On our last day in Kati, we had a little balloon fest to celebrate our time there! Our Malian family will be missed very much.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNiXSIzMIkAa7Lor1qkr3oFl32QLPy9x2O9Lze434e1ilnLNu8de6_vVabwkQ651_dMl3ggy4ZLCG6KjMTmZwi9Tf_Kwnv6dmNEJiD3A1lBJvvDcpmFQutF0Va7a_FFzModMuw1uHV47k/s400/Copy+of+Mali+344.jpg)
My big sculpture gets a pagne (traditional wrap skirt of Mali)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJWx2xWQl7zWs6nX2NlsDK_7DPaqWdlT1Vrd74nTpemwyQEOPpQuMJJT9LUY8ffiHlCxOjei14V3KpUCYeTnmA8lksB95RSzJMprjHZwf9BIb5mEuwandWRyRdcxu0NUMkb-vePMkymA/s400/Kafune.jpg)
Everyone decided my creation looked like Kafune the most,
so here she is next to her balloon likeness.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJANcv5HtBnBc7mHn8cyXhrEHbLL2XDCpps7HMx1siQFyodJxdQYWQ3ghyAzt0E0Qsrd2dIuAZPuPMnp0lBMbBv3GXzw-O6hU5n8wBql0B_faZ_8b_okDR1UBlWPUzMh4hJy7Og652hEw/s400/Maria.jpg)
Maria, our amazing host
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Her husband, Ibrahim
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The kids
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Sita, one of our fabulous cooks
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0GIAxFi1I1905HhsuXVlSuT15FiXfXJWoM2ThZhvUuf-jAK7lIbDVs0PjmgCysRX0I4NuWxm9hV0XTTGh81SRn13bKJZvFHDeYPI09VCG7bsZu6ufXC3g-mXdvZe5YD7UD6IsvBbcs_k/s400/Boi.jpg)
Boi is only three and he already knows
how to be a ham for the camera.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK3981Tx5YkKJ-qSF-4kKGC8n-wsp8QJNGisQPOjiwn-At1uptPF7AfpCqr-ylvG5tMTVMm7t59gRpRmPJ4qh4tElXpCAtBlYzIYEbqVncvJi3Ort0tahUj4YCrUGbDOGN0kKXeNjivJg/s400/Mali+391.jpg)
The Best of Mali, Christiane, age 7.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LNBGh1u47OFAx_7VAB9t6q2fTnrfksrlAV1Ym_oN4FQGfnViitsIa7VdDwh0KPHxYMUF2B7AMJefQy_cpWE8igcbhhw_5ltVhgr_6aDrH4kemy3XDOji4uP1No5VvkG4IMo5KCOqUMM/s400/Copy+of+Mali+387.jpg)
Baboi makes traditional Malian tea
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Everyone poses with the Kafune scupture!