So we had a soccer game against the trainers last night. For the first time the toubabs (aka foreigners, which I am proud to be) won!! This is amazing and has been the talk of the center, such a good feeling. We played on a rocky, sandy dirt with a real goal on one side and 2 rocks on the other. I should have had a point if our ref wasn’t a trainer… a serious bias, saying that my shot was over the imaginary post. Whatever. We won 2-1 and we get to rub it in their faces for the rest of training! It feels good.
That’s one huge difference here. Have I talked about racism? It doesn’t exist here, at least the entire concept of it being taboo. I am different because I have white skin and they make it known. They have different class systems of different ethnic groups here and they tell each other (teasingly) that one is a slave to another. Would that fly in corporate America? I think NOT! I am somehow getting used to it. For example, greetings here are super important. But all they are really saying is: Nanga def? Maangi fii…, which means How are you doing? I am here. So the obvious is stated. Yaangi toog? Waaw, maangi toog. Are you sitting? Yes, I am sitting. These are greetings necessary to survival in Africa. So in a few months, when I am complaining about how people are calling me toubab and fat and that I can’t speak Wolof, remind me that it is just a part of the culture and I need to get over it. Thanks. Be blunt… its life in Senegal.
So does anyone else think that time is flying like crazy? I have been in Senegal for over 6 weeks. Does that surprise anyone besides me? Time is flying and in just 2 weeks I will be swearing in as an official Peace Corps Volunteer and moving to my home in Bambey. WHAT?!!! I am not ready for this. Prepare yourself for some emotional blogs about how I am not happy and how life is just better in America. But just remember that I do love it here and that my life will improve (I will need to be reminded of this often… ok?) I am here for many reasons and truthfully; I would not be enjoying life in America anymore. You have a desk job?! Ha! Sorry, I am getting paid by the government to have three-month vacation. My only expectation until February is to meet people and make relationships. We need to integrate ourselves and get an idea of what is available at our sites. And that can take up to a year to do… so my frustration is going to be about how I have never had time to just sit in America, and that’s what I will be doing for the next 2 years… maangi toog. I am going to be bored out of my frickin’ mind!
So I know you are wondering what you can do for me! Send me mail, comments and wall posts, email and packages. You just may want to wait now until after my address changes... I don't know what it is yet. I want to know what is going on in America and the rest of the world. I want to know the scored of games whether its your intramural team or the Packers. You would be surprised about how disconnected I already am. Partly, my fault since CNN is not my favorite site to spend time on when I am paying for the internet but how else can I get Hollywood gossip if I don’t do my grocery shopping at Wal-Mart. (I used to pick long lines just to read People).
One quick plug of a small frustration I have to deal with is that I am living with Muslims who don’t drink. It’s Friday. I went to a bar with friends at 6pm for 3 beers. I came home and my 21 and 19-year-old sisters took me aside and told me they could smell alcohol. They were not happy and said that the Peace Corps said we couldn’t drink. Needless to say, I wasn’t happy. I am American and drink alcohol and that may never change.
This is Africa. TIA.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
BEANS
If you know me at all, you know this is no good.
Last weekend we ate richly, since it was a holiday. I am paying for it now. 2 nights in a row... beans. Nothing but beans cooked in some type of sauce. 2 nights ago they were mashed before they were cooked, and I honestly couldnt eat them. Last night they were whole.
I hope dinner tonight is better. I just figured you all needed to know that it took 5 weeks, but beans were for dinner: enough said.
Last weekend we ate richly, since it was a holiday. I am paying for it now. 2 nights in a row... beans. Nothing but beans cooked in some type of sauce. 2 nights ago they were mashed before they were cooked, and I honestly couldnt eat them. Last night they were whole.
I hope dinner tonight is better. I just figured you all needed to know that it took 5 weeks, but beans were for dinner: enough said.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Bambey … India?
So I know where I am going to be living for the next 2 years of my life! This is such a big deal! I only planned usually one year in advance to lease signing and all that and haven’t known where I would be living since high school! I am excited to have my own home and make it just that so that I will be comfortably living, considering, in Senegal! I will have a double bed and fridge… it will just be under a mosquito net and a mini fridge filled with filtered and beech water!
