Hey Everyone,
I just got back from a trip to Dogon country to see a traditional mask dance in Justin’s village, Sokolo. Last year a village elder died in his village, but there was no time for the proper mourning ceremony before rainy season began so they postponed it for a year. Justin’s village and the Dogon area in general have a very unique culture and I felt so lucky to be able to see such an intimate ceremony. Because this was somewhat sacred, my photo opportunities were extremely limited but it was something I don’t think I’ll ever forget.
There are between 8-10 different kinds of masks and Justin gave me a brief history of the kinds and their significance. It was so awesome! My favorite mask was one who walks on stilts but Justin’s favorite wears horns on his mask and is really aggressive. Many of the masks are very confrontational and women and children especially are targets to have their souls stolen or at the very least hit with a rock. Most masks represent something like a tree or a hunter and women and children generally work in the forest cutting trees for firewood thus angering the masks. So when the masks would run through village the women often run to the nearest house and hide behind trees or climb to the roof of their houses. It was hilarious to watch, but I had to be escorted by several men to protect me. One mask would only come out at night and she was the mother of all the masks and was invisible to people, but she would make a really creepy sound like she was swinging a rope around really fast. It was disturbing and sleeping on the roof was little comfort.
I also had to watch a sacrifice ceremony which was interesting until they moved the cow to be killed then I had to leave. I saw the knife they were going to use is was rusty and dull at best. Justin watched and even he had to admit it was good I left the area because it got pretty gory.
Then after watching masks terrorize the village, butcher a cow and greet literally hundreds of people, the chief of the village’s wife died…needless to say, I got my full of cultural exposure in my 36 hours in Sokolo.
In addition to an awesome cultural experience my transport luck was fantastic (perhaps making up for my last several very unpleasant transport endeavors) making the trip all the better! And for my few days at site between the training in Segou and the mask festival was Easter in my village! It was a few days of delicious eating! We killed a pig and a goat and it was a delightful feast. The ceremony was long, but I could understand a little more this year than the last so I got a little more out of it. At the same time, it was my second thus my last Easter here which had a sad note to it as well. All it all it’s been a fantastic week and I’m looking forward to getting back to site for a while before heading to Ghana!
Love always,
Cait
April 21, 2011
Hey everyone,
I’m on my return trip to from a regional training in Segou. It was for all the volunteers in the Segou region thus including San. It was different experience this year for me personally being a second year volunteer. The training is designed for the new volunteers to ask questions and learn from experiences by the second year volunteers and their homologues. It was actually kind of fun to share some of my successes and all my failures and it’s by far one of the best ways to help the new volunteers.
I’m headed home to Sebanso on Friday to get ready for Easter this Sunday. We’re killing a pig which I’m excited for seeing as I missed this past Christmas thus haven’t really celebrated a Christian holiday since last Easter with my village. I’ll only be home for just over a week before heading to Teryiabougu with the volunteers in San. We’re just staying for two nights as we’re all living a restricted “income” we can’t stay any longer, but I think it will be a nice reprieve for everyone.
Since I last wrote I’ve had an eventful few weeks. Early April all Peace Corps Mali volunteers were invited to the swearing in ceremony of the newest STAGE of volunteers at the President of Mali’s (Amadou Toumani Toure aka ATT) house. Several friends and I decided to go and I’m so happy we did. The ceremony was held at the conference room of the palace and all of the important dignitaries and Presidential Attendants were there in addition to all the Peace Corps staff and a much of the US embassy staff including the ambassador. The ceremony was lovely, and brace yourself, prompt and concise! Everyone was dressed to the nines and I think we were all a little star struck when ATT gave his speech. We had a quick reception following the ceremony with yummy delicious food and then made our way home. The Palace is located at the top of a hill and it gave a beautiful view of the city but it was deceitful in that we forgot momentarily we were in one of the poorest countries in the world. The Palace and the grounds were truly beautiful and I think I’d feel that way even if I’d seen grass and flowers daily as opposed to 7 months ago.
While in Bamako I got all my paperwork for my visas finished and Rose and Dan (both of whom live in or near the city) are in charge of dropping them off and picking them up. I might have to go make a quick day trip down to Bamako again because the Ghanian embassy has started random interviews with visa requests but hopefully I won’t have to go until the actual departure date.
I suppose that’s about all I have to report on my end. I left for Segou from my site with my homologue thus for the first time I had brought my laptop to site. Last Saturday night I decided my family knew me well enough that I could bring it out without causing too much of an ordeal and we watched Aladdin together. It was in English of course but they LOVED it! It was really fun too and a great cultural exchange. I was able to share a very small part of my childhood by explaining that American children often enjoy watching these cartoon movies. I guess I’ll close for now.
