From the American People

Just wanted to also mention that the USAID logo is seen everywhere here, including my sister's school uniform shirt and her textbooks, and even lentil cans in the north of Senegal where I was for demystification. Part of Peace Corps is putting a face to "America" and being hands-on "Ambassadors," so to speak. It is interesting to see foreign aid all over the country... More on this later...

Joking Cousins

In most guide books about Senegal, they talk about "joking cousins." If someone is your actual cousins or you are cousins according to your last name or even your ethnic group, it gives you full license to tease and "joke." They say that this is why Senegal is a peaceful country. Although there are many different ethnic groups and quite a few distinct languages, everyone gets along because everything is considered a joke. (My personal favorite "jokes" are to call our Jaxanke volunteers either cats or hyennas. Everyone here hates cats because they roam around the streets and cause havoc along with dogs and pigs.) Anyway, it is interesting to think about... Senegal does have a drastically different feeling from South Africa. Perhaps "joking cousins" is one reason although I am positive that different colonial experiences also has something to do with it.

My Permanent Address

After May 11 I will be at:
BP 140
Tambacounda, Senegal
West Africa

Mail and packages seem to take between 10 days and a month... But thanks for thinking of me!!!

Pictures!

Cheesy picture of me with my new dress in front of the Peace Corps Training Center sign.



The Route Nationale, the main road a block from my house. This is at approximately 6:50 AM while waiting for the Peace Corps Land Cruiser.






The view of the beach from a Nazi WWII bunker.






The beach in Popinguine! I was happy.







23 bats in the Disco Hut during one of our training sessions!!







My fingers after a henna session with my host mom. The henna stays on your skin for about a month but never comes off your fingernails. Apparently this is the acceptable alternative to nail polish.

I'm moving to Madina/Guinguineo

I finally have information on my village where I will be living for two years. Madina AKA Guinguineo is 30 km south from Tambacounda and approximately 10 km west from the main road. Approximately 500 people live in the village. There is no electricity or running water but about 15 concrete lined wells. My family has 32 people since the two brothers both have two wives (or so I hear). If I didnt mention it before, men can legally have up to four wives. The main issues are malaria, yellow fever, diarrhea, and maternal health. Medical facilities include a midwife and a traditional healer. I'm happy about my site, especially because it is not too far from a major city and bikeable. But I'm nervous and a bit upset that the main languages are Bambara and Pulafuta, not Mandinka, which I have been learning. Bambara is apparently in the same language group, but obviously not exactly the same. I'll have some catching up to do once I get there!

On another note, we had our first weekend away from training last weekend so a few of us spent the night at a house in Popenguine at the beach. It was really incredible and SO nice to get away. For awhile I even actually forgot where I was. We had running water and showers and a kitchen with a stove! No rice or fish for about 24 hours! I guess I need to get used to my new life!

A Day in the Life of a Peace Corps Trainee in Senegal...

Approxiamately 5 AM: Wake up to the call to prayer from the mosque and go back to sleep
6:30 AM: Wake up to my alarm to meet the bus at 7 (sunrise)
8 - 12:30 PM: Mandinka language class!
12:30 - 2:30 PM: Lunch and nap time or study time or trip to the market
2:30 - 6:00 PM: Either technical training, cross cultural training or health training
After 6: Back to homestays and study and eat dinner....

Wow that was pretty boring after I wrote it out!

Here's more about my family. My host mom is around 50. There are five teenage girls and a six year old boy who live with us. Two of the girls are actual daughters and the other three are my host mom's nieces who live here in Thies to go to school. The boy is also a nephew or son of a cousin and he is attending the koranic school in Thies. Another of my mom's cousins lives with us who is a math and science teacher in Thies; his wife and 6 month old son live in Diourbel. My host father died a few years ago and I am almost sure that he didn't have any other wives. Polygamy is legal here, but only up to four wives, and the man must be able to financially provide for his family. 90% of people in Senegal are Muslim, including my family who are in a more conservative branch, so the women wear head scarves. They are all extremely welcoming though and have had other volunteers in the past so they know what to do with me. =) My home away from home!

Lots of Celebrations

This week was spring break for schools, so to speak. Muhammed's birthday was last weekend, Preisdent Wade's inauguration was on Tuesday (complete with an appearance by Akon who is Senegalese), the 4 avril was Independence Day, and of course, Sunday is Easter. Yesterday our Mandinka karamoo (teacher) also took the four Mandinka karandinool (students) to his house for his cousin's baby's baptism and naming ceremony. It was there that I saw my first sheep slaughter. Well 2 actually! I guess it had to happen sometime so I can check it off the list! Today we went on a field trip around Theis to check out the varous health posts.

I'll try to get some pictures up soon, but I still need to take some, perhaps one of me in my new Senegalese dress!