The original Bamako, Mali post

Hey everyone,

I was able to successfully get onto the same computer where I had saved my file and I was also able to find that file!

So, here's the original post (although now that I have a few minutes, I am also going to email a bunch of you)

. . .

Okay, so the bulk of this message will not be on Bamako, Mali, even though that is where I am right now.
First thoughts: thanks to everyone who has been writing me. Sorry Im not responding to any of them individually. I would love to, but as you might well imagine, internet is hard to come by, especially here in Mali.
I will try to write to some of you individually later, but becausqe I can, I'll make a few comments to a few people on the blog:
Micah, I've been meaning to write you individually for quite some time. I would love to swap stories on experiences. Ive had tonnes of fun bartering in Dakar now knowing what a lot of relative prices should and shouldnùt be. I cant say I've had any huge deals; Im still learning at times. I'm more excited when I come away from bargaining paying just as much or just a bit more than what locals would. I don't feel bargaining to the extreme is fully justified though; since I'm probably making more money in a month than some people make here in a year. Thats probably not too much of an exaggeration. As for your not writing, don't feel bad; I'm not writing very many people either! Not by choice, mind you!
Jolene, thank you for your emails and the Christmas card. It was appreciated. I hope your next term in school goes over well. Keep on working hard like you always do.
Jim, thanks for your email. I would love it if you could come over to Senegal and explore the country with me. Alas, this is not so! But know that Im actually doing really well right now. After my first week in Senegal, the bulk of the shock was wearing off.
To my church family and my pastor: thank you too for your emails. I apologize for not responding, but your prayers have sustained me and have made my time a success so far. Pray that I would start to take initiative in my work after the holidays and that consequently, I would start to learn and grow in greater ways than I have up till now.
To my family, thank you for calling on Dec 24. Im glad you successfully got through. I'm counting on you guys calling me again whenever, because I wont have the ability to connect to Skype in the next number of days (at least I doubt it).
Now for some stories! Last Wednesday, I went on a retreat with the staff from World Vision. A wonderfully tropical, on the beach sort of place. Awesome food, and some good quiet times. And the stars the one evening I went out to see them, wow. They promise spectacular things for me on nights when I will be in the villages. Played some water polo, but we lost because they other team beat us in a shoot out. If I were to mention they got 2 bonus points j ust for adding a girl to their team about 5 min to the end, I wonder who else wonders at the injustice in our world. . .
After that, I had quite the experience getting to Mali, mostly because of my own stupidity. You see, you need a visa to get to Mali. Sort of. I think so. But arriving at 1 pm for a 440 pm flight only to have to wait 3 (yes 3) hours for them to verify that the electronic ticket you have already bought actually exists - I had to call the Kenya office and they told me the confirmation nbr was the confirmation nbr - go figure-, and then the manager called the Kenya Airways office in Dakar. 45 min and he shows up. 1 hr and Im finally processed. 20 min to take off. Zip through all the customs stuff, arrive at the gate, and? it's delayed an hour anyways. People are just starting to board!
But see the biggest issue here, getting back to the visa thing, is that this whole time, I', thinking, darn, I'm supposed to have a visa. How the heck am I going to be allowed to go. And so I'm stressing big time. BIG TIME. Cause I really want to go. And then I pass baggage check, police check, ticket check, metal detectors check, ticket check again, ticket to get onto bus check and then I finally get on to the airplane. And I dont have a visa? I'm confused (if not hopeful)
Hour and a half. I land. They hand me a sheet. Fill out, including visa nbr. Oh boy. I'm done. But wait, there's a little office here in the airport. I can just buy a visa for 60 dollars. Just like that. And frankly, at this point; i dont care whether I have to or not. The point is, I believe Im supposed to have one, I should have one, and to be fair, Ill buy one. So, I buy one. And Im in! Yaaa.
1 hr later, Im at Valer and Adina's (Adina is the other intern; Valer her husband). Their house is amazing (at least compared to mine). They actually have a living room, kitchen, and fully furnished. Oh, and a tv and microwave. Nice extras taht I dont have. I'm content with what I have now, but it was interesting noticing the differences.
Okay, 5 min b'4 I should go: since then, Ive eaten tonnes of good food (Adina is an amazing cook), we went to a Christmas service at Wycliffe on the 24th, Ive watcehd about 3 full seasons of Friends and 4 full length movies. Weve gone swimming in a few pools at the local hotels and a World Vision staff worker, and A and V actually bought me a present! Too cool.
I'll try to write more another day now that I know where I can find at least one internet café. And its decent speed etc. But please know all of you that I'm doing very well. Post the first week, my time here has been spectacular, again simply because God has provided in a huge way to surround me by friends -the American woman downstairs, a number of WV staff in Dakar and a few in Fatick, and family - phone calls home, friends back home, and A and V over the Christmas holidays.
Things are great. I would love to send pictures but as you might have guessed; I dont have the time.
But if I do and when I might, I'll try to send a few.
And everyone, get Skype; Then I can call you.
Or you can call my cell. It works quite well. If you want it, email me. I, not posting it online like this!
Have a great day.
From the sunny blue skies of very warm Bamako, Mali,
Alex