I wanted to wish a very Happy Birthday to my dad and a huge congrats on the passing of yet another April 15th. I love you all so much,
Cait
I’m on my return trip to from a regional training in Segou. It was for all the volunteers in the Segou region thus including San. It was different experience this year for me personally being a second year volunteer. The training is designed for the new volunteers to ask questions and learn from experiences by the second year volunteers and their homologues. It was actually kind of fun to share some of my successes and all my failures and it’s by far one of the best ways to help the new volunteers.
I’m headed home to Sebanso on Friday to get ready for Easter this Sunday. We’re killing a pig which I’m excited for seeing as I missed this past Christmas thus haven’t really celebrated a Christian holiday since last Easter with my village. I’ll only be home for just over a week before heading to Teryiabougu with the volunteers in San. We’re just staying for two nights as we’re all living a restricted “income” we can’t stay any longer, but I think it will be a nice reprieve for everyone.
Since I last wrote I’ve had an eventful few weeks. Early April all Peace Corps Mali volunteers were invited to the swearing in ceremony of the newest STAGE of volunteers at the President of Mali’s (Amadou Toumani Toure aka ATT) house. Several friends and I decided to go and I’m so happy we did. The ceremony was held at the conference room of the palace and all of the important dignitaries and Presidential Attendants were there in addition to all the Peace Corps staff and a much of the US embassy staff including the ambassador. The ceremony was lovely, and brace yourself, prompt and concise! Everyone was dressed to the nines and I think we were all a little star struck when ATT gave his speech. We had a quick reception following the ceremony with yummy delicious food and then made our way home. The Palace is located at the top of a hill and it gave a beautiful view of the city but it was deceitful in that we forgot momentarily we were in one of the poorest countries in the world. The Palace and the grounds were truly beautiful and I think I’d feel that way even if I’d seen grass and flowers daily as opposed to 7 months ago.
While in Bamako I got all my paperwork for my visas finished and Rose and Dan (both of whom live in or near the city) are in charge of dropping them off and picking them up. I might have to go make a quick day trip down to Bamako again because the Ghanian embassy has started random interviews with visa requests but hopefully I won’t have to go until the actual departure date.
I suppose that’s about all I have to report on my end. I left for Segou from my site with my homologue thus for the first time I had brought my laptop to site. Last Saturday night I decided my family knew me well enough that I could bring it out without causing too much of an ordeal and we watched Aladdin together. It was in English of course but they LOVED it! It was really fun too and a great cultural exchange. I was able to share a very small part of my childhood by explaining that American children often enjoy watching these cartoon movies. I guess I’ll close for now.
I wanted to wish a very Happy Birthday to my dad and a huge congrats on the passing of yet another April 15th. I love you all so much,
Cait
April 3, 2011
Hey Everyone,
I’ve just started a two month trek of traveling both within Mali and surrounding countries. I finished my last big project for my animal raising association this past stint at site and am now looking forward to getting in some quality time with my Malian and American friends.
We had training in my village with my Cooperative on animal fattening practices as well as proper medical treatments and food selections and breeding. About 20 men were present and one woman (which I was so happy to see!). The trainer was the head veterinarian for the Circle of San and he came out to Sebanso for two days for the training. It had its hiccups that frustrated myself but apparently didn’t faze anyone else like starting 2 hours late because the building we were to use hadn’t been cleaned out…mud buildings tend to get extra dusty so you can imagine what a mess it was! All in all though, I was pleased with everything and thought the members got a lot out of it.
As I said, this begins two months of travel. I came in on Friday and watched the final four on Saturday night via internet at the San house (it’s been a delightful addition to the house!) and watched the painfully close loss of UK to UCONN but am excited we made it as far as we did. A week from today I’m heading down to Bamako to attend the Swearing in of the newest stage. This will be my last chance to see another swear in before I close my service (COS) in early September. As this is the 40th consecutive year of Peace Corps in Mali (quite the feat for a West African country) the swearing in ceremony will take place at the President of Mali’s (Amadou Toumani Toure) house (the Malian “White House”) in lieu of the US Embassy where it normally takes place.
While down for the ceremony, I’ll be visiting the Ghanaian embassy and the Burkina Faso embassy and getting my visas for the trip I’m taking to Ghana in May. I’m going with three of my best friends and the four of us are going overland from Mali through Burkina Faso to Ghana. It’s going to be a long hot ride, but I want the bragging rights to say that I did it. We’ll be spending about 2 weeks traveling in Ghana and maybe stopping for a day or two in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, on the way back. In early May prior to the Ghana trip the volunteers in San are going to Teryiabougu. We went last year and have started an annual trip to the “paradise in the dessert” as we have affectionately named it…aka two days in a clean pool with a river view, trees, flowers, and yummy food. Then follows my birthday and the Kentucky Derby…like I said, this is the beginning of a very busy two months.
