October Musings

Rainy season was still going strong through mid-October this year. It rained at least once a day in August and September and the rain continued to fall a few times a week in October. It’s nice because even though there are some hot days, a rain storm will come through and cool things off for a few hours, or overnight if it hits at the right time. Some of the rains are really intense monsoon-like storms that flood the roads and make it hard to get anywhere. And Malians traditionally don't do anything inside their houses other than to sleep and make babies, so they are anxious for the storm to pass so they can continue their daily activities.

School started back up the first week of October. I think both kids and parents were more than ready for school to begin. Especially by the end of summer vacation, the kids are just bored with nothing to do. There are few toys to play with, and like any group of kids, they find mischief really easily.

My host family came back at the beginning of October in time for school. It was great to see them again and great to eat lunch with them every day! Though it was fun to cook lunches for myself during the summer, it was a lot of work. I definitely have more respect for Malian cooking now! My host mom didn’t come back with the kids though, and a friend’s wife is watching the kids cooking for us. I found out indirectly that my host mom is pregnant. Pregnancy is a hush-hush subject here. On November 3, the day before I left for my Senegal trip, my host dad announced that his wife had a baby; it’s a girl! I almost asked what her name was, but remembered that the baby isn’t named until the baptism, held about a week after birth. There’s a chance that mom and the new baby girl will be back in time for Tabaski, the big Muslim holiday that will take place the week before Thanksgiving.

Work is really picking up now, with projects starting up all over town. I’m going to be working on projects with the food security committee, artisans’ union and associations, high school, and one of the primary schools, as well as teaching some English vocabulary classes to interested Malians. I’ll write more about all of these topics in future blog posts.

Tut tut, looks like rain

Rainy season is in full swing here in Mali. August is the wettest month of the year, and that was definitely the case in Kenieba this year. There’s a heavy downpour just about every day, and the road outside my house becomes a fast-flowing stream, at least until the sun comes out again. It’s been a challenge to keep my yard cleared of weeds and other fast-growing plants. I joked with my neighbors that I live in a forest, because I couldn't keep up with pulling out all the weeds! A bunch of kids helped me finally clear all of it out, but I still find myself weeding a few times a week. Another not-so-fun part of rainy season is the mosquitoes, which are a nuisance even in the middle of the day. Most of the year there are no mosquitoes in Kenieba, but they are out with a vengeance during rainy season.

The little footpaths around town are all grown in now… any open space has become a field of peanuts, corn or millet stalks. The cliffs around Kenieba are lush with vegetation, and there are even little waterfalls popping out from the cliff's edge. The weather is nice and comfortable most days, and I’ve even felt cold after a big monsoon comes through! I’ve gotten back in the habit of brewing tea in the morning, and even heat up some water for a nice warm bucket bath at the end of the day.

Eighty new Peace Corps Mali volunteers finished their training last week. There are a bunch of new volunteers in my region, including one who will be working in Kenieba. She had a great site visit in August, and I enjoyed showing her around, introducing her to my friends and work partners. Being her guide around Kenieba really put things into perspective for me, in terms of how well integrated I have become in the community, not only with the women's association and artisans I've done some work with, but my neighbors and other people I've gotten to know over the last year.

During the past few weeks most Malians have been celebrating the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. I'm sharing a link to The Big Picture blog again this year since it does a great job of illustrating how Ramadan is celebrated in different cultures all over the world. According to the Big Picture:

Muslim men and women across the world are currently observing Ramadan, a month long celebration of self-purification and restraint. During Ramadan, the Muslim community fast, abstaining from food, drink, smoking and sex between sunrise and sunset. Muslims break their fast after sunset with an evening meal called Iftar, where a date is the first thing eaten followed by a traditional meal. During this time, Muslims are also encouraged to read the entire Quran, to give freely to those in need, and strengthen their ties to God through prayer. The goal of the fast is to teach humility, patience and sacrifice, and to ask forgiveness, practice self-restraint, and pray for guidance in the future. This year, Ramadan will continue until Thursday, September 9th.

In Mali, people are awake before dawn to eat a big meal and drink enough water to last them through the day. Though they say they are used to fasting during the month of Ramadan every year, it’s still a struggle for some people to make it through the day. They become agitated and anxious in the late afternoon, when they begin the countdown to sunset, when the imam signals over the loudspeaker that they can break the fast. Typically their evening break-fast is a sweet porridge called ceri. Then they head to the mosque for a special Ramadan prayer, and eat a larger meal at around 11 PM. Since they’re up again at 5 AM, they’re not getting much sleep during Ramadan, which must add to the agitation and anxiety! But it is a yearly ritual that affirms their Muslim faith. It is humbling to observe the Malians who continue to work and go about their daily business during Ramadan, because I don’t think I could possibly keep working without food and water all day! I should also mention that kids, the elderly, and adults who are pregnant or sick do not fast during Ramadan. People are not forced to fast; it is a personal choice, a decision between you and Allah, so some adults will still sneak a snack or at least drink some water during the day.

I am headed back to Kenieba tomorrow, in time for the fête on Thursday. I’ll be celebrating the end of Ramadan by eating a big feast with my homologue’s family. My host family is still in Bamako as school doesn't start here until October. So, one more month of cooking lunches for myself as well!

