Getting around in Sikasso city, Mali

The streets here are full of all manner of transportation; bikes, scooters, carts and walking being the main ways people get around. The few trucks and SUVs seem to have the right away, as they will enter a roadway even is there is a scooter or bicycle already on the road onto which the SUV is turning. The thing that stands out the most for me is the number of women who drive motorbikes. They look stunning in their long dresses and head scarves, their purses hanging from the handlebar.

A Chinese made bike costs about $1000US. The average teacher earns about $4000US per year. One of my students has a Chinese made "Honda" that cost about $800US four years ago.

The morning rush is quite a sight with bikes, motorbikes, rickety cars, carts and pedestrians sharing the road.

The picture is part of our route to work in the morning. The sky is hazy which could mean rain.

"Visitors" to the Hotel Maissa

Hello from Sikasso, Mali!

As it turns out, we are staying at the favorite hotel for NGOs and business people in this southern city. Since everyone here greets you with "Bonjour, ca va?" whether you know them or not, the lobby has been a great place to meet and chat with people. We've met people from the US Peace Corps, SOS Sahel, other Save the Children people, and other consultants.

One fellow I met today, an economics prof, was just back from a conference on Rice in Bamako, en route to his native Benin but will work here for a few weeks, meeting with researchers and other stakeholders in agriculture. It was so interesting to hear him speak of the initiatives for the group of West African countries. They want to increase production of rice in Mali and other West African countries so they will not be dependent on imports. Mali is capable, according to him, of producing all the rice it needs. However, they need to improve the varieties of rice so they get greater yields in a shorter period of time and at the same time, produce a variety of rice that can withstand the conditions in Mali. He said there is less rain now, in Mali and area. It was fascinating to listen to him explain the economics of rice, from the development of new varieties, to the certification process, getting the miller to buy in to the newer, higher quality rice, to the credit systems which allow farmers to afford to buy the new and more expensive seeds, to getting everyone in the chain to understand how this is beneficial. Best economics lesson I ever had.

Another chat was with a young fellow who works with the cell phone company Orange. He asked where I was from. The United States? I said, "No from Canada". He, in all seriousness, said "Well, they're the same, right? People say that you are a colony of the US". He got a quick crash course on Canadian domestic and foreign policy!:) I was nice, promise!

The hotel staff are sweet and super friendly. Everyday, it's "Bonjour, ca va?' without fail. The pictures show the front of the hotel and some "visitors" to the pool/patio area. Cute, eh?

Take care, everyone.

Le grand marché, Sikasso

Hello to all. I have enjoyed hearing from some of you and if you don't hear back from me it is because I may have limited access to the Internet.

Today is the day when all the vendors come to the market in Sikasso. It is a busy, crowded spot, people walking single file down narrow paths separating the stalls, people sitting cheek by jowl, proudly displaying their wares. Though it was very crowded, it was very calm, really and no one seemed to mind when a Canadian held up the flow, trying to get the perfect picture.

The market is a kaleidoscope of colours. It's the women of course, who make up 90% of the vendors, in their colourful finery who make it such a feast for the eyes. The many baskets of rice (grown locally), fruit and veggies, piles of colorful cottons, small mounds of spices, jewellery, dried fish (pungent) and much more complete the tableau. I could have just stood and gazed for hours.

But there was shopping to do and bargaining! Siddi, our driver and guide extraordinaire, took us to a stall where crafts from all over the Mali are sold.The picture is of me with Youssouf sorting out the prices of things. I didn't buy anything from him just yet but he promises me the best prices when I return next week!

Hope everyone is doing well. Bye for now.

End of day 2 in Sikasso. We found out, last night, that the teachers attending our workshop would be expecting us today....just as well, I had little time to fret. I need not have fretted at all because our students are lovely, attentive, affirming and willing participants.Note to teacher friends: doesn't that just sound like a description of our own dear students? :) These adult learners nod, softly murmur agreement, "yes, yes" and sometimes repeat the last bit of your sentence back to you. It's neat.

