"There is nothing perfect...there is only life"

3/30/11: last stint at homestay

So much to say. Back in Mountugula for the last time. 3 more days left with the fams. Probably should be hanging out with them, but I’ve never been good about that. Instead, Delissa, Hannah, and I are sitting on our mats under a tree listening to our ipods. Surprise, surprise.  Jasmin went back to America after site visit. I cried, but then again, I saw it coming. Of course I was super bummed & miss her, but I know her leaving was what’s best for her. She wasn’t happy here and that’s not good for anyone. In no way do I think less of her or say she gave up; she came here, which, in my opinion, is more than half the battle, and stayed almost 2 months under extreme and unfamiliar circumstances. Shout out to you, Jasmin. You’re my girl.

So, Hannah and I both have had site changes. I think we’re the only 2 out of 61, and even then, Hannah’s going to Jasmin’s old site. I like to think of it like a blind date. I know my new village’s name and I’ve heard a few things about the place, but I haven’t seen it yet. I hope he’s cute. But let me set the record straight: I could have survived in Farako. HOWEVER, that is not what would have been in the best interest of the village & its people – to have a volunteer who was merely surviving. I would have been psychologically affected by its remoteness and limitations and not have been able to be an effective volunteer. That is both the politically correct & Peace Corps response. Frankly put, shit was rough. I had no cell phone service (not that most people do, however:) logistically, it would have been virtually impossible to get in & out of village during rainy season (3 months) & even to get to a regional capitol, banking town, Bamako, Sikasso, etc. was very tricky; biking for hours on dried-up river beds, 10+ hour bus rides. I’m still trying to convince myself I made the right decision (can you tell?) since the village was so excited to have me & had prepared for me to be there, serving them for 2 years. But, being that far out in the bush scared me, no matter how wonderful the people in the village were. So, that all being said, my new site is 18k outside of Sikasso (super pumped about that) and close to the Burkina Faso border. I’m pretty sure the village is called Fankolo. One of the Trainers went to check in on my site the other day (since it’s a new site) and said that the people were really excited about me coming, that they planted me a banana tree, a mango tree, and an orange tree. WAHOO! Also, word on the dirt path is that there are waterfalls not far from my village. Also, my market town is only 4k away. Holler. Other than that, I don’t know much about my site. I’m just excited to be close to a large city (Sikasso is the 2^nd largest city in Mali) and to have a main road. I’m supposed to be getting a site folder sometime soon. It’s just taking a while since this village wasn’t planning on getting a volunteer until October; they’re just speeding up the process since a new site was needed. Example: my house is being built as I type this. No lie.

3/4/11: back in Toubaniso (training site)

The last few days with our homestay families were intense in different ways. We had 'going- away' parties in our respective villages, but not quite what you would think of as a 'party,' per se. First, we had to give a farewell/thank you speech to the elders in the village. We all sat on the floor of the communal meeting hut where all the important convos take place; you might say it's where the magic happens. All of the dugutigi's posse (basically all of the men over 60) showed up to listen to what we had to say and speak on behalf of the village. Naturally there were lots of blessings and thank you's for being polite/respectful. One of them said (translated by our language teacher) that we dealt with the living conditions well as they know that they are nothing like what we are accustomed to in America; that our bathrooms in the U.S. are nicer than their entire homes. I didn't want to correct anyone, but that was a vast understatement.

The party was really fun. We danced to drumming music and wore Malian clothes. I put a few pictures on Facebook, so if you're on there, check it out. The following night, our last night in village, was one of the most memorable, though. There was some sort of dance party in the same place as our 'going away party,' but I would equate it to Mountugula's highschool prom/homecoming dance. All of the old teens/early twenties were dressed up and paired off, or so it seemed, and Somalia (my 18 year old brother) was wearing black dress pants and a striped button-down shirt TUCKED IN! It was adorable. I kept telling him he looked 'fresh,' because I taught him that word in English. There were a couple djs who were blasting the latest hits from Celine Dion & Akon, of course. Malians LOVE Akon, by the way. He's from Senegal, which is our neighbor to the west. And for some strange reason, they love Celion Dion. She can sing 'kosebe kosebe' (very, very well) as Drisa says. Sure. Malian dance and American dance is very different, but it was cute to see the girls show off their moves as they were called out by name on the microphone one by one to the center of the dance floor (and by dance floor, I do mean dirt ground because it was outside in a clearing just past my family's compound) to show off a move or two. Then the djs took it upon themselves to call out the American girls as well. Awesome. I went to the center of a circle of about 200 people and did the Harlem shake, I kid you not. I wasn't sure what to do or what was culturally appropriate, so I'm pretty sure I startled quite a few people. We all got some great applause, though. Fun night. The next day, word in the village was that the Americans can dance 'kosebe kosebe.' Translation should not be needed. Goodbyes were super sad the next morning; I cried. Sulu came with me to see us all off, carrying the soccer ball I bought him and Somalia as a 'going away'/'thank you' present, even though it was 8am and he was clearly not going to play soccer. Just adorable that he enjoyed his gift that much. I hate that he saw me cry, but atleast they know it was hard for me to leave. Malians dont hug or show emotions, but I hugged Nana anyways. She has had malaria for the past week so I barely saw her until she came to see me off. Baby strapped to her back and all, I gave her a huge hug and told her she looked beautiful anyways, despite the malaria. She always told me, 'no, YOU are beautiful.' She could model, I kid you not. I'm gonna email Tyra. 

If my new site's people & host family is half as wonderful as my homestay family in Mountugula, I will happily serve them for 2 years.   

"Find beauty in all things."