Pictures Again

I just put up pictures from November and December. I'm in Paris right now visiting my friends and family and I LOVE BEING COLD AGAIN!!! Happy Holidays everyone!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM SENEGAL!

World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day was December 1st and some of the volunteers in my region of Matam put on an event to inform and teach people about the virus.

It was pretty successful. It was a day-long event and, at first, we were nervous because it seemed that only men were showing up. But, after some serious scouting was done, we found out that the women were planning on coming to the afternoon sessions when the cooking, cleaning, bathing of children, and laundry were all done.

That’s the one problem with scheduling events in Senegal. People either come late or don’t come at all. We went to great lengths to inform people about the event too. There was a banner put up in Matam’s main intersection, flyers were distributed, we even made a skit and preformed it on RTS the government-sponsored radio frequency. I guess that proverb “You can bring a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink” rang true.

In the afternoon, the three other volunteers and myself put on a skit in Pulaar about two men. One of the men gets AIDS and dies and the other one inherits his wife, who also has AIDS. She transmits it to her second husband and when he finds out his original wife leaves him. It seems like a bleak story, but with exaggerated gestures and our horrible Pulaar improve skills, the people were roaring laughing. It really is true that you have to put a comical spin on serious issues to talk about them in Senegal. People respond positively to humor and when confronted with serious issues they sometimes shy away.

It was our hope that people would take away from the journée de sensibilisation a sense of what causes the virus, how to protect yourself, and that you can still co-exist with those that have AIDS.

We also gave away t-shirts, which I wouldn’t recommend doing. We were mobbed by people when they figured out they were free. Our intention was that people who came to the event would get a t-shirt to show that they were informed about AIDS. It turned into every Momadou and Binta on the street demanding we give them a shirt. Other than that, the day was inspirational and fun!

Side Note: Because greeting people is so coveted and essential to the function of society, when we did the radio announcement I greeted everyone in my family, my conterpart’s family, and village and they went WILD with excitement every time it was re-played during the week. I came home and they were repeating the lines I had said and telling me “Ada waawi Pulaar, day!” That means that “Oh man can you speak Pulaar!” It made me smile.

THANKSGIVING

Wonderful. Scrumptious. Delectable. Silly. Loud.

All words that describe my first Thanksgiving in another country. Not to mention a third world country.

There were three turkeys, one of which was deep fried, two chickens, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, corn casserole, corn bread, stuffing, cookies, pies galore…if I hadn’t known better I would think I was back at home eating a Thanksgiving feast. Well, I guess the dry, desert-like conditions gave it away. I even made citrus infused carrots, a recipe I got from Bon Apetit! I know! We actually had all the ingredients here!

The volunteers in the North always put on a Thanksgiving party and this year about 50 other volunteers came. It was fun to see everyone I hadn’t seen for a while. There was lots of laughing and merriment, which was just what I needed to relax for a few days. We were able to watch the new-ish Batman movie on a projector, which was AWESOME and scary. We started to watch the new James Bond movie, but about 30 min. into it the power went out (the second giveaway that I was not at home in America).

There was dancing and blaring music 24 hours a day and thank goodness I brought my ear plugs with me…It was a great time and I walked away feeling satiated.

Hooray! Pictures!

I finally got a chance to upload my pictures and they can be found on the side bar under the link that says "Click Me!" They are in the folder marked November 2008. Enjoy!

Also, side note: I found and killed my first scorpion in my room the other day. A little disconcerting because now that means that the little devils can get into my room....oh well, that's what a mosquito net is for...

Girls Leadership Conference: Girl Power!

Earlier in the year, I interviewed eleven middle school girls for a scholarship to continue their studies in an effort to promote the education of girls. The scholarship was recently distributed to two of the eleven girls and they seemed happy, but reserved about their success.

Yesterday, one of the volunteers in my region organized an all-day conference for the nominees and winners of the scholarship in the surrounding areas. There were about 60 people all-in-all. It was a great day for women's empowerment, sharing stories, ideas, and a chance for the girls to gloat at their own success for being outstanding students.

When I first arrived in Thilogne, the city with the middle school, none of the girls were at the designated meeting place. Myself and Ashley, the other volunteer in my area, were a little nervous, but the girls slowly trickled in. We took a mini-bus to a city called Ourosouggui (sp?) and then started the conference extravaganza. We watched the film that was recently made by Senegal Peace Corps volunteers called "Elle Travaille, Elle Vit." It's a short film about five or six successful women and how they attained and manage their success. Then we had a story-sharing time with our three women panalists from the Matam region. For lunch, we sat with the girls and just talked about school, clothes, things that every young girl should get a chance to talk about. Then we went back for more sessions and before I knew it, it was the award ceremony and the girls were on the bus going home.

I think they all really enjoyed it. Even if they don't remember what we talked about in five years, they will remember that they were chosen and attended an event in a different city. It may be the only time they receive the proper recognition they deserve and I'm glad that we could facilitate that.

I did take a bunch of photos, but I forgot the camera cord...oh well. Next time!

Mish Mash

Yesterday, I noticed my host mother was wearing a brand new boubou. Two champagne flutes and a big bottle of champagne were patterned all over it in between small blue dots, which I found humorous because she is a devout Muslim. In fact, one of her two rules when I first arrived in my village was no alcohol.

Obamarama reached my small village in Northern Senegal last week with his win. I was hosting two study abroad students and had my dad call me at 4 AM to tell me the good news. I felt like my heart was going to burst with pride and excitement that my next President will be a young, intelligent, charismatic, no-nonsense man. Everyone has been congratulating me on his success. I am not that naïve to think that the country will change at the hands of one man. But, I do believe that he is a powerful symbol of change and an agent of change that is willing to listen. We, the average Americans, are the ones that can change this country and I think I’m doing a pretty good job re-establishing America’s good name here in Senegal.

Recently, I also hosted two CIEE study abroad students, which was great! They really made me fall in love with my village again. They also noticed how much I was respected in my village and how I was treated like a family member. It was also great for me because they couldn't speak any Pulaar, so it made my skills look like I was a native speaker! The two girls, I think, enjoyed their stay and when I go to Dakar in December they said they will take me out to ice cream! A win-win situation.

Now for the big news! I HAVE A CAMERA!!!!!!! Thanks to my wonderful, creative parents I now have a camera that was sent to me in a tampon box so as not to illicit attention. I will be updating my picture link (in the left hand margin) at the end of the month or as soon as I have enough time to sit down and upload my pictures! GET READY!

Goat Games

Also here is a link to YouTube where you can watch the Goat Festivities from August.

Peculiar Patterns

The other day, I saw a young man wearing the oddest shirt I have come across. There were portraits of three prominent men that were repeated in a pattern with their names in between them. The three men were not three that I would group together, but for whatever reason, the smiles of Saddam Hussein, Yasser Arafat, and Nelson Mandela all stared me in the face.

