Hey Everyone,
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
It’s my last Thanksgiving away from home and I’m mixed between joy and sadness. I left this morning from site and will not return until after the New Year. It was an emotional goodbye this morning and it gave me a preview of what it will be like when I actually leave next fall. My family here is so excited that I’m going home to be with my family for Christmas. They know everyone by name and told me to greet Cathy, Chuck, Molly, Becky and their husbands (and Allison of course). It means so much to me that they know my family and want to know my family.
My last few weeks have been busy and flown by. I went up to Bandiagara for a friend’s birthday and on the way home on what should have been a 3 hour bus ride became a 7 hour ride bus ride. The delay consisted of loading about 150 sheep on the top of the bus, under the bus…and in the bus.
I eventually made it back to site for the last time and fittingly my tire blew out just 2 kilometers from site (which I took as a good sign because I was close enough to walk and the sun wasn’t too high yet). I brought back with me the finalized papers for my animal raising association and we had a presentation with the chief of the village giving the papers to the president of the Cooperation.
I also decided to paint a world map at my school. It’s a first cycle school which is the equivalent of an elementary school and I painted on the “principles” office. It turned out really well and I finished on Monday with just enough time to pack and do some chores at home before coming into San for Thanksgiving. It was more of an undertaking than I first anticipated not necessarily regarding the drawing and the painting, but the kids. They were ceaseless in their questions and even if they weren’t talking to me they were whispering or just sitting and staring.
Last Wednesday was the biggest Muslim holiday of the year, Tabaski. I live in a Christian village and thus we didn’t celebrate like the rest of the country but Bah’s best friend is Muslim so we went to his house for a mini feast! It was delicious but of course of all the yummy sheep meat, they gave me the organs. I suffered through a few bites because it is such an honor is given the “best meat” but man it tastes so bad. Makes me think I could get through some of those road blocks on the Amazing Race if I had too. I’ve eaten more disgusting things then I can count in the past year and a half.
With that said, I’m more than looking forward to our feast today of our closest approximation of a good old fashioned American Thanksgiving meal.
I’m going on a hike in Dogon country then heading down to Bamako on the first and will then fly home on the night of the 3rd! I’m so excited to see everyone and hope everyone has a fabulous Thanksgiving.
Much love,
Cait
Novemeber 2, 2010
Hey everyone,
Hope you all had a fantastic Halloween and November isn’t bringing in too much cold weather. Site has been busy harvesting the rice, peanuts and millet thus my past few weeks have been occupied picking peanuts and carrying baskets of millet on my head…I was not graceful.
The men’s animal raising association I’ve been working with to obtain their legal status as a cooperative finally finished and I’m so happy to say that, the document called a recipcee, has been taken and stamped by our local department of justice thus ending 10 months of savings, red tape, delays and bribes. The men now have access to government loans which is practically impossible for people living in the brush to acquire and thus creating opportunities for profits to be made which they wouldn’t have otherwise.
While rainy season has essentially come to an end it has rained twice in the past two weeks giving a brief reprieve of mini hot season. The nights, unlike during hot season, cool down and with the rains all but over, I’ve been enjoying being well rested sleeping outside. My homologue even built me a small gate to put up to keep the donkeys and sheep out of my yard and eating my papaya trees at night.
A few nights ago I had a fantastic conversation with my homologue on womens and men’s role in the US versus Mali which is so vastly different. They are always so concerned that I am not yet married and do not plan to be in my near future. They always ask if how I will live back home where I have no man to give me money…they were blown away that I have to work and earn my own money in addition to housework. I’m pretty confident that they are now convinced I’m crazy or lying through my teeth but it was a pretty interesting cultural exchange.
Listening to BBC World Service is my lifeline to current events. A few nights ago, Obama was aired when he addressed the two suspected bombs found originating in Yemen. I decided to try to test the waters on the topic of terrorism with my homologue and his friends and was surprised to find a fairly sound understanding of Al-Qaida and was fascinated to hear their opinions regarding their activities. Muslim extremists are active in the north of Mali just as they are in most of North Africa. The men in my village do not live in fear of terrorism but they do understand the rest of the world will be less inclined to help their country if it is associated in any with Al-Qaida and have thus formed some distinct opinions.
I’m heading up north to Bandiagara to help paint a world map at a school and to celebrate a friend’s birthday for a few days and when I return home, it will be for about two weeks. When I leave for San on the 24th for Thanksgiving, I won’t be back until the New Year. I’m leaving for home on December 3 and my return flight to Mali is on the 27th. I’m so looking forward to being home to celebrate the holidays with my family. I can’t believe my service is 2/3 over…where did the time go? Sorry it has been so long since my last update but fear not, I’m in great health and great spirits. Can’t wait to see Kentucky again!
Much love,
Cait
Hope you all had a fantastic Halloween and November isn’t bringing in too much cold weather. Site has been busy harvesting the rice, peanuts and millet thus my past few weeks have been occupied picking peanuts and carrying baskets of millet on my head…I was not graceful.
The men’s animal raising association I’ve been working with to obtain their legal status as a cooperative finally finished and I’m so happy to say that, the document called a recipcee, has been taken and stamped by our local department of justice thus ending 10 months of savings, red tape, delays and bribes. The men now have access to government loans which is practically impossible for people living in the brush to acquire and thus creating opportunities for profits to be made which they wouldn’t have otherwise.
While rainy season has essentially come to an end it has rained twice in the past two weeks giving a brief reprieve of mini hot season. The nights, unlike during hot season, cool down and with the rains all but over, I’ve been enjoying being well rested sleeping outside. My homologue even built me a small gate to put up to keep the donkeys and sheep out of my yard and eating my papaya trees at night.
A few nights ago I had a fantastic conversation with my homologue on womens and men’s role in the US versus Mali which is so vastly different. They are always so concerned that I am not yet married and do not plan to be in my near future. They always ask if how I will live back home where I have no man to give me money…they were blown away that I have to work and earn my own money in addition to housework. I’m pretty confident that they are now convinced I’m crazy or lying through my teeth but it was a pretty interesting cultural exchange.
Listening to BBC World Service is my lifeline to current events. A few nights ago, Obama was aired when he addressed the two suspected bombs found originating in Yemen. I decided to try to test the waters on the topic of terrorism with my homologue and his friends and was surprised to find a fairly sound understanding of Al-Qaida and was fascinated to hear their opinions regarding their activities. Muslim extremists are active in the north of Mali just as they are in most of North Africa. The men in my village do not live in fear of terrorism but they do understand the rest of the world will be less inclined to help their country if it is associated in any with Al-Qaida and have thus formed some distinct opinions.
I’m heading up north to Bandiagara to help paint a world map at a school and to celebrate a friend’s birthday for a few days and when I return home, it will be for about two weeks. When I leave for San on the 24th for Thanksgiving, I won’t be back until the New Year. I’m leaving for home on December 3 and my return flight to Mali is on the 27th. I’m so looking forward to being home to celebrate the holidays with my family. I can’t believe my service is 2/3 over…where did the time go? Sorry it has been so long since my last update but fear not, I’m in great health and great spirits. Can’t wait to see Kentucky again!
Much love,
Cait
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