Letter Home: March 31, 2008

Hello All,

I can not even remember the last mass email I sent home. I have a lot to cover and not a lot of time to cover it! My life is starting to resemble a real life or one that you could relate to.

Packages/Letters
I don’t know who all have sent things to Mali but here is a quick update. I have received: Christmas packages from Mama (2), letter and package from Carly, four boxes from GCC, package from Paulette and Jon from a few months ago. I have NOT received the letter from Stacie with clothing, drawings from Kim Fowler, and cards from OC at GCC. I would advise you to ask the US Postal Service about these packages so that you may be able to receive a reimbursement.

Travel
My God has created a glorious land. Finally the land is starting to reveal itself. I was in Dakar, Senegal in February for WAIST and Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The landscape is not that different nor is the atmosphere but the reality of being in a new place is always breathtaking. Senegal was more modern than Mali. For instance, one is not bombarded by motos when driving in the capital and you can easily see a white person on every corner next to sky-scraper-like buildings. Burkina Faso is going through a turbulent time. We almost cancelled our trip due to violent demonstrations. As we were leaving we passed a gas station that had been vandalized during the demonstrations (pictures available).

Work
Baara Cha Sinsan! There is much work right now! Networking and working those connections-that is my agenda. I have four projects in the works for my service. Here is a quick update:

Junior Achievement
My homologue and I completed our first class session in Banamba. We have 6 primary schools with a 5th grade level available. We conducted a five day lesson at Fofanala A & B so really two sessions. The AM course was with Madam Traore and her 34 students. The PM course was with Monsieur Pierre with his 29 students. The class lasted an hour but usually ran an extra 30 minutes from time to time. We had special guests come to the class such as other teachers in the community and our Prefet (sorta like the Governor but one step below). The children learned what makes a community, what are jobs, skills, and money, how an assembly line production works, and how money moves through the community. Peace Corps is holding a training April 2-5 to explain how one can adapt the Junior Achievement to Mali. My homologue and I are going to present our experience since we are the first to contact the program in the bush. On April 5, the Junior Achievement staff of Mali and Belgium is coming to my site for an evaluation. It has been a great time!

Shea Butter
Attended training in January and recently went to Burkina Faso in March to observe très advanced women associations. As a Peace Corps volunteer and business student, one is able to observe and facilitate the supply chain at the root of the product. Shea butter is becoming or has become a high-demand resource for cosmetiques and coco butter substitutes. However, West Africa has to catch up with the modern world in the way of transforming the nuts into decent butter and transporting the butter to buyers. As a PCV we are able to facilitate that burden. I am holding training at my site in May for women in my region that will allow them to become trainers of the proper techniques for transforming shea butter.

HIV/AIDS and Learn-to-Swim program
The HIV/AIDS program is a side project for the moment until I have time available to work on it. I am waiting to hear from my friend who lives in the middle of nowhere about the funding for the swimming program.

LIFE
I am happy and content, not as sad and lonely as before, my weight is up and down; still attend the 5K Hash Runs, made friends with important people in my community, busy with work so not time to reflect on life. New construction is going on at my house. The father in my concession is getting a third wife, she is 14 YIKES! He also bought a new motorcycle. I saw an accident the other day with a moto. A young boy couldn’t stop the moto and went into a ditch. He flung himself off in time and slid across the cement as his moto went into a cement sewage ditch. He was able to walk away but not his moto. The packages lately have been great. Excited to come home in June!!! I would like to stop by Statesboro to see Georgia Southern University, Grace Community Church, all my old work places. I am willing to talk and/or speak about my experiences with anybody and/or class. I am going to work the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy in Americus, GA June 21-24... I think those are the dates... Other than that I would like to go visit University of South Carolina. I am thinking about going to grad school at Moore College of Business (USC).

Have much to do-write a proposal for my Shea Butter training, prepare things for the Junior Achievement Training that starts on Wednesday, and figure out what makes things work for me in Peace Corps so that I can present it at our training next week.

Love ya all!
Holly Larsen