We’ve finished the chicken coop at site and spend most days trying to get through hot season. It’s been hovering around 110 degrees Fahrenheit and the nights have still been cooling down to low 80’s. With a lot of luck, maybe the next two months of hot season will maintain this weather pattern because compared to last year, this is incredibly pleasant. Time continues to pass at an alarming rate and I expect it will not slow down the closer I get to September so I’m just trying to enjoy each day as best as I can. There’s so much to look forward to in the next few months in Mali and while I’m anxious to return home, I feel like I need these next few months to see all of the country I want to see and have say my goodbyes.
I hope all is well with everyone. I miss home so much and find so much comfort from your thoughts and letters and packages. Thanks so much for everything,
Love,
Cait
I’ve just started a two month trek of traveling both within Mali and surrounding countries. I finished my last big project for my animal raising association this past stint at site and am now looking forward to getting in some quality time with my Malian and American friends.
We had training in my village with my Cooperative on animal fattening practices as well as proper medical treatments and food selections and breeding. About 20 men were present and one woman (which I was so happy to see!). The trainer was the head veterinarian for the Circle of San and he came out to Sebanso for two days for the training. It had its hiccups that frustrated myself but apparently didn’t faze anyone else like starting 2 hours late because the building we were to use hadn’t been cleaned out…mud buildings tend to get extra dusty so you can imagine what a mess it was! All in all though, I was pleased with everything and thought the members got a lot out of it.
As I said, this begins two months of travel. I came in on Friday and watched the final four on Saturday night via internet at the San house (it’s been a delightful addition to the house!) and watched the painfully close loss of UK to UCONN but am excited we made it as far as we did. A week from today I’m heading down to Bamako to attend the Swearing in of the newest stage. This will be my last chance to see another swear in before I close my service (COS) in early September. As this is the 40th consecutive year of Peace Corps in Mali (quite the feat for a West African country) the swearing in ceremony will take place at the President of Mali’s (Amadou Toumani Toure) house (the Malian “White House”) in lieu of the US Embassy where it normally takes place.
While down for the ceremony, I’ll be visiting the Ghanaian embassy and the Burkina Faso embassy and getting my visas for the trip I’m taking to Ghana in May. I’m going with three of my best friends and the four of us are going overland from Mali through Burkina Faso to Ghana. It’s going to be a long hot ride, but I want the bragging rights to say that I did it. We’ll be spending about 2 weeks traveling in Ghana and maybe stopping for a day or two in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, on the way back. In early May prior to the Ghana trip the volunteers in San are going to Teryiabougu. We went last year and have started an annual trip to the “paradise in the dessert” as we have affectionately named it…aka two days in a clean pool with a river view, trees, flowers, and yummy food. Then follows my birthday and the Kentucky Derby…like I said, this is the beginning of a very busy two months.
We’ve finished the chicken coop at site and spend most days trying to get through hot season. It’s been hovering around 110 degrees Fahrenheit and the nights have still been cooling down to low 80’s. With a lot of luck, maybe the next two months of hot season will maintain this weather pattern because compared to last year, this is incredibly pleasant. Time continues to pass at an alarming rate and I expect it will not slow down the closer I get to September so I’m just trying to enjoy each day as best as I can. There’s so much to look forward to in the next few months in Mali and while I’m anxious to return home, I feel like I need these next few months to see all of the country I want to see and have say my goodbyes.
I hope all is well with everyone. I miss home so much and find so much comfort from your thoughts and letters and packages. Thanks so much for everything,
Love,
Cait
March 10, 2011
Hey everyone,
It’s been a while but all is well here in Mali. After taking the GRE (and losing simultaneously any intelligence ego I might have once had) I headed back home to Sebanso for a few weeks. I did manage to see a few friends during my brief stay in Bamako which was nice as those visits never come often enough.
My three weeks at site have been great and relatively productive too! I have an ever present knowledge that my days are limited at site and I’ve become emotional more than once knowing that I’ll have to leave my family here in just a few months. I still can’t get over that I am truly part of the family. I feel so lucky because many other volunteers never feel that in their villages. I feel at home and am truly happy there.
My homologue is starting to raise chickens so we’re building a chicken coop which got under way this past week. It was fun to watch but very dirty work, I helped make a brick or two and ended up filthy and exhausted, it is really tough. The Cooperative also asked for help in having a training done in village on animal fattening practices. So, after several weeks, we finally got in contact with the veterinarian in San who will be coming out to Sebanso at the end of the month to give a three day formation. A day focused on cows, a day on sheep and a day for pigs and chickens and any other livestock.
The last weekend in February I went to my friend Lindsey’s village, Seriabougu, and we painted a world map at her school. It turned out really well and was a great time to get some girl time. I forget when I’m at site alone and not speaking English how good it feels to just hang out with Americans. Also, it’s awesome to be able to see my friends in their villages interacting with their villagers. We all have such different experiences; it was cool to be a part of hers even if just for the weekend.
