Hello Ameriki

So I am currently sitting in the Charles de Gaulle Airport in a hazy fog. I've spent the past few months living in a 3rd World country, as a Water/Sanitation Volunteer in the Peace Corps. Basically every night as I scratched myself to sleep (due to all of my mosquito bites) I drifted to a dream, where I was at home and wondering how I got there. Although I could swear that once again I am dreaming, I am constantly awakened by my reality. Due to illness beyond my control, I am being Medically Separated from PC. When I heard this news I was immediately in shock, and I suppose I still am. The problem with living in Mali with basically any illness is the harshness of the climate and conditions that one lives in while serving. Mali beats up your body, and basically every day one wakes up with some new issue, that seems quite questionable. Peace Corps Mali is one of the most difficult programs, and at the same time, one of the most rewarding. 

I'm honored to be a part of Peace Corps, and strongly believe in what they stand for. Peace Corps is not an organization that throws money at a situation, or (in my field) goes in and builds a water pump for the people. Peace Corps is all about sustainability, which is what makes it unique and successful. Peace Corps teaches their volunteers the skills that they need to be successful, and then the volunteer teaches their village how to help themselves.

I am so thankful for this experience, and I pray that I made some what of a difference in other peoples lives during my time of service. 

My life will be forever changed from this experience, in more ways than one. Of course, after living with a family in severe poverty, I learn to appreciate the things that I have in my life, material wise, but more importantly being away from the ones I love I have learned to never take them for granted, and to live each day as if it were my last, never taking a moment, with those people, for granted. My experience in Mali gave me the opportunity to serve with people who had somewhat different views than me, and I believe that that experience helped me significantly as well. 

I am definitely going to miss those people, especially my 'Goodfellas,' who strongly impacted my life. Each and every person within my stage group is very dear to me and I am going to miss them dearly. Although I am leaving Mali, I am not worried about my village, or the other villages with PCV's, because I know that Peace Corps will do a fine job replacing me, and as for the other villages, I know that my fellow 'Goodfellas' (and the other volunteers in country) are going to do amazing things. 

I learned a lot in my short few months. It was really neat to see how the logistics of Peace Corps work, as well as how all of the American's within the country relate to each other. I learned how to make bricks, and treat water, dig wells, and build a soak pit/wash station..oh and how to speak Bambara (intermediately). 

I found out just how wonderful the people of Mali are, and how to adapt to their culture. I also found out how scary and difficult it is to physically be a Peace Corps Volunteer.

To say that I am not happy that I am going home would be a lie, because I have a lot to look forward to. I can NOT wait to see my fiance, and my friends and family…and Tinners of course!!!

…But I am terrified, not knowing my next move. I am excited to see what life has in store for me, and I am thankful for this experience and what it has taught me (so far.)

Thanks for everyones support throughout my journey…I could not have done it without you*

All my Love…~Ramata Sogoba!! PEACE*

Farewell August...

I can't believe that today is the final day of August...
I also can't believe that Western has started back to school, and for the first time since I was three or four, I did not start school :( "they really do grow up so fast..."
I've survived three whole months in Mali,  West Africa, and although I've traveled abroad many times, the longest I had ever been gone was three weeks, and during my trip(s), never was I ever forced to use the bathroom in a hole in the ground. Mali has played a number on my physical state, while beating up my mental state, and kicking my emotional state really hard, where it hurts.
But I've survived, and I am certainly alive. Truth be told, I am more alive now than I have ever been in the past. I've pushed my limits, more than I ever thought was possible, and at the end of my pushing I couldn't just open a carton of Ben and Jerry's or cry on the shoulder of a dear friend... While in Mali, I have been forced to sit down and get to know myself...sounds pretty ridiculous (and believe me it is) but at the end of the day, its nice to be able to say "I know myself a little better today, than I did yesterday..."
A friend of mine (shout out to SamKat07 ;) told me one day that when her father asked "why on earth is Ashton doing this?" She replied "Idk..I guess she's going off to find herself..." At first I was slightly offended, because that was not the reason I applied, but in the end, thats exactly what I have gotten out of the experience. I pray to God that I have made a difference in these peoples lives since I have been here, but only he knows the answer to that one... however these past three months have really helped me to place MY life into perspective! Have I found myself?? Well..I was never really missing?? But I definitely believe that this experience has made me find the person that I want to be, and more importantly the person that God wants me to be...
My suggestion to people is definitely not to run off to Africa if you feel that you've misplaced your mind for the day, or my personal favorite- the mother (in the movies) who leaves her husband and kids behind to go out and 'find herself'...
Through my experience I have just found that these 'quiet times' that I always learned about in church and always THOUGHT that I was doing are truly magical!!..Although mine were forced at times, they were exactly what I needed, in the moment and always...
Its true what they say...When you have no strength left to stand, kneel...
The past three months have been difficult, and miserable at times for sure, but they have also been the most rewarding three months of my life!!!* I have my mother, my dear friends and family, and every sweet person from my high school cheer coach, to my kindergarten teacher and all those in between to thank for it...but most of all I've had God.
I've always considered myself close to God, but I've never been in the situation where I truly have no one else to turn to, and its amazing to know that he is always there, and he is always going to be there!! Please continue to Pray for me as I make my next moves, but mainly pray for the people of Mali and my fellow volunteers as they impact the world!!
All my Love From West Africa* PEACE*

God willing...

Life is a funny thing. A funny thing that brings you surprises when you least expect them, and in the blink of an eye anything could happen. Whoever first said, "If you want to make God laugh tell him your plans" must have been a pretty insightful individual. When you think about it, I guess its pretty arrogant to even make plans altogether. Here is where, I think, the Malians have really adopted the proper way of making plans. A Malian never tells you he will come to an appointment, or see you tomorrow, without saying "If God wills it," at the end. How true is that? 

Sometimes it can be aggravating, because an appointment will be missed for the simple fact that they just didn't want to show up, but they give the ultimate excuse of saying "God did not will that today!!" Thus who are you to disagree??

In Life nothing is guaranteed. You never know what tomorrow will bring. Yes, you should make plans with good intentions, but who knows what will actually come of your plans, except God. I myself go back and forth with important (important to me, anyway) decisions in my life, but the truth is if it is meant to be it will be, and if it is not-it won't. 

This I suppose is where I tend to mess up a lot of the time. Most people enjoy being in control of their own lives, me especially, but although God lets us make our own decisions, he has the ultimate say. Often when I pray I ask specifically for God to do me a favor, or for something specific to happen in my life, when really I should be praying for the right thing to happen, because lets face it, thats whats going to happen. 

