Baal Ma

I apologize for the petit pause. I only promise it's because I have been out exploring Dakar and enjoying the time I have left here. I promise tonight there will be a post about Thanksgiving and the other weekend events.

The Best Day

I apologize for another small pause in my writing. The last two days have gone by quickly. The countdown is on for the Black World Festival here in Senegal, which unfortunately begins 12 hours before I fly out of Dakar. But they have a countdown on the front of each paper. Yesterday was J-16 (j is the first letter of jour, meaning "day"). This means there are only 16 days left in Senegal. Crazy.


Tuesday was one of the best days I had in a long time. I woke up early to go with Gaby to an elementary school where he teaches 2 to 6 year olds. It was the first time I was in the classroom in at least a year. I gave a short presentation to the children about my trumpet, and then Gaby surprised me by telling me I was going to play two short songs. I had only planned one, so I was improvising the other. Anyone who knows me as a trumpet player knows I have never really been an improviser. Even though the second song wasn't really a standard, the children loved it! This experience definitely solidified my confidence in wanting to return to the classroom as an ethno-educator.

Yesterday most of the day was spent shopping and cooking. I am proud to say that even though there are no pumpkin or turkeys in Senegal, we will be cooking a proud American feast today for Thanksgiving. Maybe if you're lucky, I will have time tonight to put up some pictures of the fete. So here's a "Happy Thanksgiving!" greeting from across the ocean!

Un Petit Pause...

I apologize for the short hiatus I had in blog entries this weekend. On Thursday, my balafon teacher told me that I need to relax and let go of stress because I was having a hard time focusing during my lesson. It is very important for  me to concentrate during my lessons because without concentration, it is impossible for me to learn. Thankfully, one of my friends is conducting research on Gorree, so it is very easily accessible for a little mini-vacation.

Even though it was very short (only Saturday afternoon to Sunday morning), I saw one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen in my life.

One thing I often lack in myself is the confidence that I can accomplish something. However, the confidence I found in that sunset over Dakar will help sustain my concentration and ability to accomplish the last leg of my journey here in Senegal.

A New Kind of Best Friend

A friend of mine yesterday received a google news alert of an article I found very amusing and interesting. It was about Tabaski, the festival of sacrifice of Eid Al-Adha, the secondest biggest holiday in Islam. The article's title expresses the heart of the relationship of West Africa with the sheep: "In Senegal, a sheep is a man's best friend."

Tabaski is very much similar to other Islamic holidays; it is a when the men attend mosque in the morning and the women cook delicious food (and make delicious juice!! I had the most fantastic coconut juice). But it is also a day in which many sheep are sacrificed. As the article states, the Quran recommends that every adult believer with the monetary capability must sacrifice a sheep.

It was very interesting to me as a westerner to see all the advertisements before Tabaski. I bought a paper this past Monday with an advirtisement at the top for Orange Money. If I would have sent money with orange money before Tabaski, I would have been entered in a drawing to win a sheep; one sheep was given away daily. The soccer field acrossed from my house was also converted into a sheep market. On Tuesday, it was a normal sight to see people pick up a sheep and put it into their trunk.

While some westerners would disregard this as a crazy obsession, I find it an interesting cultural musing. In discussion with friends, we compared the Senegalese mouton (this is the French word for sheep; I'm not a big fan of saying sheep, just because I think mouton sounds cooler) obsession to the western obsession with the perfect Christmas tree. If an Senegalese saw an American cut an evergreen and put it in the trunk, they would probably find us just as crazy.

For further reading, if you're interested, here is a link to the article. "In Senegal, a sheep is a man's best friend."

http://niger1.com/?p=1138

The Ethno-Edcuator

Right now we are in the middle of the ISP period. "ISP" stands for independent study project. For four weeks we develop our own research projects to investigate something of our choosing. I began November by taking balafon lessons with music teacher and ethnomusicologist Gaby Ba. Along with taking lessons, I have been reading a lot about the connections between ethnomusicology and music education.

As an ethnomusicologist, I am studying music here to better understand how people relate and react to music in West Africa. Through taking balafon lessons, I am learning African musical traditons (rhythm, dance, and instruments) by actively participating and learning it is transmitted. There is a famous quote by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow that states that music is a universal language; however, I have found (through learning and reading) that every culture has different ideas about what music is and how it should be used. To quote Bruno Nettl (a famous ethnomusicologist), "And as each culture undergoes modernization, it takes what it wishes or needs from other musics with which it has had contact, combining, synthesizing, fusing, and all of this is its new authenticity." Basically, in the 21st century, music is a mixture of every other culture's music. I can see that with just my short time here in Senegal. American music is everywhere literally.