Gardening season is well under way and I love so much walking past gardens and just admiring the beautiful green in an ocean of brown. The village as a whole works a great deal in onions and I think that will be a potential area of work for the volunteer to replace me in organizing the village in their selling/distribution of the onions. I’ve been busy watering my papaya trees but they should be ready quite soon! I’m looking forward to tasting the final product.
There is a wedding at the end of the month that I’m looking forward to. All my friends who have been away studying in Bamako or Segou are coming back for the festivities. I love weddings because it means rice instead of toh and usually they kill a least a goat or two! And of course, lots of tea. Unfortunately, hot season came with vengeance this past week. I’ve had to sleep outside for a few weeks now, but it was with a sheet or blanket and all of a sudden, I go to sleep drenched in sweat and wake up the same way…
It’s already March and it’s quite likely one of my best girlfriends here will be ending her service in June which is unbelievably soon, especially when most all of May will be spent travelling. Early May is my birthday and all the volunteers in San are going to Teriyabougu to enjoy the pool for a couple of days. Then in mid May I’m going to Ghana with some friends for about two weeks to travel and lay by the beach. May is the zenith of hot season so it will be a huge relief to be able to go swimming in open bodies of water without fear of getting water born diseases.
I just got back from a trip up to Dogon country for a break from site and to visit a friend. Nothing big was planned for the trip which was actually kind of a relief as my past several trips out of site have been busy with trips to Bamako, GRE exams, festivals, etc. Now, with it being gardening season, I’m enjoying the fine dining of Mali with veggies that available for a limited time only (carrots, lettuce, eggplant, etc), and lucky for me, Justin loves to cook and is good at it. Hungry season will be here before I know it, so these past few days of gluttony were delightful!
Much love,
Cait
It’s been a while but all is well here in Mali. After taking the GRE (and losing simultaneously any intelligence ego I might have once had) I headed back home to Sebanso for a few weeks. I did manage to see a few friends during my brief stay in Bamako which was nice as those visits never come often enough.
My three weeks at site have been great and relatively productive too! I have an ever present knowledge that my days are limited at site and I’ve become emotional more than once knowing that I’ll have to leave my family here in just a few months. I still can’t get over that I am truly part of the family. I feel so lucky because many other volunteers never feel that in their villages. I feel at home and am truly happy there.
My homologue is starting to raise chickens so we’re building a chicken coop which got under way this past week. It was fun to watch but very dirty work, I helped make a brick or two and ended up filthy and exhausted, it is really tough. The Cooperative also asked for help in having a training done in village on animal fattening practices. So, after several weeks, we finally got in contact with the veterinarian in San who will be coming out to Sebanso at the end of the month to give a three day formation. A day focused on cows, a day on sheep and a day for pigs and chickens and any other livestock.
The last weekend in February I went to my friend Lindsey’s village, Seriabougu, and we painted a world map at her school. It turned out really well and was a great time to get some girl time. I forget when I’m at site alone and not speaking English how good it feels to just hang out with Americans. Also, it’s awesome to be able to see my friends in their villages interacting with their villagers. We all have such different experiences; it was cool to be a part of hers even if just for the weekend.
Gardening season is well under way and I love so much walking past gardens and just admiring the beautiful green in an ocean of brown. The village as a whole works a great deal in onions and I think that will be a potential area of work for the volunteer to replace me in organizing the village in their selling/distribution of the onions. I’ve been busy watering my papaya trees but they should be ready quite soon! I’m looking forward to tasting the final product.
There is a wedding at the end of the month that I’m looking forward to. All my friends who have been away studying in Bamako or Segou are coming back for the festivities. I love weddings because it means rice instead of toh and usually they kill a least a goat or two! And of course, lots of tea. Unfortunately, hot season came with vengeance this past week. I’ve had to sleep outside for a few weeks now, but it was with a sheet or blanket and all of a sudden, I go to sleep drenched in sweat and wake up the same way…
It’s already March and it’s quite likely one of my best girlfriends here will be ending her service in June which is unbelievably soon, especially when most all of May will be spent travelling. Early May is my birthday and all the volunteers in San are going to Teriyabougu to enjoy the pool for a couple of days. Then in mid May I’m going to Ghana with some friends for about two weeks to travel and lay by the beach. May is the zenith of hot season so it will be a huge relief to be able to go swimming in open bodies of water without fear of getting water born diseases.
I just got back from a trip up to Dogon country for a break from site and to visit a friend. Nothing big was planned for the trip which was actually kind of a relief as my past several trips out of site have been busy with trips to Bamako, GRE exams, festivals, etc. Now, with it being gardening season, I’m enjoying the fine dining of Mali with veggies that available for a limited time only (carrots, lettuce, eggplant, etc), and lucky for me, Justin loves to cook and is good at it. Hungry season will be here before I know it, so these past few days of gluttony were delightful!