I spoke briefly to the young man about his shirt and it digressed into a conversation about how America is bad because we killed Saddam. (I get that a lot, America is bad because of this or that reason.) That aside, I thought the shirt was funny and inwardly smiled to myself as I walked away.

Funny Things That Pulaar's Fear

1) Cats. I went out to greet a family I know, a common activity here seeing that salutations are so important. It was dusk, but not quite dark. The mother and I were sitting on a stick bed in the front yard when she asked her toddler to go give a cell phone to someone that was inside the house, on the other side of the yard. No big deal. EXCEPT, the kid, who was about two, started to whimper and say “ouloungu” the word for cat in Pulaar. Thankfully, it is totally appropriate to laugh at people in this culture because I started to giggle. He eventually did cross the yard, but did so with tears streaming down his face. I was amazed that kids grow up fearing what we consider house pets.

2) Lizards. One day at the communal faucet, where we get our water, I heard a commotion and saw kids throwing sticks and rocks. I thought they were stoning another child and thought to myself, “Oh, great.” Much to my surprise, it was a huge lizard about 4 feet long (this was the largest lizard I have seen here, most are around 6 inches.) The kids were going crazy, which led the women getting water to go into a frenzy of fear. One woman gripped my wrist so tightly it left marks. Now, I’m not saying I would like to wake up to a giant lizard, but they eat bugs and rodents! What isn’t to like? So, they started throwing water at it, which only made it more afraid and start making a low growling noise.

Another time, I was reading in my room when one of my sisters came up to me and asked for perfume. When I asked her for what purpose, she said to kill a lizard that had gotten into her room. Apparently, they spray aerosol cans or perfume to kill the ones that get into their stuff. Unfortunately, I didn’t have anything, but we eventually found some. The scene that ensued was hilarious. All of my sisters and a neighbor were screaming as the lizard tried in vain to survive the fatal spray. There was a lot of running out of the room, creeping back in, screaming, etc. I was outside laughing the entire time. After a neighbor had killed it, they went outside to the communal faucet and broadcast that I was the one who was afraid. I could only laugh at them and tell them it wasn’t true, how much they believed, I don’t know.

3) Wind. During the hottest months of the year it is almost like torture to sit in the back seat of a bus or car unable to convince the people surrounding you that they should open the windows. The people here just won’t do it. Granted, it’s dusty and the wind isn’t much cooler than the actual air temperature, but still! You get sweaty and dirty anyway just sitting in the stagnant air of the car. I haven’t noticed too many people sweating though. Here’s my theory: Because I drink so much water, I naturally sweat more than the average Senegalese person. That and they are more used to the heat. With sweat on my body, even a hot breeze cools me down. Maybe because the Senegalese do not sweat, they don’t get that cooling effect that I do…

BEWARE: This entry is about Female Genital Cutting

Female Genital Cutting (FGC), Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), circumsition, etc. are different names for the same practice. The politically correct term is FGC, so I will use that. All over Africa FGC is practiced, not as a form of control by men, but as the beginning rite of passage into womanhood. It makes a girl eligible to be married and in a society so dependent on family, it becomes essential. Most often, I was told, this happens when the girl is about one to three years old in Senegal.

Here in Senegal, the predominant ethnicity that practices FGC just so happens to be the Pulaar people. Up North, things are extremely conservative, so the Pulaar women still cling to this practice, although it is now illegal. I was warned pre-arrival that I would probably never be able to have a conversation regarding FGC with Pulaar women due to the secrecy of the practice.

So, you can imagine my astonishment when I had a serious conversation about FGC with two young women in their early 20s, both unmarried without children, yet. One of the young women, Kadja, is studying nursing in Dakar and had different opinions on the safety and sanitation of FGC, especially now that it is illegal. The other, my sister Fati, had more traditional thoughts on the practice. Kadja mentioned that although FGC was illegal, she thought that almost 100% of the women up North had been circumsized as she put it. She then began listing the hazards of practicing FGC in secrecy. She said that girls can often bleed to death, get infections, or not heal properly, which has lead to a heightened awareness in the Pulaar community. Fati scoffed at this idea saying that it was just as safe as having the procedure done at a hospital.

When I asked if they were both circumcised, they replied, “Yes, of course.” They then asked if women in America practiced FGC. I told them that our culture didn’t practice it for girls, but most often boys are circumcised as infants. They accepted this information and moved on. No criticisms, no sly comments.

Personally, I do not support FGC as it is practiced now. I think women should have the choice, which is different from not supporting it entirely. It is difficult for us as Westerners to wrap our minds around something that is seemingly so bad. But, it’s not a black and white issue unfortunately. I say that women should have a choice because they should not be ostrasized either way, by any culture, for their decision. Some days I feel like we as the human race are a long ways off from being truly at liberty to make choices like that. But, after intelligent, real conversations like this one, I feel hope that we are making progress.

Ramadan Is Almost Over--THANK GOD!

I’m not sure if I mentioned this in my last post about the month of Ramadan, but especially here in Senegal, there is an enormous social pressure to fast. It’s almost as if the spiritual side of fasting has lost its appeal here and it has morphed into something to commiserate with others about for a month.

That being said, after telling me to fast they often times tell me to pray as well. So maybe, there still are spiritual ties that they just keep on a personal level. But, regardless, once Ramadan ends that means that school will start and I will hopefully feel more productive.

It also means that maybe my door will get fixed! For the last three weeks I have not had a lock or handle on my door. The old one broke and I have been trying to install a new one ever since. This becomes a source of frustration when I want to cook my lunchtime meal or take a shower because my door will swing open with the wind. That, and the kids do not respond to anything, but threats of being beaten, which is unfortunate. I think they have all gotten wise to the fact that I will not hit them, so they are taking full advantage of it.

This Fall I am missing the changing colors of leaves and cool evenings. But, Thanksgiving is right around the corner (at least in my frame of mind) and to celebrate, the volunteers up North put on a Thanksgiving Senegal-style. It should be a fun time, but if anyone is thinking of sending things my way anything Thanksgiving-ish themed would be much appreciated.

Porridge For Babies

Yesterday, I held a demonstration for some of the mothers in my village on how to make nutritious, vitamin-packed porrdge for thier kids. Because it's Ramadan, the kids are eating worse than ever because mothers don't cook the largest meal until the evening. So, that means kids are eating "gosi" or rice and sugar porridge. It's nasty, but kids like the insane amounts of sugar they put in it.

There were only about four mothers at first, which was actually a blessing in disguise. I could speak in faulty Pulaar and then we worked through it until they got what I was trying to say. In general, people here know what is good for their kids. They know which foods have the vitamins, they just don't always feed it to them. The variation of porridge I made had corn flour, peanut butter, sugar, oil, and banana. Although, I couldn't get to town to buy bananas they understood that you CAN put bananas in the porridge to make it even better. After I was done explaining how to make it, how much it cost (a HUGE obstacle for many poorer familes) then the kids got to eat it! By that time, a lot of mothers had trickled in and many just came with a cup and handed it to me. At least they came! Most of the kids loved the porridge. Some of the babies even made a fuss when I took the bowl away.

