! It turned out surprisingly good and my family really liked it. However, they kept asking me if there was any sauce with it, because there is always a sauce made with every meal here. Finally, I felt useful! I also used my cooking as a lesson in sanitation. In a culture where the people use their hands to wipe themselves and they don’t use soap afterwards to clean their hands, you can only imagine the state of sanitation here. There are sights and smells in the market that are not for the faint at heart. Like raw meat and fish hanging on metal hooks, just begging for the flies to come. For that reason, I try to stay away from eating as much meat as possible, but eating chicken here is pretty safe, because it is killed and prepared at home where one can control the nastiness. So, I took my cooking as an opportunity to show my family that it’s proper to wash their hands with soap when preparing food. I also showed them the importance of soaking vegetables in chlorinated water, because the water isn’t safe. And at one point, my sister tried to use the same knife the chicken was killed with to cut up cucumbers! I stopped her right away and asked if the knife was washed with soap. Of course, the answer was no, so I showed her how it should be washed and explained why it needed to be. Later, my sister started preparing the chicken and she asked for the chlorine, so that she could soak it! I was so elated! I really am an education volunteer!
Today was a pretty good day. As I promised, I cooked American toh, mashed potatoes with onion, garlic, salt, pepper and butter that doesn’t need refrigeration! It turned out surprisingly good and my family really liked it. However, they kept asking me if there was any sauce with it, because there is always a sauce made with every meal here. Finally, I felt useful! I also used my cooking as a lesson in sanitation. In a culture where the people use their hands to wipe themselves and they don’t use soap afterwards to clean their hands, you can only imagine the state of sanitation here. There are sights and smells in the market that are not for the faint at heart. Like raw meat and fish hanging on metal hooks, just begging for the flies to come. For that reason, I try to stay away from eating as much meat as possible, but eating chicken here is pretty safe, because it is killed and prepared at home where one can control the nastiness. So, I took my cooking as an opportunity to show my family that it’s proper to wash their hands with soap when preparing food. I also showed them the importance of soaking vegetables in chlorinated water, because the water isn’t safe. And at one point, my sister tried to use the same knife the chicken was killed with to cut up cucumbers! I stopped her right away and asked if the knife was washed with soap. Of course, the answer was no, so I showed her how it should be washed and explained why it needed to be. Later, my sister started preparing the chicken and she asked for the chlorine, so that she could soak it! I was so elated! I really am an education volunteer!
September 11th
09/11/10
Today is September 11th and my family and I have been following the story about that pastor who announced that he wants to initiate a Koran burning day in protest of a mosque being built at the WTC Memorial. I must say that it has been pretty awkward listening to the story with them, especially since they understand French better than me. It’s awkward because I’m American and they know that I’m Christian. Yesterday, my site buddy came to visit and she filled in the gaps of the story for me and made me realize how much of a security risk we could have if people in Mali got angry. I hope that nothing crazy happens, but the French military are pouring into Bamako just in case there’s unrest and people start harassing the French. There has been a lot of ill feelings towards the French in Mali lately. Just a few weeks ago, a Frenchmen was killed by Al-Qaida in the northern part of the country. And with Malians grouping all lighter-skinned people as Toubabu, it is a potential hazard, but because Al-Qaida is in the north, Peace Corps does not place anyone north of Mopti. I’m not too worried. I feel pretty safe here in village and Peace Corps has a solid evacuation plan, if it comes to that, but let’s hope it doesn’t. What else has happened? Me and my sister, Adama, are becoming good friends. She helps me with French and Bambara and I help her cook and do laundry. Doing laundry here sucks! It already sucks doing it by machine, but when you have to draw your own water and then hand-wash in the hot sun. I washed a ton of clothes the other day, well, I tried, and my sisters saw me trying, so they took over for me and made me look like an idiot, but I didn’t mind at alllll. Now, I know I need to start taking my clothes into the shower to make my load easier. I also went to market yesterday and started buying stuff for my room and I wanted to buy ingredients to make lemonade for my family. I also bought my first live chickens! It was quite an exciting experience as I watched the farmer coax and grab three chickens for me. He then handed them to me by their feet and I had no idea what to do at that point. Luckily, my sister came by with her bike and she drove them home.