So I guess if we stop trying to control our lives, and start accepting the fact that the right thing is going to happen, we will live much more contently. All we have to do is expect the worst, hope for the best, and know that everything happens for a reason...and no matter what keep praying, and holding tight to your faith. 

Yesterday there was a bombing in Nigeria, and all I could think about was how UN-Peaceful this world is....

But we must not give up on mankind, and we can't expect some drastic change over night... Instead make a difference where you can, and trust that God is taking care of the rest*

missing you...

First let me say, Happy Birthday to my dear friend Mery Fane!! Days like today are days that make me miss home a little bit more, because I hate missing special events in my friends and families lives. Don't get me wrong, God willing, I will be able to experience plenty of birthdays in my friends and families lives, but weddings and babies being born are important moments that I hate not to be a part of. I knew this came with the Peace Corps territory. Missing home and special occasions and all of the luxuries that don't quite exist here in West Africa- its just part of this experience.
Today, while sitting around relaxing with my Peace Corps friends, we listened to a James Taylor album and all I could think of was my dad. He loves filling our home with music, and plays it pretty loudly. Christmas time is the best at my house, because my dad is really good at getting us in the holiday spirit. So, today I guess I miss my dad, and the simple things things that he does for our family. Being here I am constantly missing big things like air conditioning, and food, and my fiance, but lately I have missed the small things that make my life unique and special to me. I miss my brother and his strange sense of humor, and I guess I miss him constantly making fun of me. I miss my baby sister and her constant hugs, and encouraging words. I miss cuddling with my little Tinner butt, and her kisses. I talk to the woman everyday, but I miss my mother. I miss my friends, and I miss the opportunity of going to the parties, and going on trips with them. I miss America. Its funny, here I am so proud of being an American, but at the same time, I wonder how I got so lucky to live in such an incredible country. Being a Republican is extremely difficult in the Peace Corps, because I am certain that I am the first one to become a PCV. I've learned to just keep my opinions to myself, because 1. I am very outnumbered. 2. There is no reason to start up conflict with people for no reason (If they wanted my opinion they would ask for it!)
Its interesting serving with people who are so much different than the people in my life in America. I think its important to meet people with different points of views than yourself. You can learn a lot from other people, but most of all I think it is important to find out why people believe the way that they do. As long as you hold true to your beliefs and your value systems, you should be able to have a civil conversation with anyone. You can't expect people to change their views just because you think that its right, because you wouldn't want them to force their views upon you!!*
I appreciate everyone I have met, and I respect all of their viewpoints, but I also miss my family and friends who share much of the same values with me.
.....Being at the stage house, it is easy at times to watch your DVD's and eat your decent food, and forget what you were going through just a few days before. This is important because if I didn't have that I would go Craaazy! (I'm probably a little more crazy now, than I was when I left) But its nice to have this opportunity. Don't get me wrong, I am still very much in Africa, with no cool air, and bugs and rats running around, and some seriously bad gash/bite on my back that I woke up with, and who knows what got ahold of me last night...(i'm afraid I don't want to know..)
But for now I am enjoying my ceiling fans, and facebook time....
However now and for the rest of my service, I miss all of you, and I hope you are well :)

The Right Way

So happy to be in San with electricity, internet, and the company of other fellow volunteer! Tomorrow we are hosting a Cops and Robbers 'mixer' which means volunteers from all over Mali are coming to our stage house to get together. I am enjoying the opportunity to catch up with friends and family, and soaking up the encouraging words from you all that make my work here possible.
Tonight we went to a local spot to hangout in San, and we were discussing the difficulties that we all face while living here. We clearly all face a tremendous amount of obstacles, and stressful situations, but my friend Lyle and I had a special type of problem that other volunteers had never really thought about. Lyle and I have a life threatening condition called-Lefthandedism....haha...jk! But being Left Handed here is definitely a controversial issue.
Lets face it, it is a Right Handed World. In America I struggle with being left handed on a regular basis, due to the lack of left handed desks in classrooms, and the lack of left handed scissors-anywhere!! Being left handed has always been a struggle for me, I would say, because my no one in my family is left handed, so my friends father had to teach me how to tie my shoes, and throw a ball. Don't get me wrong, my life IN AMERICA isn't forever changed because I write and eat with my left hand, but my life in Mali-IS!!!
The Malian People, like many other people in 3rd world countries, have chosen to veto the whole toilet paper concept and wipe with their lefthand, so for lack of better words, in Mali, the left hand might as well be called the PoopHand!!~and to make matters worse, most people here do not wash their hand!
The problem here is that people do not use silverware, so they eat with their right hands, and because I choose not to completely inconvenience myself, the people of Mali look at me like I am the most disgusting individual on the planet.~and to them, I am!
They can't stand it that I eat with my left hand, and they can't stand it that I write with my left hand. On many occasions they yell at me to change, and multiple times they have taken my pen out of my left hand and placed it in my right!
One time I was blowing my nose WITH A KLEENEX, with both hands, and the people were appalled that I would blow my nasty nose with my good right hand!!~Oh Mali!
So for all of you Left handed people out there, I feel your pain!~Especially now! Be strong and proud of your uniqueness!
I am choosing to use this as an opportunity to let people know that they must wash their hands (because this eliminates the grossness of the situation) and the fact that it is okay to be different!!
I would love to change the left handed stereotype within my village, allowing children to be able to use their preferred hand, to make what should be simple tasks in life, simple again for Left-Handed Malians!! Knowledge is power!! in this situation or in any other..Your way may be the right way for you, but not always the right way for someone else! Impact peoples lives, but try your hardest to make it for the better! Give someone the knowledge they need to improve their lives, but let them make the decision that best suits them, and with the help of God and their own moral compass, hopefully it will be the right one!!
Love each other!!~and don't be so quick to judge!!*
All my Love, from Mali to America!!* PEACE*

Life at Site

Life at Site has been pretty successful thus far. I have had my fair share of ups and downs already, but surprisingly I have had more ups. These past two weeks have not been too bad (as far as the loneliness goes.) My friend who lives a few villages over, came and visited me one day, and we (he) cooked rice and curry, which was a nice change from the constant stale bread, and United States sent Jif Peanut Butter, complements of Lisa Elmore. I have read two books (BOOKS, Not Magazines), from cover to cover, which does not sound like big news, unless you are my Micha Elmore, and in that case she has probably fallen out of her chair, while reading this. I have gone on one run (which if I am being totally honest was more of a brisk walk) through the outskirts of my village. I have written A LOT, but mostly in my 'Jared Journal' (I'm on page 147, so who knows if he will actually read it, because basically it is just the longest letter ever written...) I have battled a mamba, which for those of you who don't know is one of the most deadly and vicious snakes alive (it was a baby, but still one bite and I would have been dunzo!!-and my homologue may or may not have been the one who actually killed it!!) I have spent many nights watching my dear F-R-I-E-N-D-S, Rachel, Ross, Joey, Chandler, Monica, and Phoebe swap interesting stories around the coffee table at 'Central Perk' (on my laptop, which I spend the better half of my day charging with a car battery) and due to the constant down pours that this fine Rainy Season has brought me, I have waded through far more BO-JI (poop water) than I would ever care to admit!! I went my longest length of time without batheing- EIGHT DAYS...(I blame the discovery of a febreeze bottle at the bottom of my suitcase, and the odor masking aroma that comes from my Off Bug Spray...) I know I should be ashamed, but truth be told I was happier walking around in my filth, than hovering over a nasty 'Bo' Hole!! I went to church with my ja-tigi (dad type person) which was a neat experience. I danced and sang along with the women and had a great time, but was constantly distracted by all of the children staring at me, trying to figure out why there was a ghost in their sanctuary...

