Swear-in

braxton, jared and dave
Sorry to keep you in suspense but I'm still alive. I keep saying to myself that I dont have anything new or exciting to share when in reality almost every day is another adventure. But these daily surprises and adventures are just that--daily--and so I've begun to normalize them.



So a quick update on the last several weeks in a fun backwards format, im hoping that this will jog my memory. We swore in as official volunteers on Friday at a very nice cermony at the American embassy in Bamako. Most of the volunteers wore Malian outfits and there were speeches by the Ambassador etc and volunteers who gave short speeches in each of the languages we've all been learning, bambara, french, fulfide, songrai, dosono (one of the dialects that the dogon people speak). Jared in full ceremonial attire tore down the house with the speech that we had all written for the Tamasheq group and our homestay families were very happy and proud, although Bess, Susmita and I all got questions about why we weren't wearing our ekarshe's. After that we went to a reception at the Ambassador's house and from what I've heard the food was excellent. Of all the times to get sick, my body decided to pick the worst and so for the festivities of the last several days, I've been running a fever and unable to really eat. I did my best to try and get through it and actually felt ok at the picnic later on in the afternoon.


the new volunteers



The volunteers arranged a party for us in Bamako last night and we had a hotel to stay at with a POOL! I think everyone had a really great time, perhaps maybe even a little too much. I managed to dance for a couple songs but when i woke up the next morning I went straight to the medical office down the street and now I'm waiting to hear back as to whether or not I have amoebas. It should be an interesting trip up to Gao tomorrow but hopefully the medicine I'm taking will make it bearable.



The week before swear-in was more training at Tubaniso including natural resources stuff, health , safety and even a session with snakes, which i did not attend. I passed my test in Tamasheq too, although now without having spoken it for the last week I feel like I'm losing it all. Its weird to think that the routine that has been my life for the last two months is finished. To be honest though hardly anything surprises me or throws me anymore and I almost expect constant change and adventure. A regular day now involves ensuring I have safe water, having an upset stomach, seeing a 6 inch long millipede, being enveloped in the smell of the trashpile I'm walking next to, the constant mental struggle over how to possibly help EVERYONE around me and then the frustration in the moments that pass where I've missed my chance or where there's been nothing I can do.

Before we came back to Tubaniso, we all said our goodbyes to our homestay families at which I of course cried and which they of course had no idea what to make of. In just that short period of time that I was living with them and in the very little that we could communicate to each other, I really felt as if I was a member of the family, even if at times I served as entertainment or as a distraction for the kids. My mother, Xedijetu, gave me a beautiful little bag and a key chain as goodbye gifts, both of which she made and both of which I've fallen in love with. The touregs use such beautiful colors and paints in their crafts , deep purple, light blue, pink gold etc .

i officially leave for my site tomorrow to spend the next three months interviewing community members and conducting other research, assessing the work they've already done and the work they want me to help with and working on language. I also hope to maybe start from small projects to get a scope of how the people and associations work together. This week I'll be in Gao to buy new things for my house which Im very excited about- market shopping is my new favorite thing.

I hope everyone is doing well back in the states, sorry again for the long delay in my post. If you're in New England, drink some apple cider for me. I'm very nostalgic for the fall! Also my address has changed it is now,

Natalie Grillon Corps de La Paix, BP119, Gao Mali, West Africa

Also i dont know if ive said this before but for even more pictures and stories you should check out jared and bess's blog, the link is on the side bar. He's a great photographer and is a more dedicated blogger than I.