It has been more than two months since the last update.  I have been very busy the past several weeks.  My wonderful friend, Christina, COSed in the middle of March and she's doing very well in America re-adjusting.  After saying goodbye to her, I joined the rest of the volunteers in my region for a rock climbing / St. Patrick's Day party.  It was really fun, but let's just say that the whole rock climbing thing didn't go so well.  I think I am one of those people who are destined to remain on the solid ground. 

The first weeks of April, I went back for some more training at Tubani So, except this time, it was with every other volunteer in Mali and our working counterparts.  My homologue (the midwife in my village), participated in a training for midwives run by Peace Corps.  It felt really good to see a bright, beautiful woman from my village learn even more about her job and become more empowered.  All of the midwives were really cute too- it was like a summer camp for them.  They sang songs, learned chants- the works.  It was also wonderful to see all of my volunteer friends again- it had been too long for most of them.

After the matrone training, I went back to my village, and my lovely friend, Sarah, came with me.  We had a very packed few days together including a trip to the market and a big wedding in my village (which was complete with Sarah and I dancing by ourselves to "I Like to Move It, Move It," immediately followed by a presentation on soakpits).  We couldn't believe that we were talking about soakpits AT A WEDDING, but we thought we would take advantage of the audience while we had it.  We also constructed two prototype soakpits at my maternity, which are supposed to get people excited to do their own.  But alas, people haven't caught onto soakpit fever as quickly as I hoped.  I am determined though...

I then went up to Sarah's city, Niono, in the Segou region on the way to Mauritania.  A bunch of us went to help Sarah paint some health murals on her clinic's walls.  Despite the intense heat and the artisticially challenged yours truly, the murals turned out awesome- we did one on the food groups, like in my maternity, except way better, and one on family planning.  That was to encourage people to use birth control and space their children- ie: don't have a child every year.  Some people in Mali do that, simply because they don't know about contraceptives or they feel Islam is against it.  It's a huge problem though, and a leading factor to child malnutrition and worse, infant mortality.  Anyway, I have loaded pictures of the murals and my trip to Niono online.

I got back to my village just in time for my 24th birthday and presidential elections in Mali.  My birthday was delightful, but HOT!  I have never been that uncomfortable on my birthday before- it made me miss late Aprils in New Jersey!  My village killed a chicked for me, and Nakon cooked my favorite peanut sauce to go with my rice.  I had even brought back a tiny French cake with me from Bamako, and concluded a very low key day with me singing "Happy Birthday" to me by myself, while several Malians watched me in complete confusion.  It was hilarious, and far less stressful than last year's in Burkina Faso.  Even so, I think I'm going to have a big party next year to make up for two very unorthodox birthdays.

The 29th of April was presidential elections in Mali, and I got the chance to be an international observer.  I saw how a village of an almost 100% illiteracy rate have about half of the population cast their votes.  It was fascinating.  I took many pictures documenting the voting process in between the constant questioning of why I wasn't voting.  Apparently, village loyalty and community unity should override citizenship requirements.  In my villagers' eyes, I am a member of Tegue Coro, therefore I should be able to vote.  I wish life was as simple as that sometimes. 

The last week of April also marked the start of the big, annual fishing festival that I took extensive pictures of last year.  It was a good thing too, because this year I went in the water and fished everyday, so I wasn't able to take any pictures.  It was really fun, and once again, I dove into the muddy water filled with cow poop and lilypads with relief to be in somewhat cool water, as an escape from the heat.  To me, it was like water in the Caribbean.  I did catch a fair amount of fish as well, enough to earn the admiration of my villagers- no simple feat, I assure you.

This week, a very good friend in my village, Mama, got married to a man in another village.  It was very eye-opening, because, since I had close ties to Mama, I had the opportunity to take part in all of the customs and rituals that families and friends go through when someone gets married.  I also got to see just how miserable the women really are.  Just imagine this- a woman has absolutely no say in who she would like to be her husband, her father or older brother / relative chooses for her.  The would-be husband goes to the girl's father, and offers his dowry price.  Then, if her finance lives in another place, she has to uproot everything she knows and owns and go to this new village, leaving behind her family, friends, and all familiarities.  She is forced into a marriage, where more often than not, she doesn't love the man, and he only sees her as someone who will cook his food, clean his clothes, and bear his children.  She is treated as a second-class citizen- bought and sold almost like cattle.  She has to ask for permission to do anything, doesn't have any money to her name, has no control over her body, and has to obey her husband as if he is her father.  And what's worse, is that most of the time, I see young girls getting married- 13, 14, 15 year olds.  Beginning this life of servitude, that is expected of every women- with lesser degrees in cities, where there is more wealth and educated women.  It's heartbwrenching to see.  So when I was with Mama, as she was preparing to go off to her husband for the first time, she was hysterical.  And I couldn't hold back tears, because my heart was breaking for her.  It makes me truly contemplate the differences between us women in America, who look forward to her wedding day from childhood, with absolute bliss, and Malian women, view the day in dread and misery.  It is so sad. 

On that uplifting note, I thought I would finish with books I have read.  I hope you are all doing well- I miss you all!!  Will be in touch soon!

Read what I have read

Books 1, 2, 3, 5- Stephanie Plum- Janet Evanovich- I was a bit reluctant to get into these, cause there was so much hype from several of you at home.  But I did get into them, and I am so glad I did!  They provide a welcome relief from the constant difficulties of living in an impoverished country.

Berlin Noir- triology of March Violets, The Pale Criminal, & A German Requiem - Philip Kerr - a triology about a private investigator in 1930's Nazi Germany.  Not one of my favorites, but interesting to read about that time period not in a historical or political context. 

**Just as I did with Persian literature, I also read a triology of African stories

Sundiata, An Epic of Old Mali - D. T. Niane - the story of Sundiata Keita, the first king of the Malian empire.  Told by a griot in grand style, it is really interesting, and most of the story takes place in my area of Mali (for example, Kaba, where Sundiata forms his empire, is Kangaba, where I go all the time)

Emma's War - Deborah Scroggins - this is about a British aid worker who marries a commander of a rebel group in Sudan, during the civil war in the 1980s and 1990s.  This is often hard to read, and I think in all the books that I have read, I have never despised a "protagonist" so much.  Published in 2003, the author leads the reader to think that as the book draws to a close, the situation in Sudan will improve with the signing of a peace treaty- completely unknowning of the genocide in Darfur that will break out within months, and that these people are still suffering.

A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali - Gil Courtemanche - a love story set during the Rwandan genocide.  Also difficult to read, and not as good as I thought it would be.  I can't quite put my finger on why though.

Nine Hills to Nambokaha - Sarah Erdman - written by a Peace Corps volunteer in Cote d'Ivoire.  I actually couldn't finsh this, because I tend to regard reading as a form of escape, and this was too real for me.  When I don't want to think about my problems, I certainly don't want to read about them.  I will try to read again when I am home.  But a great book for you all to see what my life is like here- it's very similar.

Wicked - Gregory Maguire - very interesting.  I liked it a lot, but very depressing.  It felt kind of choppy to me too- would be willing to discuss it with someone.