Our Firsts

Things we have done:

I just finished my first load of laundry, by hand, with two buckets and a bar of soap. It was basically a "sweat fest." And I am not sure if our clothing is even clean.

Yesterday at lunch we at out of the tradational communal bowl, with our hands. No silverware is used in Mali, along with no napkins. We also did all of this while sitting on the floor. We started with a salad and then moved to rice, meat and potatoes. Yes, all with our hands.

We have successfully used the "negen," a tradational Malian bathroom, or outhouse. The negen consists of a hole in the ground with four walls surrounding it for privacy. And we have not experienced MR.D yet, which refers to diarrhea, which apparently all new volunteers get in the first two weeks.

I(Ashley) had a skirt and a phene(a wrap used after the shower)made out of tradational Malian cloth. Super cool!

Watched Malian dancers preform for us. Also super cool!

Ate lots of carbs....rice, potatoes, millet, couscous, bread. And tasted the delicious Malian Mango!!!!!!!

Drank hibiscus flower juice.

Experienced a rainy season storm, during the night, and our roof did not leak. (check out the picture of our previous post of the roof, this statement will mean more)

We are learning Bambara, a Malian dialect, and Joe and I can utter a few words to Malian staff, in which they love. It goes a little something like this. A and B will be the people talking.
A---i ni sogoma.
B---n'se, i ni sogoma
A---y ka kene?
B---torro te.
A---sogomo ka kene?
B---torra t ula.

And this is all in just 3 days since we have been here....I can't believe there will be more!