Ranking System

My host sister Ndack is 16 meaning she is the bottom of the food chain in our house since its just her and my host mom Fatou and I. There is a strick system kids learn very young here in Senegal that they must follow in order to not get hit by a tree branch! So this ranking system has now been changed since Ndack went to live with her aunt for a month during vacation! I know am obviously younger than my host mom meaning I heat up dinner; I bring her water; I sweep up after lunch... damn I have officially been put in my place! It does feel good though. In the beginning I was served to and treated too well and didnt like it that way since I am supposed to be integrated into the family and such. Its official! I am!

Work was pretty easy this weekend! It rained plenty and so I got guilt-free time to spend re-organizing my room and reading. I needed to move my room around since when it rains it pours! And I mean in my room... I have a puddle that collects in one corner that used to be where my armoire was. I also got to plant a mango tree in the compound. I was too late in making a tree nursery. Next year I will be able to do it so this year I bought a mango tree that comes up to my waist for about a dollar. I put him, my tree that is, on my porch while I built a goat-free home. I turned my back for 5 mintues and the frickin goats got into my porch and ate 6 precious leaves! Ah! That's when I got Gista, the dog out and tried my best to scare the goats into the back. Here again is a ranking system: Gista beats up on the 2 baby goats and baby sheep but comes to be crying when she gets head-butted by the mom. I outrank the mommy goat who ate my tree so we obviously dont get along! Every chance they get, I swear they go on to my porch and poop... ah. Anyways, I planted my thinned out tree in a beautiful santuary that hopefully will also sprout some sunsflowers in a week or so! Ill take pictures if it turns out to be anything impressive!

I met our acting mayor (we dont have a mayor, just a president of something, politics here are very confusing) for the second time to talk about the compost project. The first time I didnt get the best impression of him. But this time we explained our progress and he was happy and very open. He mentioned that he currently has an order for 50 bags of compost from the PC Joal site! He works at an agriculture training center and if I understood correctly, works with an initiative of president wades wife of growing organic bissap. He is all about a project here and we have his full support. Astou Kan was so happy after our meeting and saw one of the guys we intend in working on the project with outside the mayors office. She chewed him out for not coming to the meeting, something that I wanted to do but was... well.. outranked. She is such a great work partner! We should have a designated compost spot next week and we will start going house to house training everyone in the neighborhood on the 1st. Hope that goes well!

Heading to Ndem tomorrow! Hope to work more on the IFAT application and work with the West African Trade Hub. Its an organization that is great with artisans all over W Africa. There is someone coming from WATH to Dakar next week that wants to help Ndem branch into America. This could be the link that we need! I get to meet the representative at the end of the month and hopefully bring Abdou, my work partner in Ndem.

Friday my PC supervisors are coming to town to meet all my work partners and make sure that Im not only on vacation here in Senegal. It will be fun to show them around since the last time they were here I didnt know anyone! Then is time to celebrate Mandis birthday all weekend! I think I need a break from my new spot at the bottom of the food chain! I get to be an American for 3 days before coming back to claim my integrated place in society next week!