Little by Little – Ndank ndank

The first four days, I only left the compound with the help of my host mom or sister or Dabakh to go to Diourbel. Needless to say, that wasn’t very often and I have finished 2 books and am on my third. BUT! Yesterday I actually got myself breakfast and sat outside under the tree and read. It’s the little victories! Having white skin is quite the attraction, especially since I live on the road that goes to the market. I’m trying really hard to figure out how to establish a good reputation in a city where I will be working, but if I understood correctly, I think I have a date lined up for Saturday afternoon, under that same tree. Great. You all are saying “I told you so”. I can hear it. But this really isn’t what I want, not right now. I want someone to show me around the city, introduce me to people and not want a ring on their left hand that is the equivalent to a one-way ticket and visa in America.

I am proud of myself for the little things I have accomplished. I want to try and get a routine set up so I can figure out how to survive here. So today, with that in mind, I went down to buy breakfast at a little boutique. They all called me by name, which is one of the greatest feelings in the world, since Fatou introduced me to them the first day I was here. So I got a French style baguette, the only type of bread around (damn) with onion sauce. Very typical here and it only costs 110 cfa = about 20 cents. After that, I swept out my little apartment and did some yoga. Physical exercise doesn’t exist here and I’m dying to sweat for some other reason than the heat! I filled up my water filter since I bought water from a guy who sells it on a donkey pulled cart. We do have a tap, but its really salty water. Gross! Even fancy powders don’t cover that up! I’ll be buying water and bleaching it…

So my plans for the afternoon! I think I’m going into town to maybe buy a broom and go to the cyber. I may even wait for Fatou to get home since I think we have some errands to run and she’s acting like my security blanket. I would have never thought I would be the type of person that wants to run to my room to hide from it all, but I’ve had that feeling more than I’d like to admit. Hopefully I’ll get my counterparts to help me out and find me a tutor in Wolof so I can get more confident. I am the only white person and although I came to Africa with the plan to become a minority for 2 years, it’s truly frightening until I meet those people that are searching for a friend rather than an airplane ticket.

Have a happy Thanksgiving! Don’t worry about me; lots of us volunteers are getting together to enjoy a typical Turkey Day meal in Koalack, about an hour from here. I hear there is even pumpkin pie for dessert! Miss you – enjoy some raw cookie dough at the cookie bake!