Hello!  I arrived in Mali Safe and Sound.  I have made lots of friends with the Peace Corps Trainees and we have already started training.  One of trainees is a Christian & I am hoping to be her roommate once I move in with my host family, which will be next week.  I think she will be a good friend.  I have already been introduced to learning eating & bathroom rituals.  There is no toilet paper in Mali.  You just use water & your left hand.  Rt. hand for eating & greeting.  I am having a good time though & I feel very comfortable & safe.  I will write soon.

Love,
Pattie

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Letter Received Sept. 9, 2001 in a package with a roll of film to be developed
(retyped from hand written copy)

Dear Mom & Dad, Lonnie & Tim  - and anyone else

How are you?  I am doing well.  I have successfully survived my first week at my homestay village & a weekend eating their food.  Although I must admit that I did not like very much of the food we ate this weekend.  This weekend, however, was extremely eventful.  My host father has malaria so we had to greet him & give him blessings for good health.  On Saturday my host sister had a baby!!  It was a girl.  Betty & I were then responsible for bringing a gift for the baby & her mother so today we are giving money to our niece Damafee to buy her a chicken.  When they baptize / name the baby this weekend we will again be responsible for buying some sort of clothing for the little girl.  The mother has been extremely sick since she had the baby, but it has only been a day so she might get better soon.  Also, our next door neighbors had a wedding at their house.  There was a band drumming all day (I played a little) and all of the women were dressed in their best clothes & dancing.  Because there were so many events this weekend, we spent a couple of hours at our cultural guide’s house asking him questions about what to do & say in certain circumstances.  By the time you get this, I might already know my site location for the next two years.
I am hoping to live near Seagu or Mopti .  The tribal group in Seagu region is called the BoBo’s & in Mopti the tribal group is the Dogons.  There are some other areas of interest so we will see what happens.  Not much else is new, I am making lots of friends & feel comfortable here.  I hope that I hear from you all very soon.  Lonnie, I hope to hear that you have kept up with your running and hear about the harem you had started when I left.  You know if you come & live in Mali, you can have up to four wives?  Ha Ha.  When I ask someone about their family, I actually have to ask how many wives do you have!!!  Oh, well I better go.  Please tell everyone I am OK, I love them, and that I miss them.  And of course to come visit my new home!!!

Love Always,
Pattie Murray