Site for the first month

Hey everyone! So I have a lot to tell you about life at site, but Im going to start with some pictures first. Here are some pictures of my host family and compound. Things are going well and I am happy with everything. This last month has definitely been my hardest in all of Mali, but that is to be expected. The loneliness/frustration/homesickness and misunderstanding come and go in waves, but I've found that dancing. Dancing. Dancing has been key to my sanity here. 

It's hard to have a hard time when you are constantly dancing! My town has had so many dance parties, I've probably been to at least eight since arriving at site. Anyway, I have details, but here are some photos. 

And thank you everyone for your support. I am a truly blessed person to be here and to have great family and friends. Mali is a beautiful place, but its challenges are handled easily when you have great support from great people. 

Check out site!!

My host sister, cooking kous kous

Some of my host family and I

My host sister and host brother and I

Host brother eating a mango. I was eating three mangoes a day at one point, in which my mouth started breaking out in itches and burns and I found out I am somewhat allergic to them. SAD! Mangoes are so delicious!

This is my host brother, who learns karate. I've seen an uncanny liking for karate here!

Cooking the kous kous

Tige dige na = aka peanut butter sauce. I helped small small with the making of this popular sauce

Karate

This is my relaxing time. I wrote a letter and put my feet up in my favorite chair in my house. During tile, or the time when the heat is the worst, I drink some tea with my host mom and then go to my house to chill by myself and get some me, decompress, Ameriki time. I write in my journal, listen to Ameriki music, write letters, study Bambara and read Harry Potter. I've found that music, dance, writing and me time are keys to my sanity here. 

My house, when I first moved in upon arriving at site. This is when I was still sleeping on the concrete floor on a mat my host family gave me. This was before I got my furniture made by a local carpenter.

Moving in. My trunk.

My host brother. Such a cutie!

Little ones sleeping on the cot on our porch

Mangoes. One of my host dad's wives sells mangoes like this in the market place each day. She fills this  basket up and puts it on her head and walks all around the village. Very exhausting work.

Our "porch" area. Here's where we watch TV. And you can see my stick chair parallel with the TV. I love that chair! I got it made in my community too. 

Jakema, or cat. This cat is awesome because it feeds off of insects and eats them up!

Host bros. They loved taking pictures and then looking at themselves in the camera. There aren't a lot of mirrors here!

Kids watching TV

This is one of two of my "nice" outfits I got made here. This is my full complet outfit I got made and I wear to ceremonies. It's tailored from head to toe. So pretty. Malian women are always like "pretty" when they see me in it. It's really good tailoring. I got it done at a special tailor in Bamako.

The young gang of host brothers and my little host sister. 

Cooking for the family. She and my other host sister. 

This is our mud stove where all the cooking goes on. 

My compound

Where the cooking happens

Making tea, Malian style. She was making the purple and sweet hibiscus tea, which is delicious! It tastes like sweet fruit juice. Malians often freeze it into little saches and sell it in the market or make it hot just like this. I think the key is adding a lot of sugar. Sooo good. 

My host bro wanted me to take a picture of the little mango tree in our yard.

Some of my host siblings and neighbors.

A tun be dublini wuli = She made dublini