Marie's Adventuresok...here i go.
all i know is i spent foreva typing a blog that did not work...
so
senegal
is
beautifu and
AMAZING
i cannot believe that i have been here for a month! nor can i believe that my training is almost over and will be going to my site soon!!!
I have been living in THies, which is a GREAT city! Like the CHicago of Senegal! And I have been living with a family here in Thies for the past 4 weeks. I am learning to speak Pulaar which is the hardest thing I have ever done but it is exciting at the same time. I have never been so incapable in my life as I am here. Mainly because of the language, but I am hoping that will change eventually.
SO MY FAMILY
I life with Amadou Diallo and Aissata Awa Ba. I REALLY lucked out in the fact that my family is so wonderful. In fact, I am having an expereince that I NEVER expected to have in Africa! My father is a dentis, so I alm pretty well off. They are very generous...we eat well...I even have a DVD player which I did NOT have in the US. lol...I 10 siblings, 8 are girls, so it makes for a good time. They are a pretty conservative family but they are fun, too. My house always has at least 15 people there! It can be overwhelming or it WAS, they have become family to me and I look forward to seeing them now! Some days I am SICK of Pulaar and I walk home thinking, GOD I DO NOT WANT TO SPEAK PULAAR; and then I hit the gate to my house and Awa, my sister Rougys little girl, runs up and hugs me and screams SALIMATA and I get excited and remember why I love being here. And despite any languge troubles there are universal feelings and signs of affection that even the dumb "toubab" can understand and appreciate. And they ALL are VERY helpful and conservative. My father especially is very patient with me and encouraging! I could not have asked for better people to be with at this time. I cannot express my gratitude...
I have been learning a lot, other than Pulaar...My family has started to tell me I am a REAL woman, a SENEGALESE woman now because I have been learning how to do the things they do. It is funny how I feel worthy of so luch in the United States and I feel intelligent...I mean, I got a DEGREE...and how that DOES NOT MATTER here. I cannot do the most simple tasks here...cook, do laundry, eat with my hands, but I try and am learning! I am in AWE od Senegalese women! They are so strong in all aspects. The culture is really so beautiful and rich and it is unlike any culture I have EVER expereinced, that is why it is SUCH an expereince for me. ANd I feel that when I got to site I will have to relearn a culture because it will not be city life, nor with someone well off.
Speaking of, in two weeks I will be on my way to Medina Ndithbe in the NORTH of Senegal. I am excited because it is a small town, not a village per se. ANd I meet my counterpart this week and apparently he is AMAZINGLY motivated!! All of this makes me happy! ANd another girl will be living only 4k from me! And apparently we eat better than in the south! Not that food has been a problem. In fact, food has been great, but that can change if I am somewhere without a lot of money. Every night I eat something rice or lacceri based. Lacceri is a type of couscous. And we have fish, veggies, leaf sauce: haako, meat, fruit, etc. so I have not been disappointed. AND THEY HAVE PEANUT BUTTER. Actually, I feel I WILL leave this country with a HUGE YEROBA, which means a big booty in Pulaar. And they like to remind me to eat so that I can get a YEROBA like the Senegalese women. They dont understand that it doesnt work like that for me...
HMMMMMMMMM
I have gone to a Wolof wedding, I went to Dakar for a day, and I went to the BEACH!
Toubab Dilaw is the beach I went to and ti was AMAZING! Beautiful...relaxing...like a resort. It was a much needed break from Thies and if you come visit me ever, we can go seaside fo sho...hint hint. jk...
I have to go back home
BUT
also
FYI at the end of service I have to have reached Intermediate LOW in my language, and I AL ALREADY THERE which is AWESOME, so Pulaar WILL come for me...cross your fingers!
Keep me in your thoughts...you are all in mine more than you know. AND THANKS for the letters and emails they BRIGHTEN my day, even here in Senegal where it is bright EVERY DAY! LOVE YOU! TAKE CARE!
