Senegal, Birthday, and Internet Fun!

Senegal

Linds and me waiting on our cab driver in Sikasso...
Cute neighbor that always greets me

Senegal was absolutely amazing! While Team Mali didn't do so great at softball (0-4), we had a marvelous time!

Our journey began a little rocky b/c we were lied to (surprise). We were going to leave at 6 am with Malians aboard.

Anna and me...smiling early in the morning....before being lied to

They pick us up ON TIME! What a shocker! But then they drove us to the bus station, and we have to switch buses. Then they told us we are leaving at 14. 14 turned out to be 15, but whatever. We got to Kayes, spent a few hours there and then departed for Dakar!! It was probably one of the longest bad roads I have been on. I'm talking like 9 hours of unpaved road on a big bus. 24 hours from Kayes to Dakar. Anyway, we finally made it! I went to get my bag off the bus, and my bag (sorry Jamie!) was the last bag....drenched in gasoline. And they tried to wipe it off with their hand! Really?! Anyway, I demanded soap, even though I knew I would have to clean it later.

We were the first volunteers at the American Club. I had to rewash my bag. But, I took hands down, a shower that would make it in top 3 of "Best Showers of my Life". Marvelous! I also got a ham and cheese sandwich (yes, the cheese was melted:)

My first of many ham sandwiches

My homestay then ran into another problem. Our homestay "mom and dad" were out of town and didn't tell the guard or maid we were coming! So, we finally got in, but we didn't have mattresses. Sigh.

02/14: I made it on time to our first game! We played some high school kids and they handed it to us. I did go swimming even though it was so cold!

That afternoon, we had another game.

That evening, the Marines hosted a party. It was so much fun! And, we auctioned off a fellow PCV to raise money for Gender and Development. Casey was one of two that actually got bought. Every body else got their country to buy them! Way to go Casey!
02/15: We played another two games. I overslept for the first game. Whoops. Really, who puts the social softball teams at 9 am? That afternoon, I went downtown with Amanda and Mariska to eat at N'ice Cream. It was FANTASTIC!!! Chocolate and caramel deliciousness in a cone!

That evening, there was a huge party near the ocean. It was crazy!

Adele and me before hitting the party

HUGE lab at our homestay...miss you Kdog!

02/16: I went with some PCVs to Goree Island. It was a nice boat trip. It was also good getting out of the American club bubble. We had lunch by the sea, and walked around. Unfortunately, the slave castle was closed for no apparently reason (TIA), but I still had a great time.
me, Anna, Maridee, and Laura on the boat to Goree Island

Goree Island

Ben, Laura, Maridee, Pete, me, and Anna
Cannon's classic
02/17: Several PCVs decided to rent a beach house. So, we rented a bus (totally got ripped off...I HATE getting ripped off!) and we down to the beach house.

Amanda and me...South Carolina girls!

It was just fine for us, but I chuckled to myself if I came from America, how furious I would be if they told me, and this is your beach house. We had a great time! I played Spades, laid on the beach, and ate lots of sea food. That evening, we had a pretty incredible dance party.

Sunset from the roof

02/18: Another day at the beach! Went on a lovely walk, read, napped. That evening, we took group pictures on the beach. And, I did a backhand spring on the beach! Normally, this would not be impressive, but I haven't done one in oh 5 years! Anotoli would have been saddened by how ugly it was, but I was so impressed that my body was able to hold me up!
Jumping! I wish jumping pictures were cool when I was in high school...I could really jump back then

Linds, Ashley, and me watching the sunset

The Breakfast Club! (not everybody who came)

Meg, Becky, Anna, Dave, Emily, Lindsay, me, Mariska

One of my favorite picts

We had another feast, thanks to Rabbit! That evening was chill. Everybody was trying to get their stuff ready to leave.

02/19: We began waiting on transportation to Dakar at 6 am. I don't know what time we got it, but we made it to the bus station at 10:30 am. We walk in and are told that a bus leaves for Kayes every morning at 7. I would have liked to seen the devastation on our faces. I can't remember her name, but a lady that works for transportation in Dakar is an angel on earth. She made a few phone calls, and told us we got a bus. We were elated!!! I was so skeptical. West Africans tell you what you want to hear. But this time, she was telling the truth!

It was still terrible road, but at least we were moving!!!

02/20: We got into Kayes, and hung out there for the day. Emily, Kayes Kaw, told us that there is a cage with a hyena and an alligator. I really didn't believe her (I fell for it before....statues my friend). Anyway, she told me that they were alive, so Linds and I went to market and then saw the "zoo?". Sure enough, there was a hyena and an alligator.
This is how we roll in PC
The alligator

The hyena

We had another amazing meal, compliments of Rabbit. She is so talented!!!

02/21: We left the house at 3:45 am to walk to the bus station to get a bus. We were on the express bus, but our express bus got a flat tire. Our 8 hour trip became 10. Oh well.

That evening, we went out to eat to celebrate my birthday! My friends picked up the tab! It meant so much to me because we are all poor (it's all relative) PCVs. I got a roast beef sandwich, fries, and a brownie with ice cream on top! I unfortunately was too tired to dance, so I went back to the hotel room and slept blissfully.

Adele in her "new" outfit and me before dinner

^: Markam, Adele, Kirsten, Anna, Lindsey, me, Maridee

02/22: We left at 8 am to go to Sikasso. It was an uneventful bus ride. That evening, Audra, Maridee, and I had a joint birthday party. It was so much fun! We made spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, and 2 types of brownies! And, my friend Ransom paid for me!

IT'S OFFICIAL: We have internet at our bureau! When we came back from Kayes, there was internet there, and I heard we got it here, and it's true! No more fights with the internet tigis! No more "open" hours! Life is marvelous!