Much love,
Cait
February 10, 2011
Hey Everyone,
It’s been an eventful few weeks with lots of traveling! Once the 66 new volunteers arrived in Bamako on February 2, Justin and I left Bamako and headed out to Segou for the Festival on the Niger River. Segou is the 2nd largest city next to Bamako but much more manageable and overall more pleasant in my opinion (Less traffic, less air pollution, more organized, less stressful). Despite living in the region of Segou I’ve never really spent any time in the city itself, thus I was anxious to spend a few days seeing the sights. The music festival attracts many tourists and I’ve never been more appreciative of being able to speak Bambara. Everywhere we went people tried to rip us off until I spoke Bamabara with them and then they became much more willing to negotiate and offer fair prices. USAID was a primary sponsor of the festival and you could see the western influence in the layout and functionality of the event. There were vendors, museums, cultural events etc available to everyone in the city during the day but at night you had to have a wristband on to get into the main events. The stage was actually set up in the Niger River so people could sit along the bank and then in a makeshift stadium. Thousands of people turned up for the evening performances with the best of the best West African musicians performing. It was unbelievable to feel that kind of energy coursing through the crowds.
It was fun to be able to do some touristy things too. I went shopping at the vendor’s area and we went to a display at the museum featuring West African artists. Perhaps my favorite activity was going to the Bogolon Museum. Bogolon is the art form of mud dyed fabric which is practiced here in Mali. The origins of the fabric come from the hunters in Mali who needed the dyed woven fabric in the woods in order to blend in. The fabric originally is a creamy white thus had to be dyed to yellows/browns/reds to camouflage the hunters. The tour we went on was free but in Bambara so I had to translate for Justin what was said. We both made a small square of fabric with the help of our Bogolon guide, Bey. He showed us the most common symbols and explained their meanings and then left us to make our own personalized patch. It was really fun. While our works of art were drying, Bey took us on a start to finish tour on how to make and dye the fabric. I have a whole new appreciation for this kind of art.
One of the more amusing events was the boat racing day. Several canoe looking boats filled with paddlers raced around two buoys out a little ways in the river. While we were betting about who would win, the children who gathered to watch the race were guessing who would finish. We thought this was curious until the race began and in attempt to save some time, corners were cut too sharp and sent dozens of young men bobbing along in the Niger. Of the original 8 boats in one of the races only about 3 made it… “Rescue boats” were situated along the track to get the stranded paddlers.
We opted to return to San on Sunday to watch the Super Bowl game in the comfort of home via my computer. The game was delightfully clear but with the time change, I barely made it up to half time. Justin, a Packers fan, however stayed up for the whole game and caught me up on the details so I feel like I got to see it all.
On Tuesday morning we biked the 30 kilometers out to my village where we spent the day and night and next day. It was so nice to have a guest at my home. It’s always a little strange to me that I’ve lived in my home and with these people, but no one has really been to it and can see my life there. My Malian family was so excited for him to visit. They killed a chicken for us and made us beans (if you’ll remember, I’m a Coulibaly and we’re known for our bean eating tendencies) and spaghetti…all of which are very nice gifts for guests of the village. Justin in turn brought my family some cookies and dates and brought the chief of the village kola nuts. Kola nuts in my opinion are disgusting but men eat them for the pleasurable side effects… My chief mends broken bones and when we went to visit he was working on a boy’s knee that was massively swollen and distorted. Like I said, I’m so happy someone got to see my home and meet my family in Sebanso. It was quick trip but one of my favorites.
Currently, I’m in Bamako getting ready to take my GRE on Saturday morning. It was a taxing trip down. I really had my stress load put into perspective. My bus had nearly reached Bamako when we passed a very recent wreck. Volunteers tend to joke that transport is a death ride here because the poor quality of the cars, the roads (or lack thereof), no traffic lanes or really even laws (speed limits, etc), little training of the drivers…etc but to see the damage in person was like a nightmare. I’m glad I’m safe in the Peace Corps house, but I’ll be thinking about those families who lost loved ones today for a while and fear that I will be haunted by the images I saw.
On a happier note, I have a meeting set with my boss tomorrow to have a training done in my village for my animal raising cooperation. I’ve said it before it it’s still just as true, my village is very motivated. I told the men I’d help them if they told me what they wanted the training on and when. Seems pretty straightforward, but in most villages this could take months of bickering then finally nixing the whole thing out of frustration. My cooperation on the other hand, had their monthly meeting, voted, and wrote an official request for the type of training they wanted in the course of the week (pretty impressive since only a few of them can write). I love my village. I love that they want to learn. I love their desire to make their lives better themselves.
Depending on my state of mood post GRE I’ll write a quick synopsis, but if I don’t get the chance, I’m looking to get back to San on Sunday and then leave for site on Monday to spend a few weeks. We are starting to raise chickens and I’m going to help build the coop!
