IST was right after that and back in bamako. night after night of fires and maintaining morale in between valuable sector sessions and language classes. played lots of basketball and ate well too. not really any sleep though... PC can be full of bullshit sometimes. but it's all been good.
getting out of town
headed straight into christmas at lake manantali. we like that place. no dusty streets and choking exhaust, just shimmering river water and music boxes. we found christmas lights and the girls put together stockings with all our favorite things mali. cigs, candy, old american t-shirts and jerseys. got jellies for soccer, I've been playing barefoot. did new years in the capital, pcvs get really thirsty then really horny. I sipped JD in between dance off pants off and people getting awesome. and now it's time to go back to site, I miss it so.
the river
some differences (generalized)
-women who smoke, drink, show their knees/shoulders are considered whores-men beat their wives without regard, the women joke about it
-if an animal isn't being eaten or used for work it's useless
-there is a very loose conception of time, they're just getting used to 24 hrs/day
-most don't comprehend oral sex
-men try either to give you a woman or to get you to take them back to america
-public displays of affection with the opposite sex are highly inappropriate
-men and women eat seperately
-male friends hold each other's hands
-white skin = money = they try and rip you off everywhere
-no personal space, malian strangers get very close
-malians hardly ever hold grudges
-malians are extremely hospitable, you're never without a place to stay
-lots of drawn-out greetings and respect for elders
-kids grow up fast and are very functional at an early age
-most malians just want to chat, not work
