Our first Malian trip was a success! During our first 3 months at site we are allowed only to travel within our region, so we decided to take a trip to Kita, together with six other friends. The easiest, most direct route would be by train. We constantly heard all the stories of theft and derailment but we decided it was a must do one time while in Mali. Why not cross it off the list early? How bad could it really be? We've traveled pleanty in the 3rd world. So we bought tickets and made our way to the train station where we found our seats, or better yet remnants of our seats. They were literally the coil springs. Yes, we sat on coil springs for about 10 hours. It was a bonus that the cushion and leather was still there for us to recline against.
At 10 hours the train stopped for a longer period of time than normal. We thought the employees were just eating and praying so we were worry free. And then we departed and got about 200 ft where we stopped, the tracks were moved and we pulled back into the station on a different set of tracks. It was about then that we prepared ourselves to sleep on the train for a night. We were in a small train town with no roads and no motos.
But 2 hours later a sotorama - a hollowed out van with benches, the main mode of transport for short distances in Mali - arrived out of nowhere. We ran over and demanded to know where they were going. Kita rang from the man's lips so we jumped in expecting his 1 hour quote to take 3 hours on a horribly bumpy dirt road. But after 1 hour and 15 minutes on the smoothest dirt road we've ever been on we arrived safely in Kita.
Kita was fun and low key. We did a lot of sitting around, talking and catching up. We did climb a hill outside on the edge of town one day, which was fun too. And we dressed up - see previous posting. The day before we were to return home we went to the rail station to buy our tickets. We were informed that the train was still not running as the track that was broken, having prevented us from getting all the way to Kita, still had not been fixed - Dooni, Dooni - Slow, Slow.
So the only way home was a by bus - and what a journey that was. 25 hours door to door to go 550 miles. Our bus was quite scary and our seats were worse than the train. While all the cusions were in tact, they were not properly bolted to the floor and they were reclining on the seat behind them. That is until they sold that seat to a Malian and then our seats were reclined onto a Malian's lap. He would just lift us off him, change positions as needed and gently lay us back upon his lap. He spent 9 hours like that! Thank goodness he only had to go half way to our location.
At about 11pm the bus hit some potholes going really fast. We lost street cred when one of our friends said to the bus driver Dooni, Dooni - slow, slow. It took us until 6am to get our credibility back, but we mananged. Maybe it was that us tubobs stopped the bus after more potholes at high speeds and it sounded and smelled like the bus broke in 2. Needless to say we spent a little time on the side of the road while the bus was getting fixed that night. After it was "fixed" we started out again - but never got over about 15 miles per an hour. At 6am we coasted into town going about 5 miles per an hour. Just another 3rd world travel story to add to the books!
We are off to site!
The Happy Couple
Saturday, November 8, 2008
We've joined the Malian National Soccer Team!
Wish us luck in our upcoming campaign to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Back to "civilization"
We were out in our village for an entire month. We are happy to get some news. We had prepared a long message for you all but that seems to have disappeared from our drive so a quick note for now.
The airconditioned cybercafe is a strange change from sitting out in the open as a sandstorm bears down heavily on us with no where to hide. Sitting and around with our host families while we all get covered in sand and try unsucessfully to keep it out of our eyes is even less pleasant than it sounds. Very surreal. Wishing we could say it is a rare event.
We are settling into our new home. Our days tend to be the same. Wake at dawn, exercise, go to market for fresh bread right out of the oven, eat it, study a bit, go for lunch, rest, go greet people in town, dinner, tea, go home to bed. Repeat thirty more times. That sums it up.
We have had some very funny moments, though. Sam found out Mark cannot jump rope, which she laughed about until she literally cried. Mark found out Sam, who is fine onroad, can barely ride a bike offroad. They both progress slowly at these trials and are pleased that they continue to learn new things about each other even after ten years!
Language is coming along slowly. Smiles are easy to come by in our town, which gives us one even when we do not feel like smiling. Hope all is well in USA.
The airconditioned cybercafe is a strange change from sitting out in the open as a sandstorm bears down heavily on us with no where to hide. Sitting and around with our host families while we all get covered in sand and try unsucessfully to keep it out of our eyes is even less pleasant than it sounds. Very surreal. Wishing we could say it is a rare event.
We are settling into our new home. Our days tend to be the same. Wake at dawn, exercise, go to market for fresh bread right out of the oven, eat it, study a bit, go for lunch, rest, go greet people in town, dinner, tea, go home to bed. Repeat thirty more times. That sums it up.
We have had some very funny moments, though. Sam found out Mark cannot jump rope, which she laughed about until she literally cried. Mark found out Sam, who is fine onroad, can barely ride a bike offroad. They both progress slowly at these trials and are pleased that they continue to learn new things about each other even after ten years!
Language is coming along slowly. Smiles are easy to come by in our town, which gives us one even when we do not feel like smiling. Hope all is well in USA.