But what is an ethno-educator then exactly? To me this is what I want to be. An ethno-educator is one that takes time to learn a culture in its tradition as an ethnomusicologist and then educates others of their musical traditions (whether it being singing or instrumental). I think this is especially relevant with children, who appreciate active learning. Who wouldn't love an elementary classroom filled with singing and dancing little ones? By sharing this rich musical culture with children, I hope that one day change how Africa is viewed by the world.

Bon Tabaski!

So the realization has come that I  have less than a month left here in Senegal. I feel like I still have so much to do, and so little time to do it. Today and tomorrow while the Senegalese Muslims are celebrating Tabaski (also known as Aid El Kebir- the grand celebration). It is the second-most important Islamic holiday, in which they remember Abraham's sacrifice of the lamb instead of his son Ishmael. While I partake in holiday festivities, I will be also making a laundry list of things I must visit and do before I leave Dakar.

I feel one thing I need to do more for the last month is update this blog more regularly of places I visit, and thiings I encounter on a daily basis. I have discussed with several friends in the last week of how some things have become everyday affairs to me but how uncommon they would feel in the west. So for the next month expect to learn the ins (and outs) of Senegalese culture and life.

Bon Tabaski!

Mbokk et autre choses

Today was a rather interesting day.This afternoon I was on my way to Ouakam for my balafon lesson. I was waiting my teacher's house when a man passing on foot began to speak to me. He told me I was lost, and I shouldn't be in Africa.
After I went upstairs, I had a long conversat about the difficulty of being a female "Toubab." If you don't know the meaning of toubab, it is the Senegalese joking nickname for white people. It is extremely difficult to be in the female minority. It's not easy to meet people that know I can call friends. Men ask me on a daily basis whether I am married. Yes, for you, I'm married.

This discussion reminded me of a lecture we had about Senegalese values. Two very important words in Wolof are mbokk and njaboot. Mbokk is having something in common; it also includes the sense of responsiblity for one another and a sense of social security. I love it because I know if I don't know where I am going, all I have to do is ask the people around me, and I know I will always get there. The second word is njaboot, which literally means family. But as a family member, it is assumed you have a big heart, you are open, and are responsible. Njaboot is also relateable to the phrase "Nit, nitay girabam." The human is the remedy for each other. The first time I truely felt the meaning of the word njaboot was the second time I spoke with my advisor on the phone. He said, "Now, you are part of the family."

Through the Eyes of a Child: the Peul Bande

I'm sorry for it being over a week wince I last updated. I have been busy this week with my last week of classes and other various activities that I will update you on soon. :-) Anyways, in other ways I have been putting off my next entry because I knew how much time and effort it was going to take. So now, the Peul Bande through the eyes of a child.

“Only those who look with the eyes of children can lose themselves in the object of their wonder.” – Eberhard Arnold

Children’s eyes are the windows to their souls. If you look into their eyes you will see the innocence of youth and their admiration of the world. I spent much of my time in Bounda Kodi learning how life appears to those children. From Monday October 18 to Thursday October 21^st I lived with the Peul Bande people of Bounda Kodi. The Peul Bande is really a smaller branch of the larger ethnic group the Fulani or the Fulbe. They are primarily a nomadic tribe that is based mostly in West and Central Africa. They speak language Pulaar, and the Peul Bande embraces the Islamic religious tradition. The Peuls inherit their name from the French, who borrowed the term from Wolof (“Pel”).

The children in the village seemed like one large family. Personally I had a difficult time occasionally differentiating between which children belonged to which family. Everyone took a hand in looking out for other’s children and made sure they had food to eat. One small girl took a particularly strong role as mother for the other children. Her name was Fatou, and she was only six years old. She was always holding a child’s hand or would respond quickly to another that was crying.

Even though their village did not even own a soccer ball to play with, each of these conversations was trimmed with the same hope that I saw glow in the eyes of the children. The hope that they help them have these dreams and thoughts that thing will work out. It is their children’s wonder that helps them continue to dream and find ways to make it work. Their value of hope is one of the key bonds that bring them together as a family. They are all working together towards the common good of a better life. It’s their hope in life and their hope in each other that cause their eyes to shine with the wonder of a child.

