N binna negesola.

I fell on my bike. I knew it would eventually happen, just because I remeber talking to myself on a ride to a nearby village. "Woah! Damn this sand is dangerous." I probably have had close to four close encounters before actually eating dust. Don't worry mom I was wearing my helmet, thanks to the strict Peace Corps policies. Also I guess I'm glad I fell on sand rather than hard ground or donkey poop. I have several large bruises on my legs, scrapes across my right leg and right elbow. A little after soreness, but nothing major more likely due from sleeping outside on the ground for a night. Tonight I will sleep well another PCV let me use her tylenol pm so I should be sleeping like a baby in no time.
To catch up on things most recently at site I made Dege a traditonal Mali porridge served usually for naming ceremonies (denkundi). I also made Wujula, a meal from the northern region of Mali. I was very excited to learn how to make this meal, just because its so cool how they make bread without an oven. Its steamed!

Preparing Dege using my filtered water because it is something not served hot, like most other things are in Mali.

Bread rolls soon they will rise and we shall steam them!

Jose I also cry when I cut onions and everyone makes fun of me. Not all American women cry when they cut onions, o.k.

Sorry no pictures of the completed meal, only due to it was sufe and there was not a sufficient amount of light to take a decent picture. But it came out very well. Onions, green peppers, garlic, a lil mustard and seasonings, cooked with meat and oil, add some water bring to a boil, eat with steamed bread and you've got yourself some Wujula.
On another note, my host mother has returned home from her month stay in Bamako, hooray. Soon my village will kill a lot of goats and eat a lot of meat. I spent about an hour or more the other day cracking peanuts to make something for Tabaski, of course asking what they are going to do with the nuts flew right over my head so I'll just have to wait and see only about four more days.
I would be in my village now had the mobili men not lied to me, I could easily have taken a bus from the gare. I arrive at the van area to find a ride to my town, ask when they are leaving they say sooni, meaning soon. Of course I know already Mali time is very different from an American's perception of time. So I ask again how soon do you think and he says soon like now. So I negotiate a price hand over my bike and bag and they get tossed up onto the roof. I stand and lean against the van with other passengers waiting and make some small talk. The guy who sold me the ticket comes up and tells me there is a place to sit across the street while I wait. I say no I don't need to sit and we're leaving soon anyway. Not! I arrived around 3:45 and now its 4:15 p.m. I've been asking continuosly when they will leave and he says sisan sisan, right now right now. Really because thats what you said ten minutes ago. The sun is setting earlier here and its not safe to travel at night. I began to worry that we'll leave past five and I will get in my village when its already dark, with no flashlight so i'll have to walk my bike and bags to my house. I tell them if we don't leave in 10 minutes I need my money back so I can find another ride or stay an extra night and leave in the morning. They keep brushing me aside and say they are leaving very soon or now. I get frustrated, so I call another PCV and she gets me on the phone with her tutor that works with PC he saves the day tells the driver if he doesn't leave in five minutes then he needs to give me my things and money back or I will call the police. I wait close to ten minutes and just as I am about to ask for my things on the roof of the van again he comes up to me asks for my "ticket' and gives me my money back. I say thank you and go grab my bag and bike that is handed to me from the man on the van getting ready to lay goats across the top in a tetris type fashion. I load my gear onto my bike and head back to the PC house before sunset. Tomorrow will be the mother of all markets in my town due to the fete coming up, so hopefully I'll be able to sail out of town early tomorrow morning before there is a lot of traffic. Well the Tpm is kicking in i've got to get to bed. K'an ben sooni.