It's Getting Hot, Hot, HOT!

Hot season has arrived in Mali.  Ok, it’s actually been here for quite a while, but it’s now in full force and I am daily reminded of its fury.  The first time I came to Mali, I arrived at the beginning of February- a month that grows hotter each day and begins the period not so fondly known here as “la chaleur” (the hotness).  But during this stay, I was lucky enough to experience a cooling of things in October and then a period of cooler days and evenings (more fondly called “la fraicheur” or coolness) that even necessitated sleeves at times.  Whereas before, I knew nothing but hot, this hot season comes with the knowledge of how pleasant the times really can be in Mali.  In that respect, it is just a little more cruel.  “La chaleur” reared its ugly head in earnest for the first time this year in early March.  After our weeklong trip to Burkina Faso, we arrived in Bamako to a hotter city and some of the other tell-tale signs of hot season’s arrival. 

NOTE:  Mali is always hot (by Indiana standards anyway).  Even in the “cold” season, daytime temps were usually in the 80s and the temperature at night rarely dips below the 60s.  However, during the hot season, we often see 105-110 degree days in Bamako, and at night, we don’t get much of a break.  There are nights when newscasters warn viewers that sleeping inside is dangerous, and each year, several people die due to heat related illness.  Days and nights this hot are characterized by other special qualities that one can only attribute to “la chaleur.”

Hot season staples:

• A hotter wind- this quality is quite disappointing, because even on a hot day, a breeze can be enough to make things bearable.  But during the hot season in Mali, even the wind becomes warm, and driving with the car windows down just doesn't offer the same amount of relief that it does during other times of the year.
• Dust- lots and lots of red dust.  Again, Mali is always pretty dusty, but the hot season is hotter and usually drier than most other periods of the year, and thus, things become quite dusty.  This means that I have to actually dust the leaves of the plants that are on my balcony!
• Constant bathing- I have been bathing far more often than usual these past several weeks (and I typically bathe once a day anyway… ), like most Malians.  This is one of the things I was instructed to do by my host family when I was here before, and the necessity is still here this time around.
•  Excuses- sometimes welcome and sometimes frustrating, hot season brings with it the ability to duck out of things “because of the heat.”  This can be very useful if you want to get out of an afternoon trip to the market or explain why you can’t visit a friend or family member until the later evening hours (thus making the visit a bit shorter!), but also very frustrating when you are conducting interviews and women refuse to come because it is too hot to leave their houses in the afternoon.  This can also work to the benefit of others and you might find yourself with cancellations for plans because it is “too hot” for your guests.  As much as Malians like to talk about being used to the heat, it can still be a deal breaker for many activities.
• The sound of heat- I kid you not- this exists!  While sitting under the metal hangar in front of the Banankoro CSCOM a few weeks ago, I kept hearing a tinging sound that got me excited inside- I thought it was raining! Sadly, the sounds I thought were rain drops were really telltale signs of heat on the roof above me.  The flexing and swelling of wood and metal during these months really gives a sound to the heat that we feel all around us!

This post is probably not doing a lot for my case that everyone should visit me in Mali (seriously- I have a spare room!), but it’s really not all bad.  The hot season also brings a list of good things along with it and there are certainly other counteracting measures that I am grateful for during this time. 

Hott* stuff

A refreshing afternoon treat- lemonade by the pool!

• Mangoes- These are some of Mali’s greatest gifts.  Maybe even a way of apologizing for the heat and making it more bearable.  For those of you who love mangoes or mango flavor, imagine multiplying that love by 10, because Malian mangoes are at least 10 times better than the imported ones you find in the states.  And there are so many kinds!  Sweet, sour, juicy, and colorful, these are heaven sent!
• Mango rains- these little treats come just every so often, and usually at night.  The rain cools the air (before making it more humid) and brings that beautiful rainy scent to the ground.  We just had a little rain last night- just a teaser of what is to come in a few months. 
• Thin cotton complets- these puppies are great, and they are an introduction for me into a whole other realm of Malian style.  I am working to gather my own collection of hot weather clothes, just like any good Malian woman.
• Fewer mosquitoes- they don't like the heat either!  One thing we have in common....
• Cold water and frozen juice- Have you ever been so thirsty that nothing sounds as good to you as a fresh glass of ice water?  Nalgenes full of cool H2O are better than ice cream or chocolate on days like those found during hot season.
• Ice cream- even though cold water is sometimes all I crave, ice cream is definitely a welcome treat during hot season.  Never have I been so excited to have a soft serve machine a 3 minute walk from my house!
• Swimming pools- I have always loved to swim, but during the past few weeks I have honestly wanted nothing more than to spend every afternoon at the pool.  This, of course, is not really possible, but I have been able to spend my share of refreshing moments pool-side.  It’s so great to have friends willing to invite you over for a dip!
• The fact that I am constantly glowing- glowing or glistening… I use both of these terms.  I like to think of sweat in a positive light during these months.  It is my way of feeling less disheveled next to Malian women who look as though they’re constantly surrounded by personal air conditioning units

Oumou and I, "glowing" just a little

Which leads me to the number one Hott thing about hot season:

• Air conditioning.  I am not even ashamed to say (anymore) that I caved and bought myself an air conditioner.  It makes sleeping through hot nights possible and allows me to spend each night in my bed, rather than on the communal roof of my apartment building.  Though the first blast of heat each day can be a bit of a shock, air conditioning is more than worth it, and it’s like I have a sixth sense for scoping out places with air conditioners these days.

So in sum:  It’s really quite hot here.  But I get to wear cute summery clothes, eat lots of ice cream, and swim in pools before going to bed in air conditioned houses (ok, a slight exaggeration, but mostly true), so really I have it good compared to most of my friends and neighbors who find a way to suffer through the hot nights and deal with the heat each afternoon- without pools and a/c units.  I respect “la chaleur,” but I am grateful to be able to arm myself with little weapons to fend her off long enough to reach the rainy season!

  

*the two t’s denote a positive spin on “hot”