{ First visit to the village }

I've been so busy, I hardly have time to blog. 

But, if you will, take it for what it is and enjoy some pictures :)

This day, we traveled about an hour to a village called Dialakoroba. We were welcomed into the village with song and dance. I even joined in :) It was so fun and everyone was so excited! At the event, we established a committee for our party (PACP - Parti pour l'Action Civique et Patriotique) and spoke to our new supporters about the meaning of the logo and strategies to gain momentum for the campaign. The meeting was mostly in Bambara, the most spoken, more native language of Mali and part of it was in French. Regardless, I could feel the excitement beaming from these community leaders. They are anxious for change...they are anxious to improve the lives of their people. Yeah Samaké is the change they need! I am so proud to be a part of this campaign!!!

It was an INCREDIBLE event. 

Singing and dancing with the women.

Watch the following video of Kyle and I dancig with the women in the video :) It's my favorite thing ever. You just can't help but be happy around these people!

I loved being in the village with these humble, sweet people. 

We also attended another event in midtown Bamako in Badalabougou. Here we gathered with about 60 community leaders from the handicapped society to address their needs and concerns and take them back to "Monsieur Le Président!"  The people loved the message of PACP and was ready to join in support of Yeah! 

A successful Saturday!

Please, I hate asking for help and I hate asking for money but if you can, support our campaign!!! This is a small thing you can do to help change the world. Yeah will change the future of development for Mali and set a leadership precedent for many other African nations. Our world needs more men like him. 

To DONATE - simply go to http://www.samake2012.com/. The smallest amount makes all the difference as we go into the last 3 months of this big campaign! Help us make a change!!!

{ running in Africa...feels good! }

One of my most favorite experiences in Mali yet...

running.

around the soccer field.

with the most adorable little boys.

So, I went out to the soccer field Saturday evening for a little run. As usual, lots of little boys were playing soccer out on the field during the cooler evening hours, and some girls and guys were playing basketball. I start running and not even a minute later, 3 little African boys ran up beside me. They all matched my pace perfectly and even slowed when I did, etc. They were adorable. After about a lap, I started talking to the oldest boy in French. I asked him if he liked soccer and if I could come play with him sometime and he said "girls don't play soccer. they play basketball." I tried to convince him that I can play soccer too and I'll be out on the field with them one of these nights! :) 

We chatted about where we lived (no exacts) and determined to meet up agani on the field. He was only 11 and the other boys 7 and 8. 

It was magical. 

They left my heart full of joy and gratitude. 

Children are so perfect, innocent, and loving.

What a great way to end my Saturday! 

The soccer field by our home.

I watched this magnificent sunset prior to my run :)

I loved the shimmering moon in the brilliant blue sky!

My bad attempt to take a photo of the boys on my iPod...they were cute! I was running with the 3 on the left - the other two just joined in.

{ Be the change...for my friend, Dra }

Dra, this one is for you :)

This is Dra. He's showing us his cool Karate moves with his red belt!

Dra with his Karate belts - he knows how to pull a move!

Sitting here thinking...

Reflecting...

I am so incredibly blessed.

How do I even begin?

Tonight, with one of my new cool Malian friends, Dra, 

I mentioned that I love pictures. 

And he asked to see some of mine...

So, I pull out the iPhoto with 40,000+ pictures (I can't believe i just admitted that...on the www).

And we go through pictures of India, DC, New York, France, England...and so many other places. 

Mountains, snow, skiing pictures, sunset pictures, river rafting, boating, fields of tulips, monkeys, and so many other things that many others will never have the chance to think about, let alone experience. 

My dear friend, Dra, has never seen the mountains or snow.

He sat in awe as I showed him picture after picture...

And then there's me, I've pretty much seen it all. I am very fortunate.

He hasn't even tried pizza.

(Don't worry, I'll buy him one :))

What has our world become?

I will never know the life that billions of others experience each and everyday...waking up at 5 am to start breakfast on some hot coals...cleaning up...maybe going to the morning market to sell a few things...starting lunch and cooking for 2 hours...trying to portion things so everyone gets "enough" food...taking care of babies in between...and so on it continues everyday until nearly 11 pm. 

The Malian women are incredible...they often walk around with a baby strapped around on their backs with something on their head...this women (above) was walking around the market trying to sell some fruit...they are such hard-workers and incredible women.

I will never have to experience extreme poverty and hunger. I will never have to wonder how to pay for the next meal or sacrifice my food for my children. I will never be without a home. I will always have more than one pair of shoes to wear. I will always have a laptop, something that has become a modern-day "necessity." 