Today is September 11th and my family and I have been following the story about that pastor who announced that he wants to initiate a Koran burning day in protest of a mosque being built at the WTC Memorial. I must say that it has been pretty awkward listening to the story with them, especially since they understand French better than me. It’s awkward because I’m American and they know that I’m Christian. Yesterday, my site buddy came to visit and she filled in the gaps of the story for me and made me realize how much of a security risk we could have if people in Mali got angry. I hope that nothing crazy happens, but the French military are pouring into Bamako just in case there’s unrest and people start harassing the French. There has been a lot of ill feelings towards the French in Mali lately. Just a few weeks ago, a Frenchmen was killed by Al-Qaida in the northern part of the country. And with Malians grouping all lighter-skinned people as Toubabu, it is a potential hazard, but because Al-Qaida is in the north, Peace Corps does not place anyone north of Mopti. I’m not too worried. I feel pretty safe here in village and Peace Corps has a solid evacuation plan, if it comes to that, but let’s hope it doesn’t. What else has happened? Me and my sister, Adama, are becoming good friends. She helps me with French and Bambara and I help her cook and do laundry. Doing laundry here sucks! It already sucks doing it by machine, but when you have to draw your own water and then hand-wash in the hot sun. I washed a ton of clothes the other day, well, I tried, and my sisters saw me trying, so they took over for me and made me look like an idiot, but I didn’t mind at alllll. Now, I know I need to start taking my clothes into the shower to make my load easier. I also went to market yesterday and started buying stuff for my room and I wanted to buy ingredients to make lemonade for my family. I also bought my first live chickens! It was quite an exciting experience as I watched the farmer coax and grab three chickens for me. He then handed them to me by their feet and I had no idea what to do at that point. Luckily, my sister came by with her bike and she drove them home.
Seli!
09/09/10
Today was the beginning of Seli, the big feast for Ramadan. It was really exciting! Seli, for Muslims, is like Easter for Christians. Everyone puts on their best clothes; the women get the hair done, they cook up a big feast and the children go from house to house as the adults hand out money. My family was looking so sharp! Even the little ones had on new three-piece suits and dress shoes. Later in the day, a group of musicians came over and played a mini concert of traditional music. Then, my uncle asked me to go with him to see his pharmacy and the new one he is building next to the old one. But, before we went inside, he visited the families who lived behind the pharmacy and he gave them money to celebrate the holiday. In fact, he gave them all the money he had and he showed me his empty wallet. He is such a kind man. On that note, my family has given me eight bottles of water over the past few days as I was waiting for my water filter to arrive and I tried to pay them back three times, but they refused. Also, on the day that we went to Bamako, they paid for my entire fare there and back. And tonight, my uncle gave me mosquito repellent from his store and as I tried to pay him back, he refused. I already have a problem with not spending money and now, they won’t let me! Anyway, so after we visited the families behind the pharmacy, we went inside the construction of the new pharmacy. I was really impressed as he showed me his new office, because currently he doesn’t have one, and he’s going to get satellite cable and internet connection. Then, there’s the main room where he and his staff will sell things and people can wait and there’s a storage room and a TILED NYEGEN! I felt so happy for him! The new pharmacy is about 2.5-times larger than the current one. Then, he proceeded to tell me how much money it costs to build it. Lately, people have been telling me how much money they’ve spent on items. I don’t know why, but I really don’t need to know that information. Like, earlier, I told my sister that I really liked her earrings, and she told me they cost 3,500 CFA. I didn’t ask to know the price; I just said I liked them. Anyway, I’m really proud to see what my family is doing and how they are continuing grow. Adama wants to go to school to become a lawyer this winter and Mousa, my uncle, wants to start taking an English course and he showed me the books that he bought, which he then told me how much he spent on them. I really hope that they stop that.