So the Peace Corps is very good at torturing us. They have known our sites for weeks since we have been learning the language that is spoken at our cities for over 3 weeks. They interviewed us and placed us but don’t like to tell us early just in case things change. Well, this is not very nice in my opinion. 2 years! And this year, because of a major change in scheduling, our site announcement date was moved back a day and a half. So when this time came, it was so exciting!
How they tell us is by taking us to the basketball court at the training center. It is painted as the country of Senegal labeling major cities all over. They make us stand in Mauritania and close our eyes. Then quietly, they spun us around and brought us to where our sites are. It was so fun! So that’s what a few pictures are from if you wanted to see. I had an ancien (a current volunteer that has been here over a year) take pictures. So when we all opened our eyes we could see where we were and who was near us! I am moving to Bambey! It is close to Thies, where I am right now and Dakar is my regional house… meaning whenever I need to get out of my town and relax to remind myself that I am an American, I get to hang out and spend too much money in Dakar! Pretty cool!
So what I know about Bambey—is not much really. I am the first volunteer ever to go to the city of 25,000. There is agriculture, animal raising and commerce in the area with a large daily market. What is extremely exciting for me is high concentration of artisans in a nearby town of Ndem (I’ll talk about that in a sec). There are available microfinance institutions, women’s associations and youth groups in Bambey that all need management training. I will be living in a compound with a family of 8. I will have 2 rooms, private bathroom with wonderful amenities such as cement floor, metal roof, bars on windows, locks on doors, electricity and water available. That probably means bucket baths for the next 2 years… oh well.
Myself and another volunteer were talking with a current volunteer who is COSing (close of service) in October. He has been working with the people of Ndem and hopes we will be continuing his work. He gave me contact numbers and information on their business of exporting baskets. They have already started exporting to Europe. I will need to (first learn and then) help with computerized inventory and accounting systems, along with improve English capacities in order to get into the American market. I will be working hard to get marketing improved along with basic computer skills to improve their website.
How cool is this?! I have a lot to learn about what they are doing now and how we can improve it. It will be a very slow start. My goal over 3 months is first to meet everyone and become friends. There is no way for my to jump in and make a change in the first month or two. I get, from the Peace Corps, a 3-month window to hang out, drink tea and greet everyone in town! After 3 months, we come back to Thies for IST (In-service training) where they will train me to help me with what I want to accomplish in the next year or so. What you could do to help me if find people/businesses that are interested in importing hand-made baskets made from palm trees! Haha – thank god for the internet!
So the Peace Corps is very good at torturing us. They have known our sites for weeks since we have been learning the language that is spoken at our cities for over 3 weeks. They interviewed us and placed us but don’t like to tell us early just in case things change. Well, this is not very nice in my opinion. 2 years! And this year, because of a major change in scheduling, our site announcement date was moved back a day and a half. So when this time came, it was so exciting!
How they tell us is by taking us to the basketball court at the training center. It is painted as the country of Senegal labeling major cities all over. They make us stand in Mauritania and close our eyes. Then quietly, they spun us around and brought us to where our sites are. It was so fun! So that’s what a few pictures are from if you wanted to see. I had an ancien (a current volunteer that has been here over a year) take pictures. So when we all opened our eyes we could see where we were and who was near us! I am moving to Bambey! It is close to Thies, where I am right now and Dakar is my regional house… meaning whenever I need to get out of my town and relax to remind myself that I am an American, I get to hang out and spend too much money in Dakar! Pretty cool!
So what I know about Bambey—is not much really. I am the first volunteer ever to go to the city of 25,000. There is agriculture, animal raising and commerce in the area with a large daily market. What is extremely exciting for me is high concentration of artisans in a nearby town of Ndem (I’ll talk about that in a sec). There are available microfinance institutions, women’s associations and youth groups in Bambey that all need management training. I will be living in a compound with a family of 8. I will have 2 rooms, private bathroom with wonderful amenities such as cement floor, metal roof, bars on windows, locks on doors, electricity and water available. That probably means bucket baths for the next 2 years… oh well.
