Rain

I arrived in Senegal at the end of rainy season. It rained twice; the most recent being in October. Last night, I was awoken by the rain (for those who don’t know me well, I sleep through everything). I woke up with a smile on my face listening to the rain hit the tin roof of my little room here in Ndem, resisting the urge to go play in it. But then panic hit. If it is raining in Ndem, 11k away in Bambey, it is most definitely raining as well. I have a few quarter-size holes in my roof, not to mention probably another dozen smaller ones that I have put off getting fixed. Shit. Rain is great and all; I just would have been interested to see what it does to my room. I have heard devastating things about Bambey and the rainy season. We tend to have a bit of a garbage problem. With garbage comes puddles, and puddles come mosquitoes. I may be spending a lot more time in Ndem when the rain really starts coming.

I have been in Ndem since Wednesday early morning. That’s the coolest part of the day and there is no way I could bike it another other time. We finished a grant application that should get mailed out by next week. Then we started working more on the IFAT application and hit a few road blocks. I’ll try to explain. First, there were the obvious road blocks. Abdou, who I work directly with, happens to be the busiest and most popular person in Ndem. He is in charge of everyone’s problems and if there was enough time in every day, he would find them all solutions. So he had a bit of politics to deal with around here and our application got tossed aside. I planned to leave this morning before breakfast, but since he was so busy with other stuff, we hardly got started. So I have decided to leave after work tonight – around 7pm. (I may die in the heat but I have to get back)

The other road block deals with way the business here in Ndem is run. Back in training, they emphasized how businesses here in Senegal, and other African cultures have trouble separating business with family (social) affairs. I guess I just figured, assumed, that Ndem was different. Well! As we are going over the application, questions come up asking what percentage of profits is used to go back into development. He said plain and simply that we cannot know this. You see, here, if someone has a wedding or baptism or is too sick to work, Ndem takes money from the business and gives it to them. If there is ever a problem at the primary school or a need at the maternity center, they hand over money; not a whole lot of questions asked. They will have to change their entire way of accounting in order for us to make this IFAT certification possible. At least I alerted them of this problem. Maybe we will change some things?

It’s not the end of the world I guess. We have other plans for Ndem. As volunteers, we are forming a network of artisans here in Senegal. In 2 weeks, we are having an expo of products of artisans as our work partners at the Club Atlantique. We will sell products from all over Senegal in one place, joining together people that we all talk about all the time, and getting them to talk to each other. I get to go to an Ndem store in Dakar next weekend and pick out all the products that we hope to sell at the Club. Let’s hope I pick the right ones!

A few more hours until I hit the dusty trail… can’t it just spontaneously start raining now? I am cursing the beautiful blue sky.

The Downs and Ups of Public Transport

My brother and I got a car to share a month after I got my licence. A year later, I got my own and from then on, didn't ever really need to share. Public transport in Wisconsin is completely underused and useless but I am convinced that I will someday live in a city where it is better than the alternative. I have studied mass transit in Brazil and know of all the wonderful qualities but honestly, until last night, I felt complete hatred toward transportation in Senegal.

Getting to Diourbel is generally not a problem. I usually have help from a guy at the garage, Sall, but when I don't I generally don't mind waiting until a bus comes. But a few weeks ago I was ready to head back home rather than get a much needed break from Bambey because of the hell the garage put me through.

I showed up at the garage and didn't find my friend. No big deal, there is a lady that sells food that I see every time I am with Sall. So her and I talked and I was in a good mood... that I feel I should point out since people tell me that I am quite easy to read. Keep listening to my story... So the bus pulls up to go to Diourbel and I approach it and greet the guy politely but he simply says I cannot get on. I ask why and he says because I need to wait for the bus to fill up in the garage rather than get on here. Meanwhile, several Senegalese get on the bus. I argued a bit more saying there is no bus in the garage and I would pay the fair and he stops in Diourbel on the way anyways, but he said there are no seats available for me. NOT TRUE - I could see seats. So when I tried to get on spite him, he got in my way and more or less kicked me off, honked the horn and drove away.

So then, my good mood started to fade away but I was convinced that I was still going to Diourbel. A 7-place car pulls up and let some people out. Normally I wouldn't pay for a seat in a 7-place since it is more expensive, but after the incident with the bus I said I didn't care. So I walked up, greeted, asked them all where they were going, noticed there were 2 seats available and asked the driver and he rudely replied that I couldn't get in. He said I had to wait at the garage or talk to "those men over there" to get a ride. So maybe this is the job of my friend, Sall, and I didn't realize it? I should know this by now.... or they are just pulling my leg. I started thinking, do I really want to go to Diourbel tonight?

