I'm super pumped. I knew last week that this is where I'd be going because I met the volunteer I'm taking over for. She is super motivated so they'll be some big shoes to fill. [Great non-sequitur, don't you think?] I've begun thinking a lot about projects that I'd be interested in doing and once I assess the local needs and meet with the farmers, I hope things will align. We just learned about grafting trees and I'm hoping to start a little papaya farm for myself as well as grafting some oranges for myself. We learned today that to grow oranges in Mali, one must first grow a local variety of lime - one used to the soil and able to grow effectively - and then graft an orange tree limb to it. In theory - and hopefully by my practice - I can get valencias, clementines AND nectarines from the same lime base. So cool.
I'd also really like to start a mushroom farm and hope the woman I'm taking over for has planted some serious mango-age around. I'm in love with them and during the season, will need my serious fix. It's tough having access to these amazing fruits. I guess I make up for it by using a hole in the ground for a bathroom.
I'm heading back to site tomorrow (30.07) where I'll spend a week with my family (again, who I love so much) before returning back here to Turbani So (the training center for the PC - it means 'House of the Doves' in Bambara. Get why?) After a couple of days here I'll head out to my site and visit for a week. After which, back to homestay for a bit longer. I officially swear in 12.09.2008 and will be an official Peace Corps guru then. It's crazy how quickly that comes up. Mali's program is accelerated, so my three months of training are shortened to two and then I'm thrown into the wild. Well, close to that.
Chat in a week
Aw ni ce!
1 comments:
You better find out about those Mangoes as they are a key element in the Mango - Potato trade.
Miss you!
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