Guest: Q&A part 1

This week, we’ve been busy with preparations, visa/passport paperwork and finals. Its amazing how quickly our departure date (July 1^st) seems to be drawing near! In sharing our plans with friends, we’ve found that some of you have a lot of questions. So this post is an invitation to get some answers! Simply post your question in the comments section and we’ll do our best to reply. Keep in mind that a LOT of the specifics about our jobs, home, etc are unknown until we have gone through 1-2 months of training.

Here are a few of the most frequently asked questions:

Q: Where IS Mali?

A: Mali is a landlocked country in the middle of West Africa. The population is mostly concentrated in the south, since the northern part is desert.

Q: How long will you be there?

27 months. 3 months of Training and 2 years of service.

Q: What languages will you have to learn?

A: French is the official language. I (Joye) studied French in undergrad and Jim will have completed 3^rd semester French before we go. However, 80% of the population speak Bambara and depending on the region other local languages are most commonly spoken. During our 3 month training, we will be learning the language of the region where we will be placed for our 2 year assignment.