As I was perusing Youtube the other day I found a beautifully filmed video of the journey an RPCV took back to Mali to record music and reconnect with his friends. I found the video touching and I think it is a little window into what life can be like there. I hope that I will succeed at building relationships as strong as Adam has, but above all I would like to inspire those I encounter to work even harder to better their own lives and their communities. Ultimately it is through the work of Malians that I believe development in the country will truly succeed, so empowering others is my primary goal. I appreciate the thoughtful way in which Adam seems to approach his friendships and his efforts to adapt to Malian culture. By all accounts I've heard, being open-minded and trying my best to integrate into my host community are two of the most important tasks I will have over the next two years.



Can anyone guess what language he's speaking? That's right, Bambara! I too will be speaking it before you know it.