Small World/Big World

Tonight, the moon was so bright and the air was full of life, but I was the only one taking it all in. My 19 year old brother interrupted my gazing and asked me if there was a moon and stars in America. That question blew my mind! What else don't they know? Would I have asked the same question if I had never been outside of the U.S.? Then, I remembered that they don't teach astrology in the schools until the 10th grade, my brother is in 9th. I wonder if they have constellations in Bambara? Culturally, it is taboo to talk about the stars and how much you like them, because it's taken as an invitation to have sex! Sooooo, maybe that's why I'm the only sky-gazer around these parts....and then the electricity came on and my family brought out their television. Later, a commercial came on with a song by a famous Malian artist, and my brother asked me if I knew the singer. I didn't and he just smacked his lips and shook his head. He thinks that the world knows about Mali, but he doesn't know the world.