Je mange les haricots

Bonjour friends and family! how are you? Life here is grand, it is surreal to think i have been here only a week. we have been so busy, and so much has happened it feels as if it should be longer. But i am good, we went to the city of Siby last week for three days, climbing waterfalls and hiking through the hills. it was so beautiful. there, we were also able to visit a village, help with dinner (they thought it was funny how slow i was at cracking peanuts) and play with the children. They are so much fun, and regard us with such amazement (especially when you greet them in the native language- Bambara). from there, we moved in with our host families, which is quite different! I have 3 siblings, countless cousins, two aunts and my Malian parents all staying in the same compound. there is always something going on!
Oh, i really love Africa time. no one is ever late to anythingm because americans have watches, africans have time. so if it is 4:45, it is the same as 4, so when we go to "school" it is super laid back, and it makes me nervous about going to an american class ever again. but i am trying to improve my french with every conversation. i've learned that each family name has a certain joke about it, so other people always joke with you when they find out the family name. apparently, my jokes have to do with liking beans, and being other people's slaves. it is so much fun just greeting people on the street.
well i apologize for the grammer mistakes and problems in this email, but i wanted to let you know what was happening and i love you all! i hope everyone is doing well.
until next time,
Brittany