Excitement in Bamako

I'm sorry it's been a while since I've posted. There's a lot to catch you up on, I guess!

Saturday, I moved to the Hotel Djenne, a charming little hotel packed full of Malian art and artifacts in a more happening part of town. I even managed to get wireless internet here (so I have no excuse for not posting). Saturday night, Salif stayed up with me until 2 AM, when I had to go to the airport to get Kevin. Upon arriving there, we learned that the flight wouldn't be in until 20 to 4, so we just settled in and waited it out. Sure enough, we heard the plane land right around then, and a half an hour later, Kevin actually emerged from the Bamako airport. It was amazing and surreal.

Sunday felt like it didn't exist. Kevin and I were both so exhausted from being up until 5 that all we did was sleep and go out to eat.

Monday, we met my friend Rosemary and her husband for lunch and then got passport photos taken to try to start the Burkina visa process. We made our way over the embassy (on the other side of town) just to find out that, in fact, they only process visa requests until noon. At night, we went over to a restaurant called Akwaba at about 9 and were the first ones there. They had a delicious spicy chicken, though.

Yesterday was a big day. We got ourselves out the door to go back to the Burkina embassy and started our visa process. I had intended to go to the American embassy afterwards to cash a check, but didn't have foresight enough to realize that a visa process meant that they were going to hold onto our passports. So the American embassy was out of the question.

We headed back to our side of town and went to a restaurant called the Broadway Cafe, which has all sorts of very good American food. I had a milkshake and a burrito (not Patty's, for those of you who know what that is, but recognizably a burrito nonetheless), and Kevin had the biggest double-cheeseburger the world has ever seen. They even had pancakes and bacon and all sorts of other good stuff on the menu. Will definitely go back.

Election buzz was in the air yesterday. People are so pumped about Obama here, and you instantly make friends if you show your support. In the evening, the embassy hosted an election party at the Radisson (which is very swank, by the way). The party itself wasn't that exciting--it only went to 11 Malian time, 6 EST, so no results. I met another Fulbrighter and we got a drink in the Radisson's posh bar, so all in all enjoyable.

Kevin and I took advantage of the wireless internet to obsessively pour over the election maps until the coast seemed clear and I fell asleep at 4 AM. I haven't been outside yet today, but I'm sure Mali's going to be excited.

Needless to say, it's been very nice having Kevin here, especially to share the elections with. We've just been taking it easy--getting over airport exhaustion, not pushing the culture shock process any faster than it needs to be, and just catching up after a month apart. We're off to the National Museum today and then up to Douentza tomorrow morning. More from there.