Wednesday, April 25, 2007

An American in Mali--sort of

Ca cest la difference entre vous et les Americains.

So being in Mali has made me re-evaluate a lot of different things and pretty high on the list is what it means to be an American and in my case what it means to be sort of an American. I have not wrote too much about it but being an Asian American in Mali has been a frustrating and bittersweet experience all on its own. In Mali, anyone who is not black is called a Tubabu—it means a French person but basically it is anyone who is white. Kids chant it while holding out their hands for a petit cadeaux and young guys trying to get your attetion shout it like youll turn around and give them a chance, yeah right. Me-looking the way I do-sort of psych Malians out just a bit. I still get called Tubabu bit more than anything, people always shout Chinois, Chinois muso or Japonais.

I knew it was going to be interesting when I met my fellow stage mates back in July. Seeing only one other Asian American and a handful of African American volunteers. I experienced it to some extent in Kenya and expected being viewed different and a minority considering the demograhpics of Peace Corps volunteers and the socio-economic factors at play in being able to travel and volunteer abroad (thats another thing so…)

Of course the shouting get to me and most of the time my polite N te Chinois ye ou Je ne suis pas Chinois only gets laughs which makes me only want to resort to violence and we all know that doesnt get one anywhere. What really gets me though is when I am told that yes I may not be Chinese but Im not American either—interesting right ? Malians always ask other volunteers about that short Chinois they hang out with. Is she Chinese or Japanese ? She is really American ? But where are her parents from ? Oh okay thats right now, shes still from Asia. As proud as I am of being Vietnamese and the culture I grew up with but I never thought Id come to Mali to defend my identity as an American. Its this fight I feel I need to assert to make people understand that in America we are not all white, blonde haired and blue eyed. I cant help but think about how in the states, I make a conscious effort to emphasis and recognize the Vietnamese American in me and here in Mali, I have even gotten into arguments defending the Vietnamese American in me.

Whats even more interesting is when I have conversations with Malians who share their thought about Americans and the U.S. More often than not, I am told that Americans can be self-fish, they are all rich and like to start wars with other countries. I sit and listen to all of this and when I ask well how about me, I come from America, Im an American, does that mean Im like that too? They laugh like Ive made a joke, no Assetou (my Malian name here) you are not like that, you are really from Asia, that’s the difference between you and the Americans, you are not really and American.

I guess I can pick sides right? I can slip into playing dumb and not accept any of the fault, I can even agree with things that are said. Or I can correct every Chinois shouting Malian. No in America, it is a melting pot and even though we are different, we are all American. Im not sure if its about picking and choosing my battles, some how, I don’t feel completely honest with either scenario.
I feel like a hypocrite defending America sometimes when Ive been guilty of criticizing the same things and even not affiliating myself with that America.

So being American, what does it mean? How do I change the space I find myself in a place full of its own misconceptions. Im still figuring it out and Im sure is not going to be easy.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Building Community

So nothing brings people together better than a good old rat chase




Just another day

a peak into just another day in mali

Marium clearing out the yard.

Thursday, April 5, 2007

Consolidation 2007


This past week as part of safety and security, all Peace Corps volunteers took part in a security drill which required all of us to respond to Peace Corps and get from our sites to our consolidation points as soon as possible- and where is Sikasso's consolidation point? No place but Chez Trinh.

After getting calls to move from our sites to consolidation point, all volunteers in the Sikasso region spent the night at my place-mats on the floor and mosquitoe nets and all . We had chili, cold drinks, peanut butter cookies and yes we did not forgot to talk about the importance of safety in Mali... yeah like I told you we're hardcore :)

Go EPA 2007!