Whether or not the mothers will actually pass the word along and make the porridge is another story. I think repetition is key. I'm hoping to get something like this demonstration to happen every week in my village. If not a demonstration, then at least a disscusion about pertinent health concerns.

Ramadan

This month is Ramadan. For those of you that aren’t familiar, it is the Muslim holiday of fasting. For 30 days, from sunup until sundown you can’t eat anything or drink any water unless you are a child, sick, pregnant, or menstruating. I know what you’re thinking, it doesn’t apply to me because I’m not Muslim. But, you’re wrong. Fasting during the day means that they eat lunch at 9:30 PM so they don’t cook the meals that I am used to eating. Thankfully, I have wonderful friends and family that sent me a lot of food lately, so I have been managing to eat a semi-balanced diet.

Of course, everyone in my village asks if I am fasting—multiple times each day. I think they ask me repeatedly because they don’t really have anything else to talk to me about besides telling me that it is hot outside, that Ramadan is difficult and, am I well? One day last week, frustrated by people constantly making fun of me for not fasting, I told them that I was indeed fasting. Now, I understand that this was not the morally correct thing to do, but I just thought I would see their reaction. Unfortunately, it was not what I had hoped for. They seemed impressed at first, but then asked if I was going to pray with them. (Muslims are supposed to pray five times a day at various times.) When I told them that I couldn’t because I was a Christian, they asked, “Then why are you fasting? You should pray if you are going to fast.” I had been using my Catholic upbringing as an excuse for me not fasting in the first place—they didn’t buy into that tactic either. In the end, I found out that I’m damned if I do, damned if I don’t. I’m ok with that because instead of being lethargic, grouchy and irritable all day, I get to eat granola bars, applesauce, and drink Propel water.

So, until Ramadan is over, my work will be limited. That just means I have an entire month to plan my next steps in Gudude Diopbe.

Then the Cold Front Came...

Yesterday started off like any other normal day. I was sweating by 7:15 AM and my room was too stifling to stay in for long periods of time. After getting water from the communal faucet (and carrying it back to my room on my head!), I went to the village’s garden, which I discovered earlier this week. Some women and I had planted some trees, and I went back to weed around them and see if they were still alive. For the most part they were!

When I walked back, I was told the health hut was having a baby weighing today. So, I went with one of the mothers in my compound. Luckily, her baby, Demba, gained weight! I sat at the health hut for a while talking with the relais, when one of the them happened to mention that they were recently given 19 bags of corn flour to distribute to women with underweight babies. However, they weren’t going to demonstrate how to make the porridge, so I offered to host a meeting demonstrating how to make a nutrition-packed, baby-friendly porridge.

By 12 PM, it was stifling hot because the wind had stopped. I went back to my room, cooked some lunch, and then went out to sit with some of the women in my compound. On the horizon, it looked like it was going to rain, which I was excited about. When the dark clouds were overhead a strong, COLD wind picked up. There was a brief dust storm, but no rain ensued as normal. It remained cold the rest of the day and throughout the night. Cold enough to put a fleece on—seriously. This may seem silly to some, but after spending my summer dealing with 120 degree heat, it almost became unimaginable it would get cold here.

Louly Ngogom

I went to my friend Chris's village, Louly Ngogom, for a few days after Dakar and it was VERY different from my village. He lives on the road so it was easy enough to get to his village. He also has a huge backyard, which we weeded because the weeds were waist high! He had only been gone for a month, but I guess nature did its thing during the rainy season.

He lives in a Serere village, a different ethnicity, so it was difficult to communicate, but the people he introduced me to were all lovely. We ate really good food, which according to him was not normal. Maybe it was because he had a guest...but I ate with a wooden-handled spoon, which he said was only brought out on special occasions. His site is so different because instead of being surrounded by desert, he is surrounded by beautiful, lush, green fields and magnificent Baobab trees. The rainy season is here, meaning that the clouds and skies are phenomenally beautiful. The panoramic view was breathtaking because it would be cloudy on one side, raining on another, and sunny on yet another. Unfortunately, my camera broke so I couldn't take pictures. I'll put a link to his blog on the sidebar if anyone is interested.

The Serere's are typically Christian, so they are rumored to be more laid back about things and not nearly as conservative as the Muslim North. I never thought I would go somewhere where Christianity was associated with being very liberal.

All in all, it was a great way to appreciate more of Senegal. I am now more excited than ever to get back to my village and start projects! I also have 8 (!) packages waiting for me at my post office! Thanks so much!!!!

Only In Senegal....

I ate dijon mustard on my pizza for lunch today and it was SO GOOD! Weird, albeit, bountiful in taste. The waiter/waitress always brings out a small dish with three different types of condiments: ketchup, mustard, and hot sauce. I tried it with ketchup and it was ok. The hot sauce is too spicy. Senegal is getting to me...

This morning I selected the girls that won the Michelle Sylvester Scholarship for Senegad. Senegad is volunteer-run and stands for Senegal G-ender A-nd D-evelopment. The girls applications were inspiring and funny. The scholarship gives money to underpriveledged girls to continue their studies. During the interviews, which I participated in a few months ago, one of the questions was "What do you want to be when you grow up?" One of the girls said "Professional basketball player." HOW COOL IS THAT!? Another question was "What will you do with the money you receive?" There were a lot of girls that said they would give it to their fathers for clothes or in hopes of school supplies. One girl, that won, wrote that she would give the money to her terminally ill mother. These girls are phenomenal people who just don't have the means to achieve.

It was a great morning over all. Later, I'm considering going to get Chinese food....I like Dakar.

The Last Photos For A While

Before my camera crapped out, I was able to snap a few photos of Thiès and St. Louis. They are uploaded under August 2008. Enjoy!

Mosquitos

Clearly, there are a lot of mosquitos here, especially now, that rainy season has commenced. They are quick and sly here in Thies. They land on you and almost instantaneously leave, but still manage to bite you. I'm not sure if anyone has ever had a mosquito bite the bottom of their foot, but it has now happened to me--twice. WHAT!? How do they fly under my feet and bite me? I had one on my right foot and now on my left foot and they were both located right on the soft part of my foot, making it unbearable. Well, you get the idea. You can't not scratch it because you have to walk everywhere here. So, word to the wise: If you come visit me (which I want everyone to do) don't overlook the bottom of your foot when applying mosquito repellent.

More IST-ness

Updates for IST:

*My camera broke. So, I won't be able to post any new pictures until my fabulous parents send me another camera. This was a huge bummer to me.

*It's rainy season and in Thies, which is closer to the ocean, it rains ALL THE TIME. This is only slightly annoying becuase it is hard to do laundry. Also, there is a fly, the Mango Fly, that lands on wet clothes and lies eggs and then when you wear your clothes they eggs become embedded in your skin, etc. etc. It's gross.

