During the 14-hour dirt-road trip to visit my work village for the first time, we came upon this bridge that was conveniently still being built! So.... all 50 or so Malians (and me) got out of the huge bus, unloaded ALL of our stuff, and took a tiny boat, three-at-a-time, across this river, where another (smaller) bus was waiting for us. Almost 4-hours delayed. Gooood times:)
A whole bunch of us hiked to this waterfall near Bamako a couple weeks ago. The water fell about 50 feet-- BEAUTIFUL!
The going away "party" that the village of Moribabougou had for us right before we all left (to each move to our work sites, where we will live for the next two years). That's me on the left, holding my host brother Seydou. We just got done dancing:)
LOVING some of the mango ice cream we just finished making at Susie's house. MMMMMM!!
Enjoying ourselves at the Crazy Horse in Bamako. Good times.
Tubaniso, our central training site.
La toilette.
Les toilettes.
The one-eyed tortoise of Tubaniso. He's aggressive!
Poor guy.
My brothers and their friend.
My bedroom at my host family's house. Yes, the net is to keep the mosquitos out.
One of my host mothers (my father's second wife), my sister, and brother.
Kids being kids.
Part of my family. My father's first wife is in the center.
Kids.
The Niger River.... almost dried up.
My language professors.
The Niger River-- I study French under the large mango tree on the left.
Brothers and sisters.
My family's compound.
My brother.
Brothers.
This goat/sheep pen is about 6 feet from my bedroom door.
Family.
Part of my family's compound.
At the neighbor's house.
This baby was one week old.
Part of my family.
Neighbor lady.
Eryn's huge family.
One of the classrooms that we study in when it POURS rain outside.
A random Malian compound.
The compound next to our outdoor "classroom."
The Niger River.
The hills surrounding Moribabougou.
A bunch of trainees hanging out with Antony's family.
A furry family.
The streets of Moribabougou.
The hills surrounding the village of Moribabougou.
We study French here.
Amanda and her host sister.
The raaain is comiiing!
Most of my family.
Look closely-- see the donkey in the boat?
Some random children.
Party at Susie's house!
The main road going through Moribabougou.
Waiting for the Peace Corps bus to pick us up.
These kids caught these fish in the river and proceeded to try tossing them in my mouth.
Party by the river with our brothers and sisters.
My host sister.
A tiny slice of mango skin.... and a few of the BILLIONS of flies in Mali.
The streets of Moribabougou, the village where I lived during my first two months in Mali.
Susie and Kyle teaching the kids the YMCA.
My host brothers and their friends.
Little Seydou, my host brother.
Little Seydou pretending to be a ninja. He also dances just like Usher. He's pretty much hilarious.
Fati has the cutest daughter.
