Back At One

Whats good Peeps? Hopefully everything!

I've been basking in the after glow that was my trip to Mali. Did you know that I left the Western Hemisphere? No.

Ouch.

Well hopefully some of you read the blog on the regular and knew that I was having the trip of a lifetime...And it was all going good until I was shipped back to reality via an Air France flight, some time last week. How does a Bella feel about this? Well, in the spirit of  Hallows' Eve: BOOO!

So here I am. Back to life as I know it. In track speak, I'm back at one. The first week of training and all you and I need to care about at this junction is that I have survived.

A lot of changes happened in the last two months.  I am no longer training in Atlanta, but have carved out a nice oasis for myself in the sexy town that is East Lansing, Michigan @ Michigan State University.

SIKE.

I have been here four days and have yet to find the sexy. Not sure it's ever been here in fact. But I digress. I'm here training with Randy Gillon, I'm happy to be welcomed here and excited to get back to the structure and standards needed to be the best.

Be sure to check back my little corner of the interweb, I'll be able to share more once I settle into a routine.

Oh and in case there was ever any doubt--Don't! I will be  "I-L-L"ing all up in this piece, if only under my breath.

Perdita-A Loyal Fighting Illini (in a land of green)
Circa 2000

Oldie but a Funny-Check the joke during Back @One 2008

Mali: Day 4 In Pictures

Day four in Bamako was a very productive one. Right To Play held a conference at the National Sports University on a range of topics from: sport and education to sport for development. There was some media coverage and great dialogue. As ambassadors we all addressed the room with our personal stories and messages.

In the afternoon we got to be big kids!  Right To Play was celebrating its 10th anniversary and used an inclusive play day to celebrate. Happy Anniversary! 200 kids from eight Bamako community centres were unleashed and we had a ball.

There were also students from Jigiya Kanlaso school, which is a school for children with special needs. I learned an important aspect of Right To Play is having their coaches adapt and modify games so all children can participate.

Thanks for letting me share this with you. Have a great weekend.
P

Dave, Marnie, Chris, Moi, Jeremy at the conference

Right To Play Mali staff, some of the best souls I've met

The boys with the staff after the conference

Chris with the director of the university

 I was all up in this parachute, it didn't make any sense, ahh feels like grade 3!

Jeremy and the kids

Cutie Pies

Chris and the boyz

I love this picture! (Chris took it)

Love this one too (Chris again!)

Duck duck goose...Mali version, so much fun!

Dave, his group loved him!

Mali: Day 3 In Pictures

On day three we drove 1.5 hours to reach the village of Keleya where we met with Right To Play staff, the mayor and his advisors. We visited their school, hospital and walked around the village.

We drove another hour and arrived in Manfilani, where we met the traditional leaders, watched a frisbee match and danced and had fun.

Enjoy and be great today!

Perdita

Holding a baby born the night before in Keleya. The hospital is responsible for quite a large area and isn't very large itself.

The doula tells the exhausted mother that her baby will be fast and a champion too now that I've held him :)

Lunch in Keleya with Right To Plays partner Borne Fonden together they have provided remarkable programs to the commune (region) of Keleya and beyond.

The children of Manfilani, excited and very curious

A tiny spectator soaks in the girls frisbee match

Being greeted in Manfilani

Manfilani's girls frisbee team. Because of Right To Play there are many like them in other villages.

He was so happy to let let me take his picture,

The bottom of the village well in Keleya

The school courtyard in Keleya

Meeting the students 

I made another friend!

Posing with a civil servant in Keleya. This is the first time in Mali history that a woman has held this position and she just started the previous week!

Paths in Keleya

Children leaving school

The birthing suite in Keleya hospital

No pain medication is administered and you labour here

Making friends in Keleya

The village chief of Manfilani giving the official welcome to us on behalf of his community

Meeting with the village leaders and discussing Right To Plays impact and success

Manfilani is ready to watch their girls play frisbee!

Deuces up lets go team!

Spectators on every side

This game is serious

Chris getting his dance on...we all did!

You see me jukeing!

Marnie presents a new frisbee after the game

Julia, who works for Right To Play in their Toronto office and I. Our first visit to Africa, how perfect that is was to Mali!