So I walk up to the two men, greet properly and explain my situation. One explained to me that if I am in such a hurry, I just need to rent the minicar (aka bus for 20) to take me there alone. That was the breaking point. I blew up at them saying how outrageous that was, renting a bus to take one person... how I am a development worker living and working in this town and I probably threw too many insults in at them but couldn't help myself. He happened to know my host mom and asked questions about my work. I was still pissed. They were in disbelief, as I was a young woman telling them off in Wolof, nearly in tears but far too mad to cry. After their quick appologies, another bus pulls up and they simply said, why don't you get on that one. "AHHH! Ok! I will!"

So I walk over to the bus and see the two apprentices that collect the money. I explained where I was going and they said it was 800cfa. "No, its 300". No, 800. 300. 700. AHH I'll pay 500, just let me get on this damn bus! (Sometimes prices fluctuate but at this point I knew I was just getting screwed and tried real hard not to care) So I got on and sat down next to a nice woman. The apprentice asked her where she was going: Diourbel. She gave him a 500 piece and she got 200 back. He asked for my money, I gave him a 500 and didn't get any change. I normally wouldn't do this, but I called him a liar and said in a raised voice how unfair it was. He still didn't give me my money back.

I made it to Diourbel and vented to my friends and just hate public transportation. Point blank. Until last night. I decided to come to Diourbel late last night since an appointment fell through. It was dark by the time I wanted to leave so I just went to a gas station to wait rather than the garage. A bus pulled up right when I was arriving and got on. The guy said it was 400 and I was quick to say 300 but he stayed strong and I tried not to care. After a few people got off, the apprentice and I started talking and I asked where the bus was going and what his work is like. He asked where I was going and I said to town. He told me to make sure not to pay more than 125 for a clando cab ride. Very nice of him to even mention that, and then, he gave me back my 100cfa since he charged me too much! How nice right?

All that being said, if ever trip was like a few weeks ago, I would never leave Bambey. But last night was great! I guess the moral that I learned from this is that I am the minority and sometimes it can really suck but you only really know if you are the minority.

Busy month of May

I have visited 11 out of 12 girls from one school, six from another and have yet to see the girls from my third middle school. I have scheduled appointments to meet with the rest this week. It has been rather stressful arranging all the meetings times and places but well worth it. I believe I am the only volunteer doing three schools alone, so that’s why I am so busy, but truthfully, if I have enough time, I will do the same thing next year. The principals chose the girls based on grades and financial limitations. I just get to read their essays answering questions about their futures, and visit and talk to them at their houses. Results have been fairly mixed, but I have mostly been quite impressed with the girls. Many want to be doctors, writers, and other want to be business owners and politicians. They never get the chance to answer the question about their futures so the essays were much harder for them than would be for an American kid, and I have asked one girl to re-write her essay since it wasn’t specific enough, but otherwise these girls are great. When I have some more time to breathe, maybe in the month of June, I may start up a few girls groups just to hang out and talk. They give us some very good ideas for capacity building and some of the brightest and most motivated girls have now fallen into my hands.

Last weekend was Jazz fest in St. Louis. I was up there for New Years but just wasn’t as impressed with the festivities this weekend. It was nice to get out of Bambey and see everyone, but I ended up coming home a day before I planned. It is expensive to be out of site staying in hotels and eating every meal out so after I bought the most expensive purse that I have ever purchased, (it’s beautiful !) I came home a day sooner. Played at the beach, in the pool and enjoyed everyone’s company, but am glad to be back.

This way, I have the day off and get to catch up on the internet and my plans for the next few weeks. I am trying so hard to organize all of my projects. I make lists of what I need to accomplish on the internet and who I need to call and where I need to visit. I know people in all corners of Bambey now. Thank goodness it is just a city of like 25,000 and just about a 30 minute walk from one side to the other. I just won’t make the mistake of walking home at 1:30 ever again! I had to cross the main road where there are plenty of boutiques and bought a cold yogurt and drink and came home and enjoyed it rather than a hot plate of rice and fish.

I am really starting to miss the updates on all of your lives! I feel like I am telling people all the time what I am doing but never hear about you!! Fill me in! Please send me an email or a card in the mail. How crazy are the elections? What are the headlines? Any good movies come out lately? It’s only 8 months in and I am officially disconnected! Help!