GMAT here I come!

Hi all! It's been a while since I last wrote, so I thought I'd give a quick update. What a week it's been! I've been in Bamako/Tubaniso this past week. I came down to Tubaniso for another Junior Achievement training, and then went up to Bamako to do my mid-service health exam, work on grad school applications, make all final preparations for going to Ghana (I fly out tomorrow afternoon), and study for the GMAT (which I take on Monday in Accra...wish me luck!).

Well, when I finally left the JA training and got back into Bamako, I wanted to go pay my airline ticket at the travel agency. I opened my bag to get my cash (I'd had to withdraw my money in Segou), and it was GONE! I didn't panic. I looked through all of my bags...twice. Then I sat and calmly tried to remember where I packed my 350,000 CFA (about $700) that I'd reserved for purchasing my ticket. Everywhere I looked, it wasn't there.

Then I panicked...

After calling many people, having all the Peace Corps drivers search their cars (in case it had fallen out of my bag during the ride out to Tubaniso), and crying in public (a big faux-pas here in Mali), I decided to weigh my options. Either I could bus back to Segou, go to the bank, take out ANOTHER 350,000 CFA and bus back in time to catch my flight, or I could call my parents and ask them to wire me money (the travel agency doesn't take credit cards).

But, just as I was trying to figure out my next move, I realized that my GMAT prep book was also missing. I then remembered that I'd last had it in the hut I slept in at Tubaniso. I called Macki (the SED program assistant for Peace Corps), who was still at Tubaniso, and asked him to check the hut. Sure enough, he found my book with the money in an envelope inside of it! He drove the money up to me and I paid for my ticket. (Mom, you are right, everything does have a way of working out for me!)

The next day, I finally got to focus on studying for the GMAT for several hours. Then I decided to treat myself to a nice dinner w/some friends out in Bamako. We went to my favorite restaurant, and I got a cheeseburger and two scoops of ice cream. It was DELICIOUS! I went back to the medical office (I've been sleeping there because I'm doing my check-up) and went to sleep full and happy.

Well, almost went to sleep. Instead, I woke up from my half-asleep state extremely nauseous. I scrambled out of my mosquito net, out the door of the room, and down the long corridor to the bathroom. I didn't make it. Instead I fell to my knees and threw up. Three times. Then I finally made it to the bathroom, and after getting sick several more times, I tried to go back to the hall to clean up the mess I'd made. But I couldn't bear to be farther than arm's reach from the toilet. So instead, I laid down on the tile floor and tried to fall asleep, periodically lifting myself up to the toilet seat so I could unload my stomach even more. So much for the cheeseburger!

I don't know how many hours that lasted. I was still getting sick when I heard the first prayer call from the mosques (around 4:30 am). But before I knew it, it was light out, and my friend Emily had walked into the bathroom to find me curled up on the floor, sleeping and using an old towel as a pillow.

Luckily, the food poisoning lasted only that one night. But the whole next day I was weak and dehydrated. So I spent most of the day resting and not studying like I'd planned. That was yesterday. Today I've had a little more luck, but I've realized that it's hard to get things done efficiently here! I knew this fact already, but for some reason I didn't think it would apply to just me...I thought if I had complete control over the situation, things would go as planned. But I guess you never know what obstacle is lurking around the corner!

On a brighter note, I am extremely excited to see Maria and Allison! I'm taking the GMAT on Monday morning, and they fly into Accra Monday night to meet me! I'm sure that there will be plenty of pictures of our adventure. Hopefully that will make up for the lack of pictures on this entry!