This One's For Future Mali PCVs

It’s hard to believe that this time last year, I had just arrived back east from an awesome ski season in Park City, Utah, and received my invitation to join the Peace Corps in Mali that summer. One of the first things I did after receiving my invitation was discover the Peace Corps Journals web site. It is a cool insight into the lives of Peace Corps Volunteers already serving in Mali. I really enjoyed reading those blogs, realizing that I would be going through some of the same experiences. When I arrived at training in Mali in July, getting to meet those PCVs was like meeting celebrities! One of the reasons why I decided to start this blog and make it publicly accessible was to pay it forward: give Peace Corps Mali invitees the insight into my Peace Corps experience so far.

One of my biggest concerns in preparing to leave for Mali was how to stuff the next two years of my life into 80 pounds of luggage. Believe me, it isn’t easy, but an important thing to understand is that you can get pretty much everything you need here (some toiletries and electronics are the big exception), and you will adapt to a simpler lifestyle and get used to not having all the luxuries of home. Here is a list of things I brought that I couldn’t live without. It’s definitely not a complete list, and it’s in no particular order, but I hope it can help you decide what to bring:

• Deodorant – you can only get spray deodorant here, not sticks, so bring a few and plan to have some sent over in the future
• Exofficio underwear – Their slogan “17 countries. 6 weeks. And 1 pair of underwear” is completely true. Though I didn’t bring one pair of underwear, the few pairs I brought have been so nice to wear and really easy to clean. They are still in great shape 10 months in, and they are really comfortable. The best part is that Peace Corps invitees and volunteers get a big discount on Exofficio clothing directly from the company. Check out the Volunteer Discounts page on the Peace Corps Wiki for more information.
• Power adapters, but not Power converters. Adapters are the little things that change the shape of a plug from American to European. Converters are big boxes that convert electricity from 220 to 120 volts. One person’s converter caught on fire in the Paris airport before we even got to Mali. Be sure to check the electric things you are bringing though to make sure they work with 220 volt power (one notable exception is hair clippers, bring a converter if you're bringing those), but any digital camera, laptop, and iPod charger will work here with just an adapter and without a power converter.
• REI Bug Hut… I didn’t use it at first since it was rainy season when we arrived, but now that it’s hot and dry season I have been sleeping in mine each night for the past two months. It’s nice to have an easy to set up, durable, and portable mosquito net tent. They are kind of expensive though… some will be available here from PCVs that have finished their service and are looking to get rid of their stuff.
• Pillow from home – This was one of the best things I brought with me, a nice down pillow. Get one of those Eagle Creek vacuum pack bags that sucks all the air out, and it will be easy to pack the pillow. Eagle Creek sells vacuum pack bags and other packing supplies, and you can get a discount from them too (see Peace Corps Wiki).
• Hostel sheet – this is basically a regular bedsheet stitched together to make a lightweight sleeping bag. I’ve used this so many times, especially during the first two months when you’re travelling all the time between homestay and the training center.
• A roll of duct tape – always comes in handy
• Carabineer – cheap and you'll find a use for one here, I use mine to carry my Nalgene on my backpack
• Headlamp, with extra batteries for it (especially if they’re AAA)
• Nalgene bottle – don’t leave home without at least one of these
• Fly swatter – people gave me a hard time about bringing one but personally, I like having something at quick reach to kill annoying insects. And it doesn’t take up any room in your bag.
• Decent towel – I brought a big quick-drying travel towel that works great. It’s also hard to find a good towel here.
• A good knife – not necessarily a leatherman, but a basic pocket knife would be helpful. In terms of kitchen supplies, bring a good kitchen knife too. You can get everything else here, and once you’re installed at your site, you either get to inherit the previous PCV’s kitchen tools (which I was fortunate enough to do), or buy what you can in the Malian market and have other little stuff sent over
• Keen or Chaco open toe sandals –you will wear them all the time here. See Peace Corps Wiki for discount.
• iPod, with some basic speakers – If you have an iPod, you would be crazy not to bring it with you to Mali. Mine has held up against all the elements (dust, dirt, heat, curious Malians) pretty well so far, and it is invaluable for all those long trips to and from my site. I was so happy I brought my iPod Touch with me, not only for the music but also for a quick way to check my e-mail when there is Wifi (like at the Peace Corps training center and regional houses), and also for all the cool games and other apps. It’s pretty cool that I can download the entire day’s issue of the New York Times and read it on my way back to site.
• Laptop – this is a tough one, because you can definitely do without one here. I was really happy I brought mine. I am fortunate to be in a site with 12 hours of electricity each day, so I can use my laptop at site. But even if you end up in a site that doesn’t have electricity, you can leave your laptop locked up in your closest Peace Corps regional house, and use it for accessing the Internet, syncing your iPod, and getting work done. Most of the Peace Corps houses in Mali have wireless Internet access. And having your own laptop makes getting your activity reports and project proposals done here a ton easier. I wouldn’t go out and buy a new expensive laptop, because it will be ruined in the dust and the heat, but if you already have one, I’d recommend bringing it. Definitely bring some sort of a case or bag that will protect your laptop from the dust when you’re not using it.

