Growth and Family

5/12/09
I’ve been here for a long time. Today I just got off of the phone with my mom, who reminded me that it was a year ago today that I graduated from Geneseo. Unbelievable. And I’ve been here in Mali for over 10 months. I’m homesick in a strange way. I’m not sad or completely nostalgic, I’m just really longing a week’s getaway where I can live my old life for a little while, and see my old friends. I like it here, but I’m getting antsy. Christmas is still so far away…
There are signs everywhere that the time I’ve passed here has been more than a short jaunt. Namely, the kids. Noellie, just a tiny little 8 month old when I first met him, is now running around, playing with other kids, and talking a mixture of real words and baby talk. (“Anglais!” they tell me). Pacho, though still adorable is no longer a toddler but now one of the boys. On the other end, Shaka is a teenager (13 now)- and as moody as a teenager can be. We still have growing pains in our relationship- he can get very bossy and jealous. But when it comes down to it, he truly is one of my best friends and in the end, I know I’ll be able to count on him. My host mother’s new baby, Sama, has developed a smiling personality (praise the Lord that she recovered from her premature birth) and I’ve watch my 18 year old host sister stomach grow and grow until she gave birth to her first daughter last week. She named it after me, Aminata, but I’m a little cautious to call it a compliment. It took me by surprise because I never really thought my host sister liked me that much. I think it was more of a response to my constant joking that she should name it “Aminata,” and also perhaps a good lead in to ask me to buy the new baby presents. There was no naming ceremony. This was an illegitimate child of a poor family.
Speaking of family dynamics, I should probably update you on Mody’s (Shaka’s dad’s) new wife. I remember at first, I felt really sorry for the young girl, being stripped away from her family like that to live with this temperamental middle aged man. But now who I really feel sorry for is Dafinie (Shaka’s mom). At first it seemed like she didn’t mind welcoming a new wife, but now that Mariam (the young teenage new wife) is around, Dafinie finds herself driven out of her home. During the day she wanders around the village- Mody doesn’t want her around if it isn’t time to cook a meal. “There’s a new woman in his eyes now” Dafinie says, and being in her position, there is really nowhere for her to go at night except back to Mody, to be driven away while he spends time with Mariam. As a rebellion against his first wife, Mody didn’t pay any of his six children’s school fees for the spring trimester. I noticed it one morning running with Shaka. “Hey, isn’t it time for school?”
“Helloooo. I haven’t been to school in weeks. I didn’t get my money in” Oh. Honestly though, it doesn’t seem like he’s missing much. School is cancelled almost every other day due to lack of teacher motivation or other reasons God knows why. And when school is in session, its chaotic and unstructured. This trimester especially. People are anxious and tired. And its hot. Good lord it’s hot.