Myself and another volunteer were talking with a current volunteer who is COSing (close of service) in October. He has been working with the people of Ndem and hopes we will be continuing his work. He gave me contact numbers and information on their business of exporting baskets. They have already started exporting to Europe. I will need to (first learn and then) help with computerized inventory and accounting systems, along with improve English capacities in order to get into the American market. I will be working hard to get marketing improved along with basic computer skills to improve their website.
How cool is this?! I have a lot to learn about what they are doing now and how we can improve it. It will be a very slow start. My goal over 3 months is first to meet everyone and become friends. There is no way for my to jump in and make a change in the first month or two. I get, from the Peace Corps, a 3-month window to hang out, drink tea and greet everyone in town! After 3 months, we come back to Thies for IST (In-service training) where they will train me to help me with what I want to accomplish in the next year or so. What you could do to help me if find people/businesses that are interested in importing hand-made baskets made from palm trees! Haha – thank god for the internet!
Spaghetti with my Hands
So I would have never thought possible. Instead of rice for dinner a few days back we had spaghetti! So exciting, except there was no sauce, just oil and noodles with meat, probably goat. They gave me the only fork in the house but I have a bit of trouble with a fork and my right hand so I gave that up shortly after losing a few noodles onto my feet. Just had to let you know that this brought eating with your hands to a whole new level… spaghetti! My dad used to make Kris and I eat our French fries and tater tots with forks! Loving it here! No complaints on food. And what is also nice and has taken some time to get used to, it is perfectly acceptable to insult the cook. If I don’t like something, I can say that and either they will give me their rice without the yucky sauce or make me something else. The honesty is brutal, but it’s better than suffering by eating supakanja, in my opinion.
So Ramadan is finished! Korite is the big celebration that caused us to cancel class on Saturday and we were to spend the day with the family. I totally lucked out by the way. Everyone wears traditional Senegalese clothing and all the trainees needed to go and get it made. I, on the other hand, got not one but 2 dresses made for me. My mom is one of the best tailors in town and my namesake is also a tailor. SWEET! I look good! Pictures coming soon. So today was the first time that I got to eat a very good meal with my family during the day, without the use of a flashlight! Since otherwise we had to eat after sunset and dinners have been after 9 usually. It is going to be interesting to see how everything changes since people have been fasting in the past 4 weeks that we’ve been here and they haven’t been the most enthusiastic during the heat of the afternoons. Overall, the holiday of Korite was rather uneventful. I was expecting a huge celebration filling the streets but people just got real dressed up to head to the mosque and then the night life was supposed to be amazing since my sisters said they went out until 3 last night. I was going to go but got the feeling I would feel out of place since it was about 6 late teenagers asking if I could pay for the taxi. Not thanks! I got over 10 hours of sleep last night instead and LOVED it.
Everything is going wonderfully with my family. They were extremely worried about me since I didn’t break the fast the other night. I was so tired and needed to just lay down with my door shut and I could hear them talking about me for most of the evening. It is quite a challenge to sleep around here. They are noisy! But life is good and I am going to take today as a day to relax since I feel a fall cold coming on… I guess it doesn’t need to be cold out to get one!
So Ramadan is finished! Korite is the big celebration that caused us to cancel class on Saturday and we were to spend the day with the family. I totally lucked out by the way. Everyone wears traditional Senegalese clothing and all the trainees needed to go and get it made. I, on the other hand, got not one but 2 dresses made for me. My mom is one of the best tailors in town and my namesake is also a tailor. SWEET! I look good! Pictures coming soon. So today was the first time that I got to eat a very good meal with my family during the day, without the use of a flashlight! Since otherwise we had to eat after sunset and dinners have been after 9 usually. It is going to be interesting to see how everything changes since people have been fasting in the past 4 weeks that we’ve been here and they haven’t been the most enthusiastic during the heat of the afternoons. Overall, the holiday of Korite was rather uneventful. I was expecting a huge celebration filling the streets but people just got real dressed up to head to the mosque and then the night life was supposed to be amazing since my sisters said they went out until 3 last night. I was going to go but got the feeling I would feel out of place since it was about 6 late teenagers asking if I could pay for the taxi. Not thanks! I got over 10 hours of sleep last night instead and LOVED it.
