Okay so here in Mali my Malian name is Jennaba Mete Truole, it was given to me by my current host family. So I am no longer Ashley at my house, which was quite strange at first but I am getting used to it and now I respond when my Host Mom is yelling, "JENNABA, JENNABA!"
So here is what I, Jennaba do pretty much everyday during my Peace Corp training.
4:30AM-I get woken up by the call to prayer from the Mosque directly across from my home.
5:30AM I get woken up again by yet another call to prayer by the Mosque or the Donkey next to my house also loves to make noise around this time too.
6:00AM For the third time I get woken up, but this time it is because of my Mother who is pounding millet, a grain made into "Toh" which has the consistancy of hard mashed potatoes, but you have to grind it down before you can cook it.
7:00AM I finally get out of bed and head for my bucket bath, in which I am not allowed to talk to anyone on my way to the bath because my face is not washed. In the morning, Malians will not acknowledge someone until they have clearly washed their face, and I am not suppose to talk to anyone until it is done.
7:30AM Breakfast:Bread and coffee(which basically tastes like condensed milk, bc they put so much of it in the coffee)
8:00AM I pick up Joe from his house and we head off to school, which is about a 10min walk from our house.
8:00AM-12:00PM We have language training, in which we are learning French.
12:00-2:00PM Lunch Break:I go back home for lunch, I usually eat about 3 bites of rice with some type of sauce.
2:00-4:00PM MORE FRENCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4:00-5:00PM Culture Training Session
5:00-6:00PM I hang out with classmates, we may make some tea, eat some mangos, or peanuts, perhaps buy a coke.
6:00PM I go home, take a second bucket bath(bc Malians shower several times a day), study some french with my host dad, play cards with the kids and possibly visit Joe's family(or should I say Ibrahim, Joe's Malian name)
8:00PM I eat dinner with a flashlight bc it is dark by now, I am not sure why we wait to eat when it is dark(mind you I have no electricity). I usually have some type of fish for dinner with either pasta, rice or potatoes.
After dinner I go out and sit with my host Mom to sell fish, cous cous, pasta, and black-eyed peas on the street. I enjoy my time with her, bc it is the only time she gets to sit down all day, and we get to stare at eachother bc neither one of us can speak the language. She speaks Bambara-a native language and I dont speak it, but it is fun.
9:00PM Off to bed, to do it all over again, tomorrow.
Hi Ashley & Joe
ReplyDeleteAshley----honey, have you lost weight? I hope you get so you can like the food there--just a little. Leave it to me to wonder about the food. I enjoyed your blog again today, I am going to try to call you when I can figure out when you are back to the Peace Corp statiion.
We are leaving to go back to the valley Sat, guess, I will try and e-mail you a letter then
Our love
Grandma & Grandpa.
people can say what they want about war, peace, prayer, love etc ...
ReplyDeletei'm LOVING the "want list".
we all know you guys rock, and the edibles you desire ==prove it==
consider the airheads and a movie packed and on their way :=-)
love ya 2 the moon & back
mom
ps -- absolutely love the pics
Alright, what do you want me to send you? I think it's time for a package of goodies. 3 bites of rice? We love you and miss you!
ReplyDeleteI am just really glad to hear that the official "African Diet" is off to a great start! I can see you want to have a few "cheat days" and that is why you have a wish list...good thinking! :-) Air heads will slide right into the diet quite nicely, I think. :-) And for the mosque awakenings in the morning, that is just God preparing you for "you know what" (future baby wollersheim)!!!! haha. See He's got it under control! Anyway...love you lots...I think I'll go have a few bites of rice myself. :-)
ReplyDeletelove ya,
Aubs......
yep that is what they still call me here. Given by my host mom, who for some odd reason has given herself a new name..."the doobs"...who is this woman?! (LOVE YOU MOM!! JOKES, ALL JOKES!)
P.S....I now have skype! :-) and a camera!~
ReplyDeleteHi guys!! I keep writing comments but keep forgetting my password...I am your grandma! We think you both are crazy but glad you are having. I had a good laugh over the pic of you (ash) and your host mom...i can just picture you trying to communicate with her!! Anyways, I will get my act together and try to send you some good stuff.
ReplyDeleteHi Joe and Ashely,
ReplyDeleteIt's certainly different that you have another name that you are given. It's good that people can send you goodies. It sounds like what you eat isn't always enough or is it? I found it interesting that you can't talk to anyone until you take a bath in the morning. Your scheduale day to day seems long and I'm sure you both are tired at the end of the day.
talk to you later
love Ben, Body and Baby B
Oh Ash, you are funny. This makes me smile because I can just see you two. :)
ReplyDelete