After 3 fulls weeks of family-style living in Kayes, I have retreated into a glorious hermit crab existence in my Bamako home. After the completing the obligatory family visits, I have taken to hiding in my home - listening to music, reading Malian political party websites, and actually taking time to reflect upon everything I have been doing over the last 6-7 months. It's amazing. The simple pleasures of not being hot, not being observed, not being hungry. I jump around my house on my time, under the fan - sleeping in, wearing shorts, and fixing myself snacks (Kraft macaroni and cheese) and iced tea whenever I want and I don't have to share with anyone.
My first attempt at solitude (yesterday) was interrupted by a posse of 10 neighborhood kids knocking at my door. They wanted to take Rex for a walk -I said no. Then they wanted to bring some German shepherd over to my house to meet Rex - I said that was fine as long as it was friendly and they watched to make sure Rex didn't get pregnant. I caught myself midway through my warning and wondered if that was an appropriate comment and/or if the kids had any idea what I was talking about it. Probably for the best - the German shepherd never came. I made a compromise with the kids and let them wash Rex. After this 1/2 hour diversion I returned to the inner chamber of my bedroom where I do my work.
Maggie, my best friend and former college roommate, had been staying at my house in Bamako and was kind enough to put a whole bunch of music on my external hard drive - meaning that I can revisit lots of favorite college anthems, explore new stuff - essentially get past all the music on my computer that I have listed to 100 times. It's exhilarating. My current routine has been as follows: wake up, brush my teeth in bathroom, make myself iced coffee (nescafe, milk, and sugar over ice). Facebook check (which turns into facebook in the background of everything I do). Start reading political sites and taking notes, making comments, etc. Rocking out to awesome music - sample highlight play list for today is as follows:
1. Prototype - outcast
2.Big Red Machine - justin vernon and aaron dessner
3.Offering - gil scott heron
4. Carey - joni mitchell
5. Jealousy - slum village
6. Dirty Love Song - zander bleck
7. Fela Kuti and Ginger Baker Track2
8. Green Chimneys - thelonius monk
9. The tallest Man, The Broadest Shoulders - sufjan stevens
10.Take Off Blues -the foreign exchange feat. darien brockington
Today, I fixed myself a tuna sandwich (with fresh onions and carrots from the market) and drank a second ice coffee for lunch. This sustains me until around 6 or 7 when it is time to go exploring. Four days in Bamako and I have already eaten pizza, chicken from my fav rotisserie place, shwarma, visited 3 bars, gone swimming, and attended 2 house parties. Its a life of luxury - recharging the batteries until I launch my next major offensive (probably next week - a quest to get voting data from the territorial administration).
*The picture is of my previous living quarters in Kayes. This is the bed I shared with my host sister. Note the television and audience in close proximity to my sleeping quarters.
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