Questions...

Here tilenna??

One of my big brothers (Adam) sent me a list of questions pertaining to Mali and my stay here this semester. I thought the questions were very interesting and thus have decided to post the questions and my answers as my next blog entry. Yes, I realize this is not an update about my life but I think the questions serve a great purpose… some basic background information about Mali which I am sure all of you will love to learn about.


QUESTIONS:

Many of these questions were answered with what I think based off of my cultural observations and immersion and not directly based in fact. I think that will be made somewhat obvious though due to the qualitative (instead of quantitative) nature of the questions. For all questions I could base in hard fact and figures, or someone else’s expert opinion instead of my own layman opinion, I have done so.

1. What is the poverty level of Mali compared to the other countries in Africa?

Poverty levels are a next-to-impossible statistic to figure out. Most ‘poverty level’ statistics are based on annual GDPs which really tell you nothing about the level of poverty within that country but are instead based on wealth generation and import/exports (both things are almost impossible to calculate in the third world and even when they are calculated correctly, they don’t reflect how ‘poor’ the population is). Also, because there is an inability to define or create a universal standard to equate ‘quality of life’, there isn’t a way to measure it in terms of that either. With that said… on most lists, Mali typically ranks around 5th but depending on how it is calculated, I have seen it rank as low as 10th and as high as 3rd.

2. Is Mali considered a developing country?

All countries not in the realm of the ‘first world’ are considered developing unless they are considered a failed state by the UN Index of Failed States. There are very few of those so yes, to answer the question, Mali would be considered a developing country.

3. How has France influenced Mali socially and economically?

Every social and economic aspect, in the grand scheme of Mali, has been impacted by French colonialism. Literally every single thing in Mali is touched by some aspect of colonialism and without proper documentation pre-colonialism to document its culture in detail, much of the indigenous aspects of Mali are quickly slipping away into a place where they can never be retrieved. Haha… I can’t answer this question properly and in good conscious without going into extensive detail and research so, I am choosing to not really answer it. There is TONS of literature on this topic specifically and generally AND every paper I have ever written on the topic of Africa touches on this subject in general so if you are dying for some extracurricular reading… I’ve solved your problem.

4. Is Islam the major religion in the country?

Yes, over 90% of the population practices Islam and considers themselves to be Muslim. But, it has a much different feel than other countries (in the Middle East for example) that are more conservative about their approach to religion. They are not as culturally strict with observing the details of the religion or dress. Malians, like much of the rest of West Africa, still hold some native beliefs as religious beliefs and they are collectively EXTREMELY superstitious— as in, they still believe in magic and witchcraft.

5. What is the dynamic between French Catholicism and Malian Islamic beliefs?

French Catholicism is basically non-existent here. The country was Islamic before it was French and although the French were notorious for converting their colonies into fake-Frenchman (or second class citizens that were told with enough refinement they could someday potentially become ‘French’) that didn’t really happen in Mali. The French only wanted this area to exploit it and didn’t really care about their religion.

6. What are the main exports of Mali?

Mainly cotton and rice… and I read gold and livestock. But, I don’t believe the gold statistic. It is notorious when you buy jewelry here that it isn’t going to be real gold and it is supposedly rare here so I think the source I read ‘gold’ at was lying.

7. What are the main imports of Mali?

Petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs, textiles… is what I found online but once again, I don’t know how true it is. I would say construction materials is a lie… they make tons of bricks and even in the rural areas have an abundance of cement. They also use a dirt mixture to make their building structures so this seems unlikely. As for textiles… that is what Mali is known for so I DOUBT that is one of their main imports… but that is just my opinion.

