This is getting difficult

So it's probably pretty evident that I'm terrible at this whole blog writing thing. I haven't written anything in weeks going on months because it is so hard to motivate myself to sit down and write when I could be watching a movie instead! Writing a blog post in village means using precious computer battery life... This is why I'm writing this post in Bamako where there is constant access to electricity!! Choosing to open my computer to write isn't the only problem I have with writing a blog post, there's also the fact that I most often feel like I have nothing to write about, or at least nothing people other than me would find interesting (For example my version of a "big story" is that everytime I hear a rooster crow I think of the opening soundtrack to Network Africa on the BBC... now who wants to read about that? No one.). So this time around I'm gonna try something new. I'm going to write a post entirely of random one sentence stories... Maybe this will spice things up a bit?

My Handwashing Campaign, aka my first official project, was a complete success with 30 tippy taps erected all over my village and two murals depicting the importance of soap use.

I spent Christmas this year in Manantali with a small group of good friends, like last year, and it was so relaxing and just nice to get out of the normal swing of things.

New Year's Eve was spent in Bamako again, only this year was a lot more chill than last year with a small house party and no firecracker shenanigans.

My Library project has finally hit the ground running!

I've recently watched a ridiculous amount of movies, my favorites having been Repo Men, Contagion and Inside Man.

My heels constantly cracking is the biggest worry on my mind at present.

I've been adding one bracelet to my wrist for every month that I have spent in Mali, I'm up to 18 now!!

It shocks me how different my youngest brother Kevin looks in pictures, and to be honest I'm kinda nervous to go home and find a giant has replaced my sweet little shoulder-height baby brother.

In America I was super anal about my eyebrows looking good, in Mali I let them grow to be catepillars and only pluck them before seeing other Americans.

One of my best friends in country, Meredith, is back in Mali after having been Medivaced then Medically seperated and finally reinstated!

I loooovvve going to the market in Bamako to look through piles of old second hand clothes hoping to find that one cute top to wear out to one of Bamako's ridiculous clubs.

By just looking at my pictures on facebook it may seem that all I am doing in Mali is partying, but in actuality I party once a month if that.

I just had one of the best paninis I've ever had in my life, Mexican Steak Panini, and it was in Bamako, Mali.

The worst mosquito bites are the ones on your face, the soles of your feet and the palms of your hand.

I painted a gigantic American Flag in my bathroom at site one day just because I was bored.

My 2 year old host sister Mayi peed on this guy that no on really likes' foot and proceeded to laugh hysterically about it.

I gave my homologue a Florida Gator hat which he now wears almost everyday... The Gator Nation really is everywhere.

I am going through an odd obsession with processed meats like summer sausage, pepperoni and jerky.

My 8k bike ride out of my village to this day still kicks my butt and in my defense it's mostly uphill!!

To pass time at site I have been making beaded bracelets and surprisingly it is primarily the men that have asked me to make them one, but I say no way that they are just for women!

The newest stage in Mali was named the Madhatters, and they are all now at site beginning their 3 month lock down.

My village's Mayor's Office just got a computer which is powered by a solar panel which now means I can charge my computer at site!!!

It is currently cold season in Mali where I actually sleep with a blanket and I have to remind myself to cherish these moments because hot season is fast approaching.

I bought my ticket to Segou Music Festival (Festival sur le Niger), so that's the next big event coming up in my Peace Corps life.

...
That wasn't so bad.