Monday, September 29, 2008
End of Ramadan
Just a quick note to say we are doing well. We were in the city to see Jay and Jenni's and Mary and Jamie's weddings. We got to watch Jay and Jenni's on yahoo messenger. Thanks so much to Rebecca Ingalls for the commentary. It was fun for us. It is Ramadan and they wanted to close early but when the situation was explained the guy at the internet cafe helped us out. Looked pretty good (the bride at least)! We tried not to think of all the tasty, sanitary food at the reception.
Mary and Jamie's, well we're excited to see the pictures when you all post them. Let us know when that happens.
Now it is back to village for the end of Ramadan fete. There will be plenty of eating and cheer after a month of fasting. Might have to bust out the Malian clothes. Neither of us will be particuarly sad that this month is finished, since people are quite ornery when they haven't eaten.
We travel to village in packed minivans on a road few in the states would believe. Few would even call it a road, for that matter. Picture a Land Rover television ad but instead of Land Rovers the trail is run by run down, third hand buses and big trucks. Shocks do not exisit in west africa.
Now we have to run. Don't want to miss our chance to get back to the party. Can't spoil ourselves in the airconditioned internet cafe anyway. Until next month.
Mary and Jamie's, well we're excited to see the pictures when you all post them. Let us know when that happens.
Now it is back to village for the end of Ramadan fete. There will be plenty of eating and cheer after a month of fasting. Might have to bust out the Malian clothes. Neither of us will be particuarly sad that this month is finished, since people are quite ornery when they haven't eaten.
We travel to village in packed minivans on a road few in the states would believe. Few would even call it a road, for that matter. Picture a Land Rover television ad but instead of Land Rovers the trail is run by run down, third hand buses and big trucks. Shocks do not exisit in west africa.
Now we have to run. Don't want to miss our chance to get back to the party. Can't spoil ourselves in the airconditioned internet cafe anyway. Until next month.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Weather
I have changed the daily weather to Kayes in western Mali, a city close to that in which Sam and I will serve. It has a reputation as one of the hottest places on the planet. We are a bit outside Kayesville, where it is (believe it or not) a bit hotter. Right now it is the rainy season and the unbearable heat is not common although the humidity is sometimes oppressive. Next is a mini-hot season that will last for a few weeks. After that it will be the cold season. For us, on the edge of the Sahara, it will get quite cold during the nights. Unfortunately, that relief in the cold season is the opposite in the longer hot season to follow. It will be very hot. Fortunately, during the hot season the humidity is rumored to be less. That is fine for others in jungle areas of the country but for us, in more Sahelian locations, it means vicious sandstorms and sun. Curious to see how we will react when it gets to 130F...probably not going to be out running any marathons.
All is well now. We swear in officially on friday and move out to our site afterward.
All is well now. We swear in officially on friday and move out to our site afterward.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Back at PC Training Camp
We did it! We have officially completed our homestay training! No more sleeping in seperate beds! Hooray!
This morning we left our homestay site for the last time. We are back at PC Training Camp, where the 72 of us left here in Mali will have one more week of training before we become true volunteers. In one week we will set out to the site where we will live for 2 years. We are both sad, as we loved the people we were with at homestay and we loved our families. At site, it will only be the two of us. We will be 4 hours from the closest volunteer. I think the two of us will be playing a lot of Rummy 500 in the next two years. The score so far: Sam = 3, Mark = 2.
We wish there was a way to capture Mali, the people of Mali and the other trainees on a blog. Mali is beautiful this time of year as it is very green and lush. It feels really hot most days, but I think the humidity is at 99.9% and it's not really the temperature. Every 2 -3 days there is a crazy rain storm which brings cooler, bareable temperatures for a day before the humidity sets in again. The people of Mali are great. Very friendly, very warm people. They won't however do or help you with anything before a greeting. We got a great cross cultural lesson on that in the market the other day. My friend Susan politely asked for directions and the woman blatantly ignored her. So Susan greeted her, and then asked for the directions. The woman gave us the directions with a smile on her face!
The anatomy of a greeting: Part one - You and the day! (Hello) Part 2 - You are healthy? (How are you?) Part 3 - Your family members are healthy? (How is your family?). Most people end here, but if you are Mark you then inquire after the children, the mother, the father, the grandparents, etc. Most of the time you and the other person are inquiring after the other at the same moment and the questions are never really answered. It's just a polite formality, but now that we can do it, a fun one.
As for the other volunteers, most people are fun. I do have to say I was thought I was a realist my whole life, but I think even to apply to the Peace Corps you have to be an idealist of some sort! So imagine a room full of fun loving, idealists. Seriously, it is fun.
Tomorrow we have a language test and we have to score Intermediate-mid to officially become a volunteer. No worries, we will both score at least that high. We like to laugh over the fact that Bambarankan is going to be our secret language upon returning to the states!