8. Are there any American customs that are offensive to the people of Mali?

That is a tough one because they LOVE America. It is also tough because as an American you can get away with practically anything so really there is nothing you could do to ‘offend’ them. Also, they think anyone from the West is SUPER weird so if you did something they didn’t agree with or that they thought was really weird they wouldn’t get mad, they would just assume that you are doing it because you are from the West. But to kind of give you an answer, there are some things about our personalities and daily activities that are outrageous to them… for instance, the female chest is seen by Americans as upper thighs are seen by Malians. Meaning, the way the female chest is sexualized and viewed in the US is the same way men view upper thighs here. So, if a girl was to walk around in shorts, etc in the day time it would be considered pretty scandalous. Also, they are HUGE about salutations so if you don’t greet everyone every time you walk into the room that is bad (and there is a certain way to greet people which I can explain when I get home and if you don’t follow it, that’s not good either). Having dirty feet and dirty hands is also seen as really bad here—because they are Muslim and thus wash with water five times a day before prayer, there extremities are very clean. And, because most westerns aren’t used to the dirt, and because it shows up on our skin better, AND because after being here a week or two you get sick of continually scrubbing yourself just to go back outside to get dirty again… they think we are kind of dirty. Also, they use a kettle to wash after going to the bathroom instead of toilet paper. They think that water is the cleanest source and that you are not clean if you only use paper. Thus, if you don’t take the kettle into the restroom with you OR they see you with toilet paper, they think you are not only weird, but gross too. The last big difference or thing that would be considered rude would be the way they treat family versus the way we treat family. Here, if a family member comes to visit you, you aren’t allowed to ask them to leave and if you do that is REALLLLLLLY rude. In addition, family members are typically dependent on each other-- a lot of times one or two siblings will make a majority of the money and the rest of the family will just mooch off of them. Because we would not treat them like that, they would think we are rude and it would be seen as offensive to them.

9. How has pollution or environmental change affected Mali?

Basically the same way it affects all developing countries. Environmental concerns are a luxury allotted to countries that have nothing better to do with their time but worry about the environment. Because it is not an immediate threat (unlike all of the other things Mali has to worry about—disease, hunger, desertification, etc), the environment sits on the back burner and is rarely, if ever, talked about. The industrial sector here produces enough smog to cause the snot in my nose to turn black when I blow it and covers the city in a foggy black smog. Because of a lack of concern and knowledge about vehicles, they are a terrible pollutant. All the cars here are older, not well maintenance, and don’t run properly. Huge diesel trucks emit black fumes that look to be almost solid because they aren’t translucent. Although the cities are terrible, the rest of the underdeveloped countryside is obviously untouched and incredibly beautiful and clear.

10. What is Mali's governmental structure?

It is a parliamentary democracy mocked after the French system with a President and Prime Minister.

11. Does France control or influence Mali's government?

No, it does not ‘control’ it but it obviously heavily influences it. The structure is definitely based in French ideals but individual elections are not controlled by France.

12. Does France provide any health care or aid to Mali?

Other than its logistical infrastructure, France does not provide any health care in the nationalist sense of the word. France and other countries (especially the US) create health organizations most typically through NGOs (Non-governmental organizations) and non-profit organizations. Some governmental programs do exist but I don’t know the specifics on them in connection to France. Because of my program, we typically focus on the how the US effects Mali and the aid it gives through governmental actions and NGOs. Because Mali is so poor and lacking basic infrastructure and access to health care, there is a TON of aid flooding to Mali and TONS of NGOs present.

13. How would you describe the "mood" of the Malian people? Does this change from town to town? Does income level make a difference?

Malian people are the happiest group of people I have ever personally met. No matter the income level (although, typically the lower the happier) almost the entire population is high on life. No, it doesn’t change from town to town except for the further north you go the more conservative the cities become and with that comes less of a display of outward happiness but I don’t think that it necessarily means they are any less happy. Malians dance every where they walk and it’s rare to catch anyone in silence… they are either singing, laughing, or yelling at each other (instead of talking, they yell—not in an angry way but they just talk really loud and aggressively). Because of the Islamic influence, the people are very friendly and helpful as well. There are very few crimes committed here and most people you met are genuinely well natured and eager to help you. Also, the people here just love life. They love the work they do, their huge crazy loud families, the food they eat, and the floor they sleep on. Unlike in the US where something ‘better’ is always hanging in front of our faces, they don’t have that here. They don’t have VH1’s ‘Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous’ and other pop culture, advertisements, etc examples thrust in front of their face to ever make them question what they have. They have no reason to think that what they have isn’t the very best out there and because they never contemplate the lack of ‘greatness’ or ‘wealth’ in their lives, they live contently with it.

