First real post from Mali

Aw ni ce! Hello everyone! Michele and I just made it to Bamako after two weeks in Sanankoroba with our host family. I'm really sorry that I'm not going to be able to post pictures yet as the connection in this internet cafe is really slow. Here is the run down on what has been going on so far:

The Peace Corps split up the big group of 70 something volunteers so that we can better learn the language here. Michele, I and 7 other volunteers were sent to the large village of Sanankoroba about 35 km south of the capital of Bamako. We live with a Malian family in this town of about 7000 people. It is actually one of the larger towns that PC people have been sent to. No running water, no electricity (other than what you can make yourself - people have solar panels charging car batteries that they use to power phones and televisions). We actually live with the chief of the village! Chef Mamadou Traore. Being the chief isn't much of a real job, he still wakes up at 6am to go work in the fields with all the other men (baarake foro la). Being the chief is more of a figurehead role - I've seen other people come into our household the tell their troubles to the chef.(in Mali you are not going to be invited into someone's house because it is expected that you are always welcome. - in fact, if you don't invite yourself over often enough, you are considered rude). Michele and I were given Malian names, and our host father and mother actually gave us their very names - I introduce myself as Chef Mamadou Traore and Michele is now Ashiata Samanke (the women keep their last names here because often the men have more than one wife - but never more than 4). Our father is Muslim and excuses himself to pray 5 times a day (one of these prayer calls is at 5am every morning). Being the chef, he has a nice house directly next to the mosque - we have a beautiful view of the minaret tower from our courtyard and we get front row seats for the prayer calls every few hours. They used to wake us up at 5am but I think we are beginning to adapt to the whole situation.

Before I have to go I have much more to say: this city boy from Atlanta has plucked his first chicken! To make dinner with our teachers (they are Malian) the other night we had to buy 3 chickens - Musa, my Bambaran instructor is a very traditional Muslim and had to say certain prayers before he killed the chickens (yes they were alive when we bought them and actually one wasn't tied up very well and we had to give chase for a few minutes. A small Malian boy showed us up and caught the thing himself while I and two other PC guys looked like a bunch of Tubab fools chasing a chicken. So far, this whole thing has been one crazy experience. Michele and I absolutely love our host family, they are the nicest people we have met so far (we haven't met any non-nice people). The food takes a lot of getting used to as I'm sure michele will explain in a few minutes--

Thru this whole thing so far I can't help but wonder why I am even here. These people are not suffering. There is no widespread disease and pain. These people do not have the same basic technological goods that we have in the US, but they do not suffer at all. They manage. It has been completely inspiring that I have seen people live with all the luxuries I'm used to. Our host brother rides a donkey and cart into the market everyday to get bananas. Our host father's bicycle wheel was bent, so he rode it into town and hammered it straight again. These people get by just fine and I am impressed moreso than I am shocked by this culture. I really do like it here. There hasn't been any need for a big adjustment - thing seem to be progressing naturally.



OK, now its time for michele-tqlk. p.s. this is a french keyboard qnd none of the letters qre zorking right. so i am going to lose a million pounds while being here because the food is crap: they mean well; but it is still crap. I need pnut butter; and those shirts aunt diane got me from the limited; or something similar. I love it here so far and my bambara is really progressing: my professor told me i was the best in his class: yay: ok; so i need a box with nothing but jiff creamy pnut butter: i am starving: everything here is madewith dried fish: or sketch meat: the host family is awesome and they ask us questions and help us practice language: basically everything tim said i agree with: even the whole they arentsuffering bit:::: its weird: word oyut to jessica)))) iùll bring you back some african clothing: i went to the tailor yesterday and got some new african shite)))) its awesome: p:s: we plan on coming home: i will need to load the hump you know what i mean: ok; i miss you guys: i wish i could talk more often; but other than the food i am doing very well: the malians love the scrapbook and my professors think breyers quote is amazing: i sweat a lot: i never have enough water i am always thirsty: its been great: heres hoping the future holds good things for tim and i:

i love you)) grandma; laury; greg; greggy; adam; glenda the glendanator::::: jessica; mom; gary gene; dad)))

gary gene: tell dad: dad be boji min: it means that dad drinks diarhea: ha ha ha ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha