Traveling Alone in SE Asia

"Yeah, traveling alone can be like that - sometimes amazing, sometimes uninspiring." Spoken by a great friend who I'm sure, like many of us, has traveled on his own. This isn't my first time traveling alone, but it is - so far - my lonliest and most uninspiring. I'm in Thailand for the moment and I can't think of a place I'd rather not be. Nothing about the country has excited or thrilled me to the point of wanting to stay. I counter in my head, well, it'd be different if I were with someone else, but I don't think it would be. I think I chose the wrong places to visit, I think I wasn't positive of what I wanted to see while here, and in the end, it has been uninspiring and almost regretful. Another friend told me, "Skip Thailand, go to Laos instead." I had barely even heard of Laos, but I had heard all of these amazing things about Thailand. Next time, I'm going to Laos.

I wanted friends and/or family to come along, and several people were interested in coming, but the timing just didn't work out. I'm one of the only people I know that had a little bit of money and more time on their hands than she knows what to do with. I couldn't miss the opportunity to take this trip now, not knowing what the future might bring. My plans of going home to the States and working and starting a family in the next couple of years will certainly thwart any month-long vacation to some secluded corner of the world. Plus, with the international economic situation, who knows what the situation of my bank account will be. It really is the perfect time for me to be here - except, I'm alone.

So, how do I get out of this alone funk? How do I 'make the best of it' without reminding myself how much cooler Southeast Asia would be with a friend from DC or Mali or my Mom or sister? I have a lot of hope for Cambodia considering I based my entire trip around going there, and I know it will be better than Thailand has been. Seeing the amazing ruins of Angkor Wat and then immersing myself in dark history that has fallen upon Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge years - though a bit depressing - is interesting to me. I'm also going to the beach in Cambodia. We're not talking white sands and crystal clear waters, but we're talking about a place that not many tourists go to - a definite plus.

I'll write more about my travels in Cambodia and Vietnam and hope that things will change. In the end though, I think I'm just so used to life/culture in Africa that this is a completely wild experience for me. Maybe I should have traveled to a new region of Africa, like southern Africa. Next time, I probably will.

Talk to My Hand

So, in teaching Baba English, I've started teaching him some common phrases. But while walking around in Dakar, I remembered back to the day when we used to say "Pshaw" or "Talk to the hand." So, I taught him "talk to the hand" which he transformed into "talk to my hand" with a dictatorial accent. Hilarious. Enjoy.

Dakar - The Paris of Africa

Dakar is the Paris of Africa. I’m not kidding. People are dressed to the 9’s, very fashionable. Skinny jeans and tight shiny tshirts that cling to only one shoulder. Designer bags and sunglasses add to the shine. It doesn’t matter that most of the stuff is knock off – it still has those shining double CCs or GA or Gucci plastered on it. Name brands, that’s all people really care about. The buildings are tall and constructed primarily out of cement, not mud. The roads are all paved and clean – the city actually hires people to sweep. The sewers are covered and there’s no chance of accidentally falling in. The ocean sits adjacent to the city offering a splendid breeze to take away the sting of the hot Senegalese sun. There are over and underpasses. There is a 4 lane highway. Simply put, there is money. Things cost the same price, if not more, in Dakar than they do in America (at least the last time I was there). A kilo of bananas, the equivalent of $1.25. 2 lbs of bananas in the States, last time I bought them, was about $1. But that’s just one example. We were told by the people we stayed with, friends of Baba’s, that a normal apartment in Dakar costs 600,000 CFA per month – that’s about $1,200! That’s ridiculous. Seeing that a nice apartment in Bamako is between 100 and 200,000 CFA, 600 is just outrageous to me. There are so few motorcycles in Dakar – everyone drives a car. I’m not talking about the cars from 1957 that have been rebuilt 39 times in Mali. I’m talking about brand spanking new SUVs, BMWs and Mercedes. I saw an Infiniti dealer in Dakar for God’s sake. Really?

But my main question is, where does all this money come from? It was Baba’s first time going to Dakar and he was blown away. I mean blown away. He kept saying how the only thing lacking in Dakar are stop lights and a metro and as soon as it has those two things, it’ll be on par with Paris. He kept saying how Abdoulaye Wade, president of Senegal, really knows how to work and that our own president, Amadou Toumani Toure (ATT), is zero a la base, meaning that he doesn’t do anything. Baba went so far to say that if a bunch of Malians went to Dakar and saw how developed and how built up it was, they would revolt against ATT. It was pretty amazing to hear him talking about it. But, on the other hand, those are his political views. If you look at Senegal as a whole, it’s in a pretty sad state. Even 15 km outside of Dakar, the roads are unpaved and there’s no development. Every penny that President Wade found has gone into the development of Dakar. Last year, when I was in Dakar, there had just been this big conference called ODI. Basically, this group of Islamic countries got together for a conference and Senegal took tons of loans – I don’t know the amounts, but in the millions and possibly billions – and interest free to help the development of Senegal. But as I said, it’s all gone to Dakar, not to the rest of the country that could really use it. It’s disappointing for me.

All of this is to create a background for an entry I want to write about the visa process and immigrating to the US. The two days that Baba and I were at the Embassy were very interesting and odd. I’ll write more about this soon.

Baba's Coming to America!

Baba's US visa!

I’ve just completed my 4th trip to Dakar, this time on my own terms - and with Baba in tow. We spent about 10 days there and had a great time. The main purpose was to go and have our interview for the immigrant visa to go to the US. I was so nervous about it, but in the end it turned out wonderfully! We arrived at the Embassy at 7 AM only to be told that the photos we brought were the incorrect dimensions, and therefore we would have to go find a photo shop open to take new photos. At 7 AM nothing was open and the first place didn’t open until 8. I was discouraged. 7 AM and problems already? Despite having a perfect set of documents to hand over to the Embassy officials, I felt that the photo issue was a foreboding warning.

We arrived back at the Embassy around 8:30 and were finally allowed to enter. Unlike the US Embassy in Bamako, I wasn’t harassed about why I wanted to enter my own Embassy, but things went rather smoothly. Then came the waiting. After three and a half hours of sitting and waiting they finally called Baba’s name. This was it: he was going to be interviewed and we were going to get our visa (insh’allah). He was asked to swear to the accuracy of the documents that we gave them and then the questions started. “Where did you meet Sara?” “How long has she lived in Mali?” “What are your plans when you go to America?” “What are Sara’s plans?” “Where are you living?” “Does Sara have any siblings? If so, where do they live?” “Have you met members of Sara’s family yet?” The questions were amazingly simple, especially compared to the questions that other Africans seeking their visas were being asked. While I could hear all of the questions being asked of Baba, we couldn’t see each other – which was probably for the best. Each time he would get an answer just a little bit wrong (ie, saying that I moved to Mali in August 2006 instead of July), I would cringe and I was sure that that was the end of our visa searching. After about 10 minutes of me cringing, I heard the interviewer say, “Okay, come back on Tuesday on 2.” Come back on Tuesday at 2? What does that even mean? So I immediately shot up from my chair and went to the window asking, “Tuesday? 2? What does it all mean? Do we find out Tuesday if we got it or?!?!” I was like a frantic animal, it was pretty embarrassing. She looked at me, very sympathetically and said, “You’ve passed the interview, don’t worry.” The proverbial 100 lbs were lifted off of my shoulders. We passed? Are you serious? I wasn’t sure I believe it all. We spent $800 on the visa alone and waited for almost 4 hours and we passed. Baba and I just looked at each other and smiled.

Once we excited the Embassy, I was practically jumping up and down with excitement and Baba was just as smooth and cool as ever. I kept asking him, “Are you excited? Are you excited?” “Yes, Fatoumata, I’m very excited!” was his response. I didn’t quite believe him at first, but I know that he’s stoked. I called my Mom and Sister and said, “Baba’s coming to America!” They’re excitement was awesome too.

I tried teaching Baba the art of the jumping photo - not too shabby! Visa in hand, it would have been better infront of the Embassy, but this is a start!

So, in a few months, we’ll be in North Carolina – now it’s for sure!

Last Day in PC!!!