Today was the beginning of Seli, the big feast for Ramadan. It was really exciting! Seli, for Muslims, is like Easter for Christians. Everyone puts on their best clothes; the women get the hair done, they cook up a big feast and the children go from house to house as the adults hand out money. My family was looking so sharp! Even the little ones had on new three-piece suits and dress shoes. Later in the day, a group of musicians came over and played a mini concert of traditional music. Then, my uncle asked me to go with him to see his pharmacy and the new one he is building next to the old one. But, before we went inside, he visited the families who lived behind the pharmacy and he gave them money to celebrate the holiday. In fact, he gave them all the money he had and he showed me his empty wallet. He is such a kind man. On that note, my family has given me eight bottles of water over the past few days as I was waiting for my water filter to arrive and I tried to pay them back three times, but they refused. Also, on the day that we went to Bamako, they paid for my entire fare there and back. And tonight, my uncle gave me mosquito repellent from his store and as I tried to pay him back, he refused. I already have a problem with not spending money and now, they won’t let me! Anyway, so after we visited the families behind the pharmacy, we went inside the construction of the new pharmacy. I was really impressed as he showed me his new office, because currently he doesn’t have one, and he’s going to get satellite cable and internet connection. Then, there’s the main room where he and his staff will sell things and people can wait and there’s a storage room and a TILED NYEGEN! I felt so happy for him! The new pharmacy is about 2.5-times larger than the current one. Then, he proceeded to tell me how much money it costs to build it. Lately, people have been telling me how much money they’ve spent on items. I don’t know why, but I really don’t need to know that information. Like, earlier, I told my sister that I really liked her earrings, and she told me they cost 3,500 CFA. I didn’t ask to know the price; I just said I liked them. Anyway, I’m really proud to see what my family is doing and how they are continuing grow. Adama wants to go to school to become a lawyer this winter and Mousa, my uncle, wants to start taking an English course and he showed me the books that he bought, which he then told me how much he spent on them. I really hope that they stop that.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
a quick review of the last few days/weeks
Sorry, my thoughts are not complete. I am writing this post from an internet cafe and I've ran out of time :(
09/02/10
Today was my last day as a Peace Corps Trainee! Last night, we had a concert with a performance by a famous Malian guitarist. He was a pretty amazing performer. A lot of Malians got up to dance and the Americans followed, trying to pick up on the Malian’s moves. It was a fun sight to see and soon, Americans and Malians became Amerilians and Malericans. I was also taken over by the intoxicating tunes and despite my reserved nature, I joined in the sway. On that note, I’ve noticed how easily it is to succumb to peer pressure here. In a place where there are only so many Americans around and you want to make friends, but I have to remember who I am, especially as a Christian.
09/05/10
I’m back at my hoooome! I’m so happy to be back, even though my bowels are running like crazy! I really like my family and the feelings are mutual. They take care of me and treat me like a queen. I must say, this makes me like them even more, but it is strange being treated this way and I’m here to be help to them. It’s going to be weird going back to America and not having someone draw my bath water and offer me their seat and thank me for doing absolutely nothing, haha. I’m definitely getting the better end of the deal at the moment, but as soon as I get this language down and get to know my family and surroundings better, I’m going to be an awesome help.
