In responding to people's questions about my new village and beginning work here, it's tricky explaining that as new volunteers you literally do nothing your first few months at site. The idea is to first get to know your village and the community's needs before you can help them in any way. It's not a matter of what projects you would like to accomplish, but what resources they have and what is feasible. Thankfully, we have a lot of resources to help us accomplish that: this daunting chore no one wants to start called the baseline survey. <Insert Beethoven's 5th symphony here.> To me, it's so ironic, because we're a group of 61 go-getters who are here because we want to get shit done, make moves, and we're told that for 2 months we should be greeting people, talking to them, and observing, which goes against what we're programmed by nature to do. Maybe I'm just speaking for myself, but sitting around day after day gets boring. We have been and will continue to do a lot of thinking, reading, researching for future projects we'd like to start in our respective villages. My village has told me they think malaria is one of their biggest problems and after a lot of time at my CSCOM (health center), I agree with them. So, I'll help them tackle that the best way I'm equipped, which is through educational tools. I'll give health talks called animations incorporating visual aids, etc. to drive my point across. I actually gave my first animation on malaria this past Friday and overall, I think it went pretty well. More likely than not, the women who attended were probably just showing up to watch the toubab try to talk in Bambara. Hey, if anything sunk in, I guess that's a bonus. As well, I've decided I want to focus on dental health education. Most Malians do not brush their teeth, but they use a stick from a certain tree that supposedly has natural fluoride in it and they use it to scrape their teeth. Regardless, a lot of health problems stem from poor hygiene in general and dental health would be a great place to start. I've been researching dental health and companies like Colgate-Palmolive and the worldwide programs they have to educate people on dental health. Another interest I have is in radio, which is a very popular and widely used medium of information in Mali. Because few families have televisions (mine being the exception), Malians love to listen to the radio and tune in to their favorite shows daily. In Sikasso, the large town 18k away from my village, there are a few radio stations. Another volunteer and myself visited one of them last week and talked to one of the DJs who said he'd love to have us on his radio show once a week (or so I inferred from the smile on his face and what few words in Bambara he said that I understood...). I'm sure it'll take a while to get that started, but Inshallah, in a few months, a couple volunteers in my region and I will rotate doing a radio show talking about different topics ranging from health to business to agriculture. Radio's a great way to reach a larger audience in a short period of time.
Aside from my future projects, most of my days consist of me going to my CSCOM and observing the doctors and matrone and helping out in little ways- paperwork, eye drops, holding things while they work. I know I'm not needed their in that aspect but I think it's more of the fact that I come every day that matters to them. They see that I'm interested and I care. I study and write scripts for future animations also, which I hope to do on a weekly basis in different places in my village- schools, women's groups, and informal settings as well. I really like the people I work with- 1 male pharmacist, 1 male office aid, 3 female doctors, 1 female matrone. Lucienne, a 28 year-old doctor who lives across from the CSCOM, and I have become pretty good friends. She's got great fashion sense and looks like such a baller riding in from Sikasso on her moto, headphones in ears, bedazzled shades on, freshly braided hair tied up in a bun on her head. She's a great cook too, so I eat with her from time to time. My homologue, Mariam, (appointed to me from the Peace Corps to be my work partner) laughs at me on a regular basis and thinks I make strange facial expressions. I think I probably do. She loves to mimic me. Overall, I'm pretty lucky with my work situation and the people I will be working with. They're all very nice and fun to be around. If I could just get the female doctors to stop trying to set me up with any semi-attractive male they come in contact with, that'd be great. Last Sunday, I was invited to go to the Protestant church in the next town over with a guy who works at the mayor's office in my village. The following day, word had spread like wildfire that we were together. Hmm...
They might not have Facebook, Twitter, or TMZ, but gossip spreads in an African village like you wouldn't believe. The toubab was spotted dancing, listening to her radio while she did laundry last Thursday, says the guy who owns 1 of the 2 small general stores in village. Awesome.

Thank you to everyone who has sent me letters, gifts, or packages. I appreciate every single letter. Lugash Family, the necklace you sent me is absolutely beautiful. You guys are too sweet.

I know I haven't put up pictures in a while, but not to worry, I have been taking pictures. The internet connection in Sikasso, while it does exist at the Peace Corps house and I use it whenever I come into town, is not strong enough to upload an album on Facebook. I'll have to wait to do that when I go back to Bamako for our IST training in June. Patience, loved ones.