Daily journal of Terry Clark—in Mali—these are reflections of our first Democracy lives and poverty abounds

Our questions are why and how? There is a who, what, when and where, but why and how?

We start getting answers from the public affairs officer and info specialist

The dust hangs in the air, as does the heat

The embassy PAO is from Texas; she asks if this is first trip to sub-Sahara, and when we say yes, she just laughs….a lot—what an omen

I see many similarities with American media—she talks about freedom is here, but there are questions about responsibility

“When you get past the dirt and the poverty, you see the color and hard work and laughter and warmth”
Chinese fabric comes here and the people make garmets: does Oklahoma cotton go to China to come here in fabric?

This isn’t the hot season—the hot seaqson is April-May, 46 to 48 degrees C

Story ideas galore—ag is at basis of a poor country—how different from USA—yet America is based on iterate ag basis—is this just three centuries behind—America survived with luck and isolation—Mali is indeed isolated, will it survive? They have more history than we do

Mali is a success in governance and democracy wen you consider the situation—in the economic and political region. A society where you can speak your mind, don’t resort to violence to solve issues—due to leadership

Quote4 from PAO person—they are jealous of democracy

Our guide A says when asked if the people have certain time of day to sing national anthem, etc., that no, they have been under dictatorship and they don’t like mandated ceremonies—what would they think of the lpledge of allegience?


It seems to me that the terms “No Sweat” would never be used here—although I don’t see the native sweating under the hot sun

We are the minorities here—everybody is a minority somewhere—it is good to be a minority—it opens your eyes





The swimming pool is brim full—a metaphor for the people—and the land—so much here—a surprise in West Africa—Democracy in the desert—a product they market.

PAO says it is a model to their neighbors—but if neighbors are not democracies—what do they really think and are they threats?

Economy is so bad here, that law school grads go to work for low paying radio just to have jobs.

“This is a lab for democracy—to what it grow—and to water and nurture.”

We are trying to help cultivate it.”

This is a backwater, it is poor, landlocked, but a Democracy. Why and how.

There are no American newspapers here, I don’t know the news there—What do Americans see and think (Other than Fox), therefore I’m isolated from my country and part of the world. So Americans are isolated from the rest of the the world, and have no idea about here? Is that dangerous? Are we becoming more provincial even as media is more digital and global, but we narrow our views?

Maybe Mali’s isolation will allow it to develop as our isolation once did. Does it feel isolated? Does it care?

This country raises a lot of questions. Therefore, there are more stories than we can count—we saw a few today in a visual overload.

Terry Clark