Yup

The first days are getting harder, and I am pretty sure they are going to get really hard before they start getting better! It's certainly been a rough couple of weeks at site, and from talking to my friends here in Kita, they are all experiencing similar things. Here is a short list of things to imagine: what if 5 people laughed at you every time you did anything, what if people were constantly telling you that you “can't” do something (cook rice or do laundry for instance), what if you were constantly being stared at, what if you were being called “Hey, tubaboo (Hey, white person!)” constantly, what if you were told you don't understand anything, what if you have had marriage suggested to you by 10 men in a single day – none of whom you have said more than 5 words to in your life, what if a wife offers you her husband (you can be the second wife!), what if you have nearly burned your house down twice, dumped a cup of salt on your dinner, and ruined your first attempt at cooking Malian beans (after at least 4 women have told you that same day that you can't cook Malian beans), what if you are “lonely, but never alone”, what if your language tutor (who you are paying) just sits there waiting for you to instigate any and all conversations/language learning, what if rain is still coming through your roof and mice are eating your food, what if you've been told multiple times “you should give me X” (X = headlamp, necklace, clothes, you name it), what if you have a terrible cold compounding all of these things?

Yeah, it's been rough.

Here's another list of things to consider: what if your homologue seems to be the most awesome, hardworking woman in the village; what if her kids are also awesome and make sure that you have food to eat and a place to dance if you want it; what if you can hardly understand her parents-in-law because they have no teeth, but they smile at you every time you come into the compound and ask how you are doing; what if the mayor comes to your house and asks for a chair, then sets down a plastic bag that holds a delicious cooked chicken, which you then share for lunch; what if you've been able to watch the Malian national soccer team beat Sudan 1-0 with friends (they should have won 5-0), what if you've been told that your language has improved a lot in two weeks by someone who is willing to chat with you and help you practice Bambara; what if you made a huge, amazing salad with a friend who likes to call himself “Cheick Obama”; what if you've read two really good books (in English); what if you received a letter from a good friend back in the US; what if you've figured out how to get BBC reception in your hut on the shortwave radio; what if everyone greets you wherever you go (because that's what Malians do); what if you have huge plans for a garden in your head, but haven't started yet (this could go in either list); what if you had a really nice “complet” (outfit – long skirt and top) made by the tailor in your village; what if you've made friends with a 15 year old who really wants to learn English and is willing to have a bit of a language exchange – and who takes you out to see his family's fields, my first real trip to the fields; what if you have a loving family back home who is going through rough times too, but is still able to call you at midnight to chat for an hour. All of that is when you have to say thank you, life is good.

With all that said, here are some pictures. Tierno (my homologue's daughter) did jabi on my hand for fun, she did a really great job. Here's the tape beforehand:


And, here's the after picture. Those are my Malian and American initials on my hand:


Here are a couple of pictures from my friend's corn field. The first is a pile of corn laid out in the middle of the field while the corn dries. In a couple of weeks he will pick all of the corn and it will be turned into any number of different foods. The second picture is a pretty tree.




Here's my homologue's granddaughter, unsure quite what to do with the stickers I gave her:


Here is my beautiful neigbor and her baby sister:


Here are the two huts, with the sweet new mud wall and shaded area that were built between homestay and when I arrived.



My nyegen has a door now!


And walls!



Here's another view of my compound:


That's all until next time, take it easy until then.