Friday 20 January 2012

I ni wula! (Good afternoon in Bambara) Where to start!? My first week in Mali has been fantastic!

The heat! It’s their winter…and its about 35C on average per day. It’s due to get hotter between now and April…I needn’t say more! Unfortunately we can’t walk around in shorts and bikinis which is what I’d usually do in this heat – that and sit by a pool with a cocktail! Covering up is a must – showing excess skin would be frowned upon and make us stick out even more than we do already!

I’ve been so lucky with my team – everyone is so enthusiastic and positive about working hard! On arrival here in Mali – the staff at International Service have bent over backwards to make us feel welcome which has really helped with the settling in! The Malian people have shocked me in how friendly they are! We already have our first wedding invite from a random woman we met once on a visit to an organisation. We are all going to get some traditional African dress made for us – we just need to pick some crazy material from the market tomorrow!

Our first week has included a lot of induction to the local language (Bambara), culture, IS Mali, the partners and a lot of project planning which has been really fun! One key thing that has been drilled into us is that, in Malian culture when you start a conversation with someone you MUST have a long extended ‘how are you and your mum, dad, kids, house, country, family life etc etc…’ Then half way through your conversation it is best to repeat this again so as not to be rude! This could party explain ‘Africa time’ by which I mean the relax, chilled no rush culture!

We are all making a big effort to learn French too – My GCSE French has actually worked wonders but I do keep accidently speaking bits of Spanish!
One problem we have come across is getting ripped off initially! I do think the man in the local corner shop will soon be buying a few Rolexes with the increased business we are providing for him! Bargaining and bartering is a skill that has come in handy! It seems there is a market for everything here and home comforts such as cereal found in Bamako’s ONE supermarket are all imported which explains the £8 for fruit and fibre! 20p per mango will keep me happy though!

The accommodation is surprisingly good – no mud huts! We are staying in the building which also houses the International Service Mali offices! We have an amazing roof terrace upstairs too which has been a great place for work and for countless games of articulate!

Bamako to me, is strange. There are areas that look fairly developed with government buildings and hotels and roads and then other areas that are red dusty dirt tracks and shacks. This dusty landscape has meant that we all have permanently black feet! I have fallen in love with the neighbours kids and have already distributed my supply of bubbles I brought with me!

The women here fascinate me! Every other woman is carrying a baby on her back in a sling and a bucket of stuff on her head! Their balancing skills are incredible! These buckets contain anything from Bananas to building materials and look so heavy! Another interesting fact is Polygamy is practised here!
We went to visit the blind school that we will be working in and it was great to finally see it and meet the people who run it and some of the students! Just from seeing the site we have had so many ideas about how we could help them. For example we want to build a playground and help them sell the chalk that is made at the school by the blind people who are involved in the association.

In conclusion – a Fab start to a Fab Country!
Next door neighbour!


Men carry the lighter objects - towels

Balancing act

Need to practice..

Playtime

Coconut wheel-barrows

Our Street

The corner shop
The Team!

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