Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Ode to the 85 Mercedes*



Hmmm. In taking stock of the last 5-6 months of blogging - I realize the write a lot about weather and transport. I am not sure that that means, but I do think its a fair measure of my preoccupations here. I take a cushy Air France plane to the US tomorrow night. I can't really believe it. The idea of fancy cheese, fancy wine, fancy bread - yes, I am fantasizing about airplane food and the English language movies on the plane. I will be East Coastin for 2 weeks, then 3 weeks in Ghana (yes, I will be there when Obama is. I am crossing my fingers that he wants to make a special visit to the American Political Science Association Africa Workshop). Then the US for a few days, then back to Mali!!! I have successfully survived the Bamako portion of my fieldwork: 300 household surveys, 450 election exit polls, and 200 university student interviews. Now on to Timbouctou, Sikasso, and Kayes.....

Much of the grunt work of these last 5 months has been performed by my 85 mercedes. I take this moment to recognize my mercedes, which recently traveled all the way to the village of Borko in Dogon country then through Dogon to Mopti and then back to Bamako. My friend, colleague, and collaborator, Pablo, is visiting from Ithaca/Spain and thanks to the mercedes we were able to explore the Malian country side without any flat tires or mechanical failures!! We did rear end a donkey, but there appears to be minimal damage to the car or the donkey. There was no airconditioning and cold water became hot water in a matter of minutes - but we had a cassette player with some coupe decale, reggae hits, and Nahawa Doumbia. The mercedes took us to my friend Bara's village where we visited sacred crocodiles that you could pet and went on an intense and very hot mini-hike up to a village on the hill. The mercedes took us back 3 hours through Dogon to Badiangara - where we could again order cold cokes and bottled water. The mercedes took us to Mopti for an afternoon pirogue ride and back to our hotel room in time to watch the barca victory and rainstorm swimming at half time. The mercedes took us to Segou for fantastic food and drinks along the Niger.

*Picture of our driver - Solo- in front of the mercedes in Segou.