I gotten a lot of requests to translate that last line, so here's the story that goes with it: I came into Segou for new years eve, and took a boat ride on the river to watch the sun set with some friends. While we were on the boat we saw some fireworks (Malians celebrate new years, too!). I tried to ask the word for fireworks in bambara: A be fo cogodi ni tasuma be sanfe? (translation: How is it called when fire is in the sky?). And the answer I got was "Tasuma be sanfe" (fire in the sky). This might be a 'had to be there' moment, but it says something about the literalness of the language that continually cracks me up.
Anyway, I'm back in Segou having finished another round of training. I'm really looking foreward to getting back to my village, as I now have several exciting project ideas that I need to go over with them. I've been talking to Engineers Without Boarders (another volunteer service organization) about collaborating on the construction of a real school building in my village (made out of more than sticks and leaves) that incorporates large scale rainwater harvesting for irrigation in the garden. Nothing is certain yet, but the project would take care of several of my village's biggest needs - education, access to water, and small scale income generation (i.e. selling the produce from the garden), so I'm working hard to make it happen.
I don't know when I got so busy! I'll be back in Bamako in a little over a week to attend a conference on Earthen Architecture, then I'm off to Senegal for the West African International Softball Tournament (WAIST). Lots of fun ahead.
Please keep me posted on how all of YOU are doing!
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3 comments:
Ha! I got the first comment on this one!
Your school project sounds great. Need any school supplies? (E.g., chalkboards vs. paper?) Engineers without Borders - All kinds of engineers? Cool!
I'm the goat milk enthusiast. Do your friends drink goat milk in season?
Hopefully the nasty Christmas "present" is over.
Love, English Yoda
Oh, yes. Presidential Primaries. McCain vs. Romney in the Republican field; Barak vs. Hilary in the Democrats. I'm happy to lean toward Obama. He seems to be a uniter.
The newest news: Microsoft is way behind in the browser field. So, they're trying to take over Yahoo!, which, of course, would raise up some antitrust issues. As an Apple fan, you can guess where my sympathies lie.
Dr. Abel Zhartha - Oh, BTW, I've decided to take an excursion into the sciences. I am now studying algebra.
OK, so where in the story did you find five dollars?? I must have missed that part :-)
I loved the "fire in the sky" explanation.
Great to read of your goings-on.
Love and prayers,
"Aunt Linda"
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