Busy, busy, busy!

I am so busy right now! It's a nice change.

A funny thing happened today. I was walking out of a store today and I stepped on a CHICKEN! I screamed and there were so many people around. They laughed, I laughed. And then I thought I injured the chicken because he didn't move. I bought some stuff at the market and then walked back. I walked passed the store and chuckled when I saw the chicken, upside down, tied to a moto. I have a feeling I will be dinner table conversation this evening.

The formation so far is going great! (Sigh of relief!)

I got "the call" today...I've been medically cleared to serve in China for a 3rd year! Whoo hoo!

I'm exhausted. More to come!

Lala Maiga goes to CHINA!!

Unofficially, I am going to CHINA in June! I have to get medically cleared and then I will be on my way to extending in China! I am so excited:) The two anxieties I have about extending my PC service to China is 1. language 2. being cold. Before Mali, I was anxious about scorpions, snakes, being robbed...so many things. Not so much anymore.

Yalaing

I've been "yalaing" (to wander) recently. Last week, I went to Calita's village. I've been around (the only village I haven't visited from my stage in Sikasso region is Lindsay). I went to Jessie's village first and greeted. Her chief is so friendly and basically blind. Jessie gave him a picture of when her family visited, and she had to turn the picture right side up. He was trying to memorize who was in the picture and the order. It was really sad. I was culturally appropriate and gave him kola nuts which pleased him. He insisted on showing us the road (another Malian traditional). I was very concerned that he was going to trip over his big toe nail. No seriously. Thankfully, he didn't (or at least not in front of us).
We greeted at Calita's village, and I again gave kola nuts to her chief. He wasn't nearly as friendly as the other chief. We then hung out at Calita's hut, and I saw so many women passing. Calita then explained to me that they were making rice sacrifices to the spirits. I wanted to see what that was about, so we followed the women. So many kids were running around, trying to get handfuls of rice (think healthier version of Halloween). The women carried bowls of rice on their head and then would give some to the kids. The place of rice giving was like a small tree stump that was covered in rice. The women would then give the rice to the spirits. Kids were surrounding the stump, hoping to get one last bite of rice before it hit the stump. After the rice lands on the ground, kids can't touch it because it now belongs to the spirits. That evening, we went to Calita's host family for dinner. After dinner, they brought a bed outside for us to rest. I took advantage of this and took a nap before the major dance party. Who kicked it off? None other than the Tubabs! It was a bit intimidating because all eyes were on us. There was a kid that was standing beside me and grew so tired, he layed down on rocks to sleep. He unfortunately picked a bad place because it was extremely dark (no lights), and some lady hit him to wake up and move.
The next day, we thought people would come over at 9 am and some did. But not everybody. So, we waited. I took a nap. We ate lunch, and then all at once at about noon, Calita's concession ( yard?) was flooded with people! It was crazy! All the adults walked in a line to the fete. Kids would walk beside us, and not surprisingly, wanted to be near the Tubabs. The old lady in front of me kindly yelled at them and threaten them with a stick. When we got to the location, we were instructed to greet the elders of the village. I consider myself a feminist, and I would NEVER do this in other circumstances, but I had to be culturally pleasing and I kneeled down to like 10 men and raised their hands as a sign of respect. So glad we shake hands in America! We were then instructed to sit down. They set up a table for us...oh the comforts you get for being a guest. Then the dancing began. They moved our chairs and table (we were the only ones with a table) closer to the dance ground. Later Jessie, Calita, and I danced. All eyes on us. Everybody clapped and laughed and cheered. It was fun. We left shortly before dusk, and I took a bucket bath. How refreshing! I love bathing outside! That evening, we went back over to her host family, and Calita made tea.

On Saturday, I went home in an 18 wheeler. I was chatting away. We got to a stop point, and then Daoh (sp?) the driver said something along the lines of night visit 30 minutes. I said, 30 minutes? Then he said 15 minutes...umm I don't like the sound of that....I ended up getting his number but I didn't give him mine. When I was dismounting from the truck, he was like, wait I don't have your number! I told him it was okay because I have his.

The new volunteer is coming today:) The volunteers from Madagascar were evacuated, so PC Mali got 5 new volunteers. It's always exciting welcoming new people!

There was a little girl (about 5 years old) who had this baby on her back. I let her be a kid for a bit and held the baby while she played with the other kids.

During fetes, Malians from the same concessions (umm i'll use the word cul-de-sac real loosely) wear the same fabric.

All smiles!

Everybody leaving Calita's concession


The line to the party

kids hanging around our Tubab table

Calita and her homologue at the table

Let the dancing begin!

I'll try to upload videos later. Videos are really slow!!!

Fetish Fun!

Look! No hands!

Anna greeting the old men
Dancing fetishes

I went to Anna's village for a few days this past week because of the fetish appearance. I believe the fetish comes out about the same time every year. The fetish comes out again in June, but it won't in Anna's village this year because of lacks of funds. (It costs money to buy booze.) Anna's village is a Animist village, so there is drinking when the fetishes come out. At one point, the fetish chased me. I did not scream because that just would have encouraged it. I had a great time watching the kids dance. So much dirt was kicked up! It was such a picturesque site.

That evening I did not sleep a lot. Anna has a clock with a thermometer on it...it didn't get below 90!! Hot season is here!!! (Yep, it's 20:50 and 95!!)

When I left Anna's village, a Malian going to different village began biking with me. When the roads split, he insisted that I take a mango (even though they were securely attached to his bike). It's moments like these that I am really going to miss about Mali.

Easter was fun. I had brunch with Laura, Ben, and Adele. We had eggs, biscuits, gravy (thanks Mom!), and...drum roll please...BACON!!!! Ben's mom sent him precooked bacon. I didn't even know that was a possiblility!

Project=Success

Well, I think it is safe to say that the faucet project was a success. We had our final meeting today. I was informed that people from other villages are using the faucet. Yea!

My week was uneventful. My friend, Laura, got back from Ameriki safely. Unfortunately, her bag got lost. But the next day, she got it back. However, her Easter candy was stolen. But, at least she got her bag back (which is more than my mom can say).

I had a lovely dinner on Thursday with my Chinese friends. They are excellent cooks and ping pong players! Julia (I gave them American names) is super hard core when it comes to ping pong. She put on her tennis shoes to play!

I discovered Skype last week. It is going to change my last 5 months of service. I <3 Skype!

Who needs a pedicure? This PCV does!


Chaka beat me in 151 today...we'll play again tomorrow

2 men at our final meeting (nothing like the 50 women who came to the 1st meeting)


2 other committee members
3 day old puppies!
So little!

Makan's daughter bringing water home from the new faucet
Garaboos

Children bringing clean water home




Transporting water via bike

It was interesting to me that during my trips to the faucet, I have rarely seen women getting water. I've seen kids on bikes, men on motos, children with water on their head, and boys with donkey carts. But, you would only see women and children gathering water at the wells. It makes me happy that carrying water on motos and bikes is manly.

Pictures

Hard at work

Tea break

Makan and me Work is "A bana" (finished in Bambara)Makan demonstrating the faucet

Water!!!

Transporting water

A few random pictures

The little boy was TERRIFIED of me! You have come a long way, mon terriche!



Rainbow!

More pictures with details to come!