Henri, Music, and Ice Coffee

The week before we left for Kedougou was full of many different activities. On Saturday morning, one of my classmates discovered a small kitten outside her house. The kitten didn't appear to have a mother, so Elsa picked up the kitty and brought him to school. Since our program is mostly girls, Henri quickly won a place in our hearts. Elsa and the others gave him so much unconditional love.

As much as I hate to tell you there is a very unfortunate ending to this tale. Poor little Henri passed away in the third day we got to know him. His size made him defenseless against other outdoor livestock. However, what I can tell you is that he received more love in the last three days of his life than some cats do in their entire existence.

The same week Henri came into our lives we also spent studying kora, African dance, and djembe. All classes were quite enjoyable, but I think my favorite would have to be djembe. As beautiful as the kora sounds, it helped remind me of why I first became a trumpet player. There are only three valves, so there are less combinations to remember. And when a trumpet player is moving from a 3 valve trumpet to a 21-string kora, it requires a lot more thinking than I previously thought.

Hopefully during my next update I will get to dive into our trip to Kedougou. There is so much to tell about what I learned from the village stay there.

Home Sweet Home

I arrived home late Saturday safe and sound from a nine day long excursion in the south eastern region of Senegal known as Kedougou. It was the last long excursion I will be taking before the end of the program. Now I hope I will finally have the time to explore Dakar as well as catch you up on the last few weeks of my life!

Friday Oct 8 (a week before we left for Keougou) we visited the market in HLM with our French professors. Who knew that shopping could be considered class? Anyways, the goal of the exercise was to successfully purchase fabric and design a dress to be made by a tailor To me HLM seemed the market of every Senegalese woman's dreams. It was lined with many vendors with every fabric color or texture you could imagine!

After successfully purchasing our fabric, it was off to the tailor! Little did I know we would be visiting the tailor at my own house! We arrived in Sicap Baobab just as my sister Meissa was making a third batch of beignets (doughnuts)! It was wonderful to snack on beignets as we drew our designs and were measured for our dresses. Since I was overwhelmed with designing and consuming the delicious beignets, I forgot to take a picture of being measured. So instead, I will have to provide you with a picture of two of my professors! :)

And just because I am really excited about it, I will repost the picture of my dress. The day I wore it to school, I was often gawked at because it's not very often you see a Toubab in a full-length African dress with matching fulloir.

On the Road to Kedougou

I apologize for my lack of updates this week. I have been quite busy with many things; anyways, today we are leaving for 9 days to travel to Kedougou. It is about a 10 to 12 hour drive from
Dakar, but hopefully I will finally be able to see the wildlife that I have been wanting to see since the beginning of the trip. As well as I will be having my second village stay; I will be staying with the Pular ethnic minority, so I will have another few days where communication will mostly visual signals and physical actions.

I also wanted to update you on my dress before I left. I picked it up two days ago, and I wore it yesterday. I received many compliments-- "Rafetna!" which is Wolof for "C'est joli!" or "That's nice."

See you next Saturday!

Current Affiars in Dakar

Here is a summary of the current affairs in Dakar as of this weekend. Abdoulaye Wade the president recently appointed his son Karim to be the new minister of energy last week, and has recently called for an emergency audit of Senelec (unpopular company here who causes many power cuts). Senegal beat Mauritus 8-0 Saturday night in a qualifying match for the African cup. The match was here in Dakar, and I saw Mauritus's team get off the plane in the news on Friday. Another story that the president is honoring a promise he made to the Haitian government by welcoming 160 students to Senegal to study. good for Senegal or a political ploy? I have heard Wade called the man of big projects- spends a lot of money while not looking out for the people...and Youssou NDour is playing at the Institute Francais this Thursday and Friday. This was a debate over the communal bowl yesterday; is this really what Senegal needs or another grandiose ploy to show off the uppercrusts of Senegal  to the world rather than what is being discussed in the street?

Sorry I made this post more about current happenings in Dakar rather than what's going on in my life. I went to a market on Friday to buy some fabric, and I am having a dress made. The best part is that it is my African mom, Amy Diop, who is making it. =)

The Birds are Chirping in Saint-Louis

Last Wednesday (ok, it's over a week ago now) we stayed in Saint-Louis, which was the first colonial capital of French West Africa. It remained Senegal's capital until it was moved to Dakar in 1957. Saint-Louis is right on the Senegal River, and the city was lined with beautiful colonial architecture. The river was also lined with some of the most beautifully painted boats.

