Two weeks of homestay...

I am safe and well in Tubaniso! We have just returned from our homestay's and are here for some general sessions on health, safety, food security, sustainable development and our sector/language courses. I have had an amazing couple of weeks in Kobalakoro! It is a larger village of about 2,000+ people and there is a market (which usually denotes larger city/town). It also means that there is less space between living concessions and trash and sewer waste in the roads. Though there are beautiful rock formations and a canal that we bike to often. Generally, we spend eight hours a day in language class (most of us are learning Bambara, however, another volunteer is learning the minority language-Bomo). When we are not learning the language there is study of the culture. We have discussed the respect shown to elders and social events here in Mali. Besides that we have had different sessions in garden planning, tree nurseries, seed transplanting and composting.

My host family is absolutely wonderful! They are understanding and caring of me--the only thing I am afraid of is that I am unaware of all the crazy "American" habits I have that bewilder them. There is Namaka Keyta and his wife Aisatu that are 88 and ?? (upon asking ages of the family no one was able to tell me her's lol!), then their sons Kalife, Umar and Sulu live in the concession--with their wives (Sulu is 30--? also a joke--and still single) Myamona and Aisatan. Also living in our concession are their six children (in order of oldest to youngest--ranging from 16-3) Gawsu/Levie, Aisatan, Aisatu, Karamoko, Bangike and Banjuku. However, shortly after my arrival Aisatan left to stay with her aunt in Bamako and now Fanta (her cousin) is staying with us. Kalife (eldest son/brother/uncle) works as a professor in Bamako, Umar works in the local clinic (as a sociologue in French--not sure of how it translates, but he has an office and drugs in a small room next to him), and I think Sulu does too. This means that I am very well off compared to most at homestay, therefore; I am spoiled, 'feel' that I have transitioned/integrated well and am not seeing some of the malnutrition, beatings, living with 100 other people in a concession and other 'typical' occurances of my fellow PCTs. This is both nice because I can feel relieved to go home at night and play with the children and speak with the adults and not feel so overwhelmed, but it also makes me worried that I am not seeing more of a realistic Malian lifestyle rountinely. However, I am sure to be exposed to that as of September 3 for the next two years and am very appreciative for the time I have to grow and learn with my host family in Kobalakoro!

Until next time!! K'an ben kofe!