31 Months
124 Weeks
868 Days
124 Malaria Prophylaxis Pills
2 Trips Home
84 Pills Treating Amoebas
~800 meals consisting of rice
Uncountable amount of mosquito repellent used
~500 Days of sleeping under the stars
3 Different Homes
7 West African Countries
300 hours spent traveling to Bamako and back
$6,975 – the amount of money I’ve earned in the last 31 months
Uncountable number of people I will remember and times I will cherish

These are just a few things I’m reflecting upon my last week and last day in the Peace Corps. Today, Friday, March 27, 2009 marks the end of an era in my life. I’m done with Peace Corps. That’s a pretty striking statement for me, considering this has been my life for the last 2.5 years. I feel extremely accomplished and satisfied with my time here, though much of it has had its ups and downs. I honestly can’t imagine where I’d be or what I’d be doing today if I hadn’t been in Mali. My friends and other volunteers have been asking me, “So! How do you feel?” On Sunday, after a 9 hour, sweltering hot bus ride my answer was, “My back hurts…” I had no idea what they were asking me. “No, how do you feel about being done?” “Oh, that…” I replied. It’s a little strange for me being done because normally when you Close of Service (COS), you fly out to America at the end of the week. I’m flying out, but not to America, and I’ll be back and forth in Mali until the end of June. So, I feel great, but I haven’t had to do the preparations for leaving my family and friends and I haven’t cried yet about leaving, which will happen. I’ve also had so much else to think about – Baba and I are flying to Dakar on Saturday to start our immigration visa process! Please keep your fingers crossed and have good thoughts for us all next week. When I know anything, you will too!

The good news and results that have been part of my COS week are keeping me pretty happy. I did language tests in both French and Bambara – though I was pretty sure my Bambara was about as good as yours – and I scored Advanced High in French and Intermediate High in Bambara. Just keep in mind I’ve never really been taught Bambara, it’s all been picked up by talking to people and spending time with them. Where else would learning some random African language have been so important? So, those two scores were very much to my liking. I also don’t have tuberculosis, which is a pretty positive thing! I also look very much forward to this afternoon when Baba comes to pick me up. Now that I’m officially no longer a PCV, I get to hop on his moto (with my helmet!) and speed off to some unknown destination. Alright, it’s not that exotic, but it’s making me feel pretty damn good.

Well, I just wanted to share a rather positive week with all you at home who have been so supportive throughout my time here. I promise I’m coming back soon! I sent out an email asking anyone about traveling awhile back, and I just want everyone to know that on April 28th, I leave Paris, France for India, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, and I can’t wait! It’s going to be an amazing trip. You’re all still invited if something were to change, like law school ended 2 months early. I know, probably not, but… I look forward to talking and seeing you in June!

MALI: Students left behind in race for education MDG

Mali stories are so few and far between that I wanted to share this...

BAMAKO, 6 February 2009 (IRIN) - As Mali's government makes strides toward the Millennium Development Goal of primary education for all by 2015, increased school enrolment and the resulting shortage of teachers and classroom space have blocked a growing number of students from secondary education.

In 2008, some 17,000 students out of more than 80,000 who passed their secondary school exams, known as the diplôme d'étude fondamentale (DEF), were not admitted to secondary schools, according to the Ministry of Education.
About 40 percent of the group is female.

Turned away

Mariam Coulibaly, 17, told IRIN she received her DEF in June 2008 in the capital Bamako. But she said her name was not included two months later on a list of students assigned to secondary schools for the 2008-09 academic year.

"The [secondary school] director told me that I had passed the age cut-off of 16 years," Coulibaly said. "I asked him what I could do and he said that he was sorry [that he could not help]." She told IRIN she had been forced to repeat a year because of illness.

Three criteria for secondary school admission in Mali are the DEF, the student's age, and the student's academic performance, according to the Ministry of Education.

Coulibaly's father, Arouna Coulibaly, told IRIN it is "unjust and paradoxical" that the government did not advance his daughter. "They [government] encourage us to send our children, especially our girls, to school.

"They [students] are then told to leave under the pretext they are too old. Can the school not teach students of all ages?" Arouna Coulibaly said. The student's mother, Rokiatou Sow, told IRIN the family was forced to enrol Mariam in a private school in October 2008. "She has become a burden for our family. If we did not pay for her secondary education, what would become of her?"

Coulibaly's parents said they are paying US$600 per year for the next four years for her to study accounting. Students do not pay to attend state-funded secondary schools.