This past week Peace Corps sent me a private language tutor, who helped me better integrate into my village. We spent every hour together, so we obviously got to know each other really well. I really enjoyed her company, and learned a lot more about the Malian culture and tried to educate her as much as possible on life in America. She can't believe that I don't cook (which becomes harder each day..) because women here spend all day doing chores such as cooking for their husbands and twenty children, and washing their clothes. I like to explain that in America my father does the cooking, and women and men take turns washing clothes (they think this is funny/crazy!!) and they think I am incredibly lazy, which maybe I am! 

Yesterday my tutor said something that really stuck with me! Due to their religious beliefs, the men of Mali can have up to four wives. My friend/tutor is engaged, and said that her future husband only wants one wife, and I said that was great, because thats what she wanted, but then she got sad and said that just because he says that, doesn't mean he wont change his mind :( i pray he keeps his promise to her)

***On a more positive note, Jared's sister gave birth to a sweet, beautiful, healthy baby boy! Finn Thomas Botkins! I so wish I was there to meet my (future) nephew/ring bearer, but I guess I will have to wait!!***

All my Love, From Mali to America!!* Peace*

Welp...Wish Me Luck*

Welp, this is it....
I am enjoying my last night in the Stage house of Segou, getting my fill of the fabulous luxuries of air conditioning, wifi, and electricity. I am about as nervous as I was on my plane ride from Nashville to Washington DC, thinking 'What have I gotten myself into?'
Tomorrow morning I will be installed into my aprx. 4,000 person village. I am officially moving to the place that I will spend the rest of my service at. I am extremely nervous in many different ways, and probably not even sure what all I should be nervous about yet.
My biggest worry, I would say, is loneliness.  
Its funny how you can be surrounded by so many people and yet still be so lonely.
It may sound stupid, but I am definitely going to miss being able to speak English.
I am going to be insanely hot, and extremely bored at times. I am not going to have a clue what to do with myself, or what to do with my time....Yes, I can go for a walk, or write, or read a book, but that stuff only takes up so much time.
I am concerned about many aspects of this new step of Peace Corps, however I am also really excited about what my next move has in store for me. I joined Peace Corps to help people, and to also test my limits, and make myself a better person. Though I will be lonely most of the time, I will be able to spend my time getting to know the village and figuring out ways to help them, help themselves.
During this time I plan to focus on my relationship with God, and grow closer to him through prayer and scripture.
Today I was talking with another PCV about our time here in Mali, and I said that I was glad that I had completed Homestay because I had become a stronger person, and she corrected me by saying that we all have this strength in us, we just aren't able to see what we are capable of, until we are in these situations.
Who knows what I am capable of, and What I am not...I guess over the next few weeks/months/years, I will definitely see what obstacles, when faced with, I can overcome.
Please keep me in your prayers over the next few weeks, because one thing is for sure, that without God I wont be able to achieve anything*

Joking Cousins

I'm surprised I have not blogged about the 'Joking Cousin' situation in Mali before, because it is such a huge part of the Malian Culture. In Mali, your name means everything. Take me for example, as soon as I got into this country, everyone was trying to change my name; 'Ashton Elmore' was not going to cut it. While in Mali, it is important to change your name to a local name, for the people to take you seriously, especially if you're planning on working with them. As soon as I arrived at HomeStay, my family gave me the same name as my mother. Her name is Ramata (pronounced Aramata) Samake. Over the next two months, that name was the only name that I was known as in Mali. I liked the name okay, except for the fact that EVERYONE in the village knew my name, thus everywhere I went I heard 'Ramata' 'Ramata' 'Ramata'...which can be extremely annoying (For all of you people wanting to become famous, move to Mali, its just like Cheers, everybody DOES know your name...)
My first name is rather insignificant though, the last names here are what is really important. On a regular bases my conversations would go like this:
'i togo?' (whats your name?)
'Ramata'
'i Jamu?' (whats your last name?)
'Samake'
....Now, the conversation would either end quickly when they said 'oooh Samake..A KINE!!' (which mean GOOD!!)
or...they would say "EH!! SAMAKE?? A MINE!!" (which means bad) ..and then they would say "i sho dun" which means....You Eat Beans!!
Now, in the beginning this was pretty funny, because it helps you work on your Bambara as you go back and forth insulting each other, but depending on where you are regionally, it can become somewhat  of a problem.
Not a problem is a 'dangerous' since, but for example, my old village had quite a few Samakes, so I didn't spend a lot of time 'joking,' however my new village has like zero Samakes, which makes for an exausting day with very little progress in the Water Sanitation field.
To solve this problem, I have decided to change my name to Ramata Sogoba, which I think is a good decision, because I will spend less time arguing about whether I eat beans, and more time talking about wells, and pumps, and water treatment lol*
Sogoba means BIG MEAT...hahahaha...so today my joke was 'you eat dog!'....if that person knew Tinley, he would know that that joke is in no way funny to me...lol*
Joking cousins seems like a strange concept to some people, but it is actually very beneficial to the people of Mali. Joking cousins has been a successful way of avoiding conflict throughout Mali, thus making this country a safe place to live, as well as visit :):):)*

