Travel Story «Dance, Toubabu, Dance!»

Mali | 0 Comments 24 July 2009 - Last Update 24 July 2009

Hey loyal readers,

So, despite popular belief of those reading my blog (hi mum!) I didn't die or anything, just got a bit lazy about writing here. I did have malaria though, which was far less exciting than it sounds, and involved lying on the sofa for a weekend, alternately groaning and sleeping. That's ancient history now, as are the early days of life in Bamako, where there was little to do apart from sitting in the heavily air conditioned PASP offices (my contacts in Mali) or getting hassled in the Grande Marché.

A bit of intro first, for those who don't know the details. I arrived in Bamako on the 20th June. I had been in touch with PASP, an organisation that works to control pesticide use and disposal in Mali and a number of other African countries, for a while before, and they had agreed to find me somewhere to stay and something to do. I spent the first couple of nights in a huge appartment, which was great on the surface, but in fact became something of an oven in the heat, ironically one with no cooking facilities. I was moved to live with Aliou, the head of finance at PASP, and his heavily pregnant wife, Mouna, in their house in the South Eastern suburbs of the city, next to the national football stadium. They have been lovely, hugely generous and welcoming. Mouna is very patient with my far from perfect French, and Aliou, despite working way too hard, is always good for a joke or two. My friend Rebecca arrived a week after me. Together, we spent a couple of weeks pottering about, before finally getting something organised with an NGO, RIOEV, who works with a number of projects for disadvantaged children, including a centre near to where we are staying. We are now working in the centre every afternoon. I teach English, and we play with the kids, help with basketball training, and get spoken to very quickly in Bambara, and given disapproving looks when we don't understand. It's great to be teaching and working with kids again, and it is a fantastic centre with at least one comitted member of staff, which I will try and support a bit when I get back.

Mali is very, very different from Tanzania. It is far less extrovert, with most people being very quiet and self controlled. The majority of people are also very hard working and serious, although they still like a joke or a dance in the evenings.I was surprised to find that things here are very expensive, often aroung England prices, which in a country with one of the lowest GDPs in the world surely suggests something wrong with the economy. However, there are many signs of wealth, at least in Bamako, where many people have nice houses, cars and TVs and seem to be making good money. It is also interestting being in a Muslim country, where most people pray five times a day, often just on the pavement, and very few people touch alcohol, even in nightclubs. Speaking French has been hard work, but fun, and I think I've improved a lot, and I've also picked up a bit of Bambara.

Aside from working in the centre, we've been going out a lot in the evenings. Clubbing is a different ball game here than in England, or Tanzania. As I said, the majority of people are stone sober, and dancing often doesn't start til 1am. Malian's love dancing though, and every Bamakoise knows a number of complicated organised dances that get the whole club on the floor. A bit like the makarena, but harder. We are usually the only white people (or Toubabu) there, but we're used to that now. Most nights, the dancing stops at 3.30, and some kind of show or competition is held. Every Thursday at Phenix Club this is a paired dance off, preceded by a blind date like choosing procedure. Rebecca keeps getting dragged up by the DJ to compete, and so far she's held her own, so big up the toubabu!

We start proper travelling on the 1st of August, going first to Djenné to see the world's biggest mud building, then to mysterious Timbuktu (or Toumbouctu), then the Pays Dogon, apparently one of the best walks in the world. Very excited to be on the road again, but I'll miss Bamako, as I feel I've only just settled in here.

Sounds like I've missed alot in England - heat waves, swine flu, evacuation of Premiership stars. I'm home in less than a month, which is a bit odd, but exciting too, in a way.

I ni cè, et à la prochaine