Random Things about Mali

I haven't written in a while, so I thought I'd write some random things about my life here in Mali that have been collecting in my memory bank for the past four months. Hope this paints an even better picture of Mali for all of you! I'll write more next week about Thanksgiving (yes, us Americans are celebrating it over here -- we're even getting a Turkey!! Yahoo!). And to all of you -- HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Eat extra pumpkin pie for me! * Outstide of my friend Yuri's apartment, there are about 10 albino rabbits. Yes, rabbits -- the big kind (like Easter bunnies, except they have glowing red eyes...kinda creepy!). I didn't know rabbits lived in W. Africa, but I guess they do. When I asked a neighbor girl about them, all I could get out of her was that I could buy one if I wanted. * I found out that my homologue (Madame Coumare) and the family that lives below me have been wanting me to impose more. In Mali, it's considered rude if you don't go into people's houses uninvited (especially coworkers' houses) and demand to be fed and what not. They love showing their hospitality here. And the American definition of imposing and wearing out your welcome is their definition of showing that you like them. So now I've been going over to Madame Coumare's house for lunch and to just hang out, watch tv (cheesy Spanish soap operas dubbed in French), etc. * In Segou, you can buy a treat called "nonos." It's a little plastic baggie full of frozen yogurty-type substance. It's delicious. And since one scoop of ice cream at the Djoliba hotel costs 750cfa (approx. $1.50) and one baggie of nonos costs 100cfa (approx. $.20), the nonos is about the best treat I can afford. You bite off a corner of the baggie and eat it straight. Sometimes I bike home and, before it melts too much in the Africa sun, I put it in a bowl and cut up bananas or guavas onto it. A KA DI, kosobe kosobe!!! (Bambara for "it's delicious!") * Everyone you meet in Mali asks your name, and then your last name. If you're last name is one of their "joking cousins," then you have to get into it with them for at least five minutes. I can't really explain the joking cousins concept -- just that there are certain families who joke with eachother. It's kind of a cross between sports team rivalries and "yo mama" jokes in the U.S. It's all in good fun, though, but people get pretty into it. For example, my name is Djeneba Samake. If I meet anyone with the last name Coulibaly -- regardless if it's a 90-year-old woman or a 12-year-old boy, I have to say that Coulibalys are horrible, no good, etc. And they say the same about Samakes. They often will say that Samakes are their slaves, or that they eat beans (implying that they fart a lot -- very taboo over here!), or that they're donkeys. It gets very tiring when EVERY single person goes through this with you on a daily basis. But they never get tired of the same jokes. And after we rag on eachother for a while, we shake hands and laugh about it. Well, that's about it on the random things. Oh, last night I was watching the sunset over the Niger from my friend's roof, and a bird pooed on my head. Fun stuff. That's Africa -- you never know what'll happen next!! Haha!