Why did I get to be so lucky? What about my friend, Dra? Or my sweet other mommy in India, Laxmi? Or the destitute widows begging on the streets in the holy cities of India? Why was I put where I am? 

Can I make a difference? 

"Young people often ask us how they can help address issues like sex trafficking or international poverty. Our first recommendation to them is to get out and see the world. If you can't do that, it's great to raise money and attention at home. But to tackle an issue effectively, you need to understand it-and it's impossible to understand an issue by simple reading about it. You need to see it firsthand, even live in its midst." -Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

Well, slowly, but surely, I'm beginning to understand.
I'll never fully understand international poverty...I was not born and raised in the slums. I did not have to work, instead of go to school, to make enough money just to eat food for the day. No, I'm just a very blessed American-born woman, who wants to make a difference.

Sure, I've experienced some hardship. But after the things I have seen, 

it always seems so bleak in comparison. My troubles are always so trite. 

As we looked at pictures, he kept saying how incredibly different Mali is...and how it's such a dirty country. He then said to me "Do you think that if Yeah becomes President, he could really change my country?"

My heart went out to him and his people...

"Yes, I do...petite à petite."

Yeah will be the change-maker for these people and for my dear friend, Dra. He will bring education and opportunity to these people.

I love to travel...but honestly, I knew it was never about me. 

I want to be a change-maker...
I need to make a difference...

I want to change lives...

I want to empower others everywhere...

I want others to feel the same happiness and joy that I have experienced in my life.

Can I be the change? 

"Be the change you want to see in the world." 

-Mahatma Ghandi

Just maybe, I can become humble myself enough to be the change I want to be.
Dra, I'll be the change...if only for you and others like you.
You inspired me.

{ Anisokoma, mon amie }

In Bamanakan, or Bambara, "Anisokoma" means good morning!

Greetings are very important in Malian culture...but I'll speak more on that later.

Each morning, the sun says hello as it peaks above the horizon. 

I tip toe out of my room at about 6:45, with my yoga mat in hand, just in time to catch the morning sunrise, 

I put a pot of water on the gas stove, 

and sip some tea as I do some yoga and even run a few laps around the roof...

What a better way to start the day than with a greeting from Mr. Sun? 

I love it.

And if you know me, you know I looooove anything to do with my sun. 

I love Mali!

{ La vie au Mali }

Here are a few of my favorite photos from my first few days in Mali...what an adventure. I love it here and I am already creating a little day-to-day routine. 

Enjoy!

Flying out of SLC, watching the sunset over the Great Salt Lake - incredible.

Flying out of Paris, I could see the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe :)

Flying over the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. 

Flying over the Sahara desert...waves and waves of endless sand. This is probably the closest I will ever get. 

Landing in Bamako...it looks much different than flying into any American or European city I've been to.

The small Bamako-Senou airport

I stole this photo from a friend.

Two of my favorite guys here in Mali - Sibiri and Dra. I get to work with these two on a daily basis. Sibiri speaks French and is very patient with me. Dra speaks French, English, and Bambara...he's nice to have around and so sweet.

This is Kyle and I, campaign interns, with Sibiri. First day on the job!

Another one of our co-workers.

We spent one day driving an hour out to the village of Ouelessebougou, where Future President Yeah Samake is currently the mayor. It was fun to meet Yeah's family and to see more of village life. 

The drive out to the village

The mayor's office in Ouelessebougou. 

This is Mayor Samake's 2nd Attendant...it was fun to meet these guys.

The current Mali President - ATT. 

Secretaries at the Mayor's office.

The PACP (Parti pour l'Action Civique et Patriotique) Headquarters...and this is the building I live in.

My first CFA's (Central African Franc). I love international currency. 

Buying fruit from a street vendor.  

Look how cute these girls are. Marissa, Yeah's wife, gave the girl some CFA and walked away...she was shocked. It was nearly a day's wages.

The Samake's kitchen...outside this little room is where their cook, Mari, makes the food on a bed of coals. Much different from a typical American kitchen, eh?

Some sweet old women on the street - they wanted me to take their photo!

This morning, we visited our local market. I was expecting it to be very similar to a local market in India but...'tis not so. It was very different. 

The fish market "poissonerie" - we watched them handling the fish in open air.

The Samkes adorable daughter, Carmen. Love this little girl. She's so cute!

The chicken sector of the market...lots and lots of chickens. We watched a man tie the legs of a chicken and chop off the head. Right next to me. Interesting.

Cutting up the chicken, cooking it, etc. Can you see very well?

The market...the roof is a very thin layer of straw, sometimes with tires to hold it down. 

The Butcher...I was fascinated. Carcasses hanging in the open air...no big deal.