Spring time is Africa

I haven’t written anything in awhile and I think it is because nothing here really surprises me any more and all of the things that were so crazy and new before are now just a part of every day life. Now that it is spring time in Mali the weather is getting really hot, even at night it is still hot. There hasn’t been rain in months so there really aren’t any spring flowers except for this one kind of tree that has great yellow flowers now. And since there hasn’t been any rain the river that used to border Konna is now a 45 min. donkey cart ride away. I went there the other day with a Malian friend to wash my clothes. When we first tried to get a donkey cart the guy told us 2,000 CFA because I am white and have money, but my friend knew it was only supposed to be 50 CFA, so we went to another driver and he agreed for the correct price, we also shared the cart with two other ladies. The river bed is now a very fine dust that is a few inches deep. Trucks would drive past us and it would get so dusty you couldn’t see. When we got to the river she started doing my laundry and a few kids came over and I recognized them so we played soccer for awhile. I got really thirsty and had forgotten to bring water, I asked if there was a good well around to get water from and they said everyone just drinks the river water and that this time of year it was clean. I explained to them that the water wasn’t clean and that they shouldn’t drink it. So then we walked to a little village that was a few K away. When I entered the village all the kids yelled Tubab, but once I was spoke to them and asked for water they called me by my name. We were by the river for most of the day and when it was time to leave we had to wait about 30 mins for another donkey cart to come and get us. On the ride home we picked up few kids and one of them had a bunch of fish that he had caught. After talking with him for awhile on the ride he gave me all his fish as a gift, it was really nice cause he was only about 10 years old. That afternoon I rode to Diambacouru. This was my first trip there since the road work was complete so it was hard to find the right trail off the main road. There are so many trails that look the same, they are just donkey cart trails that lead off into the bush and at one point I was kind of lost because the trail forked and I didn’t remember which way to go. I went left and soon realized I should have gone right. But it was getting dark and I didn’t want to back track so I just headed in the direction that I knew I had to go, most of the time just riding through fields that had been harvested. I eventually found the right road and confirmed it by asking some Puelos ( Fulfulde speakin herders) if this was the right road. They were taking their heard of goats south to sell them. I got to Ryne’s village just before sun set. There is an older white lady that lives in her village. That night she made us steak and fries and it was really good. I rode my bike home the next morning. The next day was the first day of school after the 2nd trimester break.
Before the end of the trimester there were test in all subjects. The tests were two hours long and were pretty simple. The teacher would write a some questions on the board and then the kids would answer the questions on a piece of paper. During the test the teachers would get tea delivered to them along with peanuts. Also some of the teachers smoke in the class room while administering the tests. It is just completely normal to them. On the Wednesday of the first week back from break I have class in the afternoon at 3 right after the lunch break. When I showed up the kids were there but there was only one teacher. The director didn’t come until about 330 and asked us if we were the only ones there. Then he said that that was very bad that no one else showed up, but no punishment was going to be given. This made me very mad because the kids were there ready to learn but they just played games in the school yard instead cause there was no one there to teach them. School ends in June.
For the month of March, there were 25 French and 3 German College students living in Konna and building a new Community Center. It was interesting to hang out with them and hear what they had to say about their experience. Also the French people didn’t speak German and the Germans didn’t speak French so the only way that they could talk to each other was in English. They lived in a giant house on the other side of the main road where no one else lives and they drank bottled water the whole time. This type of Development work I feel is what sets my type of work back. These white people just came in and built a center that is way outside of town and will probably never be used, but it give people the impression that if they wait white people will come and give them things. While the work that I am trying to do is give people the skills and info they need to do the projects them selves so it will be sustainable.