Swear-In*

Two days ago I officially Swore-In as a Peace Corps Volunteer, so here I am anticipating what the rest of my service has in store.
Swear-In was a really neat experience. We were Sworn-In by the Charge de l'Affairs, because he is the interim Ambassador of Mali. We Swore-In at the U.S. Embassy, which was absolutely fabulous. Considering its considered 'US soil,' that place was like a big piece of America, the toilets were to die for, and I can honestly say I didn't see ONE fly the entire time I was there. We were not allowed to take photographs, and after my scarring experience with the picture I took of the US Embassy in Ghana, I thought it would be best to follow the rules this time.
Swearing-In to the Peace Corps was a very rewarding experience, and something I have wanted for a very long time. I am really proud of myself, as well as all of the amazing individuals who did it with me. One woman, our grandmother in the group, was in Peace Corps Nigeria in the 60's, when Peace Corps took you out in the middle of nowhere, and said 'GoodLuck!' LoL*...She is an amazing person, with awesome stories, and I am extremely proud of her, because as a 22 year old, this is painfully difficult, so I can't imagine doing it forty/fifty years down the road.
After Swear-In we got to go to the American Club and swim all day, and we were treated to a buffet of delicious American Pizza, Hamburgers, French Fries, you name it!!~YUMMMMY!! And Later we were taken to a hotel/restaurant where we were able to eat another amazing meal, and then went out to the 'club.' There was lots of dancing, and mingling and we all had a wonderful time. The best part was when we FINALLY received our stage name. (The other stages names are Risky Business, Team America, and the Kennedy's) and until now, we were just 'the trainees!!' haha...but now we received our name that our wonderful trainers picked for us. Because we are like the smallest group in Peace Corps Mali history, we are really close like a family, and we play the card game 'Mafia' constantly so we got the name 'Goodfellas' (due to the film) and we are really pleased with it :)
Today I am traveling to Segou. Normally I would be dreading 'traveling' through Mali, but my Lucky Lucky self, gets to travel in air-conditioned Peace Corps transport because their are only 2other people in my region. My region is Segou, but I live really far from the city of Segou, so we will spend a couple of nights there and then on to San in a couple of days.
I am excited to get out to my village and meet the people and see what work I can do with them to improve their quality of life...but I am also TERRIFIED!! These next few months are supposed to be extremely hard, because of the whole Lonely aspect, and our traveling restrictions!!
I miss you all, but will definitely miss you more as I battle loneliness, and who knows what types of illness over the next 90 days!!
I miss and Love you aLL! PEACE*

Hello aLL!! I just finished my very last session as a Peace Corps Trainee. Crazy to believe that I Swear-In as a Peace Corps Volunteer in like 14 hours. This journey has been a long one, and the most difficult two months of my life. I am constantly stressed out to the max. In Mali, Stress takes on a completely different meaning. I've dealt with stress throughout my life, but nothing like this. Not only am I stressed about Language exams, and Medical issues, but I experience stress every time I have to use the negen, and eat, and go to sleep, or wake up (I've been here 2 months, yet nearly every morning I wake up in a panic, thinking where the heck am I?) These past two months I have experienced quite a bit of 'culture shock,' and found myself wondering what in the world am i doing?
The answer: I have no clue. Most days, I don't know what to think or what to feel. I feel a mixture of emotions, and have lots of highs and lots of lows.
I DO KNOW that tomorrow I will Swear-In as an official Peace Corps Volunteer and join thousands of admirable individuals. I am so proud of my accomplishment, because I know exactly what it has taken to get to this point. I know that the next few months are going to be unbearable at times, and unimaginably lonely, but after 'HomeStay' there isn't much that I can not do.
Peace Corps is HARD, especially in the 'Hard Core' Peace Corps Mali, but although I do not like this aspect most days, I am able to reach limits that I would never have EVER set for myself. Yes, I am complain and No, I may not want to do it some days, but I have done it. I have successfully completed my Peace Corps training, and will Swear-In in the morning with the incredible 22 individuals who have battled through the past two months with me!!
Wish me Luck!!
Love you aLL, and I am so thankful for all of your encouragement*

Something to Blog About...

Surprisingly Life in West Africa, is not always something to blog about. When I have internet, I feel like I should constantly blog, because I know that my family and friends are constantly worried about me and needing updates. Unfortunately my life is not too awfully interesting at this second. I am at a place called TSO (cant say the whole name for security purposes or something...) which has many advantages. TSO is our training site, and the location that I can come throughout my service for more training and work related activities. At TSO we are super lucky to have internet, and a doctors office with a toilet if we feel the need to be luxuries and use such a thing. TSO has AMAZING food, yet funny enough when I first got here I thought it was awful. TSO does have its disadvantages however because it is located near the Niger River, we have sooo many critters around. The night that we arrived in Mali, we stayed at TSO, and found a tarantula right outside of our huts. One volunteer shared with us the importance of flashlights, because one night at TSO he walked into his hut and nearly stepped on a Puff Adder (Viper Snake that kills within minutes after biting you...) Luckily he didn't get bitten. The mosquitos here are out of control, and due to my sweet sweet blood ;), I sometimes dread coming here due to all of the constant bites.
We are here at TSO though for a whole week, until we leave for SITE next Sunday. This time is crucial to us as volunteers, and humans. This time we are able to be with our Stage group that I have become very close to! These people are a tremendous support system here in Mali, because they go through every phase of Peace Corps at the exact same time that I do.
This week is exhausting because we have session after session on things like 'STI's' and 'Security' and 'Assault' and 'Language'....one after the other!! As tiring as it is though, I should enjoy it because starting Monday morning I am supposed to stay at my SITE for 90 days, only to go to my banking town a couple of times. I imagine that time to be the loneliest and possibly toughest experience of my life.
Every phase of Peace Corps is extremely stressful, and has the lowest of low points, but the funny thing is that no matter how low your moments go, the small highs are spectacular enough to make it all worth it.  

HOMESTAY A BANNA

Hi Friends! Today is the Last day of July, which means I left home 2 months ago! In one way I cant believe that I have been in Mali for two months now, but at the same time, I feel as if I have been here forever!
This morning I left my HomeStay village for good! Although I am extremely relieved that I never have to share a negen again, never will be forced to take a bucket bath again, and will never have to explain where I am going and what I am doing at all times, I am actually going to kind of miss that place.
No, I am not going to miss that actual village (with its pungent oder, and rivers of garbage, and children throwing rocks and rotten mangos at me as they scream "TUBABU!!") but I am going to miss many aspects of it. I will miss being able to walk right outside of my compound to my good friend Zach, and being able to walk through the fields to Pamela's house! I will definitely miss Pamela.
I was reading a letter yesterday that my mom had written me. The letter said "I pray that God gives you companionship," I know she wrote that because I was so worried about being alone in this country, yet that is just one (of many I am sure) prayers that have been answered! All of the people I am serving with have helped me immensely during this experience, but I have been so lucky to have found a true friendship in Pamela (without whom I could not have gotten through these past 2 difficult months!)
HomeStay in a way is like Survival of the Fittest!! When we arrived here we were put on high dosages of Mefloquine (which I am starting to believe does more harm to you body and emotions than good..)and sent into some really harsh living conditions.
Ex: My tin-roof flew off of my hut during a storm yesterday, thus Pamela and I got completely soaked.

