Goodbye to Yelimané

We visited Yelimané for the last time this past weekend. As much as we realize things have changed since we first set eyes on that place, we also realize that nothing really does change. Kids get bigger, new ones arrive, older people leave, mud buildings are replaced with concrete, temporary markets are replaced with more permanent structures, true, but one could return there in twenty years and the same lives will still be going on. The spirit of the place will remain the same. The lives will no longer be lived by the current parents but by their children and they will continue much as before. Prayers will still be said five times a day, fields will still be hoed by hand, women will still give birth aided only by other women whose qualifications are that they have survived all their deliveries. The same food will be eaten, the same transport will be taken (this is meant in the most literal fashion – the same vehicles will be in use), the same villages no more than an hour’s walk away will be the furthest some of the women will ever travel in their lives. Children will still be cute and their lives will still be difficult ahead of them. People will take time for people. Tea time will remain the most important time, the only real time. The joy in life will be, as ever, chatting with family and friends. Nothing will ever be more important than properly greeting people. We hope to take some of these last bits home with us…

Postcard Wall Is Complete

A few final cards have joined the wall. These will likely be the final additions, as our time here comes to an end in less than 2 weeks. If you sent us one (or many) we thank you, if you are planning to send us one you are too late, if you sent one that never arrived don’t worry about it as that is pretty common, if you never sent one shame on you. There are kids in Africa starving for news from their friends.

Jay Oleson from Sam’s high school class sent one from his home in Bretton Woods, NH. Good to hear from him and great to get an antique postcard through the mail (it must be about 100 years old). Very Brewster’s Millions.


J.B. Boyd sent us a card from South Carolina rather than make good on his claim to come visit us in Africa. We think he was just trying to get out of the deal where he stayed with us in Africa in exchange for a painting, or maybe he was just taunting us because he lives in a "real" tropical paradise.

The Wandering Wallaces of Dialafara, Kayes region fame seem to have had a pretty good year. They spent it teaching English in France and then worked at summer camps there before touring Italy where they sent us a card from Pisa. They are now off to China for a year to teach English there. Exciting.


Emily Doerr continued her impressive postcard sending rate. She has a new job and they seem to be sending her all over the globe. She checked in from Belgrade (which looks just like it did back in the ‘40s) and from Skopje, Macedonia (or at least we think that is what it says but we are pretty sure they spelled it wrong). She was wondering if she had sent cards from the most bizarre places and normally she might be in the running (although Finland and West Virginia are hard to beat) except that we both agreed that the random card from a stranger in Malaysia who just happened to read our blog was hard to top. Emily was just in South America and we hope to get some from there before we go but it is likely too late.

We listed at one time or another all the cards we received. As we said, if you did send one and it never got here don’t sweat it. We sent ones to ourselves from the USA and they never arrived, so we know it does happen. We just want to say to those that did send us cards, thank you. Life as a Peace Corps volunteer in Africa is not always easy and we didn’t always want to be here. Looking at that wall and seeing all the support we get from great people made it bearable at times when it really wasn’t. So, thank you all for reminding us what we left behind and who awaits our return, you helped us through this more than you know.