14. What is the greatest cause of death in Mali?

Malaria is by far the greatest cause of death and is then followed by malnutrition. The two typically go hand in hand as well. Due to the inability for poorer families to access health care, malnourished children are typically the first to die if struck by a case of malaria because of their body’s inability to fight off the disease.

15. What do the people of Mali think of President Obama?

THEY FREAKING LOVE HIM! Everyone knows tons about him… and when I say everyone, I mean EVERYONE… from the uneducated, illiterate elderly man selling peanuts on the side of the road to my 6 year old little sister. When Obama won, yes, I obviously understood the importance and significance but from my frame of reference I never really thought about his race. I was so excited about his more liberal and radical approach to government that all I could ever see were his politics. Obama represents so much hope to so many people internationally, it’s incredible. To look at it from their view, the most powerful, prosperous country in the world has put a man of color (representational of oppression, etc) in power and in charge. It’s inspirational to young generations of Africans and shows that education can take you places. It gives them an ‘in your face’ kind of idol that inspires them to push themselves. They absolutely adore him, to say the least and his face is on fabric, Sitramas (the public transportation), coiffures (hair places), semi-trucks, belts, watches, posters, t-shirts, restaurants, cars… you name it, and his face is on it.

16. What do the people of Mali think of America?

First and foremost, they love us because we aren’t France. Because the US was ‘anti-colonialism’ when all of the other empires were still holding on to their colonies, they see us as more of a friend and partner than an oppressor. Also, an interesting side story… a tour guide once explained to us that during World War II the French enlisted tons of Malian soldiers to fight shortly after they had entered into the war. Because the French fell so quickly to the Nazi regime, all of the Malian soldiers were sent to concentration camps. They see the US as the power that stepped in and defeated the Nazis and thus freed their countrymen. Lastly, they see the US as the land of opportunity, wealth, and good looks. Their typical image of what the US is like is through entertainment so they see people like Beyonce and Lil’ Wayne and think that if they could get to the US, their lives would emulate those African-Americans.

17. What do the people of Mali think about America having enslaved Africans in the past?

Many different ethnic groups throughout Africa enslaved each other so they don’t look at slavery through the isolated lens that we, as Americans, do. Instead of looking at the enslavement of Africans in the past as ‘the US had slaves’, I would say they approach the topic from the angle of ‘look at what the Africans did in their country… gained freedom, became equals… the US is the land of equality and freedom based on the fact that even the people they tried to oppress ended up free.’ They understand that there WAS oppression but they think that it no longer exists and that racism is no longer found in the United States—sometimes it gets a little difficult to try and explain through a language barrier that the US isn’t perfect either because most people don’t believe it.

18. What is the average diet of the Malian people?

Rice and oil. Rice is inexpensive so they eat it at EVERY meal. Everything they make is typically all based in oil. The reason for this is, oil is filling and it allows food to go farther. They can take a sauce that would have maybe fed 5 people and double its amount by adding that much oil to the mix. The types of sauces include oil mixed with spices, okra, peanuts or some gross thing that is black. There are other things too but those sauces are the staples. Another main staple is called To, which is pounded millet. It is similar to a gray Play-to/ goo like substance that is eaten with either a brown sauce, red sauce, or lime green alien slug sauce (as I like to refer to is as). They also cook potatoes and a sweet potato like vegetable. They don’t typically eat much meat unless they are wealthy and even then the quality is very low. They eat fish and have an abundance of eggs but even those aren’t eaten unless the family is financially well off. They don’t eat very many vegetables and most Malian’s don’t really care for fruit although it is everywhere. As American students, we don’t have the financial constraints experienced by most Malians and so we are able to take advantage of the extremely low prices and eat more produce typically consisting of tomatoes, cucumbers, oranges, bananas, pineapples, apples, sou-sou (it’s an AWESOME fruit here), watermelon, and corn but that is about it for fresh produce. Lastly, they coat almost everything in a bouillon substance called Maggi—which is basically powdered or liquefied MSG.

