Housewarming and Other Items of Note

I have been very bad with the blogging recently, and did things and took pictures that have not yet been shared. So let me end that (kind of) now.

In late April, I had a housewarming party! While I've painted and organized, the house is still somewhat, umm..., empty and odd-looking, but I decided that if I waited until everything is perfect, I wouldn't have people over until my going-away party. That just wouldn't do. So I propped my paintings up against the wall where they will one day hang and sent out the e-mail invites.

Unfortunately, the day of the party, I got a little bit behind in my preparations (I can feel your shock and surprise from over here.). I'd hired a friends' housekeeper because because she makes awesome spring rolls, and she and I got to work on a Friday after work to prepare all the food. Because I ran late, I spent most of the party in the kitchen, cooking, or running back and forth to greet people and bring them drinks. I will have another party in June so I can be a part of it too.

But the highlight of the night -- WE GOT A SHEEP!!! My friend Harouna (that's him on the left) got up early that morning to go pick out a good one, get it butchered, take it to the sheep-cooking guy and returned after work to pick up the roasted mutton and bring it to the party. Then he and his friend Mohamed cut it up and everyone *pounced.* Some more than others. Sheep is a big deal here. That's Malian coworker friend Idrissa Coulibaly with a piece of mutton and a glass of tamarind-gigembre in the photo at the top.

Speaking of Coulibalies, I've taken the name Coulibaly as my Malian last name. People tend to assume I'm a Peace Corps volunteer, especially if I'm not dressed up, because of my age and tentative attempts at Bambara. Since all the Peace Corps volunteers take Malian names, it seemed like a natural thing after people kept asking me my name..."your Malian name."

But what's funny is that because of cousinage, a hundreds-years-old system of teasing that has helped Mali avoid conflict between different groups over centuries, and even today, *everyone* teases me as a Coulibaly and I'm supposed to tease everyone else too. Coulibalies are probably the most-mocked family name in Mali. A social system based on teasing, joking and making fun? Tell me Mali isn't the perfect first post for me!

As a Coulibaly, I know I'm supposed to eat beans, not ride in pirogues (sorry, I'm a pirogue rider) and not eat one particular kind of fish, which sounds like polio. I will keep you posted as I learn more about what I'm allowed to do.

The week before the housewarming, friends Heidi, Harouna and I took a trip to the nearby Selingue Dam as a first day roadtrip for L'il Goat.

I am a terrible, terrible driver. That's not false modesty. I should probably not be allowed on the road. I'm 30-years-old and this is my first car, my first time driving regularly! I'm allowed to be a little bit bad. Fortunately or unfortunately, I fit right in here in Mali.

After a three-hour drive punctuated by me deciding to pass or not pass people (always the wrong decision, and by "people," I mean cars, trucks, motorcycles, semis, motorscooters, bikes, donkey carts, pedestrians, cows and goats), we had a lovely lunch looking out at the lake formed by the dam.

After lunch, Heidi and Harouna went swimming while I stretched out on this bench under a tree and promptly went to sleep. For a couple hours. Oops.

Well, it was very relaxing. It was so hot that it was kind of like sleep-sweating. But so nice.

Afterwards, we had some dessert -- aren't Harouna and Heidi adorable? They're married, but don't mind (or pretend not to mind) having me along as a third wheel. Seriously, they've helped me find so much and introduced me to so many awesome people -- I owe them tons. They've helped me love Mali even more.

After that we headed on home. But not without stopping to buy some mangoes: 35 for $1. Yeah, you read that right. And they were INCREDIBLE.

Life is very good, and I feel very fortunate. Next week I head up to see a rice-growing area for the first time, so I'll make sure to share any rice-related adventures. You must be on the edge of your seat with anticipation. I will try not to disappoint. Hugs.