The average salary in Mali was $500 in 2007, according to the World Bank.

The local non-profit, Coalition for the Defence of Children's Rights, told IRIN that not advancing students who receive their DEF, especially girls, is a "flagrant abuse" of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Mali signed in 1990. "Children have a right to study to the end," said coalition member Almadi Cissé.

Coping

The government is aware of the "severity" of the problem, according to the Minister of Basic Education, Sidibé Aminata Diallo. "The number of students not advancing [to secondary schools] who have their DEF is becoming more problematic every year," said the minister.

"The growing student population is a result of the government's emphasis on increasing primary school enrolment."

Mali's government adopted the UN Millennium Development Goal, set in 2000, to increase primary school enrolment for all and basic education for young adults by 2015.

Basic Education Minister Diallo said there are not enough classrooms or secondary school teachers to accommodate the swelling enrolment. From 2002 to 2007, the percentage of girls enrolled in primary school increased from 56 percent to 68 percent and boys from 78 percent to 88 percent, according to the government.

Diallo told IRIN students who do not continue to secondary schools are not being "thrown to the streets." The minister said the government is constructing more vocational training centres to address the problem.

The minister estimated 35 percent of primary school students will not meet criteria to attend secondary schools in 2010.

A Return to Boidie

The sad circumstances of the death of Baba's mother brought our return to Boidie, a village and group of people I absolutely love. Baba called on Monday to say that Kadia was sick, but she got better. Tuesday night I received a text message saying she'd died. She was having pains in her head, that would move to her heart and then to her stomach. After some blood work and IVs, she got better, and then fell ill again. In Muslim fashion, she was burried on Wednesday at 4 PM.

Kadia was Baba's father's 1st wife. She was about 80 years old and a very sweet old woman. In Baba's house growing up, he and his brothers and sisters (those who had Oumou as a Mom) lived with Kadia and Kadia's kids lived with Oumou. It was a sort of way of easing the tensions between the two households because oftentimes co-wives don't get along. So, in most senses, Kadia raised Baba.

Though I only met Kadia once, all of her kids and everyone in Boidie spoke so highly of her. Because I didn't know her well, I feel like I've lost something more than normal. I've lost the opportunity to know the woman who raised my husband and I've missed the opportunity to hear about all of the crazy antics he got into as a kid. I've resolved that after my PC service is finished, I'm going to go to Boidie for about 10 days and just spend time with his brothers, sisters, his mother, and the rest of the village. I'll listen to the stories they have to tell me and parttake in their daily affairs. I really look forward to this.

Kadia - Allah ka nogoyake. Allah ka hine ala. Allah ka da yoro suman. We'll see each other again.

A Note on Bargaining in America

To get right to it, I'm a damn good bargainer here in Mali. A vendor of whatever will give me a price and it's rare I can't get him/her down more than half the price. It's a fine tuned art that many American's are uncomfortable with. It's just not something we have to deal with everyday.

While in DC, feeling in my element, I decided to try bargaining. I tried three times and failed all three times. The first time was a taxi ride - he wouldn't budge. The second time was at Jumbo Slice - I tried to get a free slice. The guy went back and forth with me and acted like he was going to bargain. But the total was $14.50 and I put $10 on the counter. He proceeded to ask me where the rest was. I asked him where my deal was and he said, "Well, you're getting the box for free." Hmm, last time I checked, a cardboard box came with take out pizza.

I was a little disappointed that it didn't work at all. And, I'm nervous about what the future holds for me an my remarkable bargaining skill. Will it die altogether if I re-establish myself in America? Will I ever be able to use it again? I think Farmer's Markets are fair game, but where else?

Suggestions are welcomed and appreciated!

Ameriki Greatness Part III: The District

I left NC with 5 days left in America and I can't imagine a better way to have spent them than in the last place I called home - DC! Though I was back in the States in February and March of 2007, I haven't seen any of my friends since May/June of 2006. The reunion was well overdue and I couldn't wait.