HomeStay is what most volunteers claim is the hardest part of Peace Corps service. Getting through HomeStay is what makes you into a volunteer, yet along the way it can really break you down.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:::
Well lets see...
I feel that I have accomplished  A LOT. For one, I survived HomeStay! Don't get me wrong there were plenty of tears shed, which really freaks out Malians because they don't ever really cry, and lots of phone calls to my poor mother and friends, but I am alive and well!
I am now an INTERMEDIATE Bambara speaker, a language which I did not know existed until I arrived here!
I kill termites with my bare hands!! (You kind of have to when your room is infested with them...)
I have learned to take advantage of nature!!~Instead of taking bucket baths everyday, I sometimes just put conditioner on my dry hair, and wait until it rains and rinses it out!!...Too Much Info??*
Not trying to jinx myself but I have managed to stay relatively healthy, Yes I had a low grade fever one day, and experienced a mild Cold, but compared to a lot of people in my Stage, I have been about the healthiest!!*

Although it took some getting used to, I learned to Love the people in my village. My family was amazing. My little 2 year old brother, Zumana, brightened my every day, and my sweet mother was incredible. She only had one leg, yet that woman did not let that slow her down. She can do with crutches and one leg, what I can't do most days with two legs and a car. We definitely had our share of miscommunications, but I can honestly say that A SMILE IS UNIVERSAL!~and a smile can go a long way.
My HomeStay family definitely touched my life, and I pray that I touched theirs in some small way :)

This Friday I will become an official Peace Corps Volunteer, and all of my hard work and hardships throughout the past two months will have been well worth it! I am so thankful to have such an amazing support system at home, and I am so grateful for your care packages and encouraging words on FaceBook!! I love and Miss you aLL!!* Peace*

Site Visit

So my last few days have been a whirlwind. I have experienced so many new things, some good and some not so good. Throughout my last month and a half in Mali I thought that I had truly experienced the scariest situations, as well as truly experienced what it feels like to be in the Peace Corps. Site Visit allowed me to truly test my limits, yet again. One of the most difficult things in Mali is getting around. The transportation system here is extremely dangerous. While traveling around the country, the most prominent thought in your head is, Dear God Please Don't Let me Die. The drivers here are definitely experienced in driving like mad people, but at any point in time (like in every country) something can go very wrong. Traffic accidents are one of the leading causes of death in Mali, and one the biggest risks for Peace Corps volunteers. If there is a speed limit, i am not aware of it, and those nice little yellow lines that exist in the states (allowing people to pass each other at appropriate times) certainly does not exist here...
If the danger involved in Mali transportation wasn't enough to scar you for life, there are plenty of other elements that cause one to never want to travel cross country again. For instance, the first charter bus that I got on (FOR MY 8HOUR DRIVE)..The bus attendants placed three people in a two person sitting area. There clearly is no air conditioning. Leg room? Forget it! Smells? Don't even get me started! And if it weren't cramped enough, I had to sit with two big bags in my lap, which was just plain miserable... During my 8 hour trip the bus stops only once, at the half way mark, for you to use the restroom (PS...Public Negens SUCK!!)...but don't worry, the bus stops plenty often for people to try and sell you foods that you should not Ever eat (due to food poisoning) and for you to use the restroom in an open field where every other person on the bus can see you!
My first bus experience was by far the worst, because the bus we got on was in terrible condition. Today on my way back from San, my friend and I were able to sit beside each other, and there was a little more room. The experience wasn't too awfully terrible, until the man behind me put his living and breathing chicken (that smelled like DEATH) under my seat, and it started flapping and going crazy at my feet! Don't Worry, I only TOTALLY freaked out, and made a huge scene after it scared the living daylights out of me!!...but again not a total failure of a trip!~Some people have buses that break down on the side of the road for hours or days and leave you stranded!...or you could pay for a ticket on a bus and when you get on board you realize they sold you a seat that does not exist, so you sit on a bucket in the aisle, which is exactly what I had to do for the two hour drive from my village to San two days ago!
But enough about Transportation...
I am completely pleased with my site! When I got out to my village I had a "whoa, i live in Africa" moment. The village is gorgeous, and the people are incredibly nice. My house is HUGE, because the incredible folks at World Vision, left Peace Corps their office building which is now my home! My concession has a huge garden that is currently growing all kinds of amazing treats! I have a banana tree, an orange tree, a mango tree, a papaya tree, tomatoes, hot peppers, and who really knows what else! I definitely do not know, because clearly I have never been a farmer, or anything of the sort, to be able to identify the plants, but I have made it a goal of mine in recent years, to learn to garden, so here is my opportunity!!! I also am not sure what plants are in my garden because there is one heck of a language barrier going on in my village! My village speaks a language called Minianka, as their first language, and their second language is the one that I have been learning-Bambara! So along with the fact that my Bambara is terrible right now, no one in my village really speaks it, and no one NOT EVEN MY LANGUAGE TEACHER, Speaks English!
So far I have had my struggles in Peace Corps. I miss Jared, my friends and family more than words can say, but although I miss people I have yet to feel completely Lonely. Although HomeStay is really difficult, I have made such close friendships that have truly gotten me through this difficult time, but maaannnn lying in the middle of a house in the middle of nowhere West Africa, after not speaking English to anyone all day, I was soooo Lonely. Loneliness is an emotion that I have felt before, but in a sense of "my roommates aren't back from class, how will i entertain myself for an hour"..not like this! For a minute I pictured myself turning into Tom Hanks from 'Castaway'!..Can someone please send me a soccer ball, that I can paint a face on and name it Wilson? haha..JOKE!..but seriously I am going to need a puppy As Soon As I Move out to Site permanently!
Right now I am going to enjoy HomeStay for what it is. I swear into Peace Corps in the beginning of August and at that point I will hopefully be able to cope with loneliness! Miss you aLL!!* PeaCE*

My Job is My Life...

