Under A Million Miles Of Sky: Homestay: The Final Week

An old tree in my homestay village. It appears that some other type of vine/tree has overtaken it to give the tree this unique look.

Sunday, we left our homestay sites for the last time to head back to Tubaniso before swear-in on Friday at the US Ambassador’s residence, and all of the shenanigans that go along with it. Next Sunday, we will begin the trek to our permanent sites to begin integrating into our respective communities.

Homestay really flew by, and I became fairly close to my host family, considering the language barrier. It was sad to leave so soon, and I am planning on visiting them again when my Bambara improves. Below is a brief summary of the week that was…

My 'immediate' host family. Adema Doubia, my host-father, is back-right.

Another one of my 'immediate' host family. In the back row are Adema's two wives, Aminata Coulibaly and Miriam Samake.

I arrived back at my homestay village on Friday, August 20th. On Sunday, Isa, my host-uncle of around 21 years of age, took my Bambara-English-French study materials to make copies 10 km away at our market town. He is very motivated to learn English, and plans to go back to school in October, after the growing season.

Another picture with my host family. From left, Drissa, Solomen, Isa, Sitafa (or as I call him, 'Stephan'), myself, and Lameen.

On Monday, August 23rd, my seven fellow PCTs and I got a ride into our market town to buy food for our cooking session that night with our LCFs (Language and Cultural Facilitators). I also took the opportunity to buy my host-grandfather a ‘Gasio’(!) watch as a gift, since his had broke. That night, with our LCF Haoua’s guidance, I made ‘zamɛ,’ which is a type of rice cooked with oil (previously flavored by frying fish), tomatoes, onions, garlic, salt, and pepper. We also made a delicious onion sauce with onion, green pepper, and carrots to put on top. Tyler, another PCT, made some French toast for a small taste from home, and after hard-boiling some eggs, our meal was complete. I’m going to be doing a lot of cooking due to the food situation at my site, so it was good to learn how to make a good Malian meal.

My host-brother Sitafa ('Stephan'), tying up the family's donkeys. Donkeys became the bane of my existence in this village, as they make a painful, screechy, whine sound at all hours of the day and night.

Thursday is market day in my homestay village, but due to the growing season, the market has hardly been present during the time I have been there. But there are many local women who set up tables to sell their prepared foods.

The local women selling prepared foods at the small market in village.

Friday, our sector trainers, including current Peace Corps Volunteers, came to our village in order to assist us in building a soak pit and wash area just west of the village market area. Later in the evening, we visited the dugutigi’s house to ‘ask for the road.’ This is required whenever someone leaves the village long-term per Bamanakan culture.

From left, PCT Adam, PCT James, a local villager, PCT Helen, and our LCF, Salif, mixing concrete for the wash area.

The completed wash area, located in front of one of the village wells.

I had a couple of interesting conversations with my host-grandfather, Samou, and my host-uncle Isa (a young man of about 21 years old). Previously, when I first arrived, like most Malians, Isa was perplexed as to why I am not yet married, being in my mid-twenties. When I flipped the conversation back to him, Isa informed me that he was not married either. Later, when I was working on a family tree for cross-culture class, he told me he had a wife, Setou, and two small children. Setou even confirmed this. Friday after lunch, I was talking with Samou, who was playing with little Karamogo, Isa’s child. I asked Samou if Isa was Karamogo’s father, and he said no. He also said that Isa was not married.

Some of the young women/children in the Doumbia concession.

When I confronted Isa about it, he explained that when a brother gets married, his wife in effect becomes your wife too, and his children become your children. So Isa said that he did not lie to me, that he has wives, but no ‘original wife,’ as he termed it. Just another one of those bizarre cultural differences…

The Doumbia men cultivating their millet fields with hand-held 'dabaw'.

Saturday morning, I took my final Bambara language exam before swear-in. Thankfully, I passed with the required Intermediate-Mid level, so I am now on the fast-track for swear-in on Friday.

Saturday evening, I presented my host-family with a ‘sama’ (gift), which involved three pagnes for the women, 10 kilos of sugar, and a large pack of Malian tea. They were very appreciative. As has been the case throughout the week, my family was telling me to stay in their village for two years and not go on to my site in Segou. I told them that I would like to, but if I were to stay, Barrack Obama would beat me to death. That got a good laugh out of everyone, especially since Barrack is so popular in Africa, where on the streets of Bamako, you can buy Obama sandals, belts, jeans, playing cards… even Obama brand biscuits!

A picture of the young men of the Doumbia family. From left to right: Drissa, Daouda, Sitafa ('Stephan'), Lameen, Isa, Solomen.

Saturday night, I went with my family to the mosque for prayer around 7:30pm, after the sun set. We took our shoes off at the mud wall in front of the mosque, and each knelt down at a rug, arranged in neat rows within the courtyard, facing East, to pray. My host-father is the ‘misiiri wɛlɛ’, so every morning and evening, he sings over the loudspeakers to invite people to pray. I also found out that he leads the prayers, singing for a good half an hour within the mosque. This was an interesting cross-cultural experience for someone who has never attended a non-christian religious ceremony.

The mosque at the center of my homestay village.

Sunday morning, I packed up my belongings, said goodbye to the family, and made my way down to the pick-up point with my host-father, Adema, and several kids in tow. I am now back at Tubaniso, and will be staying here through swear-in later on in the week. I will be heading out to my permanent site in the Segou region next Sunday.