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*