The Inauguration

The other Volunteers were already there by the time Tiffany and I arrived at the American Club. Drawbacks of having to teach while the rest of your stage is at IST (In-Service Training). Because Tiffany and I both teach at the university, we're unable to attend the three weeks of IST that everyone else goes to. That also means that we miss out on gaining an extra 60,000 CFA (walking around money for Volunteers while they're at Tubani-So for IST. They also eat free food and have no other expenses during that time).

We did, however, arrive before any of the real stuff went on. Like with other "American" events I've attended while living here, it's very being on the outside looking in. Among the Americans at the club, there were cheers and applause. Tears and laughter. It seemed, perhaps, more emotional for the people here than I think it would have been in the US. The Malians, too, were jubilant. Obama inspires hope well beyond the borders of the United States.

Picture 1: Watching the inauguration

Picture 2: Post-ceremony cake!

We were able to enjoy food at the American Club. I managed to have a Fairly Tasty Hamburger™, then, as seen above, we all had cake. Yes, I'm well aware that two out of the three flag cakes are backward. I'm just kind of curious how it's only two. Regardless, the cake tasted really good.

I left a little early, around 7pm, in order to get home and finish my lesson planning for today. Regrettably, that ended up being for not--as I'm a little under the weather today. Diarrhea, or "Mr. D" as we affectionally refer to it in country (it's a common ailment to Volunteers), has prevented me from making it to my morning class. I'm guessing that it was the Fairly Tasty Hamburger that did me in.