I'm Jim Cave, I'm in Mali and these are my notes

I'm Jim Cave, I'm in Mali and these are my notes

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

One hell of a week


I’m now a volunteer and that can come with some stark realizations.


(Homestay brother Adama)

1.) While many of my friends are starting school, planning wedding or clocking in; I am across the world attempting to help people that I don’t understand a lot of the time.

2.) Many of the friendships I had cultivated in PST may begin to wilt from months of not seeing each other.

3.) San kow is my family now, and I really only know one of them very well (initial impressions of everyone lean positively.

4.) Last but not least, in the unending debate Beatles vs. Stones my stone falls on the side of the Stones. For a long time I have leaned towards the Beatles, but that was a cautious stance. Though both bands are without question great the Mick and the boys (old men now) just have something else. My mentor/advisor/person I’m replacing at site, Jennifer, told me while we were dancing that “Kelly knows, she just knows” (in respect to Kelly Clarkson). Though Jennifer and my opinion are different in regards to Miss. Clarkson, her phrase really describes my feeling towards the Stones. When one is lying under a mosquito net in a mud hut listening to tunes to fall asleep it becomes clear that the Stone just know.

5.) I’m happy I‘m here
The last week has been a blur of good times. Training ended and we got a private concert from world class musician Vieux Farka Toure (look him up he’s very good). The concert was probably the highlight of the week, but we also got sworn in by the US Ambassador to Mali. After a lot of swimming at the American club came a lot of celebration around Bamako. Two days later I arrived at San, and tomorrow I’m officially moving into my village.

It might be a while before the next blog post as I’m venturing into the bush, but it should come in a few weeks.

P.S. Pictures are a pain to post on this thing, but I'll do my best