It's official, I'm in Africa

So. My first post from Mali. What what!? Africa is pretty sweet. I'm sorry you have to miss this.

We arrived the first night at about 230 Mali time because our flight was delayed and it took a while for us to get our luggage. When we first arrived, they taught us how to use the negen, or toilet. It's just like a normal latrine, I suppose, with a square hole in the floor. You have to carry the sallydagan (not spelled correctly) with you. It looks like a flowering water pot/ teapot. You put water in it to clean yourself and must carry it into the negen with your right hand because the left hand is the dirty hand or hand you use to wipe with. Don't worry, they supply us with toilet paper here at the training center, and I brought two rolls with me until I can buy more. Our shower is in the same spot, which was a bit of an adjustment. I took my first shower this morning, but in my own defense, we left Philly on July 2, and I took a shower at the American Club where we celebrated the Fourth of July with the Ambassador. Yeah, we're pretty cool. I have taken to washing my hair in the spicket near the negen and think I'll just rinse off in the shower. The water is cold, but it is warm enough here that I appreciate the cold.

I have had three shots so far and began taking my malaria meds two days ago. The med I am taking must only be taken once a week, but we are taking them three days in a row to begin so we can build it up in our system. I think my mosquito bite count is up to four and that is because I forgot to wear my tennis shoes last night.

The place I live is pretty basic. It is a mud hut with a tin roof, and I share the room with two other girls. It is a room with three beds, each with mosquito nets, a fan, and a small light. We are definitely being spoiled with the toilet paper, lights in the negen and our rooms, and the fan is a huge perk. The weather isn't bad. It is at least 15 degrees cooler than Kansas, but the humidity is high. Just sitting around I am drenched because of the humidity. It makes falling asleep at night a little bit difficult.

We have had training in a few issues already. We started cultural training yesterday, learned about Mr. D and Mrs. C (think about the negen), learned how to treat our food, how to change the tire of bike/other basic repairs, and how to wear a skirt (will learn spelling for it later), which we will have a chance to purchase tomorrow.

Last night we watched a film about Mali (I told you we're being spoiled). Afterwords, someone busted out the guitar and several people took turns playing songs right next to my hut. I was getting ready for bed/laying in bed. It was a pretty sweet way to fall asleep, err, lay in bed, while I cooled off. It rained this morning at about 5:30 and got really cool. I'm enjoying what I would guess is a cool 75, and under this fan, I'm not feeling a bit of discomfort.

So I'm in Africa and life is pretty swell, right? Chris thinks I am on a 2 year vacation. Don't worry, the really hard stuff begins this Thursday afternoon when we leave for our home stays. We are broken up by sector (I'm Education) and language. We had our language test and I tested at an intermediate French level, which I was happy about. Most of us will be learning Bambara for our actual site placement (different than homestay). There are 80 volunteers here and 12 home stay sites. At each home stay, each individual lives with a family, who feeds them, gives them a place to stay, helps them learn informally. During the day, we have 2 or 3 LCFs (language and culture facilitators, I think.) who live in the same village as our home stay site and teach us just what their title says, the language and culture of Mali. I think that they are slowly weaning us from our American lifestyles and helping us to understand the culture. They have a phrase in Bambara that says Foreigners have big eyes, but they don't see. We're seeing the culture, but we don't understand the reasons behind it. Who can say diversity training to the max?

I have no anxieties at this point. I didn't feel nervous to meet the other volunteers, I felt no anxiety coming into the training center, and I have felt good throughout training. I have had my moments when I feel a bit homesick, but I just think about all of the good times and the good parts of my day. I would say my mental health level is topnotch right now and there have been no incidences of Mr. D either so I'm feeling even better for that. I know I will eventually get sick, probably many times, but I'm not going to worry about it happening. I'll just appreciate the good health for now.

So. I feel good. Africa is absolutely wonderful. Everyone in Mali is extremely nice. The food is A-Mazing, like better than any of that processed stuff we eat in America. All is well.