Much love,
Cait
It’s been an eventful few weeks with lots of traveling! Once the 66 new volunteers arrived in Bamako on February 2, Justin and I left Bamako and headed out to Segou for the Festival on the Niger River. Segou is the 2nd largest city next to Bamako but much more manageable and overall more pleasant in my opinion (Less traffic, less air pollution, more organized, less stressful). Despite living in the region of Segou I’ve never really spent any time in the city itself, thus I was anxious to spend a few days seeing the sights. The music festival attracts many tourists and I’ve never been more appreciative of being able to speak Bambara. Everywhere we went people tried to rip us off until I spoke Bamabara with them and then they became much more willing to negotiate and offer fair prices. USAID was a primary sponsor of the festival and you could see the western influence in the layout and functionality of the event. There were vendors, museums, cultural events etc available to everyone in the city during the day but at night you had to have a wristband on to get into the main events. The stage was actually set up in the Niger River so people could sit along the bank and then in a makeshift stadium. Thousands of people turned up for the evening performances with the best of the best West African musicians performing. It was unbelievable to feel that kind of energy coursing through the crowds.
It was fun to be able to do some touristy things too. I went shopping at the vendor’s area and we went to a display at the museum featuring West African artists. Perhaps my favorite activity was going to the Bogolon Museum. Bogolon is the art form of mud dyed fabric which is practiced here in Mali. The origins of the fabric come from the hunters in Mali who needed the dyed woven fabric in the woods in order to blend in. The fabric originally is a creamy white thus had to be dyed to yellows/browns/reds to camouflage the hunters. The tour we went on was free but in Bambara so I had to translate for Justin what was said. We both made a small square of fabric with the help of our Bogolon guide, Bey. He showed us the most common symbols and explained their meanings and then left us to make our own personalized patch. It was really fun. While our works of art were drying, Bey took us on a start to finish tour on how to make and dye the fabric. I have a whole new appreciation for this kind of art.
One of the more amusing events was the boat racing day. Several canoe looking boats filled with paddlers raced around two buoys out a little ways in the river. While we were betting about who would win, the children who gathered to watch the race were guessing who would finish. We thought this was curious until the race began and in attempt to save some time, corners were cut too sharp and sent dozens of young men bobbing along in the Niger. Of the original 8 boats in one of the races only about 3 made it… “Rescue boats” were situated along the track to get the stranded paddlers.
We opted to return to San on Sunday to watch the Super Bowl game in the comfort of home via my computer. The game was delightfully clear but with the time change, I barely made it up to half time. Justin, a Packers fan, however stayed up for the whole game and caught me up on the details so I feel like I got to see it all.
On Tuesday morning we biked the 30 kilometers out to my village where we spent the day and night and next day. It was so nice to have a guest at my home. It’s always a little strange to me that I’ve lived in my home and with these people, but no one has really been to it and can see my life there. My Malian family was so excited for him to visit. They killed a chicken for us and made us beans (if you’ll remember, I’m a Coulibaly and we’re known for our bean eating tendencies) and spaghetti…all of which are very nice gifts for guests of the village. Justin in turn brought my family some cookies and dates and brought the chief of the village kola nuts. Kola nuts in my opinion are disgusting but men eat them for the pleasurable side effects… My chief mends broken bones and when we went to visit he was working on a boy’s knee that was massively swollen and distorted. Like I said, I’m so happy someone got to see my home and meet my family in Sebanso. It was quick trip but one of my favorites.
Currently, I’m in Bamako getting ready to take my GRE on Saturday morning. It was a taxing trip down. I really had my stress load put into perspective. My bus had nearly reached Bamako when we passed a very recent wreck. Volunteers tend to joke that transport is a death ride here because the poor quality of the cars, the roads (or lack thereof), no traffic lanes or really even laws (speed limits, etc), little training of the drivers…etc but to see the damage in person was like a nightmare. I’m glad I’m safe in the Peace Corps house, but I’ll be thinking about those families who lost loved ones today for a while and fear that I will be haunted by the images I saw.
On a happier note, I have a meeting set with my boss tomorrow to have a training done in my village for my animal raising cooperation. I’ve said it before it it’s still just as true, my village is very motivated. I told the men I’d help them if they told me what they wanted the training on and when. Seems pretty straightforward, but in most villages this could take months of bickering then finally nixing the whole thing out of frustration. My cooperation on the other hand, had their monthly meeting, voted, and wrote an official request for the type of training they wanted in the course of the week (pretty impressive since only a few of them can write). I love my village. I love that they want to learn. I love their desire to make their lives better themselves.
Depending on my state of mood post GRE I’ll write a quick synopsis, but if I don’t get the chance, I’m looking to get back to San on Sunday and then leave for site on Monday to spend a few weeks. We are starting to raise chickens and I’m going to help build the coop!
