The Kita uniform

Women in Mali often get matching outfits tailored for special events and holidays. Taking this as inspiration, all of the girls in my region had outfits made from matching fabric.

The Gambia

After WAIST a couple of us headed south to spend a few days in The Gambia. To refresh your memory, The Gambia is a tiny country completely surrounded by Senegal except for where it is bordered by the Pacific Ocean.
Omar is a man who runs a tiny restaurant in Banjul and loves Peace Corps volunteers. Some of the most delicious food I had on our trip.
Bijilo National Park, along the coast.
We each took a yearbook photo by the ocean.
The Gambia River divides the country into the North Bank and the South Bank. Here, we are crossing to the north side on the ferry to start our trip upcountry.
Further upcountry, we crossed the river back to the south side. The ferry we took held two cars and was pulled across the river by a steel cable (and our hands).

WAIST 2010

W.A.I.S.T (West African Invitational Softball Tournament) is a yearly softball tournament held over President's Day Weekend at the American Club in Dakar. Peace Corps volunteers in Senegal and the surrounding West African countries put together teams to compete. Last year, PC Mauritania won the championship, but since Mauritania and Guinea have both been evacuated since then, we banded together this year to form a refugee team. Some former Mauritanian volunteers
A PK-10 reunion

Some pictures from my family's visit

The village elders (and elders to be...)
Biking out to my village
Shopping for fabric in Kita
The giant statue in Dakar

Christmas is coming!

Just a quick update...I am at a big Peace Corps training right now, which thankfully is almost done. Then I am headed back to my regional capital to spend Christmas-since it falls on a Friday I will be doing a special holiday broadcast of my radio show, which will include but not be limited to the complete Hanson Christmas album.

THEN the day after Christmas I will be going to Senegal to meet my mom and my aunt in Dakar! We are going to spend a week traveling in Senegal and then a week in Mali. This glorious event has been the only thing on my mind for roughly the past two months; it has been a year and a half since I have seen either of them, so needless to say I am very excited!

Merry Christmas!

So you want to learn English.

Here, word for word, is a dialogue from my host brother’s English class; a compelling contrast of English language and Malian sensibilities:

TEXTE: Koffi’s Report

KOFFI: Oh it’s nice to be home.
DAVID: Was the bus full?
KOFFI: Yes it was. There were lots of people on it. I was between two very fat women.
DAVID: What about your exams? Were you top of your class?
KOFFI: We had them last week. They aren’t easy.
DAVID: Were you top of your class.
KOFFI: Well no I wasn’t top…I had a stomache-ache.
KALY: Have you got your report.
KOFFI: Emmm, no…dad has got it.
KALY: Here’s dad now. He looks angry.
FATHER: Look at your report Koffi. You’re 15 in English, 6 on French and nought in Maths. David bring me my big stick.
KOFFI: Oh no dad I’m sorry dad I was ill. My teachers don’t like me oh no dad no!

Yet another gigantic snake they found in the fields surrounding the house where I sleep