*A woman from a prominent NGO came and spoke to us about what her organization provides for the Senegalese school systems. It seemed odd to me that the way her organization approaches development is "I-like-this-why-don't-you-like-this." Meaning, her organization gives out books, science equiptment etc., but the schools don't ask for it and sometimes, don't need the materials.

*We learned how to make a lesson plan yesterday using the Community Content Based Instruction (CCBI) approach. It was helpful and at the end we got a book of some lesson plans previous volunteers have used. I'm excited for the school year to start in my village and to start some of the lesson plans!

That's it for my brief update!

The Olympics

All the volunteers huddled around the small TV in the foyer of the Training Center to watch the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. We saw the US walk in and the large entourage of golf caddy-esque team, but we had to go to class before Senegal came in to the stadium. However, as we were watching, I was amazed at how cool everything looked. I asked how much someone thought this production cost and someone said, "As much as we owe them." So, America get ready to make good on all those loans we have taken out!

It amazes me that I can watch the Olympic games here in Senegal!

IST

Now that I'm in Thies, I have more access to the Internet than before!

It was so good seeing all the other volunteers that I came to Senegal with and it's great having them around to talk about project idea's. Also, I get to eat a bunch of good food like vegetables, fruit, ICE CREAM, pizza, etc.

The actual training has been good, too. For instance, I learned how to make a vegetable garden. It seems like it would be the simple action of putting seeds in the ground, but in the Futaa, the soil is so depleted of any organic matter that you have to enrich it with manure. I now hope to start a small garden by myself and once I can show my village what I produced, hopefully, they will also want to begin gardening. I also learned how to make a tree nursery, which was pretty cool. There are a lack of trees up North, mainly because of the heat, but I am feeling ambitious so I will try to plant some Moringa trees.

We also had a session on Life Skills and Behavior Change, because after all, that is one of our goals as Peace Corps Volunteers, behavior change. A lot of times my community fails to see the benefits of handwashing or they make excuses for their lack of development. Another challenge to behavior change is developing dependency. A lot of times, people in communities will lack motivation to change because they know that development agencies, NGOs, or other people will build them a new school, or a water tower, or a hospital. Sometimes our percieved generosity or good-willingness can backfire and create a dangerous dependency.

The second part of the session was dedicated to successful techniques for change. Some of them were trust and relationship building (which I have been attempting for the last three months), repetition, knowledge-sharing, and a general realization of where they are coming from. Often, the people in rural communities, such as mine, don't come from a tradition of abstract thought. So, they may see their crops diminish during a year of poor rainfall, but they don't know about global warming or desertification on a larger scale.

So far, IST has been beneficial for my service, which I am excited about.

So What Do I Do That Is WORK-related You Ask?

It was recently brought to my attention that I have written a lot about “fun” aspects of my new life and not much about the actual development work I’m doing. Let me back up and preface this entry with a timeline of my service with Peace Corps Senegal.

March-May 2008: Pre-Service Training (PST)
May-Aug 2008: Community Entry (this is a euphemism for can-you-handle-village-life,
thankfully, I can. During this time, volunteers are not advised to do
actual work, but we are supposed to work on our relationships in the
village.)
August 2008: In-Service Training (IST)
September 2008-May 2010: Service in village/community

I am about to go back to Thiès for my IST and I’m writing a report about my village of Gudude Diopbe explaining the economic situation, needs that women have voiced, and what I think I can and would like to do over the next two years. Here are some of the ideas I have in the abbreviated form:

#1: I would like to start a girls’ group that meets once every other week to talk about health-related topics, but also to have fun, something that many Senegalese girls are not afforded. I think it could be a good outlet for the girls to voice their concerns or to just talk about good health practices.

#2: The other volunteers in the area and myself are trying to put together a free concert for World AIDS Day in December. We are trying to contact Baaba Maal, a Senegalese and International star, to perform. We have funding from USAID that is set aside for HIV/AIDS projects, so we were hoping to get free HIV testing as well for all the attendees. This is a very lofty goal, but one of the volunteer’s host families is a personal friend of Baaba Maal’s and he has apparently done benefit concerts in conjunction with the Peace Corps before.

#3: The leaves of Neem trees, which are prevalent up North, act as a natural mosquito repellent. All the volunteers were given recipes at PST for Neem Lotion and I want to do a few causeries, or lessons, on how to make it. With rainy season here, the mosquitoes are out. I am hoping that this will catch on and that I can start a small market for the lotion in my village. Maybe I can work with the women’s group and they can turn the profit.

#4: Thanks to my mom, I have been in contact with a woman who has designed portable solar lights for villages without electricity. We are talking about doing a pilot program to see the reaction in my village before making an all-out partnership. I’m thinking the schools will be the main user because I noticed that after 6:30 or 7 PM, the girls in my compound couldn’t study because they have no lights to read their lessons. With the solar lights, they can study in the school classrooms after dark. There are already some houses with solar panels. BUT, they use them to charge cell phones, watch T.V. or find things in their rooms at night. I asked if one family if they let their children study with their solar lights. Much to my dismay they just laughed. I think in a more public space, like a school, they could be better used.

So, this is what I have been thinking about for the last three months. The work that I do in the village, however, is not measurable by the standards I am used to. Living is work. Communicating is work. Eating is work. Maintaining my emotional health is work. This may sound ridiculous, but it’s true.

Let me know what you guys think! One sole person can’t do development work; it’s a collaborative effort.

It has arrived

The EPIC SANDSTORM has arrived! I can't express my excitement at getting this to work! The other vounteer with me is Ashley, my closest neighbor and we are standing on my rooftop waiting for the sand to hit! Enjoy! If you can't see it, try going to YouTube.com and typing "Senegal sandstorm" and it should pop right up!

Sandstorm Video

Problem Fixed

Sorry about the pictures. It should work now that I pressed the "Public" button. Thanks for bringing that to my attention! I also updated the "July" folder, so feel free to peruse that.

Last week the herders came home and jubilation reigned. There was a goat game-type-thing that I took some pictures of and I will write about it next time I get to use the Internet. Which should be soon because I am going back to Thies for the month of August for more training! This part of my service is called IST or In-Service Training. I think the gist of it is we get to dive into more specific health-related topics and get a chance to briefly learn a new language. Plus, I get to eat ice cream whenever I want. YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Village Profile: Part II

Penda Ka

This is Fati An’s daughter-in-law. She is 21, I think. Age is very relative, ballpark figure here because no one records the date they are born. Why would they need to know a Monday from a Thursday? Especially in the village. Everyday is the same. They distinguish between seasons. If you are trying to determine when a child was born, you are better off asking if they were born before or after the rainy season.