One of these days we will post pictures. Everywhere we have been the internet has been too slow. Stay tuned, we really will post them, one of these days...
This morning we left our homestay site for the last time. We are back at PC Training Camp, where the 72 of us left here in Mali will have one more week of training before we become true volunteers. In one week we will set out to the site where we will live for 2 years. We are both sad, as we loved the people we were with at homestay and we loved our families. At site, it will only be the two of us. We will be 4 hours from the closest volunteer. I think the two of us will be playing a lot of Rummy 500 in the next two years. The score so far: Sam = 3, Mark = 2.
We wish there was a way to capture Mali, the people of Mali and the other trainees on a blog. Mali is beautiful this time of year as it is very green and lush. It feels really hot most days, but I think the humidity is at 99.9% and it's not really the temperature. Every 2 -3 days there is a crazy rain storm which brings cooler, bareable temperatures for a day before the humidity sets in again. The people of Mali are great. Very friendly, very warm people. They won't however do or help you with anything before a greeting. We got a great cross cultural lesson on that in the market the other day. My friend Susan politely asked for directions and the woman blatantly ignored her. So Susan greeted her, and then asked for the directions. The woman gave us the directions with a smile on her face!
The anatomy of a greeting: Part one - You and the day! (Hello) Part 2 - You are healthy? (How are you?) Part 3 - Your family members are healthy? (How is your family?). Most people end here, but if you are Mark you then inquire after the children, the mother, the father, the grandparents, etc. Most of the time you and the other person are inquiring after the other at the same moment and the questions are never really answered. It's just a polite formality, but now that we can do it, a fun one.
As for the other volunteers, most people are fun. I do have to say I was thought I was a realist my whole life, but I think even to apply to the Peace Corps you have to be an idealist of some sort! So imagine a room full of fun loving, idealists. Seriously, it is fun.
Tomorrow we have a language test and we have to score Intermediate-mid to officially become a volunteer. No worries, we will both score at least that high. We like to laugh over the fact that Bambarankan is going to be our secret language upon returning to the states!
One of these days we will post pictures. Everywhere we have been the internet has been too slow. Stay tuned, we really will post them, one of these days...
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Got Rice?
What is there to say? We are still here in Mali. Still eating more rice than we would like - at least twice a day every day. It is always covered in Na (sauce). Sometimes the na is delicious and sometimes it is gooey and horrible tasting, but always it is on top of your world wide, standard issue white rice.
Other commonly eaten items include bashi, which they compare to couscous but is nothing like the couscous we know in the states, cucumbers, corn, sweet potatos, eggs, and bread. Bread is to brekfast what rice is to lunch and dinner, standard issue, everyday. Sometimes we spice it up with eggs from our local McDonald's vendor, peanut butter or cheese. While the cheese sounds delicious the only stuff we can buy here is Laughing Cow. We love it, but recognize that it might not be classified as cheese in most countries.
We have been at our host families for 2 weeks now. We are both lucky and have very nice, accomodating families. On the two Sundays we have been at home stay we have gotten to go to Bamako. The first week we visited the National Museum - very much like other 3rd world countries we have been to. The second week we went to a pool. The pool was a top 5 day in Mali, for sure. The other 6 days a week we attend class for 8 hours a day. Sometimes it is technical training, but mostly it is language. One would think we'd be fluent by now, but as the saying goes, doni doni.
On Sunday we head back to the PC training facility for a week. If all goes according to plan our status of PCT (trainee) will be upgraded to PCV (volunteer). It's all very official!
One of these days we'll get some pictures uploaded. Maybe even of the Malian dance we held in our site!
Other commonly eaten items include bashi, which they compare to couscous but is nothing like the couscous we know in the states, cucumbers, corn, sweet potatos, eggs, and bread. Bread is to brekfast what rice is to lunch and dinner, standard issue, everyday. Sometimes we spice it up with eggs from our local McDonald's vendor, peanut butter or cheese. While the cheese sounds delicious the only stuff we can buy here is Laughing Cow. We love it, but recognize that it might not be classified as cheese in most countries.
We have been at our host families for 2 weeks now. We are both lucky and have very nice, accomodating families. On the two Sundays we have been at home stay we have gotten to go to Bamako. The first week we visited the National Museum - very much like other 3rd world countries we have been to. The second week we went to a pool. The pool was a top 5 day in Mali, for sure. The other 6 days a week we attend class for 8 hours a day. Sometimes it is technical training, but mostly it is language. One would think we'd be fluent by now, but as the saying goes, doni doni.
On Sunday we head back to the PC training facility for a week. If all goes according to plan our status of PCT (trainee) will be upgraded to PCV (volunteer). It's all very official!
One of these days we'll get some pictures uploaded. Maybe even of the Malian dance we held in our site!
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