19. Is there a strong or weak military/police presence?

Okay this is a multi-layered question so let me first start with the military… there is not a strong military presence in Mali. Although you see soldiers around and they are present in places like the airport, it is no different than the type of military presence we feel in the United States. As for the police, they are everywhere and the presence is especially strong at night. Although they are typically friendly when you ask for directions or need help, they love bribes and getting a little extra money on the side. There is a strange curfew-like setting once it get darks and everyone is required to carry valid identification on them in case you were to be stopped by the police. This has actually happened to me twice and both times I experienced a little ‘run-in’ with the law officials. The first time was on my birthday and I was in a taxi with three other friends. We were all on our way back home after going to the boites that night and our taxi got stopped at a ‘random’ search. The police officers asked to see our identification and my friend Kat and I didn’t have ours on us so the two boys we were with pulled the two officers aside and slipped them a bribe so we could be on our way. The second time was after another night of going out. I was once again in a taxi with three other people, but this time the other three were all girls. The police officers pulled the taxi over and all of us had our identification cards except one girl. The police tried to bully us and wanted to take the one girl, by herself, down to the police station. After some confident argumentation in French (not done by me, but my friend Hannah), the police let us go after a large bribe. To make a long story short… the police presence is heavy and although it can be helpful, it is also very corrupt and sometimes intimidating/ scary. I never instinctually feel safe when I see a police officer but instead wonder if he is going to use his position of power against me.

20. Are there any natural disasters that affect or threaten Mali?

Desertification but I don’t know if I would call that a ‘natural’ disaster. It happens from misuse and poor handling of the land through bad agricultural practices. In the rainy season, areas close to the Niger River flood and can cause damage but it is typically kept under control. During the spring, Mali experiences severe draught and unimaginably hot temperatures. Although I have obviously not experienced this, I have been told, and had it explained to me MANY times, that the heat in the spring is suffocating. I hear everything in Mali shuts down from 11AM to 3PM everyday because it is physically too hot to do anything.

21. What type of natural environment (mountains, desert, grassland) does Mali have?

The entire northern region is all deserts-- the Sahara desert, to be exact. But, the southern region is less desert-like. Although there is no grass, and instead all dirt and sand, the southern region has a lot of trees and shrubbery. Also, the Niger River runs through Mali and most of the country’s major cities take advantage of it because of their close proximity. There are some ‘mountainous’ dwellings but that is a bit overgenerous because the rock-structures aren’t quit big enough to be called mountains.

22. What has been your greatest challenge?

I would say I have three off the top of my head including: food, language, and witnessing sickness. First off, food… my body can’t properly digest the type of oil they use in abundance in all of their food. Thus, 45 minutes to an hour after every single meal for the entire semester I have been getting sick. The sickness typically only lasts about 30 to 45 minutes and never consists of me throwing up. To help, my family started fixing me separate meals and from time-to-time I would go have dinner at my friend Kat’s house because her family only ever fed her cucumbers and tomatoes. Secondly, language… the French language is hard enough but when you add in their weird thick accents, lack of acknowledgement to any grammatical rules, Bambara vocabulary, rapid speech patterns, and my inability to properly absorb language… it starts to really add up. The term ‘language barrier’ has never seemed so descriptive. I gave up on learning Bambara… it was too hard and confusing and I need to improve my French more than I need to learn a third language. Thirdly, witnessing sickness… it is a challenge to watch a little kid with grayish-yellow eyes rummage through piles of waste and debris without any pants or underwear on and snot dripping down their nose. It is a challenge to see a child covered in sores and bumps and bites running around completely naked for the whole world to observe its protruding malnourished little belly and improperly cut belly button. It is a challenge to walk through the SESComs (local area health care facility) and hospitals for an innumerable amount of reasons that even the best writer or storyteller could not recount and the best photographer could not capture. With kids in particular, but it is truly difficult across the board, it is a challenge to sit in the presences of such sickness. Especially when you bond with the child and ESPECIALLY when you know that most of their conditions are unnamed, untreated, and undiagnosed illnesses that will never be helped, cured, or even really acknowledged.