At first, she was stand-offish. She would make fun of my inability to speak Pulaar and adapt to the village lifestyle. That’s how the Pulaar people encourage you, by degrading you. Counterintuitive. Now, she is one of my best friends in the village. She let me use her clothesline before I set mine up. I sleep next to her and her 2ish year old daughter. I play with her kids to prevent them from crying, which they are wont to do. I help her make lunch some days. She makes excellent Maffé, a dish with white rice and a peanut sauce with fish, tomatoes, and onions. We have started having conversations about how many children she would like, where she wants to travel to in Senegal, what American cuisine is like, etc. We now laugh together.

She has two children, one boy, Demba Ka, who is 3? Maybe 4? And a daughter named Fati Ka, my namesake. This is amazing to me. She had Demba when she was still a minor by American standards. That’s just the thing though. This isn’t America, so you can’t really compare things like that. Having children at an early age here is acceptable, even normal. Family planning is something that I learned about when I first came to country, but it’s so difficult to talk about because having children early in life is part of their culture. It’s how women identify themselves. At the same time, it’s more dangerous for young women to have children that aren’t spaced out. Something I will have to learn how to approach tactfully.

I’ve noticed that some days she will get so angry at Demba or Fati and a look of rage will come on her face that gives away how young she really is. She acts immaturely sometimes and hits her children for being children. Not frequently, but, enough to make me feel uncomfortable. It’s like she still wants to be a young girl that gossips with other girls, but can’t because of her other responsibilities.

Penda’s husband, Fati An’s son, is in Dakar. He calls her sometimes at night. That’s more than most husbands do. I’m interested to meet him and see how he acts around his children and Penda.

SCRABBLE!

This is just another reason why this country is so cool! Unfortunately I wasn't able to go. Next year.

http://www.africanpath.com/p_comments.cfm?articleID=160394

PICTURES!

Pictures are here. I updated the June and July 2008 folders. There is one of the epic sandstorm as well!

Sandstorm

I was trying to load a video of a sandstorm that was of epic proportion, but to no avail. I will continue trying. So, get ready to be blown away by nature.

Village Profiles: Part I

Fati An

She is quite possibly the largest woman I have seen in my village. Her teeth are spaced funny to make her have a goofy smile. I am lucky enough to make her smile frequently. When I try to speak Pulaar, or even better when I try out a new phrase. She smiles her big smile and says “A naani Pulaar kay.” This translates to “You speak Pulaar, alright.” It makes both of us happy. As far as I know, she is mother of two sons. One of which is married to Penda, my friend, and the other who is about 7, Hassin. Hassin is what we call in the States a “spoiled brat.” But, whatever, this is about Fati. I think I looked at her identity card once and saw that she was born in 1968, making her 40. Her husband died in 2004 while working in France and she still hasn’t received his pension money from the French government. Are you really surprised? The house I live in was built in memory of him, I think. She prays allllll the time. I think this is because her husband has died. But, while praying she will often grunt loudly to show her disapproval of something that Hassin is doing. Muslims never speak to others when they are praying. I wish I could record a sound bite, because it is SO funny to hear. I have never witnessed her hit a child, which is rare in Senegalese culture. That is, to NOT hit a child. She threatens with a stick, but that’s all. I never see her cook anything, but she makes the Haako each night. Haako is a plant that they make into something edible that has a consistency that reminds me of cooked spinach. Tons of fiber. Her favorite phrase, I think, is “So Allah jabi.” This means “If God wills it.” This can be used for a number of responses. For example, “I will be back in four days.” “Yes, if God wills it.”

4th o July: Senegal Style

I made the long trek down to Kedagou, which is a few km from the border with Guinea, for the 4th last week. We made two pit stops in Ouro Sougui, which is in the North by me, and in Tambacounda which is near the Gambia. It was so good to see everyone from my stage that I hadn’t seen for the past two months! And for the most part, people had good stories about their own experiences living in the village/city. The South is very different from the desert where I live. It is lush, green, mountainous, etc. There are monkeys and warthogs. And poisonous snakes, thankfully, I didn’t run into any. We stayed at a hotel with a pool that overlooked the Gambia River where there are rumored alligators, hippos, and snakes that dwell there. I went “swimming” in it once. I put it in quotations because really we just went 4 feet off the shore line and tried not to be sucked away by the current. I did, however, eat pork(!) which was a treat because this is a Muslim country. There was even BBQ sauce, I think sent from the States. Someone had just gotten back from America and they had brought fireworks! It was just like home, except for hotter and in a jungle. I have posted some of the pictures. A good, restful break all in all.

Super High Tech Ultra Dry

You all know the material I am talking about. The "utra lite", "quick dri" stuff that costs a bunch of money? In the desert this material is just annoying and gets dirty fast. The only material that works really well in a climate like this one is cotton--the fabric of our lives. It's true. Really. Your clothes get drenched in sweat here and cotton is the only fabric that dries quick enough and doesn't look like you rolled around in dirt. Thankfully, I didn't spend a forutne on a brand new wardrobe before coming here. However, if you come to visit me, which I encourage many of you to do, bring cotton clothes because it is the only REAL "ultra lite" "quick dri" fabric.


Also, as a side note, I put more pictures up!

Money Matters

Two days ago I offered my host mother-of-sorts 15,000 CFA (about $40) for food for the month of June. To my surprise, she refused my money saying that I was always welcome to eat at her house. I tried to explain that the Peace Corps pays me to pay them, but that didn’t work. Still trying to master the Pulaar language.

Anyway, that same evening she took me aside and spoke in a low voice. I’m not sure exactly what she said except that she seemed to have made a mistake and wanted my money now. Whatever. I was happy to give it to her. Then she secretly passed a 5,000 CFA note to a different mother in my compound (there are 7 total) saying that I said she could have the money and it was no problem. Then, to make things even stranger, as we were leaving to greet families in the village she asked that another mother come outside the gate with us. Then she spoke in an even lower voice explaining what had transpired between her and me and the money. She then gave her another one of the 5,000 CFA notes.

This whole situation was confusing and I’m not sure if I was supposed to give it to her on the sly or what? But, today, we went shopping at the luumo or the weekly market. On the way to the roadside village though, the charet I was on got a flat tire about 1/3 of the way out. So, we walked. And walked. And walked. Finally, another charet came by and took just my host mother. I was kind of insulted, but continued to walk. It’s better to keep walking if you can because it only gets hotter as the day goes on. When I was almost there a charet came and took me the rest of the way. They were all shocked that I had walked so far. It’s about 10 km and I probably walked 7 of them.

Once there, it was, as always, a chore walking through the market that is heavily populated with people yelling “Toubak! Hey! Toubak!” That is what they call me when they don’t know my name, which is Fati in the village. It is fun to see all the onions, dried fish, garlic and mangoes that are for sale though. I have noticed though that the pickings are getting slim for nourishment. I think I may have mentioned this before, but I came here just as last seasons fruit, vegetables and other nourishing alimentation is running out. I can’t wait for the rainy season so I can finally eat well again!