09/07/10
Today, I’m feeling much better and my sister, Adama, is tired of seeing me sleep all day after being tired from being in the nyegen for half the day. So, we went to Bamako to visit her friend and get our hair braided. It was a “Girl’s Day” in the city. This was my first time visiting an urban Malian home. It was smaller; there’s no room for concessions in the city. It was also cleaner, because there’s no room for lots of animals in the city and there’s not as much land, so there’s not a lot of mud. My sister’s friend is married to a pharmacist and they have two kids. Because this family is smaller and they don’t have any livestock, they have money to spend on more things. So, they had comfy couches, electric fans, a refrigerator, glass tables and the nicest nyegen I have ever seen! It was tiled and there were no flies or cockroaches! I didn’t think it would ever be feasible to classify a nyegen as nice, but this one was choice. The food that they served was pretty good too. I thought that this was supposed to be the hunger season? But, apparently, that is not so for this family and mine. I got served an equivalent of an American pot roast, with rice, and then they cut up a delicious watermelon. I was back in America as I ate on a comfy couch, under a fan, watching American music videos. Katy Perry, Eminem, Soulja Boy and Snoop Dog joined us for lunch. The little kids were singing along and an older girl expressed her romantic feelings for Soulja Boy. After lunch, I went for a walk around the neighborhood and the houses reminded me of American southwestern homes. The color schemes of the homes are similar and they all have walls built around them. They are pretty nice, at least, through my Malian goggles, they are. There were some really large homes in the neighborhood as well, some as tall as three stories, with glass windows and trimmed trees. I haven’t quite figured out the Malian class system yet, but I think that middle-class is a new thing as Bamako is becoming one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Back to the hair party, once again my hair fooled them all! I felt bad, but they really wanted to do my hair and I have tons of it, literally tons compared to the women’s hair here. Their hair is so dry and coarse and short, and I think it is mostly due to the lack of nutrients.
09/02/10
Today was my last day as a Peace Corps Trainee! Last night, we had a concert with a performance by a famous Malian guitarist. He was a pretty amazing performer. A lot of Malians got up to dance and the Americans followed, trying to pick up on the Malian’s moves. It was a fun sight to see and soon, Americans and Malians became Amerilians and Malericans. I was also taken over by the intoxicating tunes and despite my reserved nature, I joined in the sway. On that note, I’ve noticed how easily it is to succumb to peer pressure here. In a place where there are only so many Americans around and you want to make friends, but I have to remember who I am, especially as a Christian.
09/05/10
I’m back at my hoooome! I’m so happy to be back, even though my bowels are running like crazy! I really like my family and the feelings are mutual. They take care of me and treat me like a queen. I must say, this makes me like them even more, but it is strange being treated this way and I’m here to be help to them. It’s going to be weird going back to America and not having someone draw my bath water and offer me their seat and thank me for doing absolutely nothing, haha. I’m definitely getting the better end of the deal at the moment, but as soon as I get this language down and get to know my family and surroundings better, I’m going to be an awesome help.
09/07/10
Today, I’m feeling much better and my sister, Adama, is tired of seeing me sleep all day after being tired from being in the nyegen for half the day. So, we went to Bamako to visit her friend and get our hair braided. It was a “Girl’s Day” in the city. This was my first time visiting an urban Malian home. It was smaller; there’s no room for concessions in the city. It was also cleaner, because there’s no room for lots of animals in the city and there’s not as much land, so there’s not a lot of mud. My sister’s friend is married to a pharmacist and they have two kids. Because this family is smaller and they don’t have any livestock, they have money to spend on more things. So, they had comfy couches, electric fans, a refrigerator, glass tables and the nicest nyegen I have ever seen! It was tiled and there were no flies or cockroaches! I didn’t think it would ever be feasible to classify a nyegen as nice, but this one was choice. The food that they served was pretty good too. I thought that this was supposed to be the hunger season? But, apparently, that is not so for this family and mine. I got served an equivalent of an American pot roast, with rice, and then they cut up a delicious watermelon. I was back in America as I ate on a comfy couch, under a fan, watching American music videos. Katy Perry, Eminem, Soulja Boy and Snoop Dog joined us for lunch. The little kids were singing along and an older girl expressed her romantic feelings for Soulja Boy. After lunch, I went for a walk around the neighborhood and the houses reminded me of American southwestern homes. The color schemes of the homes are similar and they all have walls built around them. They are pretty nice, at least, through my Malian goggles, they are. There were some really large homes in the neighborhood as well, some as tall as three stories, with glass windows and trimmed trees. I haven’t quite figured out the Malian class system yet, but I think that middle-class is a new thing as Bamako is becoming one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Back to the hair party, once again my hair fooled them all! I felt bad, but they really wanted to do my hair and I have tons of it, literally tons compared to the women’s hair here. Their hair is so dry and coarse and short, and I think it is mostly due to the lack of nutrients.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)