I have now been in my home-stay for almost 2 weeks. So far I am enjoying most parts, but it is quite the challenge to adapt to the "real" Malian lifestyle. I live in a nice neighborhood called Lafiabougou. I share a room with one woman, named Asetou, who is 31. She's not married which is VERY weird. I share a bed with her, which is a bit awkward at times but works out. To say that families are large and extended is an understatement. My teacher (Fanta Sacko is her name) has 2 children with one husband and there are many "sisters" and "brothers" and other family members and all their children and friends always hanging out. I have been here for almost 2 weeks and I still don't even know all of the people that live in my house, nor do I know their names. The names of all the people that live at the other house is yet another step for my memory!
In terms of beading, I have made 2 bayas (and many necklaces and bracelets), which are strings of beads (10 strings) that women wear around their waists once they are married. However, they have become fashionable to wear now, so many (unmarried) girls wear them now. They wear pants and have them right above the waistline, and when they ride on their jakarta (every cool person rides a moto, called a jakarta because they come from indonesia) people can just see them popping out above the pants. They also make very nice necklaces, so if anyone wants me to make them a thick, cool beaded necklace let me know what color(s) you want!
Most days I go over to where my karamogo (teacher) lives and help her (and lots of family members) cook. I peel garlic and chop onions and pound millet (think: mortar and pestle). The act of me standing up and pounding millet is absolutely shocking and hilarious (and maybe a bit traumatizing) to most of the women in the house. In the afternoon I work on beading and in the evening I have some (needed) alone time and hang out with the mosquitoes, family and watch cheesy Brasilian and Mexican soap operas dubbed into French on TV. Everyone drinks a lot of tea here; Malian tea is SO delicious! It takes about 30-45 minutes to make and you should drink 3 cups (each cup= 1 shot glass). They boil the water, and put in fresh tea leaves and lots of mint and even more sugar. There is an art to making tea--pouring the tea from one pot to the next and boiling and pouring again into the cups to make a lot of foam and then pouring into other cups. Its very long and complicated, but for those who do it well its standard. I really think that Malians could come to the States and sell this tea on the street in the USA. It has so much caffeine and its delicious!
My house is a pretty standard Malian house. There is a main door that leads to the courtyard where pretty much everything happens. There is a big tree in the middle of the courtyard that shades a significant part of the area at all times of the day (to sit even half in the sun you pretty much melt). There are a bunch of rooms that are pretty basic. I am fortunate enough to have a bed frame, as in not just a mattress on the ground. There is a small fridge in my room, with a tiny TV that is always fuzzy and a closet that I share with my "roomate."
It's a bit scary to think that I have less than five weeks in Mali. I am just starting to understand how life works around here. A lot of the ideas and manners are quite strange to me, but after a pretty challenging, stressful adjustment time I am happy to move on, but will miss what I have learned to love. Crossing the Sahara will be another challenge, and then I will return to Bamako with my family for an amazing 10-day quick trip up to Timbuktu.
On another note, I saw (and heard) one of the kids I live with get a serious beating (by hand) today. A kid across the street got beat yesterday because (s?)he didn't want to go to school. A big stick, shredded at the end was the weapon of choice...I only know because I heard lots of screaming and action outside (my compound, where I was working) and everyone (except me and small kids in my house) went outside to see what was happening. One of the ladies in my compound brought the stick back in our compound. Also, there was a serious conflict in the market yesterday. I didnt understand the entire story but some guy was selling something (not illegal, I know) and he wasnt allowed to be where he was...the cops asked him to move, and he started beating them up. QUICKLY, 3 more (total of 5) cops came out of nowhere with big machine-esque guns, grabbed him, handcuffed him, ripped half of his shirt off and dragged him away while he was screaming and throwing a fit. 2 cops were holding his hands behind his back, 1 was holding the front scrap of his shirt and another was holding the back scrap of the shredded shirt (on his other shoulder). the 5th was walking behind, very alert, holding 2 massive guns! Bamako is exciting!
To contradict that, Bamako is an incredibly safe city. I feel no threat, danger or worry walking around at any time of the night. People are incredibly friendly and helpful (except for offering themselves for marriage). Beating children is common, but the market scuffle was very rare. Don't be worried. I feel much safer here than I have in many other places (think: Rio, Baltimore, Nairobi, Jo'burg).
Kambe (goodbye)!
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