going going back back to america (dun duh da da)

thats a biggie reference for those that dont listen to enough hiphop :)

its true. i am going back to america saturday arriving in nyc sunday. taking with me a huge painted canvas from mopti, a patterned malian hoodie, a dress, music, videos of children "battle dancing" ie break dancing, juice, somewhat better french, some dramatic guy stories, malaria-blood for life, and lots of good memories too. really. lots of good.

i am ready to be home. ready for the comforts. i know i will miss my homestay family and some very ordinary things about mali that don't seem particularly notable now but will when i am back in the states.

i am tired. i just finished my independent study paper tuesday afternoon. it is long. it is on domestic violence in mali and i learned a lot in 2.5 weeks, especially considering that the org was french speaking and most of the resources i used in my research were also french. i didnt think i'd be able to do that. but i did. if you want to read it let me know and i will email it over to you.

i read about the food crisis recently (thanks yoruba!) and lots of west african countries are rioting/protesting. so far mali has not. i hope things in this world do not turn disastrous.

i am turning 21 soon. that is exciting. and i am basically a senior now too. woohoo. i am really excited about my summer internship. i have a lot of good going on in my life and am thankful.

i still have grand excursion photos to share with you.

for now,

here is some but not nearly all of my family at the party for all students and families . it was a potluck. i made a fruit salad that i was very proud of and that was very tasty:


voila

bah and vié . they battle dance.
sidi with one of the books i gave the family, and vié

me in indigo dress from pays dogon with host momtonton (host dad), vié , sidiki, bah, tata (host mom), mama (host sister), big mele and little mele, younger tata, sidi, alassane (younger host bro), batoh, boua.

and of course, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!