QUICK UPDATE

I have been living in Sanankoroba, a rural village outside of Bamako, for the last 10 days conducting research at the SOS Children’s Village here. For the field study research portion of my semester I have decided to take an intimate look at the organization and how it functions. The SOS Children’s Village is an organization that sets up uniquely structured homes for orphaned and abandoned children throughout the world. There are 450 worldwide, three of which are in Mali. I have been living with one of the families within the village observing their familial structure, attending kindergarten, primary, and secondary school, and holding interviews with anyone that will talk to me (including the headmasters, mothers, school children, teachers, and the main director of Sanankoroba’s SOS Village). So far, it has been awesome and my huge research paper is going really well! It is an incredible place to spend time and I feel truly blessed to get to conduct my research here. If anyone is curious about the international organization or wants to know more information about its branch in Sanankoroba, it is easy to Google.
That is it for now… next time I write I will try and give a little bit more insight into what I am actually up to on a day to day basis. Love and miss you all!!

Here doron!
Love.Sarah

the grand excursion

Hey Everyone--
HAPPY (belated) HALLOWEEN!!!!!!

GRAND EXCURSION
So, I am back from the trip with my class that was appropriately entitled the ‘Grand Excursion’. We spent 10 days traveling around different regions of Mali, taking tours and enjoying what the different cities had to offer. In order to make this as organized as possible, I will write the name of the city, and the dates we slept in each place with a description of what we did or saw there.

Segou (October 28 and 29)
After a 5 hour bus/ van ride from Bamako to Segou, we were treated to a great lunch at our hotel. Whenever we travel as a large group, our professors always have us sleep in pretty nice places that have restaurants attached. By western standards, the hotels are comparable to maybe a Motel 8 but by Malian standards… the hotels seem like palaces. We spent the first day in Segou observing the river and visiting a huge dam. The riverside observations were somewhat interesting… we saw women washing clothes and dishes, men washing sheep, boats being made, children swimming, and people bathing. Although the river looks semi-toxic, no one really seems to have a big issue using it. Like I have said before, the Niger River is both a blessing and a curse. The dam was actually incredible. Not only was it huge but the amount of activity taking place all around us was astounding. There were so many people doing so many things, no one really even had an opportunity to stare at our huge group of white tourists and bombard us with questions of gifts and money. Also, when we crossed over the dam there were huge stampedes of cattle crossing at the same time from the opposite direction. All of us had to squish onto the narrow sidewalks and press our bodies against the railings as to make sure we wouldn’t get trampled. Because the cattle/ bulls are very unique here… SO huge with big horns and strange humps on their backs… and because they were SO close… we had little to no choice but to reach out our hands and cop a little feel. Now, I must admit, I almost chickened out but after a little pep talk, I took a deep breath, waited for the biggest bull to pass, and reached my hand out and grazed its side. It was awesome… to say the least. After that little adventure, we returned to the hotel to find that… there was a POOL there! Obviously we spent the rest of the night soaking in the water and I thought I had just had one of my best days yet, but little did I know, Grand Excursion had really only just started.
The next day we visited two women’s groups — the first of which uses scraps of fabric to produce large paignes (floor length fabric that makes skirts) and bags. The second organization we visited trains women to make large woven rugs. Both organizations bring in untrained and uneducated women who are looking for a brighter future, train them in a skill or craft, and then employ them. Although the organizations make little to no profit, making it difficult for them to bring in more women and continue to function, they seem to be doing well enough for themselves to at least help a handful of women support themselves. Organizations like this are also helpful in promoting women’s rights in the society and exposing the needs of women and their children. These organizations typically act as the voice of women and are empowering for they are created and run by women, for the good of women. Later that afternoon, we visited the tomb of Biton Mamary Coulibaly, also known as the founder of the city of Segou and took a tour of the rural village 30 minutes away from town. Here, we were mobbed by children who after two months have started to lose their charm and become more of a health hazard than feeling of joy. It is difficult to know that a child has only ever seldom washed their hands in dirty, bacteria infested river water. They then play in waste that the city has been accumulating as well as with dirty animals and have no conscious understanding that they are touching and walking through feces. They use their hands to scratch sores, clean their skin of puss, and wipe their bums after they use the restroom. Then, after all of that, they want to hold your hand while shouting “Cadeaux! Toobaboo! Cadeaux! Toobaboo!” which translates into them begging you for presents or basically anything you have in your hands at that moment… water battle, pen, camera, sunglasses… you name it, they want it. We proceeded to spend the rest of the day lounging pool side after lunch which we all needed. It was a perfect way to start our trip and energized us enough to enjoy the rest of our long journey.