Charet Wounds

A week ago, when taking the good ole’ charet ride home, I got into an accident. It had just rained so the terrain had gotten wet and re-solidified to a more rocky, bumpy topography. The charet drivers couldn’t have been a day over 12. Also, instead of a horse charet, it was a three-donkey charet. Those were the circumstances.

As we were racing along, unnecessarily fast, we hit a bump and I went flying/leaping off the back of the charet. I fell face first into the dirt. Thankfully, I didn’t fly into a thorn bush or one of the many little lakes that had formed. Nonetheless, I felt like an idiot. The mangoes Ashley and I had bought also fell onto me to make it that much more exciting.

I just lay there for a minute laughing and thinking, “I am in Africa. This stuff happens.” At first, I didn’t think I was hurt. I didn’t appear to be bleeding and no appendage seemed to be broken. So, I got back on and rode home into the sunset.

The next day, was a different story. My left knee was throbbing in pain every time I walked, sat down, bent, or extended my leg. In the Senegalese culture, you do a lot of sitting down on the ground and if you are a woman that means with your legs together in an uncomfortable position due to the skirt/pagne you wear. Rest assured Mom and Dad, I am fine now. It was just bruised badly.

I learned my lesson. From now on, Ashley and I will be biking the 8 km to the roadside village and only taking a charet when necessary

Vaccinations

The other week my official counterpart, Saidou Kane, came to town, unannounced of course, to do vaccinations. It seemed like some of the women in the village knew that he was coming before I did, so I guess that is good. It has been problem in the past—he just shows up vaccinating whoever happens to stroll by the disponsaire. I think I will see if he can tell me beforehand so I can go around the village and inform more people that he is coming.

Nonetheless, we vaccinated 23 kids under the age of 7 months. Most of the vaccinations were shots for Rubella, Measels, and Mumps, however, there were a few babies vaccinated for Polio, which is administered orally. That was the easiest vaccination to give. Most of the babies cried when the shots were administered, but some were just squirmish for a minute, then realized that it was over.

Overall, it was a fun afternoon because I got to play with all the babies of the village. Babies are less afraid of me than toddlers who realize that I am different. To a baby, I’m just someone who wants to give them attention.

Schedule

This is the much anticipated (ok, maybe not that anticipated) entry of what I typically do:

6ish AM I awake.
7 AM I get up and disassemble my bed.
7-8ish AM I eat breakfast which consists of powdered milk and museli. Lately, I have been eating delicious Odwalla granola bars my mom sent me and drinking orange juice.
8-10 AM I take my buckets to the robinet or communal faucet to get in line for water. The water is only turned on for about 4 hours everyday, so I have a small window to get the water I bathe with, drink, wash clothes with etc. While waiting, I usually sit by the robinet with the other women absorbing Pulaar and being laughed at when I don’t understand. Most of the women are there all morning going back and forth from their houses with balancing huge buckets of water on their heads without the aid of their hands. I have not mastered this art, yet. I can walk the short distance to my room with the smaller of my three buckets on my head while holding on with both hands.
10-12 PM I really don’t know what I do during this time. It fluctuates. I learned how to make tea one day called Ataya. I also play with the 14 kids in my compound usually. I sometimes do laundry or read.
12-1 PM I have gotten in the habit of helping Penda make the lunch. I work very slow because I am afraid I will cut myself while skinning the potatoes or cutting the onions. The women in my compound find it hilarious that I try helping. I am glad this makes them laugh.
1:30ish PM I have my first of usually two lunches. The families are split up into two eating groups. I first eat with four mothers. Usually, their food is better, so I try to fill up with the vegetables and fish.
2:15ish-2:40ish PM It depends on how fast Penda cooks and how hungry the other women are. I eat my second of two lunches.
3-5 PM I go in my room to read and relax. Sometimes I sit with the women and drink Ataya. Sometimes I wander out of my room only to find that everyone is napping. It fluctuates.
5-7 PM This is the time when things start moving again. A few times I have gone to the disponsaire to participate in causeries. I have also done some baby weighing and vaccinations. Most days, though, I just go around and greet different families to keep up my good name on the dirt streets of Gudude Diopbe.
7-8PM I take my bucket bath and fix up my bed for the evening. Lately, I have been sleeping in the foyer of my house because it has gotten so windy and I don’t like having to move inside in the middle of the night because of a sandstorm.
8-10 PM During this time, I just chill with the women in my compound. Once I ate dinner at 9:15 and that was the earliest I have ever eaten. Usually it’s not until 10:30-10:45. I usually fall asleep and just eat a few bites and then go back to sleep. Sometimes I refuse to move because I am too tired. My family doesn’t like this, but I don’t like eating at 10:45. I have been trying to eat more during lunch and snack on food from home at night.
11 PM I am out like a light.

Not Much of Anything

Many of you have been writing to me asking about my village life. I will write an update over this week and post it next week when I come back to the Internet. I am also trying to take video of my village on my camera and then post that. So, you guys can take the virtual tour of Gudude Diopbe from the comfort of your air-conditioned homes.

Until then, like I had mentioned earlier in a different post, most food products here come in bags. One delicious concotion is yogurt and millet, called Chakary, that tastes like it has lemon flavoring. When you close your eyes, if it is frozen, it is like you are eating ice cream. Of course, you can only get it in Ourossougui, so once a week, I go to a little vendor and buy a bag of it for less than a dollar. It sometimes helps me through the rough times, like the sandstorms, to know that if I can hold on for a few more days, I can have some Chakary.

So, until next week, Peace and Love.

Pictures!

I just posted some new pictures. Just so everyone understands, the link that says "Click Me!" under the heading Photos brings you to a page with different albums. You have to click on March 2008, April 2008, May 2008 etc to open them and see the many pictures I have posted.

Retreat

This last weekend we had our Regional Retreat in Ndioum. It was a nice break from the excessive heat, the constant Pulaar, and frustration of village life. Don’t get me wrong. I really like my village and, for the most part, they seem to be excited that I am there. But, it’s challenging to live, if that makes any sense.

Anyway, all the new volunteers came up and most of the old ones. It was a great weekend of watching movies (3:10 to Yuma is fabulous!), cooking good food like pizza, and just chatting with other volunteers about what has worked and what hasn’t in their perspective villages. We have a new Country Director who is really motivated and excited to re-vamp the program here in Senegal, so there are a lot of good ideas floating amongst the volunteers. Also, Friday night was so cool outside I actually needed a sheet! I regularly sleep outdoors on the roof when I stay in Ndioum and outside my house in the village. It’s simply too hot to sleep indoors. At least for now.

Things here become hot to the touch simply from existing in the heat. Things like metal, plastic, FABRIC—even in the shade. My glasses will burn my fingers when I push them back on my face.

