Throughout this site, photos accompanied by personal reflections will help provide a better insight on the people, their culture, and sites of Mali.

Introduction

"So where are you teaching?" inquire my family and friends. I tell them that I am teaching in Mali.
"Oh, Bali. That should be wonderful!"
"No, not Bali, it's Mali."
"Where's that?" they ask.
"Well, it's in West Africa. It's the country where Timbuktu is located."
"I didn't know that there was such a place."

I'll have to admit, even I had to look on the map to find out more about the country in which I was offered an overseas teaching position. The printed statistics on the country were rather depressing. In addition to being the third poorest country in the world, the average life expectancy is only 48 years old. The roads are mostly dirt and difficult to navigate and the vast majority of people live in small villages, many of which don't have electricity.

There is so much more to Mali than what is contained in the statistics and other printed information. If you ask any Malian about their country's history, they'll proudly tell you great stories about Soundiata Keita, Kankan Moussa, and the great Mali Empire– from which the present day country was named. Although hot and often dusty, it is a country with many hidden beauties, from the women dressed in brightly patterned boubous and stoic mud-brick mosques to the marvels of nature including the great Sahara Desert, the Bandiagara escarpment to the winding Niger River. While not blessed with large sums of money (the per capita income is less than $300 annually), Malians find richness through honor and respect.

The pace of life for its inhabitants is slow and powerful, much like the Niger River which flows through the rolling sand dunes of the mighty Sahara Desert. Lengthy greetings continue to be part of everyday life, inquiring on the health and well-being of the individual as well as any family member. An invitation to sit down and share a cup of tea will often follow. As the traditional music is sounded over a battery-operated radio, the sweet gunpowder tea is ritualistically and skillfully poured from great heights into small glasses. More will be inquired about your family including your family name. If you don't have a Malian name, one will be given to you. Those found to be "joking cousins" based on the family names will lovingly begin to trade insults. Groundnuts and other food items will be shared. Should death, illness and other misfortunes occur, the strong family social structure offers support and comfort.

Government

Newly democratic (early 1990's), Mali is still learning how democracy fits in its traditional way of operating. The people are very proud of their heritage and culture and probably have some of the best preserved cultural practices in Africa. Like so many other countries in Africa, Mali was colonialized by the French; however they fought fiercely until the bitter end and never accepted the French domination.