Djenne (October 30 and 31)
We left Segou early on the morning of the 30th and took the 5 hour trip to Djenne. The journey was pretty easy and we even got to take a ferry across to the other side of the Niger River, where Djenne is located. The ferry ride was fun except for when we were unloading… I wasn’t paying attention and I almost got run over by our van that was unloading. Alou Balou (our driver) wasn’t paying very close attention and almost crushed me. Bright side? Alou Balou proceeded to treat me like a princess for the next 8 days and I got to keep all of my limbs! Win, win situation.
All together, Segou looked and felt very similar to Bamako. Very little of the climate or scenery had changed between the two cities. Djenne, on the other hand, was extremely different. Not only did the entire town have a more laid back, calm, and conservative Islamic feel, complete with Moroccan architecture and Mali’s most famous Mosque, but everything was sand and dirt-- there was little to no greenery. All buildings were made of a mud/clay mixture; the ground was also only dirt and sand. Overall, the temperature was cooler as well and on Halloween, it even rained. In Bamako, the rainy season is over and although it has gotten cooler (low to mid 90 degrees), it is still rather hot. The only down side to the cooling rain we experienced in Djenne was that rain and dirt do not mix well… especially dirt buildings and rain. One night I was walking in the rain from one side of our hotel to the other and because it was slippery, I tried to use one of the walls as a base for my own personal catapult. Instead of hurling myself forward, like I had intended to do, I simply broke off a large chunk from the wall. Although the hotel was not angry with me (their hotel is made out of dirt and it was raining, what can you really expect?!?) they were not overly pleased with my display of sloppy behavior.
For our first day in Djenne, we took a walking tour around the city to see the famous Mosque, study the architecture, see a tomb of a girl that had been ‘sacrificed’, visit a museum, and learn about their waste/sewage system. The mosque was great from the outside but unfortunately, we were not allowed to go inside. Because a famous French photographer once used the inside of the mosque as the backdrop to a nude photo shoot, non-Muslims are no longer allowed inside which was obviously heartbreaking for everyone in my group. The Moroccan architecture was extremely beautiful and rich with Islamic meaning and tradition inlayed into almost every detail. Although the museum and tomb were somewhat boring, observing their sewage system was very interesting. Not only was it right in our faces as we walked throughout the city, the smell would have been enough of a lesson. The system they use is basically open canals that are not covered but instead flow openly throughout the city. Thus, as you walk through back streets, you literally walk next to them and over them in order to get from point A to point B. They then spew out into the Niger River in the same spots were everyone washes, fishes, plays, and drinks. It is alarming, smelly, disheartening, and overwhelming all at the same time.
The second day was Halloween and it started with an awesome adventure. My entire class piled into three tiny boats and traveled directly on the Niger River for our first time yet. Now, traveling on a boat in a river doesn’t sound that invigorating but let me paint a little picture for you—the boats were TINY and because we are Americans, we are BIG. Also, the boats are Malian made (aka. pretty poorly made) and we were traveling in the Niger River… you know, the one thing the SIT program told us over and over again NEVER to touch. So here we are, cramped two-by-two into these small boats that are sinking lower and lower with each person that is added to the boat. Because one of the boats (this one happens to be the one I am in) is sinking too low into the water, some of the kids have to move from one boat to another. Thus, they straddled between two boats over the river while inevitably shaking both boats back and forth-- scary. As we proceed to travel in the boats, they started to fill with water and every time anyone leaned ever so slightly in any one direction, the boat tilted, everyone screamed with fear of the water touching them, and then we all got wet and silently prayed to not get any parasites. After traveling for about 15 beautiful minutes, we are dropped off onto an island and then escorted around the ancient archeological site that was discovered in the area years before. The walk around was super hot and the ground was covered in thorns that got stuck in the bottom of our flip-flops causing a lot of pain. After about three hours of that, we were ready to board the boats back to the main land. We spent the rest of the day indoors due to the massive amount of rain we encountered but didn’t let any of that stop us from celebrating everyone’s favorite holiday—HALLOWEEN! Every single person in my class came prepared with a costume. We were very well represented with a fisherman, Indian princess, gypsy, octopus, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, bumblebee, Africa Siamese-twins, Superman (me), and much more! You can take kids out of America, but you can’t take America out of the kids. We celebrated in style, keeping the entire hotel up most of the night in true ‘20-something year old, rowdy American kid’ style. It was fun, refreshing, and just the dose of home all of us needed.