I uploaded some new photos of Kenieba in the rainy season; you can view them by clicking the photo:

Back from my Eurotrip

I’m back in Mali after a fantastic vacation in Europe, visiting Paris and Grenoble, France with by brother and spending 10 days in Switzerland with the rest of my family. It was the perfect mental medicine after 11 months in Mali… it was so nice to be in the developed world again, enjoying amenities I’ve grudgingly lived without (machine washer and dryer, dishwasher, refrigerator, no daily power outages, cell phone calls without a noticeable delay, a toilet!). Although it’s really hard to compare Europe and Mali, I found some of the differences to be really interesting:

• I couldn’t believe the cats and dogs I saw on the streets of Paris, not only how well trained and well treated they were, but how big and healthy they looked. Malians themselves aren’t getting a nutritious diet, so their animals certainly aren’t getting enough to eat. The cows in Switzerland are huge! No cows look like that here in Mali, literally skin and bones.
• After living through three straight months of 110°+ weather in Mali, I forgot what comfortable weather felt like. It was so nice to put on a light fleece when it was cool, and actually enjoy a nice day outside under the sun. Some people asked me why I wasn’t more tan… I definitely avoid the sun in Mali when it’s so hot outside!
• I had forgotten how long the days are this time of year in Europe. Since Mali isn’t far from the equator, the length of the day only varies by about an hour all year long. You get used to the sun setting by 7:30 every night. The first night I was in Paris, I went to the Louvre in the evening, figuring I would leave once it was dark outside… the sun didn’t set until 10:30 PM!
• Whenever I would greet someone like a cashier or shopkeeper in Paris, I would say “Bonjour!” and get a “Bonjour!” reply, like you would in any French-speaking country. But when I would ask “ça va?” I would get some funny looks. Some people didn’t know what to say, like they were actually shocked to hear that I wanted to know how they are! You can’t just say hello to someone in Mali, you ask how they are, how their family is, did they sleep well or how was their day, etc.
• I didn't notice this one until I got back to Mali... Africa Time. It took me a little while to get used to all the downtime again... in Mali, things run on West Africa International Time, aka WAIT.

It was a strange feeling getting off the plane in Bamako, returning to what most people would say is an exotic place, but a place that has become my home. I didn't hesitate to greet people in Bambara, search for a decent taxi from the chaotic arrivals area of the Bamako airport, and crack some superficial jokes with the taxi driver about eating beans that make you fart. Though it’s still really hot here, it’s good to be back. It was good to see my friends again and share some good Swiss chocolate with everyone.

Two days after I arrived back in Mali, I attended an engagement party in Bamako for a friend of mine, Laura (her blog is Oulesse-what?). I was honored to be a witness at the engagement ceremony. It was fun to attend a Malian party and know the people who were being celebrated, which is not usually the case for me. There was a great feast of lamb, fried rice, sweet potato and eggplant, and delicious marinated lamb kebabs. We also had chicken and fries for dinner. It was a delicious Malian meal and a great party that I won’t soon forget!

It is hard for me to realize that two weeks from now, I will have been in Mali for a full year. I’ve certainly had my share of highs and lows, achievements and frustrations. I was hoping the rains would be in full force when I returned, but it seems to be about the same as when I left… rain every few days to cool things off, but hot and humid on the days it doesn’t rain. The monsoon-like rains should be here in full force soon, which will be great to cool things off, but make it very difficult for me to leave Kenieba! I can’t wait for the landscape to become green again… it’s a spectacular sight that I definitely took for granted last year.

The new Peace Corps Trainees will arrive next week to begin their intensive cultural and language training, the same training I received last year. Some of the trainees may end up working in the Kayes region, maybe even down near Kenieba, so I am looking forward to meeting them when they come out for site visit in August. It’s also an exciting time for the second year volunteers as they are finishing their two year service and will be leaving, a few each week, over the next few months. As for me, it’s one year down, one to go!

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!

The Seasons are Changing

It has been a busy month in Kenieba. My landlord hired a painter to come and paint all of the walls in my house, inside and out. He finished a few days ago. The house looks really good, and since I had to move all the furniture around, it feels kind of like I moved into a new house! I have also been meeting with more artisans and other Malians who have ideas for community projects.

The rainy season ended in October (we haven’t had any significant rain in a few weeks), and the “cold season” has begun. It is still hot in the middle of the day, but at night the temperature drops into the 60s. Most Malians don their heaviest clothes when the sun sets… big winter jackets, wool sweaters and big hats. I thought about taking out the one sweatshirt I brought from home, but it has been so nice to bask in the cool weather! Admittedly, even I have felt chilly when I am outside at night, but the inside of my house stays warm after baking in the sun all day. It has been great sleeping weather!

This time of the year is also "burn your trash" season. Every family has been burning their trash. I have been reluctant to ignite my trash pile, but someone comes and takes my trash every once in a while so it is probably just burned with someone else’s trash. There have also been brush fires on the outskirts of town. I'm not sure if the brush fires were set on purpose or if a trash fire spread to the brush, but all of this burning has caused a big haze to set in over Kenieba. Also, since all the roads are dirt, the dust has really picked up. My host mom told me to close all the windows because otherwise everything will be covered in dust. So, the smoke and dust has been something to deal with as the dry season sets in.

Thanksgiving is not celebrated in Mali, but an important Muslim holiday, Tabaski, happens to fall on the Saturday after Thanksgiving this year. Since the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, Islamic holidays fall on a different day every year. The tradition here in Mali is to sacrifice a sheep and prepare a big feast for the holiday. It should be a fun day!

Matt, Jim and I are at one of the big gold mines this evening, getting our Internet fix and hanging out with some of the workers. It's a nice facility up here... I'm freezing right now in the air conditioning! Fortunately, since the mine isn't too far from Kenieba, I will be able to update this blog more often than I have been the past few months.

We are heading up to Kayes the first week in December and then on to Bamako for a Peace Corps training session. So I will be in Kenieba for Thanksgiving. Happy Turkey Day to everyone back home!