Nesting

Currently reading: Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
^ fascinating ideas about international aid.

Just a quick check in before I head back to site, so I can't promise that this will be well written. I'm feeling pretty scatter-brained right now, so I'm positive that it won't.

There's a phrase in Bambara that I learned toward the beginning of training - 'Little by little, the bird builds its nest'. I'd tell you what it is in Bambara, but I've forgotten how to say it in Bambara. My bad. It came to mind today because of the literal truth it has to my life right now. Earlier today, I bought a big clay pot - about 10 gallons? - to put water in because it will cool the water. (note that this clay pot cost the equivalent of $3. Awesome). Early last week, I finally bought a full size mattress for my bed. Soon, I'm gonna be buying chairs. Basically, I'm nesting. And it's nice. It's nice to have a place to call my home and to feel completely comfortable. I'm getting into patterns and routines - tea and yoga in the morning, going to the maternity or the clinic depending on the day, tea with my host dad in the early afternoon, etc. I'm becoming less daunted and more excited by the idea of this being home for the next two years. Life is good.

I've got about 1 more month hanging out at site before I head to Bamako for more training. The month will be full of interviews - the school, the clinic, the mayor, as well as a baseline health survey for the families in the village. Basically just trying to feel out the local health issues. I already interviewed my homologue - the midwife/maternity person - and am starting to compile a list of possible future projects (know that sometime in the future I will probably be asking for money...). I feel busy, though definitely by Malian standards. There have been multiple days where I've gone to my homologue's house and been like, "surveys today?" and she's been like, "well, today we can't because of X." I'm amused by the idea that if I was looking at this work in the U.S., I'd send a few emails, make a few phone calls, go door to door, and be done in 2 weeks max. Here, I'll be lucky if I can get it all done in a month. Just gotta go with the flow, I suppose.

That's about it. Enjoy the cool weather for me - today, the high in Janesville is supposed to be 54 degrees, where as the high around my place is around 96 degrees. And it's not even the hot season...

Peace & Love
Elyse