From my email

Bonjour tout le monde!

Below is a random compilation of numbers representing the past year in my life, in mostly random order.  It was a year of difficulty and change, laughter and dancing, great friends both old and new, family in the US and Senegal, learning a new job (not the coffee one), and frustrations and victories.  A year that changed my outlook on life and goals for the future.  A year of discovering new places and rediscovering old ones.  A year when the lives of many around me changed with new and expanding families while I used a machete to forge my own path through the forest of life (to quote from my favorite middle school teacher).  It was also a year when I finally realized that wherever I am, I am far away from most of the people I love, which gave me a surprising amount of peace and freedom in what I do and where I go.  I have no idea where 2011 will take me, but that's half the fun!  And now, 

2010, A Year in Numbers

Number of…

Transatlantic flights: 4

Non-ocean crossing flights: 9

Weddings: 4

Bridesmaid dresses: 2

Money spent calling Senegal on Skype: $90

New jobs: 2

Residences: 3, on 3 separate continents

Months lived outside of the US: 8

Grand total: 36

Countries spent time in: 8 (Senegal, The Gambia, Mali, USA, France, Germany, Austria, and Spain)

Currencies used: 4 ($, euro, cfe, dalasi)

Sunny days: 190

Cloudy/rainy days: 120 (NOT in Senegal)

Days with my sister: 5?, but definitely not nearly enough

Group fitness classes attended: 65 (or thereabouts, Zumba, Body Jam, Body Flow, Yoga, Sh’Bam)

Text messages sent: 1,023, perhaps (Mostly to other PCVs in Senegal)

Blog updates:  19

Hours spent in transit: at least 351 (that’s 14.625 straight days)

Wine drank: I would rather not comment on how many bottles J

Types of cheese consumed: 30 or so

Cups of chai tea drank: 172

Lattes served: a few thousand

Visitors hosted: 7 (all PCVs, in 3 different countries)

Languages used: 6 (4 frequently)

Student leaders trained: 42

Gardens worked in: 5

Kilometers walked: probably a few hundred, if not more

Dance parties: far too few

Packages sent to Senegal: 4, plus several letters

Packages received from all over: 10, I think, but the kindness has boggled my mind

Mini RPCV reunions: 4 (Chicago x2, Baltimore, Semur)

Pairs of legwarmers: 2

English teachers I "work with" in France: 8 (supposed to be 9)

Different groups of English students: 40

Total students: about 520

Serere wrestling matches: 4

Trips to DC: 2

Friend couples with new babies: 4

Hours spent people watching: 101

European Christmas markets: 9

New countries I really want to visit: 5 (Morocco, Turkey, Sierra Leone, Chile, Burkina Faso, as well as anywhere else someone wants to send me)

Also...

Favorite discovery: Zumba, it’s such a fun and freeing dance exercise and one of the few things that kept me from going absolutely nuts this past summer.  If only there was a Zumba class here in Semur…

People of the Year:  It's a TIE! 

Farba Diouf.  He was my Batman in Senegal, always helps PCVs and other foreigners, enjoys a good laugh, and demonstrates true Senegalese teranga.  Since leaving, he still calls me on occasion just to say hi and check in.  He’s a great person with a true commitment to his family and community.  My second year of PC service would have been entirely different without him around.

 My dad, for being the backbone of the entire extended family, always helping me out so much from abroad, and going back to school for a degree in Accounting.  I’m so proud of you!  (and don't be upset about the shout-out here!)

More posts coming soon, Inchallah.


NOTE: within 30 hours of posting this/sending the email, Farba called me!  He doesn't have regular internet access or know that I gave him a shout out here, but he always seems to "know" when I talk about, write about, or otherwise think about him and all of the help he provided during my service.  Or when things here in Semur aren't going well, he just seems to know to call and greet me.  Incredible!  [I should also probably, finally, do a personality post about him just to better describe who he is and why in my honest opinion, he is The Best person in Senegal...but I'm a little biased :)  ]