ALSO! I lived through my first sandstorm! It was about 12:45 AM and it started getting REALLY windy. Then, all of a sudden, I heard a whirring whoosh and the sand hit me like a thousand tiny needles. It was horrible, but made me that much tougher. I had to disassemble my bed and mosquito net and take it into the foyer. It was so hot, but I was afraid to sleep without a sheet over me because of the sand and bugs. Needless to say, that was a bad night. But, now I can say that I lived through a dust storm. How many people can say THAT! Am I crazy?

Swear In

At the beginning of the month, when we had our swear-in, things were so rushed I didn’t have time to write a blog entry about the proceedings! They were great though. As everything in Senegal, it was an experience. We woke up at 5:30 AM to get to Dakar by 9 AM. I know, it actually DOES take that long to get there because of traffic into the city. En route, we decided to hop the median because we were running late and we had a police escort to speed the process. Unfortunately, the police escort, who was on a motorcycle, got into a head on accident with another motorcyclist. They both had minor concussions, but it was just scary to see a swarm of people en masse around the two victims.

Once we got to the ambassador’s house, everything was gravy. We were all dressed in traditional Senegalese clothing(I’ll post pictures at the end of the month). There were also some Japanese and Korean volunteers being sworn-in so that was fun to meet people from all over the planet that all shared the common bond of giving back to people! Also, the food served after the ceremony was FABULOUS! Actual burgers, cheese-ball-things, egg rolls, VEGETABLES! I never thought I would get so excited about something that my parents had to force me to eat growing up.

After, we went to the American Club(a health club with an outdoor swimming pool that we, as Americans, get into for free). There, we played in the pool for as long as we could. It’s funny how the small things in life become so important to your psyche when they aren’t easily accessible. After a long day, we went back to Thies for a party with our host families. It was more great food and dancing. It was a great way to end a tiring two months.

After One Week

After my first week at site, I feel like I have become even more flexible with my living style and habits. It has taken me a while to get some things down, like the language, but today I was complemented on my ability to speak Pulaar. This is very rare because it is typical for them to insult me on my ability in order to encourage me. Seems counter intuitive. Oh well.

I sleep outdoors on a stick bed with my mosquito net, every night. One night, unfortunately, a beetle was under my net and scared the ever-living crap out of me. I thought it might be a scorpion. Thankfully, I didn’t scream.

I eat dinner most nights around 10. Something I will soon, hopefully, remedy. I am all for assimilation, but not if it means compromising my sleep time.

I began painting my room. It’s much harder when you don’t have a ladder, a palate, or a smooth surface. But, it looks good. I will take pictures.

A few quick notes about what I have observed about public health: NOONE covers their mouth when they cough. Meaning that they cough into the communal food bowl. At which point, I politely say I’m full. I eat a lot of rice, children here suffer from dry nutrition. They have big empty bellies and tiny appendages. Skin rashes often go untreated, at least in my village. Even though I tell them they should go to the disposaire, or pharmacy.

Women in my village are by far the hardest workers. They get water all morning then cook lunch, immediately start cooking dinner, in addition to doing laundry, and because I’m new, entertaining me! I’m learning a lot about living on my own and I think I have become better at being creative. For instance, I had no ladder to paint my room, so I used a barrel to stand on.

Sorry this is a disorganized blog entry, but then again, I’m adapting all over again to a completely new lifestyle. Not to mention a hot lifestyle. I’m in the Sahel desert, so it’s about 115 degrees on average. Yesterday, it only got to 106 and it was bearable!

New Address

Hey yo. I have posted my updated address.

Finally a volunteer!

I leave for the North on Sunday. I’m excited and nervous. Also, I’m not reallllly sure how I am getting up North, nor how the car will transport ALL of my stuff. I have accumulated a lot. Like a bike, for instance. Right now, I feel like I have a million things to do and no time to do them.

I am officially a volunteer now. I had my swear-in procession yesterday. It was so nice to go to a house in Dakar, with grass on a lawn (!), and meet so many cool new people and eat good food. There will be an entry soon detailing the events.

My host family in Tatene Toucouleur is sad that I am leaving. I will miss the kids the most. I do have a few anecdotes about living with them. For instance, the teenage males in my family ask me all the time about the Civil Rights Movement. They ask if Blacks have the right to vote. I’m not sure where they get their information, but it is troubling to me that they know that America has racial problems, but that they don’t know that we have universal suffrage. They also ask a lot of questions about Martin Luther King Jr. They point blank ask me “Why do White people hate Martin Luther King?” Another troubling question. I then explain that, in fact, African Americans got the right to vote much earlier than women! They don’t believe that—but, whatever. I also explain that not everyone hated MLK, in fact, a lot of White people supported and took part in the Civil Rights Movement. It’s just interesting to me that they would go to the trouble of learning about MLK, but then not learn about current racial politics in America.

I also make it a point to always ask to wash my hands before every meal. Also, any time I am given food and expected to eat it on the spot, I ask to wash my hands. I think this is the kinds of work that I will be doing over the next two years. I know it seems like I’m being lazy by saying that, but really, I think if they see me washing my hands enough they will start to consistently wash their hands before eating too. At least this is my hope.

But, for all my hand-washing my standards of the word “clean” have diminished. For instance, my clothing. I have given up thinking that any article of clothing will ever reallllly be clean for the next two years. Unsurprisingly, there is no rinse-spin cycle here when you do the laundry by hand. If anyone has tips on how to get things clean, please tell me. I have also learned that taking more than one daily shower is acceptable and encouraged here, especially up North. But, every time I step out of the bucket bathroom, I immediately start sweating again and sand gets all over my clean feet. This is something I have become comfortable with and it no longer bothers me.

By the way, THANK YOU to everyone who has sent me a birthday card or a letter over the past two months. I really appreciate it. It’s nice to know that I have so many people thinking about me back home. I promise that you will all get letters in return with super cool stamps on them. It may not come for three months, but you will get it.

More photos

I updated AGAIN! Enjoy!

Craziness

As my swear-in date grows closer, things here in Thies are getting more and more hectic. I'm not really sure what is happening in terms of schdeduling next week, but I do know that I will have to pass a language test and a technical training test. I also know that I have to wake up at 5 AM to get to Dakar to swear-in and then rush back to Thies to attend a party for my host family. It will be busy, but once I get up North I will have oodles of time to relax.

The first three months, I'm not supposed to start any projects. I'm supposed to "get to know the community" and other than that just chill. I guess it is good because it is the hottest part of the year in May and June. I will try to get my new address up as soon as I can a) find the internet cafe b) set up my post office box and c)do things in Pulaar. We'll see if that happens.

Wish List and Pictures....FINALLY

Look at the sidebar. And click on the link that says "Click Me!" You won't regret it.

<3

Bismillah

I'm back from the hott hott hott North. I'm going to go out and say that one day, it was 137 degrees in the direct sunlight. I'm turning more and more hardcore. I have so much to update you guys on, but don't even know where to begin. We went to Kanel, which is technically a city, but really, the term "city" here is relative. We stayed with a volunteer that had eletricity and a robinet with running water. It was great when it worked, but when the power went out and the water stopped running, people got irritated. I think it is almost better that I don't have those modern amenities because it will teach me to not rely on them.

