Perspective

Being back in Thies for training is like a trip back in time. It is strange to be back in the place where I started, and it is really nice to see how much I have changed. My first time walking through the market here made me nervous and stressed out and now it is not a big deal at all. I can speak with my family in Mandinka or French and we can easily understand each other. So many times I feel completely inept in the village with my language and my role, yet now I feel so much more confident. It is a relief to see that I actually do know a bit about this place and am not just fresh off the plane.

Our three-week language and technical training started yesterday. I tested higher in my Mandinka/Bambara so am now taking Pulafuta, a Fula language. Fula/Pulaar is apparently the largest language in West Africa. Pulaar people were traditionally nomadic herders. The language is completely different from Mandinka/Bambara and after 3 hours today my mind feels like mush. But I forgot to mention the reason why I am taking Pulafuta... My village is 1/3 Bambara and 2/3 Pulafuta. The Pulafuta moved to Senegal from Guinea at least 40 years ago. However, they settled in the national park just south of where I live. About 30 years ago the Senegalese government decided this was unacceptable and relocated them to my village. There is virtually no integration in my village between the two ethnic groups. Thus, the Pulafuta's don't speak Bambara and I have done a poor job interacting with them thus far. These next few weeks may make me utterly confused, but it will be worth it. And it will be pretty awesome to know Pulafuta, Bambara/Mandinka/Jaxanke, and French. =)

Being back in Thies is great, too, because it is a city! People are used to foreigners so I don't get harassed a s much. Probably the best part about being back (besides seeing old friends) is that there is food. I am afraid I have become really obsessed with food after 2 1/2 months in the village. I had a dream last night about going to a supermarket and seeing all the cereal (of all things) for purchase. The food at the training center is full of vegtables and protein and the possibilities seem endless at the few restaurants in town. I might gain a few pounds in the next 3 weeks. (I think everyone but me has lost weight, one person over 40 pounds!)