Thursday we had a group project that we had to complete. The project split us up into groups to research different historical sites around Saint-Louis. Our project took my group to the oldest Catholic church in West Africa, le Cathedrale de Saint-Louis. It had a beautiful interior, even though it was only very simple. The thing I will remember most was the sound of the singing birds inside the cathedral.

This was the view of the Church looking down from the choir loft.

My favorite part of our entire trip was the hotel in which we stayed. We ate acrossed acrossed the street on a dreamy patio overlooking the water. But more importantly, when you would open your room door, you were looking out in a tree. And in the morning, the tree would fill with birds singing their lovely morning song. What a great thing to wake up to!

Even though Saint-Louis had beautifully painted ships, it also was a good remider of the paradox that exists in Senegal. In Saint-Louis, the Senegal River acted as a natural border seperating the affluence and destitution. This is a common thing I see even in Dakar on a daily basis; the people difference between those who have cars and large houses and those who drive a horse-hitched trailer or a person whom I met that sells "Cafe Touba" to support their household.I am not going to lie; I live a very privileged lifestyle here in Dakar (I have wifi, my own room and bed, a fan). Sometimes I feel guilty for having access to such privileges when most Senegalese don't. But, then I remember I still have a little over two months here, and I still have time to get to know the people and be friends with the average Senegalese.

Selfless Love -- Touba and Mouit

After I short stay in Thies last Friday night, we ventured to Touba last Saturday. Touba is an Islamic city, which is home to the largest mosque in Senegal. Next the the mosque rests the tomb of Touba's founder, Chiekh Amadou Baba. According to legend, Chiekh founded Touba when he saw a vision of light while resting under a tree. In Arabic, "tuba" means "felicity" or "bliss" and evokes the images of a sweet afterlife.

Next we travelled to Mouit where we stayed for a few days with a host family. Mouit is a dreamy village surrounded by le Langue de Barberie National Park. I was very nervous because I did not know what to expect from village life. I was greeted with a large family, who was eager to show me their way of life. By Western perceptions it seemed as though you could not accomplish much by drinking tea, eating watermelon, and sitting under a tree for a few days. What I discovered was a whole new approach to life and love.

People in Mouit just genuinely enjoy spending time with each other. They wake up each morning and gather the food they need to eat for just that day, so they have no waste. Most of the day is spent around the preperation of meals since it takes most of the day. The warmest hours of the afternoon are spent under a tree drinking tea and eating watermelon. However, what I will remember most is that even though they did not have much, they were just genuinely happy to be alive.

Mouit, dama la nobb.

I apologize for going a little over a week without updates. Right now I am currently in Saint-Louis and am returning to Dakar tomorrow. We have been traveling around now for nearly a week, and I have much to tell you about the road to Saint-Louis.

Last Friday, we departed Dakar for Thies; on the way, we stopped at le Monastere de Keur Moussa. This was a very important moment for me because it was the first Catholic church I visited since I have been in Senegal. It was simple and quaint, but unfortunately, I mistakenly deleted all my pictures from last Friday, so, I will be suplementing with photos from the internet and photos taken by other friends.

These are images from the monestary, which was very quaint and quiet; quite a contrast from the normal hustle and bustle of Dakar. My favorite part of the monestary was the source of their music. There were djembes along the side of the chapel, and a kora was in the back corner. The liturgical music is provided by the kora and djembe. Unfortunately, we did not stay for a mass; but this visit made a new objective of mine to visit as many Catholic churches in Dakar as I can. After the monestary, we traveled to the town of Thies, where we would be staying for the night. Thies (pronounced "chess") is known for its railway connecting Dakar and Saint-Louis as well as with Niger. Thies is also known for tapestries; it is the home of the Senegalese National Tapestry Museum, where I saw the most beautiful piece of artwork yet. It was of a woman's profile.

Isn't she gorgeous? I will post more later about Touba, Mouit, and Saint-Louis.

Nit nitaay girabam.

L'homme est le remede de l'homme. The man is the remedy of the man; man is the solution to his own problems. This Wolof proverb was written at the bottom of our travel itinerary. For the next nine days, we will be travelling to various cities around Senegal, including Thies, Touba, St. Louis, and the village of Mouit. We are visiting many places, including visits to the Grand Mosquee in Touba, visiting a monestary, and spending four nights in a village. During this trip I am hoping to explore Senegalese life around other cities as well as in a village setting. Rather than having a cake and presents for my birthday, I think it will be cool to get to know Senegalese as possible; if I can overcome the language barrier. 3 weeks of Wolof, watch out here comes Paige!