I would be happy to answer any questions you have about getting ready to leave, life in Mali, etc. My e-mail address is wbudd3@gmail.com. Unfortunately I only have access to the Internet once a month, but I will respond when I’m back online. Good luck packing, enjoy the rest of your time in the US, and eat lots of cheese, ice cream, and other favorite foods!

Surviving the Hot Season, One Mango at a Time

The hot season is in full force here in Mali, meaning the temperature reaches at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit every day. A friend of mine explained the weather here perfectly: it literally feels like you’re in a blow dryer. It's really hot, dry air. It is still cooling off at night, at least, so I am able to sleep comfortably in my bug hut (mosquito net tent) on the patio outside my house. Since the days are getting longer, I have been waking up earlier. It's nice to be up early though, so I can take advantage of the cooler weather in the morning before it gets uncomfortably hot!

I changed my daily routine a bit to avoid being out in the heat of the day. After breakfast, I ride my bike to the center of town, chat with various artisans, shop for produce in the market and run any other errands I might have to do. Then I head home in the late morning, take a bucket bath to cool off, and wait for my host family to call me over for lunch. After lunch, we all sit under their big tree and socialize while we make some tea. They showed me how to brew tea so I've been the tea maker recently. It is a long process of steeping the leaves, adding the right amount of sugar (though everyone has a different opinion on how much to add), and serving in little tea glasses. There are three rounds of tea, and each successive round is sweeter and not as strong. It is a pastime for Malians to brew and drink tea, often a few times a day. After lunch and tea, I spend the rest of the afternoon in my hammock, reading and taking a nap, and waiting for the sun to start setting. Then I'll take another bucket bath, and enjoy the breeze from my floor fan when the electricity kicks on at around 5 PM. The hot season has been difficult, but not unbearable. I have found ways to stay cool and keep myself distracted from thinking about the heat too much.

One positive thing about hot season is that it is also mango season. Literally millions of mangoes are ripening all over Mali, and everyone is enjoying the mango harvest. I have been invited to pick mangoes with my friends in Kenieba. It is a fun time, picking the low hanging fruits and trying to pick the mangoes high up in the trees. Each time I've come home with a ton of mangoes that I share with my host family. They are so sweet and juicy... I'm eating 2 or 3 mangoes a day. I'm a happy PCV :)

I have been planning a big project the past few weeks, a shea butter and soap training for 30 women in Kenieba the second week in May. My sitemate Jim and I submitted a proposal to Peace Corps, to pay for a trainer to come from Bamako and teach the women how to produce high quality shea butter, and also teach them how to make soap using shea butter and other locally available ingredients. Mali is one of the only countries in the world where shea trees grow, and shea butter is in high demand in cosmetic products all over the world. Unfortunately Mali has a reputation for making bad quality shea butter in the past, but one of the Peace Corps' big initiatives in Mali is to change that reputation and empower women with income generating activities, or IGAs. Once the international road is finished next year, the women in Kenieba will have the opportunity to sell their good quality shea butter to buyers in Bamako and Dakar. I have been planning this training for a while now, meeting with the women, searching for prices for the various supplies and materials and organizing the logistics for the trainer's trip out to Kenieba. There is still a lot of work to do, but hopefully the funding will come in time and it will all go well.

After the training, I am headed to France to visit friends, and then meeting my family in Switzerland. I am looking forward to a few weeks in the developed world, out of the extreme heat, and can’t wait for the adventures to come! The rainy season normally starts at the end of May, cooling things off and making the countryside green again. So by the time I am back from Europe in June, it should be more comfortable again in Mali!