It's On!

I just successfully completed my first day back in Mali…. Okay, I slept through most of it, but I definitely accomplished some things!  My first accomplishment was making it here.  Trust me, when you travel for 40+ hours alone through three continents, just making it somewhere feels like a major feat!

My last week of trip preparations flew by, and my family and friends gave me a great send-off!  Thanks to everyone who came out the last weekend I was home and especially those who stopped by my farewell party.  I really enjoyed it and I miss you all already!  Saying goodbye in the airport was a teary ordeal, and my parents thought it hilarious that I kept getting texts up until the moment I gave my dad my phone and walked to the line at security! (disclaimer, don't call and leave me messages, I won't get them :(-- email instead!)

Travel was, as a good friend would say, long and arduous.  My first flight from Indianapolis to Charlotte, NC was pleasant.  I sat next to a guy going to Texas and I mostly read the whole way.  I had a short stop in Charlotte so I mailed some letters and wrote a journal entry.  I noted a lot of similarities between my first trip to Mali and this one.  I think a lot of my goals are similar (to learn, appreciate the things that I see and do, live within each moment and connect with those I meet, be patient, etc.).  I also tried not to stare at the other people getting on my plane… international terminals are so funny because you can almost always tell who is American and who is not.  I have a feeling my white tennis shoes gave me away… haha.  There was a chic American on my flight, though—April from Project Runway!  Definitely was her.  I was behind her at customs in Paris, and her skirt was preeeetty short.

I was feeling really good by the time I reached Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.  The majority of my actual flying time was done, I got 2 seats to myself on the plane, they fed me, I watched a movie (500 Days of Summer), and kind of slept.  I met a really nice woman on the shuttle from Charles de Gaulle to Orly who complimented my French (I’m pretty sure she was just being nice) and gave me a Snickers bar for the long journey (which I promptly ate right then at 8am).  Orly was another story… long layover with all my luggage was, well, looooooooong.  I finished my book and sat in a café for a few hours.  Did have a mini meltdown when my trunk was too heavy and the unhappy French Air Maroc woman refused to check it, even if I payed extra!  In lieu of buying a new suitcase (for 107 Euro!!), I rearranged my luggage, switched some carry on stuff and trunk stuff and managed to get the thing under weight.  The angel of a man at the other Air Maroc counter sent my trunk through and refused to check my tote bag (for an extra 150 Euro!!!).  Instead, he allowed me 3 carry on items and I left his counter in tears (of joy this time) and arms so full I could barely press the elevator buttons.

Slept through the flight to Morrocco and sat in the airport for about 7 hours.  The good part was I payed to use the internet and I got to Skype with my parents.  The bad part was I sat for 7 exhausted hours and didn't get to actually see Casablanca and my flight didn’t leave until 2am!  I finally got really excited when I boarded my flight to Bamako.  I could understand a little of the Bambara being spoken around me, and there was just an energy that my Malian fellow fliers had about them that was contagious!  After I ate, though, nothing kept me from sleeping!  It was smooth sailing through the airport in Bamako.  Stepping onto the tarmac laden down by my bags was like confirmation for me that I am doing the right thing.   I forgot that Malian air is a little different (I know that sounds weird), but there is just this smell about Mali and as soon as we boarded the shuttle to the gates I recognized it, and felt welcomed back to this place.  

A kind embassy chauffeur came to pick me up, and after waking the woman who runs the guest house where I’m staying, I settled in to my room.  Some feelings of loneliness started to flood in but a shower and 7 hour nap solved that!  Just to confirm… it’s hot here!  During my “nap” the power went out and my room went from 82 degrees (with a fan) to over 90.  Didn’t stop this girl from sleeping, though.  When I woke up, I did some organizing, talked to my parents, and left to meet Daline.  Daline is a 3^rd year Peace Corps Volunteer with a masters in public health who is friends with Nora, the woman who started the program I will be evaluating!  Daline was wonderful, and I got to meet a couple that she is friends with who own a lovely hotel in another part of Bamako.  These two were on a motorcycle trip through Northern and Western Africa and they decided to stay and opened a hotel!  Wow!  The evening was great.  Daline and I delivered some gifts to one of Nora’s close friends, Assita (I met her before and she remembered me!) and we made plans to go to a baptism with her next week!  We are also hoping to go to Mini-Star on Saturday (it is the kids version of American Idol in Mali and they film it every Saturday-- hilarious but really good).  Back at the hotel, Comme Chez Soi (look it up on TripAdvisor, it’s ranked #1), they made us dinner (delicious steak frites) and we all chatted a bit. 

All in all, it was a great first day!  I was able to remember a lot about Bamako, and each time something came back to me, it was exciting and I felt proud.  Plus, I managed to buy some toothpaste and direct the taxi driver back to my guest house without getting totally lost!!  Now I am exhausted and headed to bed.  Tomorrow I hope to see some old friends and my former host family!  

T-Minus 7 Days...

One week from today, I will leave Greencastle, Indiana, and the US all behind and depart for my stay in Mali.  I have been trying not to call this experience a “trip” to Mali because, really, it is more than that.  In many ways, it really is a “move” to Mali, even though it will be temporary.  As the day approaches, my moods have been oscillating between extreme excitement, complete nervousness, overwhelming nostalgia (both for people and things here and in Mali), and just plain impatience about getting there and getting things rolling!  I guess at this point, things are a little bittersweet as the big day approaches. 

Since I last posted, I have done a lot of traveling…. I visited friends from Kenyon in Louisville and flew to see my brother in Denver.  I got to see friends that I met in Mali during a short trip to Chicago and a quick visit to North Carolina.  I think these two trips have made me the most nostalgic for Mali—both excited to return and nervous at the same time.  When I was in Bamako for four months in 2009, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  I made lasting and meaningful connections with my host family (my “brother” just called me yesterday!) and eventually with a great group of American friends (several of whom I’ve been lucky to see this summer!).  I am happy to return to a place that I love where I felt engaged and happy, but I’m nervous because I know that things will be different this time around and I won’t have those special friends there to experience things with me.

I have been reading my journal and starting to write again.  I found the process SO helpful when I was in Mali before, and even now as I prepare, it’s helping me organize my thoughts.  I recently re-read the passages I wrote over a year ago, and they too filled me with excitement and memory.  Generally, fall is a time that makes me feel more reminiscent and nostalgic than I do during other seasons.  It has always been a bit of an “end of an era” for me, I guess- the end of summer and the start of school signal that particularly vividly.  So, as the first day of fall approaches tomorrow, I also find myself appreciating the summer I’ve had and kind of willing it not to end….. 

Enough introspective rambling…. I have also been trying to get all of the very important trip preparation things checked off my “to-do” list.  My visa arrived long ago, and I am officially ready to go to Mali, as far as the government is concerned.  I sent off three very full, fairly heavy boxes of books a couple of weeks ago (Thanks to those who shared with me!) and hopefully they will be waiting for me when I arrive.  I recently got a wonderful trunk on wheels (Thank you, J!) and have started to think about packing it.  The next few days will be filled trying to remember all the little things- I’m so nervous I will forget something important.  Last time I went to Mali, I did a pretty good job being prepared… but I did forget to bring pajamas! 

In the meantime, I have been noticing little hints of Mali all over the place lately, and each time it feels like a little sign.  There were Malian artists featured at the Lotus music festival in Bloomington, an old friend from high school has a roommate who just left for the Peace Corps in Mali, and at Penrod art festival in Indianapolis, I ran into a family of Tuareg artists who spoke with me in Bambara!  I got so excited to struggle through greetings in Bambara that I was reminded, despite my jitters, that I really am ready to take this step and dive in.