Sangha/ Dogon Country (November 1 and 2)
The next day we got up early and headed out on our 7+ hour journey to the Dogon Country. Dogon Country is THE bomb.com to say the least. Not only was this hands down my favorite part of the country due to its scenery, hospitality, and incredible weather but we did the best activities on our two day visit.
The first day was very leisurely. Because we had such a long journey in the van and because I was recovering from a bit of car sickness, I opted to nap for a while and then do a little private tour of the city of Sangha. My class did nothing together this day but instead had free time to chill out, relax, regroup and prepare ourselves for the huge hike we were preparing to take the very next morning.
To preface this hike (the fourth this semester) I should begin by saying on our very first day of class way back in August, our professors forewarned us about this hike. They told us it is the single most challenging bit of physical exercise we will endure all semester. We even heard tales of small children who run alongside you saying they will carry your bags for you because students typically look like they are going to pass out from sheer exhaustion. Needless to say, my athletic-lacking little butt was worried and nervous. I obviously thought I would hate it but went into it with a positive attitude telling myself that if two of my 60 year old professors could do it, so could I! Little did I know but I was about to have the best experience of my entire life. We climbed up and down huge sections of rocks, around waterfalls, through dusty villages, alongside cliff dwellings, and across countryside. The weather? Perfection. The scenery? Perfection. The company? Perfection. The level of challenge? Perfection. I have never completed something and felt so healthy, alive, accomplished, and proud all while in the midst of beauty that can never be put into words or captured in a picture. I think I can officially say that I have transformed from a Johnson County princess to a hike-loving, semi outdoor-enthusiast. For further visual explanation, please see facebook and the pictures labeled ‘dogon country…’. After our 5 hour morning hike, we went back to the hotel, showered, ate lunch, regrouped, took our laundry down to be washed, and headed out again for some traditional dancing. We got to see Dogon men, dressed in traditional and ceremonial clothing, perform a tribal mask dance. Not only was the rhythmic drumming and singing enchanting but the combination of their costumes, masks, and dance moves were hypnotizing. They had several animals and Gods represented, as well as men on stilts. The choreographed movement and dancing was systematic, well-planned and practiced, yet very spontaneous and natural. After the dancing, and a bit of relaxing free time, we had dinner and then all crowded onto the roof to set up camp for the night. Although we all had our own rooms in the hotel that consisted of a single mattress in the middle of a concrete room with no other bare essentials, we opted to all sleep outside on our mattresses for the night. Due to the incredibly cool temperature and lack of mosquitoes in the air, it was the perfect ending to a perfect day. Lying out under a complete blanket of stars, breathing in the freshest air on earth, surrounded by my classmates, after an exhausting and rewarding day of hiking and cultural activities is absolutely the best ending to any day I have yet to live. And, to add a cherry to the sundae of my day, I woke up the next morning shivering cold (the first time I have been ‘cool’ all semester) to a sunrise that was too precious to even try and capture in a photograph—I have decided that some things and moments are too beautiful to be ruined with a photo but instead must be absorbed whole heartedly in that moment with every ounce of your energy—breathing, feeling, and experiencing the moment of beauty for the enjoyment of only yourself and claiming a moment of selfishness knowing that you, and only you, have the ability to recall the exact feeling and image of that moment. It’s soul cleansing, to give it a technical term, and that can never be put into a piece of technology but instead, can only be lived and experienced organically.

