Monday, 6/16

Today was a very easy and extremely luxurious day.


First of all, let me do my best to explain to you how ridiculously excited I was that it was NOT impossibly hot today (at least for most of the day). The temperature hovered just under 95 and it was absolutely delicious. When I woke up in the morning, I almost wondered why it was so cold. And then I realized I was still in a pool of my own sweat. Regardless, it was a beautiful way to wake up given my recent battles with perpetual hot flashes.


Today was also good on two separate but great levels. First of all, I had an absolutely wonderful bonding session with some of the other interns today. We went to Caitlin's house around 11 for chai/hot coffee (both a luxury afforded by Caitlin's hot water boiler, affectionately known as the "chauffe-chauffe"). We essentially sat around for a five hours discussing our personal lives and histories and having some great laughs. We eventually met up with the others and took a taxi over to the grand marche. Now when I was with the first homestay family and went to the grand marche, I was pretty overwhelmed by their smelly fish head stands and second-hand clothes as compared to the other markets in town. However, I have since come to realize that I actually only explored the outermost layer of approximately 33,000 and that the grand marche actually covers a significant portion of Bamako. We ventured in today with Caitlin to get the essentials, which for me included: 1.) FINALLY changing my money, 2.) a cell phone, 3.) a FAN for my new room in Niang's, and 4.) multiple baggies of delicious tamarind and ginger juice concoctions.


One thing that's funny about Bamako is the meaning of the phrase "black market." In the US, I feel this phrase connotes a covert operation in a nonexistent liminal location that includes the trade of at least two of the following: natural resources, human organs, child sex slaves, bootleg DVDs, and/or personal affects from Ruth Simmons' estate. However, here, the black market is an every day phrase and very real place that is specifically good for trading money. In our case today, we actually had a bit of trouble finding anyone who would give a better rate than the national banks, but I must say, Caitlin's Bambara is tremendously impressive. It gives me such great pride and a tickle of pleasure to see her flip her her in the angry "no you didn't, girlfriend" way and tell six macho Malian men in perfect Bambara, "395CFA? No way, guy - if I wanted the bank's rate, I would get money changed at the bank. Give me 415CFA to the dollar or I walk." It may sound harsh, but I have also come to realize that it's how business works here. In short, Caitlin is quite the businesswoman. :)


After our market tour, we came back for more mangos (totally still loving the fact that we have three vendors 50 feet from our house!) and then went to our second Bambara lesson with Doudou. We are still learning greetings, but they are already proving useful. I've learned enough of the conversation to be polite in most greeting situations and even learned to form a few critical sentences like "Can I...", "Thank you for..." and "I'm sorry." Beyond these basics, I've also picked up some fun phrases, some from Caitlin and Niang's family and some from bits and pieces of Doudou's lessons. For example, from "How is your wife?" comes "All of them are my wives." That made for some fun in the marketplace as I explained my harem to two Malian men over a baggie of ginger juice. Another favorite is "Farafina! Farafina!", the equivalent chant of "Black person! Black person!" that serves as a sassy but not altogether impolite response to "Toubabou! Toubabou!" The Bambara is relatively easy to learn and it's a great library of sounds to experiment with. My current favorite word is "denw" (children), which is pronounced something akin to a very nasal "dayou." I sound silly, but I smile every time I say it.


After a long day, Caitlin, Cari, and I returned to Caitlin's for a roadside omelette sandwich (super greasy but delicious) in the dark with a bottle of Coke and watched an episode of House, MD on Caitlin's laptop. It was a really good time.


Tomorrow we are meeting all day with Niang about our project goals and getting started - FINALLY! I'm really looking forward to getting started on Sigida Keneyali and getting his input on its development. With that in mind, I'm off to sleep early.


X Adama X