We've been in Bamako about three weeks, but this is the first time I've really had to update. So far things have been crazy but good overall, what with the language barrier and trying to navigate around a new city, especially one as big as Bamako.
There are 15 students, all American, and a TA who went on the trip last year. We get along really well, and are having a lot of fun together. During the past three weeks we have had language classes in the morning, and culture class in the afternoon, where we discuss readings, have guest lecturers, and go on field trips to various places in and around Bamako, like Point G (a nice hospital), a market where many masks and fetishes (roughly translates to amulets) are sold, and a biofuel factory near Koulikoro, outside of the city.
Some of us are learning Bamanakan, and others are learning French, myself included. Everyone speaks French, but people are very happy when you try to speak Bamanakan, and are more than willing to help out. Language has been the hardest barrier up to this point, and when we move into our homestays on Monday it will probably get worse. However, we will also improve drastically, which I am looking forward to. Another challenge is transportation, which at first appears very daunting. The common mode of transport is a Sotrama, which is a green van/bus thing with wooden seats along the walls. A pratige collects money and yells the bus' destination, and many, many people cram onto the benches. At first it seems very overwhelming, which bus to get on and how much it costs, but people really are helpful and I would say it's a lot less sketchy than Baltimore transportation.
Last weekend, we visited the town of Siby, which is about an hour outside of Bamako. We hiked in the area a lot, visiting two waterfalls and the Arche de Kamandjan. It was very beautiful and green, thanks to the rain that is still coming down, though it is well past the normal time for dry season to begin.
Please, if you have any questions about Mali and Bamako ask them, for I'm finding it hard to decide what to write and how to formulate my thoughts.
