We're legit now

I'm now officially a real Peace Corps Volunteer! I met language requirements and passed the other tests, and on Thursday I swore in at the American Embassy in Bamako (which has GRASS on its lawn!!!). On Friday our homestay families came to the training center to eat dinner with us, and for once the Malians had culture shock instead of the PCVs! We all ate in the American way: buffet-style, with individual plates and forks. My family was definitely a little uncomfortable, and halfway through the meal my older sister stopped trying to use the fork and went back to using her hand in the Malian style. Honestly, I think hands are more efficient. It was good seeing them all one last time, but it was sad to say goodbye. I'm pumped to go back and visit the village in a year or so when I can speak the language better.

I'm now in Sikasso, a regional capital which is about an hour away by bus from my permanent village site. It's the town where I have my bank, my post office, etc. Getting here from Bamako is always an adventure- it's a 7 hour ride by public transport on a good day, but last time our bus broke down for 5 hours. Luckily that didn't happen this time, but we did get rained on... while inside the bus. Malian buses definitely do not have air conditioning, which is a major bummer when it's like 105 degrees inside the bus and the fellow passengers refuse to open the windows because they are afraid of wind. When we got to the station, we unwisely took the first taxi we saw... we should have realized this wasn't a great idea when the car had to be pushed by 2 men in order to get it to start. Oops. After riding for 5 minutes, we ran out of gas, and when the driver got the car going again, smoke poured into the interior. I rolled the window down and hung my head out the window like a dog to get fresh air, but I think my life has still been shortened by about 2 years.

On Wednesday I will move into my house in Kadiaradugu (pronounced cod-ji-are-ah-do-goo). I am replacing another volunteer, so I bought all of her furniture from her... I've got a gas camping stove, a bamboo shelf, some tables, a low bamboo bed, plastic plates and kitchen stuff, etc. My favorite part: she painted one of the tables with an American flag, and one with a Malian flag. I love them!