We have 30 teachers with us---there are 7 women, I think. Many of them are happy to answer questions aloud but I could tell that some were nervous about their English skills. I hope I put them at ease with my self effacing joke about having the same problem in Canada when I teach. I can only use about half the board. That got a good laugh.

Before we began our workshop the local Save the Children manager spoke, then an official from the CAP or the local area school board and then the Education Coordinator spoke. All thanked us profusely and welcomed us to Sikasso in the warmest possible terms. The CAP official spoke about the need to open their minds to new ideas. The education manager spoke of the prevalence of English and how it will equip Malians for the future----in business, research, travel etc. Sort of felt like I was part of something important.

The first day was short and went quite well, I think. We got to know each other. Broke the ice...not culturally accurate...but for you guys it is, eh?.....Tom tells me it is -18 in Ottawa. About 40 C here!

Supper was had at a small, local restaurant. No more than a few chairs. One thing I liked, there was a barrel of water with a spout andbasin below where you could wash your hands in the centre of the room where we ate. Supper was grilled lamb, frites and green peas and onions and a tonic water (no gin, Mike!!). It was tasty and well prepared. All for the kingly sum of about $3.50Cdn.

Some facts about Mali I learned today:
1.In the south, where I am, the rainy season starts in about 2 months. It occasionally rains before that. When it does, they say that that is the rain that cleans the mangoes. (there are lots and lots of mango trees in this area). Some older people will not eat mangoes until that rain comes.
2. there are many native languages in Mali. I was speaking to 3 students at lunch today and each spoke a different language (all from Mali) and they did not understand each others language. Of course, they all speak French. Our driver was telling us that many people speak Bambara (spelling?), a native tongue,in addition to their own native language. In the rural areas, I don't know if everyone understands French.

More tomorrow.....

Bye for now.

Hi to all!

I'm here! In Sikasso, in the southern part of Mali.

We were met at the airport in Bamako and driven to Sikasso by our very capable, SAVE driver, Kalifa. The first part of the trip today was smooth, on a newly constructed and paved (by a Chinese company) highway. Paved shoulders and everything! All manner of transportation: buses, trucks, overburdened with their cargo of wood, a few SUVs, more small motorcycles, bicycles, donkey drawn carts and many people on foot. The second half of the journey was rougher as the road is under construction. We drove for over two hours on a very dusty ---red soil, just like PEI------road. Everything is covered in a fine, red dust. Saw two overturned tractor trailers.

At every small town there is a collection of stalls with people selling fruit, gas in quart beer bottles, some calabashes and tire repair services. The houses are small, some constructed of concrete, but many we passed were constructed of mud brick. One place, I saw the neat piles of handmade brick, drying in the sun. One thing that tells you immediately that you are in Africa is the little, round, mud brick huts with the pointed, thatched roofs. They are small grain silos where families store grains, nuts and I don’t know what else. It makes a very pretty sight to see these little collections of rectangular and round buildings with their identical thatched rooves.

The other thing that tells you that you are in Africa is the people, clothed in gorgeous bright fabrics. The women are especially beautiful, with their colourful garb and graceful gait. Those women can look amazing, just walking down the side of a dusty road, balancing an enormous basin of washing on their heads

I have to say that everyone I have met, from our Save hosts, the people at the hotel, the girls I met walking down the street, our driver, to our teachers trainees, have been amazingly friendly and gracious. The smiles, the hearty laughs, warm you from the inside.

All for now. I am doing well.

PS I have a mosquito in my room. He black and fast. I have a mosquito net and the hotel staff came and sprayed the room. If the mosquitos don't get me the spray will!

Learning how to create a blog

Everyone said it would be easy....to create a blog. I am feeling my way around this so hope this first post works. This trip to Mali is to be all about learning so this is my first lesson as I sit in the Paris airport. Nothing much to report here....nasty, expensive food. Overcast and grey here today, however, terminal E is a pleasant enough space with a high wooden, arched ceiling with skylights to let in lots of light.

Our flight to Bamako, Mali, leaves in about two hours. We arrive there 9 pm local time after a 5h40min flight. We will be met by a Save the Children employee at the airport if all goes according to plan.

Bye for now.
Patty