It's September!

I looked at the calendar today, and can’t believe it’s already September! I am starting to plan “The Cannon’s Go to Mali” trip. It’s really hard to plan because things can change in a blink of an eye. So, as long as everyone comes in with good attitudes and flexibility, it should be a good time.

I woke up last week at 4:30 am to use the bathroom, and I felt so incredibility lazy. My neighbors were already starting their day! It turns out, it was the beginning of Ramadan. One Malian told me “If you eat after 5:30, you’re not really fasting.” So, for the month, people do not eat or drink after 5:30 am until the sun sets. People are giving me a hard time because I am not fasting, but it’s okay.

I also have been having some…interesting dreams. One night, I dreamt that there were centipedes in my hair. I couldn’t feel them, but when I shifted my part, they were there. Another weird dream was I at the local mall in SC, and I saw a woman who just squatted down and peed in front of the mall! And, the last dream I remember was going home to see my dog. I don’t know who was more excited, K-dog or me! Even though my life is fairly uneventful right now, my dreams aren’t!

We were supposed to have a meeting for the robinets (taps) for the nearby village, but somebody died, and it was canceled. And, I am getting frustrated with the local environment project. Now granted I can only understand most of what is going on in the meetings, it seems to me by his tone and word choice that he is doing ME a favor by contributing to THEIR project. And, it’s absolutely ludicrous to me that the Environment Conservation bureau doesn’t have basic tools like a wheelbarrow, hoe, ax, etc. Even though they didn’t think it was a priority to go in their budget, I feel like I am expected to get this equipment for them. Next week when my homologue returns from vacation, I will explain the dilemma to him, and I know he will take care of everything. I am so blessed to work with someone like him! (And, there is a junk scrap place next to my apartment, and there is a guy who appears to be interested in me. Maybe not, maybe I’m tooting my own horn, but I explained to Echin [my homologue] that this guy has turned around car before to talk to me, and I feel uncomfortable. Echin told me the next time that happens to call him and he’ll take care of it.)

The new volunteers swear in this week! And, my new teammate, Diane, will move into her house this Sunday. I think this solo time was good for me, but I am excited about having a new teammate.

Next week (if I remember), I will try to take pictures of my life in Sikasso. But, it will be difficult to upload lots of pictures because the fast internet place closed. If they weren’t making a profit, they should have lowered their prices and then more people would leave the medium internet place and use the fast interenet place. Too bad nobody asked me;)