On Monday, I got some birthday boxes!! Encore on Wednesday!

This Saturday, I have a meeting with the village about the faucet. Next Tuesday, Makan and I are going to the water company to set up a time when they will do their part. I am having a really hard time giving them the money. I am going to ask if I can join them shopping.

WAIST 2009

I am currently sitting in an internet cafe in Dakar, Senegal.

The bus ride was....long. I spent 32 hours on a bus from Bamako to Dakar. We had lots of issues in Bamako, but just typical West Africa. They tell you something whether it's true or not. Americans would say that they are lying, but they don't see it that way. Anyway, we had a late start, but we got her safely and that's all that matters.

Senegal is amazing. I ate at N'ice Cream today. The best icecream I've had in West Africa. It's so crazy how much further along in development Senegal is compared to Mali. One simple example would be covered sewers. All over Senegal, the sewers are covered. Who would have thought the brillance of covering the sewers?

I also just saw a woman outside WALKING A DOG. Unbelievable. I smiled and thought about what the Malians would have said if they saw her.

WAIST is fun. I definitely should have practiced softball. I didn't realize that my hand-eye coordination has been deteriorating.

The Spartanburg Herald Journal recently did a story on a project here. The reason I contacted the newspaper was to help fundraise, but the money has already been raised. So, if you want to help PCVs all around the world, check out www.peacecorps.gov, Donate, Donate to Volunteer Projects.

Long Time

I need to back up a bit.

The day before I left for Bamako, Echin told me that the village chief died in Woroni. So, instead of getting henna on my feet (like I originally planned), I went to Woroni to pay my respects. I practiced 2 blessings on the way down. Everybody from OMATHO that came was a man, so I had to hang out with the women by myself. After the ceremony, the covered body was placed on a wooden ladder with sides. A group of men singing lead the way to the cemetery, and then a group of men carried the ladder followed the singing men. They walked about 2 miles carrying the body. They had to alternate carrying the ladder. After the men began walking, the women took a short cut to where the men would eventually walk. I was part of this crowd. I’m sure I looked confused because my coworkers were on the other side of the concession. One coworker then explained that everybody was going to the cemetery, and if I wanted, I could follow the women. This was probably the most interesting funeral I have ever attended.

The next day, I went to Bamako. I went to a Mexican restaurant with some other PCVs. The food was sub par, but the company was excellent.

It was absolutely crazy going back to Tubaniso. I hadn’t been back for over a year. Oh how the eyes of experience changes things! I enjoyed meeting new volunteers. My presentation was okay. It was at the end of the day, and everybody was tired, so I cut my part short. After the presentation, there was mud wrestling. I didn’t participate, but I enjoyed watching it. That evening, Lindsay D. arranged a pig feast at the bar. It was marvelous! We shared with the Malians there because if they are at the bar, they either aren’t good Muslims (alcohol) or not Muslims at all. They enjoyed the pig almost as much as we did!

I came back to Sikasso for a day, and then off to Anna’s village I went. Her house is so cute and so neat! We stayed surprisingly busy for village life. There was a funeral, a wedding, and work. We also ran daily. Thanks to my brother and his wife, I have a newfound inspiration to run (music!). Unfortunately, my tennis shoes (I hate saying “sneakers”) need some repairs. The insides of all my tennis shoes cut my heels or cause blisters. I can’t find my duct tape, so I had to tape the insides with medical tape. Anna told me she was “out of shape” but our “out of shape” levels are way different. But, the most important thing is that every day, I ran. It doesn’t matter that Anna could run circles around me.

I’ve become tougher in Mali in so many ways. It takes something pretty heart breaking to make me cry. But, in Anna’s village, one lady’s situation made me want to cry. I was able to control it, but it was ripping me up inside. One of Anna’s friends in village has 6 children. She is pregnant with her 7th. Her 5th and 6th children are malnourished. But to see the youngest at 1 ½ years old, her twig like legs that can’t support her, the patches of baldness on her head, completely unable to walk, can only say one word sentences, broke my heart. And, when the new baby is born, this child will have even less attention. And, I don’t know what’s going to happen because she is currently carried on her mom’s back, but when the newborn baby comes, that’s where the new baby will go.

I don’t know if I was oblivious of deforestation my first year here, but I am starting to notice obscene amounts of firewood. This is definitely an important issue that needs to be addressed soon.

I’ve seen lots of motorcycle accidents in front of my house. 2 in 2 days. Everybody is alive, but the sound of metal clashing makes me say “oh snap” and then I go outside.

It’s a good thing I started running again because of the multiple comments of how fat I’ve gotten (just what you want to hear the week before you go to the beach). For the most part, I have been able to just laugh it off, but I was emotional last week. After I was done running, a 50ish year old man told me how big my stomach is (apple shape…$%#! genetics) and how big my butt is. Tell me what you really think sir. Later, on the same day, a lady told me how fat I was too. I appreciate your honesty (no, couldn’t say that in Bambara). Instead, I went home and cried. I know it’s cultural, and a lot of times, I laugh it off, say thank you, etc. but I couldn’t shake it this week. I try to reverse roles and picture a Malian comes to America and someone tells them how thin they are, and I STILL can’t find that insulting. I don’t think I ever will. Maybe that’s the American in me. The next day, I told Jaba (Echin’s wife) how much my feelings were hurt. She was like it’s Mali. It’s not a bad thing. And, your dad’s fat too. I was able to laugh then.

I am ridiculously excited about going to Senegal next week! And my birthday is coming up, and I have an extremely embarrassing large box coming from Mah.

Cold season is “a banna” (it’s finished). Check out www.accuweather.com if you have time. It’s crazy how fast cold season becomes prehot season.