The theme of the long weekend was: Sara out on the town. Friday night, the GW crowd got together at Cafe Citron and while it was delightful to see everyone, I was shocked that few wanted to continue the dinner party and transform it into a real party. Lana, roommate and friend extrodinnaire and Megan, study abroad pal and travel parter in Europe, accompanied me out to The Park, a new bar/club in DC. Not going to lie, I had a fabulous time! Music that I've missed for 2 years came blaring back into my ears - so much that I had ringing in my ear for 2 days afterward! - and dancing with the ladies was a great time. Photographic evidence does exist of the debauchery that night and for your viewing pleasure we have a before and an after shot of the 3 of us:

Megan, Lana and me, getting ready to get the party started.

Lana, Megan and me - Hot, sweaty and more than a little tipsy thanks to Lana "knowing the bartender."

After leaving and Megan telling a police officer that some random man said her boots were ugly, it was evident we needed to get into a cab. We all got home safely and regretted the amount that was consumed the next day!

I had to recover most of Saturday and didn't leave the house until the evening, when it was time to go out and have a smaller repeat of the Friday night. Paul, my best friend in the whole world, didn't have to work, so we decided to hit up Nelly's and then go to Town. Some Peace Corps friends came to Nelly's and we chatted about the good ole' days - the ones I'm still living - and they talked about how America and Mali just aren't the same. Having been away from Mali for so long, it was good to see them and prepare myself for my return.

Isabelle, Liz, me and Lindsey

Paul and I hung around Nelly's for awhile awaiting the barrage of men who would shortly be making their way over to the newest, hottest club around. We probably danced for 2 or 3 hours and Paul was less than sober when we caught a cab and headed for Adam's Morgan. But not for more drinking. If not for more drinking, than what would one actually head to Adam's Morgan for at 2:30 AM? Oh right, JUMBO SLICE! Now, if you've never enjoyed a piece of Jumbo Slice, seriously consider a vacation to DC and a long, fun night in Adam's Morgan. Just look at the size of these slices!

Paul and me - You're the best friend I'll have!

Check it out!

How could you not be thrilled for Jumbo Slice?

"Jumbo" is no exaggeration! I still don't know how Paul ate 2!

Needless to say, seeing everyone was refreshing and catching up to see where everyone has landed is also interesting. Some are where they wanted to be, others aren't, but they're still happy. It gives me hope for not being absolutely positive of what I'm going to do.

To everyone, thanks for showing me a great time.
To Paul - I love you and I'm so proud of you. I can't wait to see you again.

And she's back to Mali....

Ameriki Greatness Part II: NC

This photo should have a website all to it's own. After 20 months, the glorious, succulent taste of a chicken fajita burrito from Chipotle has a rendez-vous with my taste buds. This was by far a headline of the trip.

Despite the white knuckled trip from TN to NC, I was very excited to arrive there. My plans for post-PC include moving to the Raleigh/Durham area before continuing with Grad School in 2010. Despite having visited before, I looked forward to checking out my new stomping grounds. It was also going to give me a chance to hang out with Emilee before she returned to South Carolina for school to start again. We all had a great time together, going bowling, playing air hockey, shopping the after Christmas sales, making dinner together and playing monopoly and bumming around in general. Beth was sick and highly contagious, so her Dr. asked her not to go to work and infect everyone around her. Therefore, more time was had with her too! Em, it was great seeing you and spending time together. I can't wait until I'm there and you can come spend double the time in NC hanging out with not only one, but two very cool Aunts!

Em and Beth in the bowling mood.

Air hockey - best game in the world, hands down!

And my short sister who can barely reach the puck. Poor thing! Though, this is an inventive way of playing the game.

Since when are 15 year old nieces supposed to be taller than 24 year old Aunts? I'm even wearing heels!

NC also gave me my first visit to Trader Joe's - or Trader Ming, depending on the ethnicity of food you're buying. I instantly fell in love with the goodness I've only heard of for so long.

After Emilee left, Beth and I had a little over a week in order to get lots done. There was chilling that needed to happen, movies that needed to be watched, books that needed to be read, a wedding who's plans needed to be started, and there was of course lots of EATING that needed to be done. The amount of food we ate was terrible! We'd both come home after eating out and say, "Okay, I don't need to eat until next Thursday," yet we'd find ourselves delighting just the next day. I don't regret any of it...it was only 8 lbs in a month - which honestly, is not bad at all! Thanks a million to you, Beth, for making my stay amazing and fattening. I can't wait to get back and see you more often and hang out all the time in Durham!

