Update

Written November 9, 2011
So I would love to say that the reason I haven't updated my blog in so long is that I have been really busy studying for the GRE which I am taking in Bamako on the 19th. This however is not the case. I'm lucky if I spend more than 2 hours a day studying. It's really hard to make yourself do something (i.e. study) when you've gotten use to doing a whole lot of nothing (i.e. sitting in my hammock reading romance novels...) Anyway here is what I have been up to:
So my Tippy Tap project has actually taken up a lot of my time. I have spent the past couple of weeks painting a bunch , 30, of old cooking oil jugs white and then drawing the Peace Corps symbol on them. These jugs are what hold the water that you control with a foot pedal attatched to the top of the jug with rope. Pressing down on the foot pedal makes water come out in a stream which you wash your hands with soap under. My homologue and I then took all of the jugs. rope and soap and set them up on their wooden frames in all of the public areas (the market, by the public latrines, at the schools, etc) in my village. In Bambara we call the tippy taps Tege ko yoro (hand washing place); everyone was super excited to test out their tege ko yoro! The Chief of the Village even filmed some children washing their hands with his cell phone! Along with the 30 tippy taps, I also painted two murals that depict hands being washed with soap and that say "Wash hands with soap!" in French with the help of 3 other PCVs. I really am glad that I was able to carry out this project and that my village actually appreciates the work done because washing hands with soap is probably one of the most important messages that Peace Corps Volunteers can get across and I think my villagers get that. In America we think of soap use as second nature, but here it really is something that Malians aren't use to. Little by little people are understanding that handwashing is good for their health because it prevents disease.
At the beginning of October I met up with Melissa and Meredith in Bamako so that we could act as tour guides around Mali for 3 volunteers on their COS (close of service) trip from Cape Verde. We met Jon and Elyse back in February at WAIST and then again when we vacationed in Cape Verde, and we met Brendan upon his arrival in Mali. Their first night in country we took them out for a night of dancing in Bamako and then the next day took a Peace Corps shuttle up to Sevare. We spent that night in Mopti and then spent the next day walking around Mopti's riverside market and then later taking a boat ride. We then made our way to Bandiagara where we started a 3 day Dogon Hike the next day. Each day we walked through 3 or so Dogon villages. This hike was really awesome because we got to see all of the ancient cliff dwellings and even got to hike up and down the cliff which was actually pretty scary for me. After the hike our next destination was Djenne to see the world famous mud mosque. I was actually pretty disappointed with Djenne because the city itself is super dirty with open sewers everywhere and you are constantly berated by incredibley annoying guides who won't take no for an answer. After Djenne we made our way back to Bamako where we said bye to the Cape Verde kids. Jon, Brendan, Elyse: I had so much fun with you guys and we really miss you!!
Seli Ba, a big Muslim holiday that I don't know the name for in English (it's Tabaski in French), was just a few days ago. For two days we ate a ridiculous amount of sheep in goat meat because practically every family slaughters an animal for the holiday. I actually got kind of sick because my body just isn't use to animal protein anymore because I can go several months having only eaten a morcel or two of beef or chicken. Everyone got super dressed up in their new Seli Ba clothes, but I didn't have an outfit made because my homologue is Christian and I felt it would be odd if I walked around in fancy clothes next to him in plain clothes. I spent both days of the holiday going around visiting people and having tea at their houses, and like I said earlier, eating lots of meat. The evening of the second day was the Balofone dance party. I love going to these just to watch people dance, but I never actually dance myself because I hate being the center of attention, well no more than I already am as the visibly lighter skinned foreigner amongst everyone. This dance party was particularly eventful because there was a drunk 20-something guy who kept tapping on the different instruments, jumping in the middle of random dance circles, and then in the end throwing punches at people and even pushing a woman with a baby in her arm! It was so crazy and actually kind of scary! Everyone started screaming while this dude was throwing punches and fighting with the crowd. I hid behind my giant of a homologue the whole time; I was not trying to get caught in the crossfire! I have no idea why this guy was even allowed to come to the party in the first place. I found out later that he had had 3 liters of wine to drink before the party! It always surprises me that people can get drunk like this with Mali being a predominantly Muslim country and all.
A little over a week ago I went to Bougouni for a Peace Corps Halloween Party. My friends, Melissa, Meredith and I had planned on going as the Three Little Pigs, but it turned out that Melissa and I were the Two Little Pigs because Meredith got medevacted out of Mali a couple weeks before Halloween. I think there were close to 50 volunteers that came down for the party. It was all really fun, and I always enjoy every chance I get to see volunteers from other regions. Unfortunately I passed out pretty early so I missed a lot of the party so Melissa got to claim the position of the Pig who built the brick house since she was the last one standing!
Up next for me: Well of course there is the GRE which I will continue to force myself to study for, but almost immediately after that is Thanksgiving. This year it is the Team America volunteers of the Sikasso region's turn to plan Thanksgiving. Helen and I took on the main planning roles, and it has really been a lot of work, but luckily we have lots of help from the other Sikasso volunteers! We had to find venues for Thanksgiving dinner itself and for a Mexican themed pool day the day after. We also had to find turkeys and ingredients for all of the side dishes, enough to feed at least 70 people, lodging for 3 nights for all of those people, and then clubs that we can go to at night. So I think we've done a pretty good job getting everything together, so here's to hoping it all comes together well and that all the Peace Corps Mali Volunteers who come truly enjoy Thanksgiving in Sikasso!