This Week is OVER!!

Well, other than an eventful start to my week, I spent the majority of my week sick. I felt it coming on, and my body was dead on. I missed 2 days of work and had to leave early one day. I was following the BRAT (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) diet, but no matter what I ate, I was sick. So I figured that if I’m going to get sick, I might as well eat.
My eventful start: I woke up last Sunday morning 4ish (BEFORE the rooster!) to guys screaming “Voleur”! (French for Thief!) I know that I wouldn’t have received the Good Samaritan award because I stayed in my bed. Why you might ask? Well, my language isn’t that great, (sad, but true…but it is improving…I hope?!) my self defense skills are lacking, and I’m not going to lie. I was scared (I actually knew what voleur meant!). I adore being on the second floor!! Other than dorm life and living with my family, all my apartments have been on the first floor. Well, the second floor is fantastic! It turns out, the guy who sells gas and is technically homeless woke up to a guy stealing his gas. He runs around and the thief steps on the water pipe and cracks it. The guy gets away. Well, when I wake up the next morning, I was wondering what idiot turned off my water. It turns out, when the guy stepped on the water pipe to get over the fence, he broke it. So my apartment complex and the apartments (I’m using the word apartment loosely) or residences behind are all without water. I talked to the landlord, and within an hour, the repair guy was there. According to my neighbor, the guy who sells the gasoline was the thief. My French is lacking but the facts I know are:

1. there was a thief
2. gasoline was stolen
3. the water pipe was broken

That was the beginning of my week. Then I was sick for several days. On Thursday, I was literally sick, homesick, and it was the first time I ever doubted myself finishing my 2 year service while in Mali (before, I definitely had self doubts, but when I got here, they evaporated…until Thursday that is). I am so glad I have cell phone service!!! I called Trinh and that was good. I then watched the sunset from my roof. I then went to the bakery, and got distracted because Echin lives on the way to the Bakery, so I stopped and chatted. He invited me for dinner, and since I was going to get sick no matter what I ate, I happily accepted. Good decision!!! Chicken, green beans (that could rival Gramma’s), and fried plantains. DELCIOUS!
Last night, I ate dinner with Trinh. She wrote me the sweetest “You can do it” note that said it’s important to celebrate the little victories. Anyway, her dog Boo is a handful (but I think you could say that about most dogs). I was calling him inside because one of his hobbies is terrorizing children. Now it’s not all his fault. If they didn’t scream bloody murder, I’m sure he wouldn’t get a kick out of watching them (excuse me chasing them) around. (The last time I was at Trinh’s he went to the store with me. I told Trinh he would be fine…I was a little wrong…He saw these kids that I didn’t see because it was dark outside. The little boy was hysterically crying, so I picked him up…Boo ended up taking the wrap skirt off one of the girls…) It’s not uncommon for me to call pets food names, so last night, I called Boo Honeybun. Right after I said it, I thought man would a honey bun taste incredible right now! Don’t get me wrong. I like rice, but I think all PCVs have to deal with food cravings that aren’t available here. It’s just funny to me how calling a dog a Honeybun triggered, the oh, I wish I had one now!
Also yesterday, when I was buying vegetables from the market, I was rummaging around trying to find more change. The old lady beside me demanded that I give her some money. I was happy I was able to communicate my idea (while probably not grammically correct). I asked her if she thought I was the bank. I don’t think she got it (she appeared to only speak Bambara), but the guy who was listening thought it was hilarious and told his friends. I probably shouldn’t have said it because she was older than me, and Malians respect their elders. I don’t know. I just get tired of being targeting because I am “blanche” (white). This is my life in Mali.
Today I taught at the English Club meeting. I think it went well. I discussed Women and Children’s Rights. Which reminds me…report cards were given out (Let me rephrase. Each student has a page in their notebook that all the subjects are written down. They are tested on it, and the teacher goes around and writes their scores.) One of the boy’s that lives with Echin (I don’t know if he is Echin’s son or nephew...Here, everybody appears to be brothers and sisters) showed him his scores. Then the girl did. There were 10 subjects, and she got 0s in a few subjects. When I was walking back home, three girls were calling me Tubabu. I explained I was American, not French and asked to see their notebooks. Each girl had a few zeros. I told them it was unacceptable and I would be checking on their next report. Which got me thinking that I hope in February (January is a really busy month), I can go around to different elementary schools in hopes to start a tutoring program for girls. They need (I feel) somebody to tell them that they are smart and zeros are unacceptable. Maybe I can be that person for some girls. I don’t know. I’m also hoping to get a few girl members of the English Club to assist me. It’s one thing for a white American to come in and say that school is important, but it’s another for your neighbor to tell you to study hard. I know school is probably more challenging for girls because they aren’t just students. They go home to become cooks, cleaners, and babysitters.
Mali’s adult literacy rate in 2004 (people 15+ according to worldbank.org) was 26.7% for males and 11.9% for females. Some numbers for thought.
Well, this week is the big Thanksgiving Feast! I was planning on cleaning last weekend, but it never happened, so I will have to do it this weekend. Thanksgiving should be so much fun! Trinh said we are getting 6 turkeys! Because there are so many of us, we are going to be divided into teams: meat team, dessert team (I hope I’m on that one), vegetable team, fruit team, etc. And, the day after is Mexican Night at my house! My next blog should be full of funny stories and lots of pictures.
In case you’re wondering, I’m feeling much better thanks to my new best friend Cipro! I tried to let my body to fight it, but after 4 days of not improving, my body needed medical assistance…Thanks Cipro!