today in mali

Monday, we did some more class time and finished talking about Cultural Anthropology, as he gave us our big project assignments due in the next month or two.  Class is really hard to focus in on.  I find myself thinking about the heat, wanting cold ice water but its not always possible because our freezer is oh so small and you can only fit so much at a time and make so much ice at a time as well.  Cold water tastes so good all the time.  I find myself chugging it very often as I sit here and sweat, or lay down at night and just sweat.  Class is also hard to stay focused because the heat makes you exhausted (heat exhaustion) and I've been oh so tired.  We have a bunch of assignments in our hands for the rest of the 6 months, but it doesn't stop there.  We have 18 credits we are doing.  Thats alot even back in the states, and what's worse is we will all be dealing with culture shock and our own personal problems.  I find myself not even eating that much either.  At some meals, I eat way over what I would normally just so that I don't find myself losing weight.  I really can't afford to.  It's hard to have an appetite.

Jones, our professor, is flying back home on Thursday.  Today three of our teammates went to Bamako with Jones and Uncle Joseph to do some bank stuff and shopping.  Christian, Michenzie, and I stayed back in Bougouni to get caught up on sleep and just being alone.  It has been so wonderful with just 3 of us here...3 of us quiet personalities!! Today I woke up at 9 and did laundry.  Then we went to the market on our ghetto bikes to get potatoes, tomatos, and onions.  We headed to the fabric shop and picked up a bunch of material for outfits, skirts, and taffays (sp?). I had material ready to be tailored and made into a whole outfit for Sundays.  And then I bought to material pieces for taffays, and one more I found and had it tailored to fit me (with a zipper).  It's very fun and I'm becoming obsessed with buying more of their material!  Even with a little bit of french, Chenz and I managed to used what we know to get things accomplished.  The kind of adventure I like.