My amazing sister, Beth, with her amazing new haircut! Love you!

Ameriki Greatness Part I: The Arrival and TN

In dire need of a vacation, I board a flight from Bamako to Dakar. I'm also in need of medical attention that can't be taken care of in Mali, so I'm off to Dakar first. I miss Tabaski, the best holiday in Mali, because I'm in Dakar. Saving grace? Mary Virginia. Where was I? Right, so then after 24 hours of Grey's Anatomy, I board the majestic Delta flight from Dakar to Atlanta. It's almost 4 AM, I'm tired, but I want to watch movies because it's been so long. Didn't happen. I couldn't concentrate at all! 9 hours later I'm in Atlanta. Sensory overload! I don't know what to do...there are white people everywhere and more options than I can imagine in terms of shopping and eating. I hurry to my new terminal and wait, surveying many passers-by to see what good they've just purchased. I finally settle on a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha. I retreat back to the gate only to watch it pour rain outside. But wait, it's December? How is there rain? Oh right, I'm in a country where it can rain any day of the year, not only for 2 months during "rainy season." I'm overwhelmed by a lot during my first hours in America but I do my best to overcome the uneasiness.

These were my first few hours and they were difficult. I hadn't been back to America in 20 months and it was quite shocking. But that was it...I was back in America. After 20 long months of Peace Corps, I was ready for a vacation. I finally arrived in TN around 7PM and was so excited to see my Mom! I didn't stay up too late because I had a hair appointment first thing the next day. Trust me, if you had seen my hair you would have done the same thing! It hadn't been cut in 2 years. Scary.

The new 'do - swangs and the use of a curling iron. Genius.

2 days later my Aunt Liz was coming to visit, but I didn't know that I'd be surprised by my brother and nephew also! Liz, Rick and Eli all flew down from NY to say hey and see me which was really unexpected. We had a pleasant weekend together hanging out at home, playing Scrabble (who knew 9 year olds played Scrabble?) and went to a Christmas parade and celebration in my Mom's town.

Rick and Eli arrive at the airport to greet me and Mom! I last saw Eli in 2006 and barely recognized him now.

My handsome nephew, school Aunt Liz in Scrabble. He's so cute.

I was more shocked/enthralled by this horse due to its size! Malian horses are scrawny! They were giving horse carriage rides but Santa wasn't too jolly when we arrived 3 minutes late - he said no more rides.

Mom and her best friend Liz!

Their departure brought about the arrival of my Grandmother, and then right before Christmas my sister and niece drove out from North Carolina. It was a really great Christmas gift to have the opportunity to see everyone in my family. Though I saw Mom and Beth recently when they came to visit in Mali, I haven't seen my niece Emilee since my high school graduation in 2002! Needless to say, it was so shocking to see her - she's 15 now! Nonetheless, it was great to get reacquainted with her as an adult and to talk about how cool it is to live in Africa! We had a pretty stellar Christmas and I got to hand out all of my African wares. I think everyone was pretty happy and I was too.

Mom should have been a baker! Her cakes and cookies are gorgeous and tasty! This is in preparation for our trip to Nashville to visit family.

This is the power of being named Sara - you're able to show up wearing the same outfit. This is my cousin Sara and this is the second time we've shown up wearing the same outfit. The Power of Sara!

Mom with her red leather clutch made by Diakite here in Mali. She loved it!

Grandma with a photo of Baba and I.

Emilee and Beth - thrilled to be wearing antlers!

Pretty awesome to have 4 generations of the Rosen's all together at one time! A photographic opportunity indeed! Me, Mom, Beth, Grandma and Emilee.

On December 26th, my sister sick with bronchitus, Beth, Emilee and I got in the car and I drove them back to NC through the Smoky Mountains. Now, I could go on about how I haven't driven in 2 years and I had to drive through the mountains, etc., but suffice it to say I was white knuckled most of the way! Yikes.

Just a special shout out thanks to Mom. You made my trip home awesome and even though we didn't get any "Mom/Daughter" time together, we'll have plenty of it to come in the future. Mix in a little momliness and it'll all be alright. Miss you and love you!