Site Assignment!

So I have my site assignment! I'll be in the Sikasso region, near Koutiala. My village is about 1000 people, and they built a house just for me. I hear it has two rooms, has a courtyard, and even has a kitchen! I can get to the main road out of Koutialaville with an 8k bike ride, and apparently there's someone there who will watch my bike for me when I catch the bus into town. A very friendly SED (I think) volunteer works in Kville, and there's a stage house there so I have someplace to go if I need to be in my banking town overnight or whatever. There is some network coverage for my cell phone, and plenty of donkey carts if for any reason I choose a fali over my 'iron-horse.' There's a few markets nearby, and I hear that I'm in avocado country. Did I just say heaven? You bet your tushie I did! It's a mostly christian village, but I don't know how that plays out in Mali. It sounds like they're eager to get me and that they really need some sanitation improvements. I hear they already have a WatSan committee in village, so hopefully skill transfer will be a real thing I do, and not some words in one of the zillion books PC has me reading. Not that I've been studying much. Just trying to keep up with everything and not get sick is exhausting. My language is coming along alright, though. We had our halfway point test today. I don't know how I did just yet, but I'm hopeful for a fair-to-middling report. I have been spending much more time deflecting flirting with 16 year old boys than reviewing my notes, but I'm pretty sure that's how immersion language learning is supposed to work. I'm going to be sad to leave my home-stay village. Some of the people are just awesome. I thought it would be strange thinking about my host family as my family, and they certainly haven't replaced my real family, but I did bond with them. I'm not done bonding with them, hopefully. Even after I go to site, I do want to come back and visit again when I go to Bko for PC functions and the like. But we'll see. You know where good intentions get you.

I heard last night that one of my favorite people ever might visit Mali early next year. Even if I were utterly miserable, I might stick around just for that. Plus, WAIST sounds like too much awesomeness to miss. Today is one month in, and I barely feel like I've gotten here. Time has been flying. I hear it slows down once training is over, but right now I feel a little like two years is going to go in a flash. To show you just how busy I've been, think about this: I've been reading The Moon is a Harsh Mistress for over a week. Mmhmm. I've also been peeking into Laurel's Kitchen again (there's a book part to it, I'm not quite that desperate for American Food just yet). I'm actually really looking forward to making an oven at site and seriously baking bread. Has anyone ever baked in a hot region before? Is there anything I should know about rising times, yeast storage, etc? I'm going to try to find who bakes the bread in my homestay village and ask them how they do it. It's boring white bread, but gluten is gluten, no?

As far as what's been going on in my life for the last weeks... well mostly learning Bambara. Other than that, I have been getting to know my fellow WatSan-ers and promising you in marriage to Malian kids. And not being sick. I was sick at Tubaniso last time, but since I got back to homestay I've only had to contend with being tired early and occasional mild dehydration, both mostly heat related. I planted some rice, danced poorly at another dance circle, and got a Malian outfit made. The link I posted earlier to the facebook album should show you my new clothes, too. I got a lot of compliments on my munsoro tying skills, because apparently I rock at head wrap-ing. Skirt-tying I'm not so hot at, but my yellow skirt has training-strings on it. I have a blue one that is a full-fledged tafe. That one needs constant re-wrapping to keep it on. Malian women adjust their clothing all day long. But they do it without flashing anyone and usually they can still walk, carry water and a baby, and greet you while they do it. I can only do one of those things at a time. Actually I can't even carry babies when I'm not doing anything else. My white devil appearance tends to freak them out. Donni, donni. Little by little.

I hope you're well! I hope your family is well! Send me a message or an email with any updates!