Growing up in the States, you constantly have people telling you "Don't take you work home with you" and "Don't mix business with pleasure" and lots of other sayings that cause an American person to desire the luxury of having your home life separate from your career. Of course in the US there are plenty of people who worship money and are continually working in hopes of obtaining more and more of it, as well as those lucky individuals who love their job so much that they cant help but continue working after hours, and the unlucky MANY people who can't stop thinking about their jerk bosses and so on and so forth....
The Peace Corps is truly a job like no other. I love this job more than any job that I have ever had, and I love the benefits that come with this job. Every day I have the satisfaction of knowing that I have exceeded a new limit that I set for myself, and although I don't always want to, I constantly am trying new things. My  job is continuously teaching me new things, and keeping me on my toes. The problem with this 'job' is that I never have a day off. Today is Sunday, which is our 'day off,' and everyday we 'get off' work at 5pm, however instead of GOING 'HOME,' I (on a normal day) go back to my Home Stay Family, and struggle through a conversation in Bambara, and stomach down something that could potentially come back up. I then head into my room which is 100 degrees on a good day, and fan myself until I pass out.
I know I am making Peace Corps life sound tempting with these horrible situations, however no matter how bad this 'job' is, its somehow exactly what I have always wanted. Right now I am not cut out for a 9-5 job. ....Yes, I would be perfectly happy getting off work and going home to my dreamy fiance every day, and being able to enjoy simple things like a conversation in English, or some yummy delivery PIZZA, while laying on the couch watching a rented movie from Redbox...(wait...what was I talking about again??)...
Oh yea..Life in the Peace Corps has to be taken One Day At A Time...
Each and Every day is a struggle, and the fact that there are ZERO BREAKS EVER, makes it that much more difficult. But I have to remind myself that this is what I signed up for... and trust me, the little things like successfully making a brick, or minimal flies swarming you while you're bathing (splashing water on yourself from a tiny bucket beside the poop hole), and getting a child to come up and touch you even though you're a white scary person, and even though they're only doing it because you have American Candy ;)*....its the little things that get you through here...
So tonight when I want a 'break' and there is no way that I am going to get one, say a little prayer for me that I can find a way to cope, and that God will send me a small thing, that puts a big smile on my face!!*..Love and Miss yaLL*

Inspiration

"For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I HOPE YOU MAKE THE BEST OF IT. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again"-Benjamin Button


This quote is one that has stuck with me for the past couple of years, or at least since I saw the movie Benjamin Button. The movie is a rather weird one, but if you watch it or have seen it, you'll know that it is full of all kinds of neat quotes! At this point in my life I couldn't tell you the exact reason of what I am doing what I am doing. Its reeeeeally hard, however although 90% of the time I am thinking, "What the heck are you doing here??" Its that 10% that makes me love it!! Quotes are one of my favorite things in the world, whether they're from a movie, a poem, or a song (id die without my ipod and laptop)!! Occasionally when I am having the worst day, I will hear the most inspirational quote and it will completely turn my day around. This quote is one of those special quotes. It makes me realize how special and unique every single persons life is. If you're not happy with the way your life is going, make a change!! Every day is a new day, So whether you're in Glasgow, Kentucky or the Middle of West Africa, Each day gives you the opportunity to improve yourself, so CARPE DIEM!!


Love and Miss you aLL!!~FeeL Free to Post some of your favorite Inspirational Quotes!! 

Diaramana

I can't believe I have made it this far this fast!! I have been soooo nervous lately because I had no idea where I would be spending the rest of my time in Mali, until today! Until about 30minutes ago I had no idea what region I would be in...How far from internet (connection with my Loves) I would be?...Or how far from a market and electricity I would be?...Or if I would have phone reception??? 

Today I found out that I am in a village of 4000 people. The village is Diaramana, in the Segou Region. Although that probably sounds small to you, that is HUGE for me! I am going to have a market 6 days a week, which means I am going to be able to have fruits and vegetables (that are in season) available to me. I will have my own well, and my own negen (restroom..<hole in the ground>)..which again, sounds gross to you, but is heavenly to me!!! ;)

So, to recap I am extremely excited about my village, but that is not even the best part! I AM ONLY 20K FROM SAN (A CITY!!!) I am only a bike ride away from internet and some of the other small luxuries that are hard to come by in this country!! I am kind of In South East Mali, however considering most of Mali is off limits to Peace Corps (due to Al Qaeda) I would say that I am in East Mali. The closest country to me is Burkina Faso, therefore I am relatively near ELEPHANTS (fun fact!) Another fun fact is my Wat/San (the sector I work for) friend Lyle got assigned only 10K from me, and my BFF Pamela is in Sikasso region, and if we need to hangout we're only a LOOONG bike ride away!! 

Life is looking good today! I meet my homologue (the guy i will be trusting with my life in Diaramana) tomorrow, and will blog again soon!! 

Love from Mali to America and Back!!~PEACE* 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHA...AND AMERICA

Welp, I can't believe I have survived over a month in Mali!! Over this time I have grown a lot as a person, I think, but I still would say I have a long way to go! My poor mother gets to experience all of my break downs that happen more often than not! Today has been a rather rough day because I woke up with a fever, and I am pretty sure I have a cold...or malaria?? who really knows!! 

Yesterday was the BEST DAY EVER!! Sundays are our days off, so eight of us went on an excursion to this 'french oasis' in the middle on nowhere!! it was Truly magical!! We got to treat ourselves to a fabulous day!! Today we are being treated to a Malian 4th of July party, and since no Malians celebrate the 4th of July, we were brought back to Tubaniso where we are grilling out HAMBURGERS, and eating GRILLED CHEESE and stuff, so I am pretty pumped about that! Later we are going to play an American Trivia game, and then we're having a water balloon fight, so other than the giant African bugs, and extreme heat, and no lake or family and my Kentucky friends, I feel like I am back in the states!! 

Today my sister is turning the big 18 and I am absolutely devastated that I can not be there to celebrate with her. I am so proud of her and and the beautiful lady she has become!! 

Today I am taken back to last 4th of July weekend that I spent in HHI with my loves!! I can't believe time has passed so quickly from that moment, as well as how fast time is passing here!! I miss you all and love you very much!! Todays blog isn't very personal or fun, but i DO have a fever, and do not really feel like blogging!! HAPPY 4TH OF EVERYONE!!...Take a moment to appreciate your American Freedoms, and the amazing people who leave their friends and families to protect those freedoms overseas!!~PEACE*

(ps got another care package from mommy today!!~THANKS!!*)

Worth it

Its the night before I leave to go back to HomeStay. I came back to my hut to sleep but i am not quite sleepy enough. Life is good right now because i am laying under my fan and my caladryl lotion is pretending to work for the moment. I can hear Zacharia playing his guitar, as some of the crew stays up swapping stories around a bon fire. Right now I am feeling like I can do this. I feel like I am where I am supposed to be at this point in my life. I feel as if every little thing I have done throughout my life has somehow gotten me to this place (the place i constantly question 'why are you doing this to yourself')…Todays 'field trip' kind of helped place things into perspective. I am getting back to the place that 'Methloquine' took me out of. 

For the past few years of my life I have watched commercial after commercial and posters and ads all around of these 'starving children in africa,' and all I see when I look at these pictures are the kids looking at me saying 'why am i not worth it?' I took this assignment to devote my time to telling these children 'you are worth it!' 