Much love,
Cait
January 27, 2011
Hey everyone,
I’ve adjusted quickly to being back in Mali which is a relief though I’m sad to say that hot season has already started to rear its ugly head. It’s 104 degrees today and hot season doesn’t even start until March…
My first week back at site brought with it wonderful news that my bag was finally located and sent to Bamako and my boss hand delivered it to me at my site when he came to visit. The site visit went so well. My homologue, Bah, was so excited about the work we’ve done and truly feels that we are making some progress, albeit slowly. It felt really good to be appreciated for not giving out money but sharing information and teaching. One of my biggest pet peeves as a development worker is that donor companies and unfortunately many volunteers use money as their primary means as development. I have managed to start my animal raising cooperation not using outside funds and it’s so rewarding. It means that the men really wanted to start the business and will work hard to keep it going once I leave. That is the dream of volunteers that their projects will last once they return home.
Peace Corps volunteers have the unique opportunity to really know their villages and their needs and I see now just how valuable that can be. An NGO from a Western country came to Segou to help a women’s group who was sewing everything (clothes, blankets, purses, etc) by hand in a mud hut to sell at market. This NGO with great intentions came and completely furnished a room with electricity and most modern connivances so the women now use electric machines. Sounds great right? Well, now they have to work longer hours to try to sell their products which are no longer affordable to their previous market because they have to pay all these electric and water bills. They are in worse financial shape than ever and will likely not be able to continue their business. All this resulted from an NGO wanting to do good, but not understanding just how basic the needs are. We can’t skip steps as tempting as it is.
The weeks passed quickly, as I’m preparing for the GRE on February 12 which is rapidly approaching. It’s nice because everyone at site understands that I have a test to take in order to continue school so they’ve been wishing me well for the past few days as I prepared to go. Today was a girl’s only day full of manicure’s, pedicure’s, chick flicks and desserts. It’s been such a fun day and great way to celebrate two girlfriends’ birthdays (both 27). Tomorrow several friends from all over (about 20 of us) are coming to San. It will be the first time I’ve seen all of my san friends since before I left for Christmas so I’m looking forward to catching up with everyone. Afterwards, I’m headed down to Bamako to pick up the 60 new volunteers from the airport, they get in on the night of the second. Then Justin and I are staying in Segou for four days to attend the Segou Music Festival. It hosts the best of the Malian musicians which are known for some of the earliest music known to man. They are certainly well respected through all of Africa.
Everyday seems to be passing with increasing awareness that I have suddenly one less. It’s pretty scary that I’m so aware now of everything going on around me. Seeing beauty again in things that used to irritate me… Hopefully I can maintain my optimism through hot season!! I’ll write again before I head out to site.
Much love,
Cait
I’ve adjusted quickly to being back in Mali which is a relief though I’m sad to say that hot season has already started to rear its ugly head. It’s 104 degrees today and hot season doesn’t even start until March…
My first week back at site brought with it wonderful news that my bag was finally located and sent to Bamako and my boss hand delivered it to me at my site when he came to visit. The site visit went so well. My homologue, Bah, was so excited about the work we’ve done and truly feels that we are making some progress, albeit slowly. It felt really good to be appreciated for not giving out money but sharing information and teaching. One of my biggest pet peeves as a development worker is that donor companies and unfortunately many volunteers use money as their primary means as development. I have managed to start my animal raising cooperation not using outside funds and it’s so rewarding. It means that the men really wanted to start the business and will work hard to keep it going once I leave. That is the dream of volunteers that their projects will last once they return home.
Peace Corps volunteers have the unique opportunity to really know their villages and their needs and I see now just how valuable that can be. An NGO from a Western country came to Segou to help a women’s group who was sewing everything (clothes, blankets, purses, etc) by hand in a mud hut to sell at market. This NGO with great intentions came and completely furnished a room with electricity and most modern connivances so the women now use electric machines. Sounds great right? Well, now they have to work longer hours to try to sell their products which are no longer affordable to their previous market because they have to pay all these electric and water bills. They are in worse financial shape than ever and will likely not be able to continue their business. All this resulted from an NGO wanting to do good, but not understanding just how basic the needs are. We can’t skip steps as tempting as it is.
The weeks passed quickly, as I’m preparing for the GRE on February 12 which is rapidly approaching. It’s nice because everyone at site understands that I have a test to take in order to continue school so they’ve been wishing me well for the past few days as I prepared to go. Today was a girl’s only day full of manicure’s, pedicure’s, chick flicks and desserts. It’s been such a fun day and great way to celebrate two girlfriends’ birthdays (both 27). Tomorrow several friends from all over (about 20 of us) are coming to San. It will be the first time I’ve seen all of my san friends since before I left for Christmas so I’m looking forward to catching up with everyone. Afterwards, I’m headed down to Bamako to pick up the 60 new volunteers from the airport, they get in on the night of the second. Then Justin and I are staying in Segou for four days to attend the Segou Music Festival. It hosts the best of the Malian musicians which are known for some of the earliest music known to man. They are certainly well respected through all of Africa.
