On Family Visits and Malian Time

Our relative absence from the internet this last week was mostly due to the fact we were too busy having fun with my parents! It was something of a surreal experience picking them up at the Bamako airport, our American and Malian lives often seem so far removed from each other that it is bizarre when something brings them together again. Having them here was wonderful. Not only did we at least quintuple our protein intake and food variety, but we got to introduce them to all of the places and people in Bamako that we love, as well as visit a couple new ones as well (see Neal's post on our adventures in Siby).

There is nothing like having visitors to remind us of all the things that seem normal to us that are quite bizarre when one is recently arrived from the US. From the donkey carts serving as garbage trucks to the children chanting “toubabou” in the street, to riding in sotramas, the parents took life in Bamako in stride and we had a great time. One of our better days involved the worst taxi driver of all time (he didn't believe in lanes, brakes, or avoiding blind turns), the lovely national museum and park, another taxi driver who did not know where he was going, and dinner at Comme Chez Soi.

Thankfully our sotrama driver did not look like this....one of the wierder  exhibits at the Musée Nationale

Chillin' in the Park

Deliciousness at Comme Chez Soi

Unfortunately their visit also coincided with an extreme bout of frustration with Malian time (the beloved concept in which 'I'll be there in 10 minutes' means 'I'll be there sometime in the next hour, maybe') and cross-cultural communication difficulties. As we continue to struggle with getting books out of customs and preparing for our (now alarmingly imminent) departure as well as more everyday concerns like arranging a ride to Siby, my complete inability to understand what is the true, what is sort of true, and when anything will happen remains extremely frustrating. I remember that as an SIT student I often thought that being annoyed with Malian time showed a lack of cultural sensitivity and the general toubab problem of always being in too much of a hurry. That may in fact be true, but I now understand that I only thought that because I did not have anything important to get done. These difficulties undermine my confidence in what will happen to the project after our departure and put a strain on our relationships (a hazard of working with friends in any culture). I try to keep reminding myself of the dooni dooni (little by little) principle, that we don't make big changes in a day, and I try to find ways to work around Malian time (such as telling people to show up half an hour before I actually want them to be there), but I am still often so infuriated I don't know what to do. This morning I am feeling much more positive than last night, however, and more ready to tackle the next steps in a constructive manner.

Anyway, the parental visit was lovely and we will miss them very much. We are also extremely jealous that as I write this they are most likely eating something delicious in Paris. The next three weeks before Neal's mom and neighbor come to visit (yay!) will be extremely busy because we basically want the entire project ready for our departure by the time they arrive. Time, Malian or otherwise, is flying and I have a feeling that the time between now and when we ourselves are eating something delicious in Paris will seem far too short.