Friday, December 31, 2010

Tunisia

Just got back to Mali from a week in Tunisia. Venturing out of West Africa for the first time was an eye-opening experience. Tunisia is very developed: rail system, trash pickup, you buy a SIM card from a cell phone store rather than a guy on the street. Also more of a European influence, judging by the amount of espresso and skinny black jeans. Perhaps what was most shocking was the cold. It was like a Seattle winter but without central heating or a jacket. I put on the three hoodies I had packed and didn't take them off for four days. Fortunately, re-wearing clothes is something I have become a pro at after two and a half years in Peace Corps.

I met up with a friend who had just finished her service in Mali and had already spent a week in Tunisia doing the Star Wars stuff down south. We spent the next week doing a big loop of the north-Tunis, Tabarka, Ain Draham, El Kef, and Mahdia. Absolutely beautiful country. Enjoy!
The public rail system in downtown Tunis. No big deal.

Atop Byrsa Hill, looking into Tunis
Antonine Baths in Carthage
El Kef
The kasbah at El Kef, formerly used to defend Tunisia against Algeria (the dark clouds to the west).
Mahdia
Mahdia was the warmest place we went.
Caucasian+blond hair+glasses=sisters. At least that is what every Tunisian we met thought.

Friday, December 10, 2010

The last few months...

I promised to be better at updating this during my third year, and yet here we are. So what is new? I am doing a third year! This last year in Mali was good, and it felt like a shame to leave after just one year since I put so much work into learning Bambara and getting to know my village. I went back to Seattle in September to visit. It was my first time back in the US in over two years-weird, but wonderful to see people.

Since being back, my biggest project has been putting together a proposal to finish the primary school in my village. Out of the two school buildings, only one has windows, doors, desks, etc, so only three of the six classrooms are usable. The type of funding I am applying for allows people in the US to donate money, so check back in January and I will have all the information posted for this worthy project!

In November my old site-mate from Mauritania, who transferred to Rwanda and just finished her service there, came to visit. We went hiking in Dogon Country, a region in northern Mali. It was so good to see her and reminisce about that first, lost year.

Other than that, my time has just been occupied with village life, which is what most of these pictures are showing. I am growing tomatoes, basil, and garlic chives. Reading a lot. Going to the fields, drinking tea and hanging out. Observe:
I achieved a personal goal this past week-I got a baby named after me! In Muslim culture, a baby is not named until a week after its birth. In the meantime, anyone can suggest a name, although it is most often named after an older relative. Whenever a baby girl is born in my village, I jokingly suggest that it should be named after me. This time, they took that suggestion seriously, so during the week I went out and bought baby clothes, soap, and kola nuts to give as gifts at the baptism. This baby's official name, on its birth certificate, is Jessica Sira Coulibaly.
Harvesting millet
Dressed up and enjoying Tabaski, the biggest Muslim holiday. It is celebrated in particular style in Gumbanko with singing, dancing, and macaroni noodles for breakfast.
Tabaski
Tabaski
Kali (my counterpart), his son, and their family's new calf
Marta and I in Dogon