Everything is going wonderfully with my family. They were extremely worried about me since I didn’t break the fast the other night. I was so tired and needed to just lay down with my door shut and I could hear them talking about me for most of the evening. It is quite a challenge to sleep around here. They are noisy! But life is good and I am going to take today as a day to relax since I feel a fall cold coming on… I guess it doesn’t need to be cold out to get one!
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Photos Posted!
Life is good in Senegal! I posted more photos on facebook for you lovelies to enjoy! There are all from either Thies – at our favorite restaurant that gives us beers for 500cfa ($1), at Popinguine, which is an eco-tourism site and some photos of some of my family! The eco site was a field trip for us to see what it was all about. You Americans may not realize that Senegal is a hot spot for rich Europeans. Obviously, after seeing this city, if I were rich and European, I’d go too! The water was super warm – unbelievable I didn’t swim in it right? If only they gave us more than 2 minutes to touch it! And the pictures of my family are limited to whoever was around at that time before I had to hide my camera from my 2 and 4-year-old brothers! I do have a new sister or cousin… she is going to be hanging out for a while in the next few days/weeks. Her name is Soxna and she’s in the pictures!
So today we got a lecture from our Wolof teacher than we are not doing as well as she wants. I need to practice more with my family but it has been tough since Soxna makes it 4 Senegalese young women gossiping non-stop, with hundreds of children coming and going as they please. I brought over 3 of my guy friends and my sisters were excited and making them dance and repeat phrases so they can pretty much be entertained by us. Who knew having white skin could be such an intriguing thing? Children love us! I just need to get the language down! Maybe after Korite, the holiday that will end Ramadan, I will have more time to sit and chat with my yaye. She is extremely busy with her clothing shop making beautiful dresses and boubous for the entire neighborhood it seems! I saw my dress today and I love it! I haven’t tried it on but although it is a simple style, I love the pattern. I’ll be just like the Senegalese next weekend! We will all eat chicken, drink coffee and visit with neighbors, not to mention dance! Should be fun!
The heat hasn’t let up. At the center, we are under fans and in the shade all day but at lunch today, I walked with 2 friends to my yaye’s shop. I remember what it was like sitting in the lifeguard stand at the Neenah Pool, sitting, watching the water and dripping, surprisingly since you are not physically moving. SAME HERE! It’s hot and humid and all the Senegalese keep saying it will get better in October. I’m waiting! But I have heard rumors the dry season is just as bad and worse in some areas. Oh well – it will be a game to see if I can drink enough water to replace my sweat. And that’s another thing that reminds me of the pool – our water at the center is filtered and bleached. It is cold right out of the filter, but if it sits around and warms up, it tastes like the pool. Mmmm right? If you do send a package, send powder gaterade, juices and tea! I’ll love you forever! other things that would be wonderful is if you print off your favorite photos that i have saved put on facebook and I can give them out as gifts to people here! it would be nice to have some photos on my walls! Thanks! :)
So today we got a lecture from our Wolof teacher than we are not doing as well as she wants. I need to practice more with my family but it has been tough since Soxna makes it 4 Senegalese young women gossiping non-stop, with hundreds of children coming and going as they please. I brought over 3 of my guy friends and my sisters were excited and making them dance and repeat phrases so they can pretty much be entertained by us. Who knew having white skin could be such an intriguing thing? Children love us! I just need to get the language down! Maybe after Korite, the holiday that will end Ramadan, I will have more time to sit and chat with my yaye. She is extremely busy with her clothing shop making beautiful dresses and boubous for the entire neighborhood it seems! I saw my dress today and I love it! I haven’t tried it on but although it is a simple style, I love the pattern. I’ll be just like the Senegalese next weekend! We will all eat chicken, drink coffee and visit with neighbors, not to mention dance! Should be fun!