Water is a basic human need and every person on the planet should be entitled to CLEAN WATER!! The stuff running out of your faucet that we all take for granted is a luxury for so many people around the world. Children die every day from what Dr. Don calls 'Mr. D'…So as a Water Sanitation Extension Agent, I am trying to Extend Clean Water to the people of Mali…

As for my family and friends, you are helping the people of Mali too!!~This is the hardest thing i have ever done!! I am homesick, for my mommy, my Jared, my Tinley, and you know, EVERYTHING!!! So all of you who say, 'what can i do??' you're doing it!! Your thoughts and encouraging words are what keep me going! I am so thankful for my amazing family and friends who are loving and supporting me!! YALL ARE THE BEST!!!*

Is the Worst of it over??*

So far, during my time in Mali, every day I have pretty much thought "I don't know if this is for me"...But over the past week or so, I have decided to plan trips in 'the future' to come home for vacation, so I think I may be getting out of that funk. I am starting to think of Mali as more of a home, and I have made some friendships that I know are life~long! I could not have asked for a better group of people to serve with, and although HomeStay is extremely difficult, God placed the right people there with me (even though I miss the rest of the group terribly when I am away from them.) My new 'best friends' Pamela and Zach are the glue that holds me together when I am down in the dumps and need to vent every other second, about things like a certain smell that turns your stomach, language barrier frustrations, our constant longing for cheese and sauces, and really any little thing that sets us off from time to time ;) 

Today We went on a 'field trip' to Bamako. Although my 'American Club day' was the best day yet, this day comes in at a close second. Wat/San and Education split up and went to different areas so I figured we would miss out on some things, but we actually learned a lot about Water Sanitation in Mali and ways that we can improve our Sites when we figure out where we are going. We visited a lab where they treat the water, and we spent the day in air conditioned luxury. I left my hair down for the first day since I left (It was a great hair day, today!!) We then went to a fabulous restaurant in Bamako where lots of Tubabs (White People) tend to hang out!! What did I eat?? or should you ask "WHAT DIDN'T I EAT!!!" Pamela and I split...two cokes, a LARGE cheese, mushroom, and ham pizza, a chocolate milkshake, a plate of fries with KETCHUP, a piece of cake and a bowl of ice cream!...I would skip out on dinner tonight, due to my glutinous ways at lunch, however I know I will probably go hungry for the next week, so I'll probably splurge at dinner tonight as well. :)

We leave in the morning to go back to Homestay, although I cant lie and say i miss my smelly, nasty, bug infested, hot bedroom, or the smells of Dialiakorobugu, or the lack of WIFI, I do kind of miss my family there, and I know they will be there to greet me as soon as I return. :) 

I'm not too depressed about leaving Tubaniso either, because I get to come back for the 4th of July :) (aka the most beautiful, talented, and smartest girl in the whole entire worlds 18 birthday~Micha, we get to skype on your bday ;)...and then we go back to Dialiakorobugu on the 5th, and BACK to Tubaniso next thursday July 7th!! The 7th is a HUGE day for me because I meet my 'homologue' (person who will be my work partner and the one i will trust with my life for the next 2years) and I FIND OUT MY SITE!!(which is where I will be living for the next two years)...HOORAY!!!*

When we got to Tubaniso this time, all of the current Volunteers were like, 'man yall are some tough trainees'...because we broke a record for the longest first homestay EVER! Every other group has been blessed with the opportunity to come back after like 2weeks, but because of scheduling conflicts, we had to stay THREE!!!~That may not sound like a big deal to yall, but we earned major street cred because of it!!!*

Miss yall!!*...Keep me in your prayers*xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo*   Love from Mali to America and Back*

Meth Monday

Not really sure what to write today, but I figure I should probably take advantage on the internet! Right now I am sitting inside of the cafeteria while a sand storm slowly makes its way into a thunder storm. Although it is kind of freaky, I am thankful in the fact that i am not alone in my little concrete abode around two am like usual. I become so convinced that the thunder in the distance sounds like a train,  thus it must be a tornado. I get so terrified that I put on my bicycle helmet and crawl under my bed with the cockroaches, and termites and pray. I feel silly nearly every single morning, after these shenanigans, yet my worrisome self always practices the same routine. Fear here, has taken a brand new form. In the States it seems that I am afraid of absolutely everything. Here, I have talked myself into only freaking out in life threatening situations. At home, I freak out at the sight of any type of bug; Ants, spiders, roaches you name it, i freak, but here i've decided to only freak out if the bug can kill me! One night I woke up to a three inch cock roach beside my head on my pillow, I could have gotten up and ran and thrown a hissy fit and what not, but I decided to smash it and go back to sleep.
Today is METH Monday, when we all take our Methloquine so who knows what kind of mood I will find myself in later tonight!~i will probably dream some crazy dream and hallucinate, but don't worry it is not all bad. I enjoy my vivid dreams especially when I am home in them, and with my loved ones. One night Sam, Jared, and I got arrested for God know what.~I woke up in the best mood, because I felt like I actually saw them!! Meth Mondays definitely pay a toll on us though...They really mess with our mental state, and by Tuesday we are usually super depressed and suffer from anxiety (which is not good when you're this far from home)!! I definitely need my Methloquine though, because without it Malaria would have gotten the best of me a long long time ago!!~I think I counted 100 mosquito bites today, which is definitely at the ridiculous point~AND ITCHY!
Thanks to everyone who has sent/or is sending me a care package!~for some Goodie ideas: beef jerky, tuna 'lunches to go', poptarts, sauces (any condiments), hand sanitizer, baby wipes, and pretty much any food will never get old, DVDs are ALWAYS good, and much appreciated, pictures, and letters are awesome!! i love and miss you all, especially Jared and little miss Tinley!! Hope all is well....PEACE*

THE HARD CORE

So I guess Peace Corps purposefully does not allow you to have internet at the beginning of HomeStay because the average Peace Corps Trainee would write some unfriendly things about the village they are staying in! The past three weeks have been the hardest weeks of my life! Yes, I have traveled many places and done some pretty difficult things but i guess it was much easier knowing that I only had to do these things for a short amount of time, and for the majority of my trips, I did not have a handsome fiance at home waiting for my return! Over the past three weeks I have grown immensely as a person! I have had to test limits that I did not know I could surpass. I have learned how to use the restroom in a hole while a hundred huge flies attack me, and I have mastered the techniques of bucket bath (next to the hole with the poop flies!) For those who truly know me...I JUST USED THE WORD POOP!!~This place is really changing me! I have been more sad, mad, happy, excited, nervous, anxious, and downright miserable in the last three weeks than I ever have in my life! I have experienced true HUNGER, and THIRST, and some serious homesickness!! I've had nights where I knew I would pass out from the heat, or blow away during  one of the super scary rain/wind storms that pull my tin roof up and slam it back down!
Recently I was reading the Peace Corps Wellness Handbook and discovered something that completely freaked me out!...If you know anything about the Peace Corps, you have heard about the Eastern Europe 'Posh Corps," where the circumstances are much easier than the rest of PC places. There is the 'Beach Corps' where lucky people spend their 27months on an Island like Samoa or freaking FIJI! and then there is the HARD (CORPS) that consists of four West African Countries, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, and Chad!! (NEWS FLASH: Peace Corps had pulled out of Mauritania, Niger and Chad)!!!! So here we are in the only HARD CORE country left, MALI!! and let me tell you, it is HARD CORE, two of our small 23 people group have been hospitalized, and one of our NOW 22 people group has already Early Terminated :( he is missed)!! I don't know why my pink loving, makeup wearing, bubble bath taking self wound up here, other than the fact that God has one heck of a plan for me!! So tonight, while you're eating something that doesn't have parasites in it think of me, and say a little prayer!! :) I miss and Love yaLL*

