Six Months in Senegal, A Reflection

Well, this is not really a reflection as much as it is a list of observances. A reflection might imply it is more personal or with really deep insights. This is neither, really.


So this past weekend I celebrated my official 6 months In Country, as we say. Yea, 6 months, weird huh? When a fellow PCV in another country near me hit her 6months, she wrote an email listing all of the things in her life that had drastically changed, keeping tally in a way of her different experiences. While I don’t have a tally, I have some general thoughts, listed in no particular order

Ways my life has changed in the past 6 months:
-I now get almost daily marriage proposals
-I bathe outside in the sunlight, with a bucket and well water
-I live in a 3x4m hut with a grass roof, `nuff said
-I am malnourished… (working on overcoming that though)
-Coffee is Nescafe with powdered milk rather than a beautiful and delicious latte
-I LOVE buckets
-I hand wash and line dry all of my clothing
-Rarely do I really understand what is going on around me
-I can use up to 4 different languages in daily interactions
-I realized that I cannot kill every cricket in my room, but have the right to be annoyed by them, but especially by frogs and mice in my hut
-I am rarely ever actually clean
-I hate traveling in this country, but also cannot stay in my village for more than a few weeks without going more than a little crazy.

Ways my life has remained the same:
-Ridiculous things happen to me or around me on a daily basis
-I have great friends and family (in the States and in Senegal)
-I love mail and email
-Simple things make me happy
-I dance a lot
-Oatmeal with peanut butter and bananas is still my favorite breakfast, when chocolate chip pancakes aren’t available
-Crowds and lots of people overwhelm me
-I journal a lot

There are a lot more than listed for both, but these are the ones that really stood out in my head as I sat typing at the Kaolack computer this morning.

It is crazy to think about how much things have changed in my life in 6 months. I constantly feel torn between thinking I still know nothing about life here and realizing how much I do in fact know. I’ve been here 6 months, but that’s still only 6 months. However, I was able to reasonably answer new trainees questions about life in Senegal, which made me realize I do actually know a lot. Another Volunteer, 1 year in, mentioned that 6months in Vols shouldn’t be invited to help with PST because we are too new and thus know nothing, but then some COSing Vols stood up for us, saying the first 6months is when you really learn the most in the shortest period of time because life is just soooo different and you have to adapt fast. It was energizing meeting the new trainees and knowing that my Stage is no longer the newest group In Country. I see some things in them that remind me of my Stage and it’s good to be able to observe things in them that I’m sure the Vols we met during PST saw in us. Really, it is like high school or college. My Stage is now the sophomores of PC Senegal, or "wise fools" as the word means. I think it is quite fitting.

back in Thies...again?

Yep, i am back in Thies (and on this blasted XO laptop again), just 2 weeks after the end of IST. Why you may ask? Well,I was kindly invited to help prepforthe new stagiares (trainees) whoare in flight to Senegal as we speak, inshallah. I have been here since Sunday and will be here until next Wednesday morning, after they have headedto their village homestays. Myself along with another are working hard on rewriting some of the cross culture assignments trainees have as well as orienting them around Thies and probably leading some cross culture and adaptation sessions. We are both freakishly excited to meet these new kids. Arrival in Country is traumatic and while I am glad not to have to do it again for the first time like I did that late night back in March, but I am looking forward to seeing the responses of the new trainees.

Right before I came back here however, I was actually kindof having work todo...ieI went toplace outsidemy compound and sat whilepeople talked. Ididnt do anything, but itlooked like it. Just kidding. I actually did start helping with my village's summer school session, mainly with English for the middle and high school students. Nevertheless, it has been fabulous (and exhausting) to be back here in Thies,working hard. Its a good feeling.

So this Saturday marks my 6months in Senegal and hopefully I will have agood post in celebration...or not. I cannot believe that we are approaching 6 months and nolonger thenewbies. Even weirder isto think that fall isapproaching in theStates. Bizarre...

All for now.Maybe i will have some good stories later this week, we shallsee. Also, still thinking about a vacay around the holidays. If you areinterested, please let me know. Also, now is time to start entertaining the idea of a visit toSenegal smoetimeinthe next year and a half. However, itis not for the faint of heart.

back in the Delta!

Hi friends. Unfortunately, I dont have a lot of time for a long post as I am nearing the end of my hour of internet here in Foundiougne, but I did want to send a brief update. First of all, after being lectured by the postman on Sunday, I finally made it back out to the Post Office here in Foundiougne and to my great surprise, found several packages and letters, so thank you everyone very much! (V, I didnt receive yours, but I am sure its on the way)

I arrived back at site Thursday evening and just yesterday had the chance to finally unpack and give out the last of the cadeaux I had brought back from Thies. There was a big US AID funded summer camp in town that Jamie orchestrated, so I was there, standing around and occassionally helping with murals. It was good to see the camp because that may be a project for me to work on next summer after sshe has COSed. Daniel, a Vol from Kedegou, came through our area Friday and was at camp and my site as well which was fun. We went down to the river, which was at unusually low tide, and saw a few flocks of flamingos!!! I had never seen them outside of a zoo or Disney World and man, they are beautiful (and pink)!

Yesterday was the only day I have had yet to relax, clean, and unpack, and man was all of that necessary. During my time away, a plague Moses-style was cast on my hut, complete with lots of mice, frogs, crickets, weeds, and many different types of animal feces. Oh Africa. And yet with all of these animal adventures, I am still here, remarkably. As my sister said, "I am just trying to imagine how you, of all people, are doing with all of these critters." Haha, yea, me too. This week might be busy-ish as well. Post office/market/etc today, meeting with an NGO in town tomorrow (not exactly sure what for, but they approachedme during the summer camp and asked me to come), ans summer school in the village starts Thursday and they want me to at least come the first day. I am glad to have stuff to do...my huge pile of laundry can wait until next weekend, I hope.

Ramadan started today, we shall see how this turns out!