The heat hasn’t let up. At the center, we are under fans and in the shade all day but at lunch today, I walked with 2 friends to my yaye’s shop. I remember what it was like sitting in the lifeguard stand at the Neenah Pool, sitting, watching the water and dripping, surprisingly since you are not physically moving. SAME HERE! It’s hot and humid and all the Senegalese keep saying it will get better in October. I’m waiting! But I have heard rumors the dry season is just as bad and worse in some areas. Oh well – it will be a game to see if I can drink enough water to replace my sweat. And that’s another thing that reminds me of the pool – our water at the center is filtered and bleached. It is cold right out of the filter, but if it sits around and warms up, it tastes like the pool. Mmmm right? If you do send a package, send powder gaterade, juices and tea! I’ll love you forever! other things that would be wonderful is if you print off your favorite photos that i have saved put on facebook and I can give them out as gifts to people here! it would be nice to have some photos on my walls! Thanks! :)
Friday, October 5, 2007
Happy Birthday Daddy!
Everyone reading this needs to send a birthday wish to my dad since I am not able to as easily! He is half a century old today!!! And he loves me for making this known on the internet; right dad? Love you!
I am rather upset since I am at the cyber without my USB. I sat up last night typing a long blog entry and with about 40 new photos to show you all and I fogot it at home! you will have to be patient! but since im here i figured id have to fill you in on my most stressful day since you havent heard that side of me just yet. here it goes
so you know i have been taking wolof and trying my best to practice with my family. the problem is that i rely on my french toget me out of any trouble i have and its all good. well! today we have 6 hours of wolof class and we were all dreading sitting in the classroom for so long! so what our teacher said this morning is that we werent going to be in class all day! great right???!! NOT! everyone loaded into the peace corps bus that took us into town to a large plaza. they dropped us off with a few simple rules. we could not have a buddy, we could not speak french and we could not speak english. awesome. i had to walk up to groups of people and start conversations! what?! it was extremely stressful and what our teachers kept saying is that this is reality! this is what we will have to experience every day when we move to site! needless to say it was eye opening.
(side note: a grasshopper just jumped onto my computer)
the country of senegal known as the country of hospitality. they are so nice and will bend over backwards for you. this aspect was essential today. imagine in the states; if you were enjoying your afternoon in the park reading or simply people wathing and some non-english speaker came up to you to carry on the conversation of a 3year old. i know how to say where i live and what i am doing in senegal, but if they get too specific in questions; i have no clue! it was the most interesting activity we have done so far.. but im still here; fighting harder to learn the frickin language of wolof....
trying my best to laugh off the misery of today and enjoy the thought of my dad drinking a spotted cow for me, since im not there to do that with him.
keep the letters and comments coming -- i need it!
I am rather upset since I am at the cyber without my USB. I sat up last night typing a long blog entry and with about 40 new photos to show you all and I fogot it at home! you will have to be patient! but since im here i figured id have to fill you in on my most stressful day since you havent heard that side of me just yet. here it goes
so you know i have been taking wolof and trying my best to practice with my family. the problem is that i rely on my french toget me out of any trouble i have and its all good. well! today we have 6 hours of wolof class and we were all dreading sitting in the classroom for so long! so what our teacher said this morning is that we werent going to be in class all day! great right???!! NOT! everyone loaded into the peace corps bus that took us into town to a large plaza. they dropped us off with a few simple rules. we could not have a buddy, we could not speak french and we could not speak english. awesome. i had to walk up to groups of people and start conversations! what?! it was extremely stressful and what our teachers kept saying is that this is reality! this is what we will have to experience every day when we move to site! needless to say it was eye opening.
(side note: a grasshopper just jumped onto my computer)
the country of senegal known as the country of hospitality. they are so nice and will bend over backwards for you. this aspect was essential today. imagine in the states; if you were enjoying your afternoon in the park reading or simply people wathing and some non-english speaker came up to you to carry on the conversation of a 3year old. i know how to say where i live and what i am doing in senegal, but if they get too specific in questions; i have no clue! it was the most interesting activity we have done so far.. but im still here; fighting harder to learn the frickin language of wolof....
trying my best to laugh off the misery of today and enjoy the thought of my dad drinking a spotted cow for me, since im not there to do that with him.
keep the letters and comments coming -- i need it!
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