Design that Matters Field Journal

And They're Off

Kateri, Martin, Stacy and Beto--the Kinkajou team here in Mali--left for Paris on an Air France flight from the Bamako Airport late this evening. It's been a busy three weeks, and together we've learned a lot about the Kinkajou project and about development in general. Alas, I was so busy saying goodbye that I forgot to take any pictures. All I've got is this shot from our second-to-last team dinner. What better setting for our last big meal in Mali than, well, Appaloosa, a bizarre Tex-Mex restaurant in downtown Bamako.

As for our actual goodbye, all I've got is this photo from Liz's camera, of the Mande Hotel on the banks of the Niger River where we had an impromptu dinner with Perri Sutton from JSI.

In addition to being a former Mali Peace Corps volunteer, a superlative ice-breaker and an all-around fantastic person, Perri works with Barb Garner at World Ed. It was the perfect book-end to the student experience, reconnecting with the organization that put us on the road to Mali in the first place. Thank you again to Barb Garner for helping us to get started, and thank you to Perri for such a memorable evening!