Across the dirt road from my duplex lived an extended family in an unfinished cinder-block house. The women cooked their food on simple coal outdoor stoves. Like many Malians, my neighbors did not have electricity, nor did they have plumbing. Many mornings on my way to school I would pass by one of the women carrying water from the river for the day's needs. The family was very friendly and always welcomed my visits. Their limited French and my limited Bambara made conversing a challenge, but we managed to share many experiences.

For example, I brought the children some small gifts, including Matchbox cars, markers, marbles, and bubbles. As I was quite sure they would be unfamiliar with bubbles, I demonstrated how to dip the wand in the solution, pull it out of the jar, then blow into the air. I think that the mothers were more fascinated by the results than the children! For some time after that, when the children saw me, they would put up their fingers to their mouths and blow, giggling.