The heat is oppressive, but manageable. We did not do anything from 11:00 AM until 6:00 PM. Even moving from sitting down to laying down was draining. I just kept drinking water and hoped for the best. Towards the end of the 10 day trip, our group got what we referred to as "the heat happies" and started going delerious. It made the heat seem ok because everything is much more enjoyable when laughter is involved. Things that added to the hilarity of the situation are as follows:

-At the market, there were tons of belt stands and one particular belt stuck out as far superior to the others. It was a holigram of Micheal Jordan one direction and 2 Pac another direction. It was fabulous and I almost bought it because I didn't think that anyone would believe that I had actually seen it.

-This is the country of stuff in o' bag. Everything under the sun here comes in bags. Filtered water. Peanut Butter (with a weird chemical taste that seeps off of the bag). Yogurt and millet. Oil. More plastic bags. Frozen Bissap (a delicious concoction much like cranberry juice). Raw meat. Milk (both liquid and powdered. Lotion. You get the point. Coming from a culture that tries to reduce waste by toting canvas bags with you to the supermarket....it was shocking to see that everything can be placed in a plastic bag. Waste management is a huge problem here.

-The combination of Pulaar and English. Much like Franglais (French and English) there are some words that I want to introduce into the English language. Like Bismillah, which means "welcome" or "bon appetit." Also, feewi, which means "fabulous" or "great." And, ko gonga, which means "it's true." Spread these words around like wild fire so when I come back home it will be like I never left Senegal.

These things are normally not funny at all, but in 140 degree heat--everything short of dehydration is hilarious.

Ina Wuli Tigi Tigi

Ok, this is great! I get to use the Internets twice in one week!! This will not be the norm though. Last Monday, I had written a huge entry and the computer crashed. I didn’t feel like re-typing the whole thing.

I leave tomorrow to go up North on the “demyst” portion of my training. I really don’t like the term “demystification” because, frankly, I have already been demystified. I live in a village that has no electricity, no running water, cockroaches galore in the bathroom, and a million small children running around with runny noses. It’s real. I guess it will be good to go to the North to experience how hot it will be. I’m going to Kanel, near Matam for ten days. May is supposed to be the hottest month so I’m not looking forward to it.

As I mentioned before, I will be placed in Gudude Diopbe, a small rural village. There are about 800 people there and my closest Peace Corps neighbor is only 3km away, which is great. She has already been in-country for a year. The village said they were really excited to be getting a volunteer because they have wanted one since 2006. So, they are (hopefully) building my hut and latrine.

In other news, my host family is great. I live in Taten Toucouleur which is a little village of about 50 people. They gave me the name Fatu Sy because they can’t pronounce Marisa. The first night I was with them it was a little scary because I was on my own, lost in a language I don’t reaaaaaally speak, and I couldn’t find my headlamp. So, I spent most of the evening in darkness. But, I like my family. The kids in the village think it’s hilarious when I try to speak Pulaar, so when I get home, I entertain them with what I learned that day in class. Then I take my bucket bath, which may be my favorite part of the day, and eat dinner from a communal bowl. Then, we basically just sit around and listen to the wind rustling through the trees. This was strange at first, because I wasn’t used to silence. But, I am becoming more accustomed to it. Plus, it’s nice because at the Training Center in Thiès, it’s always loud. But, 17 km out, and it’s silent desert as far as the eye can see.

no punctuation

oh my god i just lost everything that i had written suffice to say that im going up north to a village called Gudude Diopbe and I went to the beach last weekend Thanks for all your emails and comments i miss you and will write more later

You Know You're In Africa When....

The other night I wasn't really feeling well and planning to go to bed early. READ: 9:00 PM. The sun goes down here at 7 PM so that's a long time to be sitting in the dark with a kerosene lamp and a flashlight. But, out of the blue, my host sister asks me if I want to watch a film. Thrilled at the prospect of watching a film, I agreed. I hadn't seen a tv and didn't know exactly how it would work becuase my village doesn't have electricity.

She took me to our neighbors back yard and there was a 1980's-style t.v. that was powered by a generator and just about every kid in the village was there waiting in anticipation to watch a movie. I was given a chair because I'm white and a guest still. Then after much ado, Police Crash 3 came on. I think that was the name of it. Anywho, it was a Jack Chan movie and it was dubbed in French, which didn't matter because I couldn't hear it anyway. But, Jack Chan theatrics make for some good laughs.

It was a poignant moment in my Peace Corps expierence because I looked around and saw 30 kids laughing hysterically, in someone's backyard watching a 12' t.v. run by a generator. And I knew I was in Africa.

p.s. My friend Jared says hi!

I'm here!

I have arrived in Thiès! Pronounced “chess.” My Wolof is improving. Marisa laa tudd. Can you guess what that means? Mangi fi rekk. Peace is with me. That was exciting to learn and then to actually use it in the market today. Although it was a little slow, I managed to make friends with a taxi driver who will now help me out if I am ever lost. That’s one of the main things they have been telling us: Make as many friends as possible. That way, if I am ever in trouble or need something, they can help me out!

My computer is gathering dust as I’m writing, so I will only say a few more interesting things. We eat from a communal bowl for lunch. Usually about 4 to 5 people will share. We keep to our section of the bowl. Yesterday, we learned eating etiquette. Now, I know not to reach across the bowl, how to sit at the bowl, etc. We also learned the curative powers of some of the roots and plants in Senegal! I thought that was cool.

I will hopefully be updating more later about my host family when I get there, the food, and just daily life. I am also hoping to post some pictures.

Ba suba!

Last Night

Tomorrow at the crack of dawn I leave for the biggest journey I have ever embarked on. I'm feeling good. It's time. I will be in Philly for the next two days and then I go on a convoluted trip to Senegal.

Thanks for the calls today and for all the well-wishes I have been receiving over the past months. I'll make you all proud!

Less Than A Week!

As time ticks by I am becoming more excited, less nervous, and just plain ready to ship out. I have known about my position since November, so any more waiting and I will go crazy. One of the advantages of knowing since November is I have been getting ready since then. Now, it's just small things I need to get/make arrangements for. I have posted some pictures of me getting ready to go. The link is on the left hand side under "Photos." I have been using our pool table in the basement as a home base for all my supplies, needless to say, no one has been playing pool. Oh well.

I should have mentioned...

I forgot to mention that if you click on the map below, it will bring you to a larger image. You can see Thiès much clearer.

Thiès

Here is a map of Senegal. I will be going to Thiès for the first few months I am in Senegal. It isn't very far from Dakar, the capitol. I am growing more and more excited each day. Not to mention, it's about 0 degrees here, so 65 degrees as a low sounds pretty good right now.