My Technology Fill

Okay, I realize that two postings in two two days is a bit much for me, and don't get used to it, because it won't happen often. But I figured that I would take advantage of a trip into Bamako with my brother, Sibiri, to take care of a few updates. Apparently I am a complete ass, because I didn't realize that the wedding that took place at my family's house the other night (and that I missed because I was on site visit) was actually for one of my brother's and his wife. Mind you this was clearly explained to me in French; I just did not understand (I'm starting to wonder why I am in the intermediate class). So I come home without a present - not good. So Sibiri and I went to the grand marchè today to pick up a gift. It was so draining. My poor brother was accosted by everyone and their brother because he was with a white girl. But we made it out alive and we even scored a tablecloth and placemats at a good price. But this is not why I write. I just wanted to give everyone an update. I have a new post office box closer to my site, which I will be using after I swear it on March 26th. It probably is good to start directing mail there because pretty soon I will not be coming to Bamako anymore. The address is:

Heather Leach, PCT (PCV after 3/26)
Corps de la Paix
BP 3
Bankass, Mali

And yes the town is called Bankass - I am so happy about that.
Also I want to thank everyone for their emails, comments and letters. I am so grateful for them all, and please don't think that because I haven't emailed back doesn't mean I'm not super happy. Email will be tough once I am at site (the closest town with email with be 2 hours away, on a good day), but I will have plenty of time to sit in my house and write old-fashioned letters once I'm installed and it is 120° in the shade. So I hope that you can hold out until then, and I hope you don't mind if the ink is a bit smeared with my sweat. It will help to set the mood for you I think. Okay - that is all for now.

Catalysing Expectations

So as usual I have alloted 5 minutes to tell you everything that has been going on. I am back from site visit, and a brief stay at TubaniSo and I am en route to my homestay village for another week of French and village life. I am definitely ready for a change. Time at TubaniSo is chocked full of group discussion about our expectations and the Peace Corps expectations and our village's expectations, and I have to say I'm a bit expectationed out. It will be nice to have some time to sit around and stare blankly at my Malian family. I don't think they have any expectations of me. Except to bathe twice a day. I love them. And good news; I've tested into intermediate French.

Everything From God

I have just returned from a visit to my future home in the land of Dogon. The biggest obstacle to getting there was the fact that no one knew the location of my village - this goes for the Peace Corps administration too. So it was a bit of an adventure getting there - compounded by the fact that our taxi broke down no less that 4 times during the trip (and this taxi was actually the third, the first two broke down before we even left Sevarè, the starting point of my trip). Needless to say, it was a relief to find my town (known as Mendoly and Mindolo, which might have been a source for some of the confusion), and meet my future neighbors. My town is a tiny village of 200 - all from the same family, so everyone has the same last name - Arama. I have now aquired a new name (although I am not allowed to actually use it until I move to village at the end of March, or my current Samake family will be sad). My name is Niagare Arama now - it actually sounds much prettier than it looks, and it is given to the first daughter in that village. My homologue (work counterpart) in village said that when I travel around people will know that I am from that village by my name - and sure enough, the next day I went to a large city about 40 km away, told someone my name, and they said " Oh you must be from Mendoly/Mindolo!" Go figure.

My town is beautiful - is is on a cliff overlooking a gorgoeus valley and the falaise, which is the big rock outcrop where most of the Dogon cliff villages are located. There is a natural spring in the valley immediately below my village, which my Mindolonian neighbors have told me is so clear that a bucketful of the water would look empty, it is that pure. I am waiting for the day that my Dogon is good enough that I can tell them that amoebas and giardia are invisible to the naked eye.

So my visit went well, and it helps to have an image in my mind of what my home will look like; it is definitely a bit nerve-wracking too. I think I had my first anxious moment as I sat in my village thinking - so this is what I will be doing for the next two years. Amazing! So after a night in my new home, my two companions (a current volunteer and a language instructor) and I headed out to come back to town. Waiting for a bus out of Mendoly involved hiking out of the village and sitting by the side of the road until something drove by. I think that our 1 1/2 hour wait was definitely a cakewalk - I am sure that some days I will make a day of it. We got a lift from some workers transporting goods from Niger in a bus with "Everything From God" and "Take It Easy 007" painted on the outside. It took us 2 hours to go 40 km because the road was so badly rutted. I think I will ride my bike from now on.

I love yala-yalaing

I have just completed my second stint of my homestay, and it just gets easier and easier (even if speaking to my family has not gotten easy yet). But it is a pretty routine life I lead. Up at 6, bath breakfast, off to school for 4 hours of French lessons, back home to Chez Samake for lunch and hanging out at the boutiki, then back to school for more lessons of some sort. After school I am required to take my second bath of the day (my family really wants me clean), and after dinner I yala-yala around town visiting my friends. Yala-yala is Bambara for stopping by everyone;s house to say hi. It is fantastic.

Dogon It

Hi Everyone

I have 5 minutes to explain my last few weeks. Here it goes. I am currently living in a village outside of Bamako with a family while I receive language and agricultural training. I am now Kadia Samaka and I have 19 brothers and sisters and 4 moms. It is always a party at my house. My family runs a boutiki so I get lots of free soda, and at night 50 people gather around a 18" tv to watch Jean Claude Van Damme films. I found out my assignment - I will be in a Dogon village, which is very exciting and daunting. I will not learn the language until I get to the village in March because there are over 85 Dogon dialects, and PC does not know the one in my village yet. Thanks for the emails - I am eagerly awaiting a letter (hint, hint). Things are going really well - so no need to worry! Hopefully I can post more later. All the best!