One Small Step For Man One Giant Step For Mankind

No, I did not walk on the moon today, however after leaving my home one week ago (seems like much longer) I, and the rest of the girls here are starting to freak out a little bit! The language (Bambara) is really hard to learn, and our 14 hour days are starting to pay a toll on our bodies (especially in this HEAT.) So far, no one here has really acted like they are home sick, or worried about our next few moves, because apparently we have all been holding it in. After one girl today had a minor break down, we all realized that we were all in the same boat! We go to these sessions all day long, that explain the risks of living here in Mali, and what we are supposed to do if we encounter a problem! Though these sessions are extremely significant and vitally important to our well being, they begin to wear you down after a while. We start the day talking about the symptoms of Malaria, and the likelihood of us getting it here in Mali (I currently have 14 bites, while everyone else has 0-1...yep, i'm probably going to get it) and then we talk about what we would do in case of an Emergency Evacuation, ya know, if like we are in some serious danger due to political unrest and what not!~EEK* aaand then we talk about how lonely our sites are going to be sometimes, and lets not forget we are all taking the Malaria medicine that makes you CRAZY!!~one common side effect is depression! Therefore, with all of this said, a 27 month commitment to the country of Mali seems a bit daunting on the average 22 year old (especially with the most handsome fiance ever at home) Sooooo what do we do in hard times like this, We Look At The Bright Side! What is the bright side? Although we have only been here one week, we have already accomplished so much. First off, we got into an extremely difficult program to become a part of, we have    gotten into the country of Mali and survived a week, AND we have learned how to use the restroom in the nyegens (holes in the ground)...
Tomorrow when i leave for my Home Stay Village (which i will be in for the rest of training <rarely will i have internet, so call me cell>) I will be living with a family all by myself. I will not be able to talk with them, I will be extremely lonely, and I will be sick at time (because Hey, its Africa!) I will remember that I have to take this one step at a time, and although I feel like I have not achieved much yet, I am achieving something just by being here!!*

Just Eating the Culture Up

Not particularly in the blogging mood right now, but since I was not in the blogging mood yesterday either I should probably just suck it up and type!! So far I have not been too sad because I genuinely feel like I am at camp! We are staying in huts with three people to a room, eating together in the cafeteria, and going to sessions throughout the day. During the small amount of time that we are not extremely busy, we are either talking to our loved ones, or the musically talented are playing their instruments and singing (very peacefuL!)
Last night I had the opportunity to Skype with Dad, Mom, Micha, and Jared! I did not realize how significant skype was until last night! Unfortunately when I get off my phone calls (which last like 2min tops) I feel like I didn't really get to say anything, or connect with anyone, so skype (being free and all) is such an amazing tool that I am super glad to have!!
Tonight we got to enjoy a culture festival and of course I took it to the extreme!! I ate all of the good foods, got henna tats up my right arm and on my feet, as well as had my hair BRAIDED!~and yes it looks as bad as it sounds!!  It was really neat because they played the local music and everyone danced! The Malians and us got really into Shakira's 'Africa' song, but when Lady Gaga started playing, all of the Malians dipped out!! lol*
I was asked today where I would prefer to be placed for my two years at site! I said I would rather be in a bigger village (more chance of electricity and markets and such) and around other PCVs! We will see if this happens! I was also asked what region I would like to go to. I was tempted to say Dogon Country, and almost did, however I decided not to because I figured I would be placed wherever is right for me!!

And The Training Begins

Traveling to Mali has been quite an experience, to say the least! France is not really on my good side right now because their airline loves to charge you a ton of money, and my pedicure in the Paris airport was way over charged, but hey that is the French for ya!~JOKING!* I definitely packed to much on this excursion (imagine that) therefore i guess i deserve being charged in every airport i enter! Anyway, on a positive note, I LOVE MALI!! Everything is currently a whirlwind, because training is pretty outrageous, but the people here are soooo nice!! There are more trainers in our compound than there are trainees (only 23 of us) and they are all so welcoming (most of them are Malian)* Today was crazyness!! We toured our compound, had a medical lesson (began my malaria medicine today :( ) had a language lesson (in Bambara), a cultural lesson, and everything in between!!* I miss home, Jared, friends, and family, but I really feel like this is where I need to be right now, and truly feel like I have made a wonderful decision!! The Peace Corps is celebrating there 50th anniversary this year and Mali is celebrating their 40th year with PC, therefore this is an amazing time to be here, and Peace Corps is an amazing thing to be a part of!! ITS HARD AS HECK, but i expected it to be!! This week I am staying in a small hut with another girl my age, and a 60 some year old lady who served in the PC in Nigeria in the 60's!!~i know, WOW!! I'll be here til Wednesday, so expect lots more posts between now and then!!! ALL MY LOVE!!*

Staging

Embarking on this journey is anything but easy. Saying good bye to Jared is by far the hardest thing I have ever had to do, and saying by to little baby Tinners (my puppy) was pretty hard too! Leaving my family and friends and comfortable American lifestyle, at times seems impossible, however here I am. I touched down in DC yesterday morning, and took on my role as a big girl, finding where I was supposed to be all by myself (with like 150 pounds of luggage i might add). Coming to DC has been an amazing experience, because DC is where I have had the opportunity to meet the people that I will be spending my next two years with. These people are very special to me already because they share the exact same dream with me, that I have been awaiting for years. I no longer have to explain why I want to be a PCV or watch people stare at me like i am some crazy person!! These people will be my 'family' for the next couple of years, and I am so thankful that God has placed them in my life!!*...Today we have to go to a clinic and receive our last round of shots (pretty sure i do not have to have anymore though, considering a rabid dog could bite me and i would be fine!!)..and after clinic we are off to the airport, and off to my new home, MALI!!~see you on the other side :)*