Everyday seems to be passing with increasing awareness that I have suddenly one less. It’s pretty scary that I’m so aware now of everything going on around me. Seeing beauty again in things that used to irritate me… Hopefully I can maintain my optimism through hot season!! I’ll write again before I head out to site.
Much love,
Cait
January 3, 2011
Hey,
I hope everyone had a merry Christmas and happy New Year!!! Spending the holidays in Kentucky was a wonderful reprieve from my life in Mali. I had however, become more adjusted to my Malian life than I realized and my time in America was a temporary assault to my senses. Despite this sensory overload, I can’t begin to explain how wonderful it was to be surrounded by family, especially during the holidays.
My Papa’s 90th Birthday was a huge success in my opinion and, while leading up to the big day he was somewhat stressed, he was quite the social butterfly on the night of the event! It had been a couple of years since I’d seen some extended family and it was so nice to get almost everyone together even just for the one evening.
Peace Corps Headquarters warned all volunteers that upon return to America, whether vacation or permanent return, that reverse culture shock can be somewhat crippling. I was just beginning to see that warning come to fruition but what took me by surprise most, was the fact that life went on without me. Sometimes, spending days and weeks on end living in an African village, I forget that things kept happening at home. It was surreal being home. Part of me never realized I left and the other half is so completely changed that I see everything, even the familiar, differently.
I went on a bit of a shopping spree and gave my parent’s credit card a workout while home, but in my defense, I hadn’t been shopping in a long time and much of it was for my family in Mali. I’m so excited to be able to catch up with my village friends, but this trip home has just reminded me how quickly these next few months will pass. My service is 2/3 over and the realization that in 9 months or so I will return indefinitely to America hasn’t sunk in yet.
That said; I was greeted at the airport with only one of my checked bags…Welcome back to Mali. It’s now been a week and no news yet ….
I spent the New Year in Bamako with some friends and am still here waiting hopefully for some news of my lost baggage. The amenities available in Bamako have made the transition a little easier, but it comes at a price and I’m anxious to get home to San and then site this week.
Every holiday now has become my last in Mali with friends who have become family thus they are bitter sweet celebrations. Last Halloween. Last Thanksgiving. Last Christmas. Last New Year’s… It’s my 3rd New Years out of the country and I haven’t spent a full year in the same country since 2007. 2011 will continue in much the same trend but perhaps there’s some hope for 2012???
I trust you all had fun plans to ring in the New Year and wish you all the best in sticking to your resolutions for 2011.
Much Love,
Cait
I hope everyone had a merry Christmas and happy New Year!!! Spending the holidays in Kentucky was a wonderful reprieve from my life in Mali. I had however, become more adjusted to my Malian life than I realized and my time in America was a temporary assault to my senses. Despite this sensory overload, I can’t begin to explain how wonderful it was to be surrounded by family, especially during the holidays.
My Papa’s 90th Birthday was a huge success in my opinion and, while leading up to the big day he was somewhat stressed, he was quite the social butterfly on the night of the event! It had been a couple of years since I’d seen some extended family and it was so nice to get almost everyone together even just for the one evening.
Peace Corps Headquarters warned all volunteers that upon return to America, whether vacation or permanent return, that reverse culture shock can be somewhat crippling. I was just beginning to see that warning come to fruition but what took me by surprise most, was the fact that life went on without me. Sometimes, spending days and weeks on end living in an African village, I forget that things kept happening at home. It was surreal being home. Part of me never realized I left and the other half is so completely changed that I see everything, even the familiar, differently.
I went on a bit of a shopping spree and gave my parent’s credit card a workout while home, but in my defense, I hadn’t been shopping in a long time and much of it was for my family in Mali. I’m so excited to be able to catch up with my village friends, but this trip home has just reminded me how quickly these next few months will pass. My service is 2/3 over and the realization that in 9 months or so I will return indefinitely to America hasn’t sunk in yet.
That said; I was greeted at the airport with only one of my checked bags…Welcome back to Mali. It’s now been a week and no news yet ….
I spent the New Year in Bamako with some friends and am still here waiting hopefully for some news of my lost baggage. The amenities available in Bamako have made the transition a little easier, but it comes at a price and I’m anxious to get home to San and then site this week.
Every holiday now has become my last in Mali with friends who have become family thus they are bitter sweet celebrations. Last Halloween. Last Thanksgiving. Last Christmas. Last New Year’s… It’s my 3rd New Years out of the country and I haven’t spent a full year in the same country since 2007. 2011 will continue in much the same trend but perhaps there’s some hope for 2012???
I trust you all had fun plans to ring in the New Year and wish you all the best in sticking to your resolutions for 2011.
Much Love,
Cait
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