(Somewhat) triumphant return to Bamako

Here I am, back in SIL, back in Bamako, back in Mali. Just as everyone trying to comfort me when I was stressing about coming said, it feels so normal. I was sitting next to a man from Cote d’Ivoire on the plane who had been in the States for four years and was going back to Africa (to Mali, though) for the first time. He hadn’t even seen his wife in four years, since she couldn’t get a visa. Compared to that, eight months is nothing.

It was kind of stormy when we got into Bamako, in that “seeing lightning hit the ground a half mile away” sort of way. Made me feel great about walking out onto the tarmac. Apparently, the rainy season is not over yet, at least not in Bamako. The humidity is doing wonders for my hair.

While still standing in line to get my passport checked, I saw the embassy expeditor holding a sign with my name written in big letters on it. Definitely VIP treatment. I was pleased that my new cheap duffel bag came through in one piece, but less pleased that my other suitcase didn’t come through at all. I was generally in a good mood about being met and having one bag, so it surprisingly didn’t stress me out too much. I went with the embassy guy to the baggage service window and he said he’d take care of everything, including picking it up at the airport and getting it to me when it came in. He drove me in the embassy minivan (Chrysler, I might add) to SIL and I was set.

Today is indeed Eid, the feast at the end of the month of Ramadan, so things (like the embassy) are closed. My plan was to meet another Fulbrighter and take the bus up north with him tomorrow morning (provided I get my bag tonight), but the German couple I’m staying with at SIL told me that because of Eid, buses may not be running until Thursday. This is fine for me, but Jeremy, the other Fulbrighter, had said he needed to get to Timbuktu by Friday. I’m not sure he’s heard this bus news yet. So I could be here for a few days, in which case I’ll go to the embassy and do my business there and maybe do some banking stuff, otherwise I’ll just do all of that when I come back to Bamako at the end of the month. I’m lucky in that I have nothing pressing to do except get settled, so I can set my own schedule.

I’m feeling optimistic about being here without Jeff and Abbie. I managed to get my own taxi today by myself to get myself over to the supermarket and back. I’d forgotten how friendly most Malians are, just chatting with some woman who also happened to be in the taxi. Yes, I’m feeling good.