Mopti (November 3 and 4)
Mopti was a drastic change of pace from Dogon Country and snapped us back to reality. With its hustle and bustle, market scene, crowded streets, and location to the water (and thus, tons of boats, people and activity) we found ourselves all too quickly back in the real world. Our first activity after the 4 hour drive into town was to scramble onto a huge boat and take a tour of the city from the water. The big boat, or perog, was very comfortable and a very thought-through way of looking at the city. We were able to get to the island outskirts of the city and see more rural dwellings as well as observe the role the river plays in this particular area. After a bit of shopping and two stressful meals (Malians trying to feed a group of 20+ is a joke and requires the patience of a young grasshopper) we were all exhausted and turned in early for the night.
On the second day, we found ourselves on a ground tour of the city exploring the market, boat ‘factory’ (I use the term ‘factory’ affectionately and not accurately), mosque, and artisana (or shopping market). I bargained my way through the city buying souvenirs with a few friends and finally made it back to the hotel in time to take advantage of the wireless internet our room received thanks to its close proximity to the hotel lobby (shout out to room number 1 and, Kat and I’s ability to continually pick the BEST room in every single hotel in which we stayed).

Segou (November 5)
For our last night, we returned to Segou. Because the drive from Mopti to Bamako is a total of 12.5 hours, our class stopped back in Segou to enjoy another night in our favorite pool-inclusive hotel. After the 7.5 hour car ride, the first thing most of did was shed our clothes and jump right into the pool. There is nothing more relaxing than lying out by the pool, in sunshine, with your laptop and wireless internet after a long 10 days worth of traveling. The next afternoon we returned to Bamako and life got back to normal…


REALITY
On Friday November 5th, after returning from the Grand Excursion, I moved into a new house! For the next, and last month of my trip, everyone conducts a research project. Thus far, all of us have spent a majority of the semester gathering background research and making contacts so that for the next month we continue to research and write our huge fieldwork research paper. Instead of spending the next month with my host family, a few friends and I decided to rent a house in downtown Bamako. Although I will be spending a majority of the month in a small village outside of the city at an orphanage, whenever I am in the city, I will be living at this new address. To summarize the house we rented let me say this… it is AWESOME! Kat, Luke, Sam, and I (the housemates) each get our own bedroom as well as an indoor kitchen, bathrooms with hot water showers from a shower head, two family rooms, an entry/ dining room, semi-air conditioning and a houseboy named Benoit. Although it is a little dirty, I am getting great practice in the realm of ‘domestic-goddess’ training by playing an active role in our little pretend family and learning to clean AND cook—it’s shocking, I know.
I leave this Tuesday for the SOS Village, or orphanage, where I will be conducting my research and I couldn’t be more excited. I plan to hop back and forth between Sanakoroba and Bamako for the next month working hard to crank out my first piece of real fieldwork research. I promise not to wait almost three weeks to post another blog—time flies when you’re busy.
As for my last update,
I think most everyone knows but I have decided not to go to Cameroon next semester. Instead, I switched programs and will be traveling to Fiji to gain a new and exciting perspective of a culture located literally on the polar opposite side of the globe. I am so excited and already looking forward to my next big adventure. The one month countdown has started… I will rapidly go from the weather of summer to winter, I don’t know how my body will handle it but luckily I get to quickly return to paradise-like settings for the spring.

Love and miss you all!
Love, Sarah