On My Way!!

I found out where I am going for my home stay today!! I am really excited! I am going to be about 17 K from Bamako, and I am going into a home with modern amenities (electricity and running water!!!!:) I'm not going to lie. I am really excited.
We had our first SED meeting today (SED=small enterprise development). I am going to have to get more sleep because I was struggling this morning. I am excited and have so many ideas, but I have to remember to go back to basics b/c electricity and running water are the exception, not the rule.
Yesterday, I ate with my hand (right of course) for the first time on rugs on the floor. Typically, men and women share different bowls, but we didn't. I found a little challenging. I looked like a child with rice all over my skirt. It will definitely take some time to remember not to use my right hand. I was speaking to a Malian and asked him why they didn't drink anything with their meals. He said that mostly, they only eat 3 times a day, and if they drink anything, it takes up room where food could go.
We also discussed stereotypes yesterday. It was interesting that Americans (in general) stereotype Africans as dirty, and Africans (in general) stereotype Americans as dirty. A Malian said, "We bathe three times a day. How can we be dirty?" It was really funny that one our list, we thought of Africans as being naked. They refuted it. Another PCT pulled out the postcard they gave us with naked women on it. It was hilarious! It turned out that it was a festival in a particular village, but those are the things that Americans see.
Today, I am going to meet (hopefully) my host family, or a parent. I will be speaking French. I am excited about it because it is a skill I can take back home. I don't know the next time I'll be able to blog. While they have electricity and water, I don't know about the Internet.

"Learn a new language and get a new soul."
Czech Proverb

(I'll learn some Bambara proverbs and share.)