Bad Habits

There are certain things I've caught myself doing in the last few weeks that  have horrified me when I imagined doing them in the United States. They are completely culturally appropriate and expected here, but do not lend themselves into a graceful transition back into daily American life. 

Trash disposal:
In Mali, I simply drop whatever piece of trash happens to be in my hand at the time on the ground wherever I find myself. (Trash= anywhere not in my hand) Malians are very casual about this, and will even toss trash on the floor in my house.This rule is true for me anywhere but in Westerners' homes or workplaces. In my house, we  have several trash buckets. Away from my house, I am a dirty, rotten litterer, because there are no wastebaskets or trashcans or anything resembling public waste management anywhere. Believe me, that is a long, uphill battle in Mali. I need to re-train myself to look for trashcans before I drop that granola bar wrapper on the ground outside.

Clothing:
I have become accustomed to people who love me more when I am wearing loud "African prints" from head to toe, including a big head wrap of the same material. Also, people don't give me a second glance when I don't match at all.  Envision an orange and purple skirt with a green and yellow top. No big deal, as long as my knees are covered. I've been consulting other volunteers about clothing I've had made here to see if they think I could pull it off in the US. No big surprise that 99% gets a definitive, "No." So if you see me in the US and wonder whether I looked in the mirror before I left the house, I probably did. My sense of style has just been skewed by a culture where the brighter and flashier the better, and bold prints are the rule. I'm also going to feel slightly uncomfortable if you can see my knees...

Eating: 

Yesterday, I made a meal for myself at my house and ate it with my hands without thinking about it. Dates are going to be a challenge.

Greeting:
Greeting is a huge part of Malian culture. In Bambara, I ask how someone passed the night (peace only), how their health is (no problems), and about their various family members (they are all there, thank God) before getting down to whatever business I may have with them. In rural areas, you greet pretty much everyone you encounter. In more urban areas like Kayes, you greet people you know, and whoever catches your eye when passing. First, I need to stop greeting everyone. I seem to remember that it's considered weird to enthusiastically greet strangers in the United States? 
Second, I need to stop reflexively greeting people who have dark skin/hair/eyes in Bambara. Have you seen  the movie "Mean Girls"? There is a scene in the beginning where Lindsay Lohan's character (who has just moved to the US at age 16 after growing up in Africa) greets a group of African American girls in an African dialect. Well... I greeted some African American guests of my American friends here in Bambara the other day. They just stared at me for a minute until my friend explained to me that they were from Virginia. Embarrassing, but somewhat understandable here. Gotta rein those impulses in before I step off the plane!

In other news, I sent in my first resume/cover letter for a job in the US today, so I'm on my way down that long and arduous road... I believe I am going to be living/working in the US for at least the next few years. I also need to acquire a masters degree in Public Health (MPH) if I want to be able to have the career I'm envisioning lately. Would anyone reading this list of faux pas happen to want to hire me?  :)