Urban Art Forms

Today for our arts seminar, we gave oral presentations on urban art forms in Dakar. My presentation lead me and a friend on an exertion to discover mosaics in Dakar. Another student's presention, however, captured the true essence of Senegalese culture. For his presentation he visited a silk screening studio; he had experiences that were very different from his previous experiences. What are normally very difficult to get into in to he had no trouble entering the studio; not only that, but the artists invited him to help with the silk screening. He statedthe main difference lies in the fact that Americans are told that time is money and the only value lies in the final product. One lesson that Americans can learn from the Senegalese is that it is not always about money or reaping rewards; it is about what you learn in the process of getting there. Even though Dakar may not be modern in all aspects, you can always be sure that you have a friend everywhere. People on the road always greet each other and will be known to be late places because they were caught up in conversation. However, if someone were late to  meeting someone in the States, he would be judged as impolite and rude. Studying abroad in a place such as Senegal is going to completely transform my perception of the world; this is only just one characteristic I can become a western attribute one day. Now that I have successfully been procrastinating writing a paper by writing a blog entry instead, I will leave you with two quotes. They both capture the essence of what the west can learn from a small West African country.

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." - Winston Churchill

"Here, [in Senegal], we give more than we get." - Bouna Fall

Goree Island and Mbor

Friday and Saturday of last week we traveled to two of the most beautiful beaches nearby Dakar. Friday we took a trip to Goree Island. Goree Island is not only a site of historical importance for the African Diaspora but also now has turned into a dreamy vacation resort for the French and other Europeans. Goree is only a twenty minute ferry ride from Dakar.

During the time of slave trade, Goree function as a major slave port for West Africa. African slaves were brought to Goree Island before they were taken to North America. We visited a museum called La Maison des Esclaves, which held slaves until they boarded ships. The part of the museum that had the greatest impact on me was the room that held small children. The entrance to the room was smaller than all the other doorways in the building, and the room only had a few small, thin windows looking out to the ocean.

I had such a mixture of emotions while on Goree; it is an important historical site; however, if a white tourist is even just standing on the beach, you will be swarmed with vendors who are attempting to sell you things. Even Saturday, we couldn't avoid the vendors at a more rural beach two hours south of Dakar in Mbor. While you enjoy the warm African sun, the sound of the waves, and a nice book, you can also choose from a variety of souvenirs, from necklaces to glass painting to woven baskets.

Even though we were only at Mbor for a few hours, we were reassured with the fact that we will be returning there at the culmination of the program for the presentations of our independent study projects. I can hardly wait!

La fete du Korite

Last Friday was the feast of Korite, the Islamic celebration concluding a month of fasting for Ramadan. During Ramadan, Muslims don't eat from sunrise to sunset to learn patience and humility. They ask for forgiveness for past transgressions and try to make themselves clean through good deeds and praying more frequently. Each year Ramadan changes because it is based on the lunar cycle. The end of Ramadan comes when the moon appears full in the sky, so naturally the night before Korite I spent sitting on the roof with my brother, waiting for the moon to shine.
Korite began in Dakar when the moon shown overhead. The streets came a live with the Senegalese chattering and loud music playing. In my household, Korite began very early Friday morning with cooking and cleaning. At 9 AM my brother and father went to mosque while the women continued with the task at hand. By 11 the men returned and we were ready to eat laax. Laax is a millet porridge covered with a sweet white yogurt.

The front gate was open all day welcoming any visitors from near and far away. Many people stopped by for a visit, greeting each member of my family with a handshake and a "Baal ma aq!" (This is the Wolof phrase for "excuse me"; however, it is used in a religious context here, excusing the other person from their sins). Visitors and family members came at any point in the day. The tradition of slightly-smoked chicken and Morroccan coos-coos was served admist the day's activities about 3PM.
One of the most important aspects of Korite for the Senegalese is the acquisition of a new booboo. The booboo is a the traditional garment worn by men and women. For men it takes the form of a loose-fitting pants and shirt and for women it is a long beautiful dress and head-covering. My small cousin Hadetah looked the most stunning in her new garb.

Today we are going to visit l'Isle de Goree, a very important historical site. It was the central port for bring Africans to the Americas for slavery.

Culture Shock

Sorry about the lack of updates; the last few days have been a roller coaster ride thanks to every study abroader's best friend, culture shock. Culture shock is the mixture of emotions that you feel when you are assimilating to a new hand culture. In celebration of the past few days, I have assembled a list of reasons to be culture shocked while in Senegal:
1. No Shaking of the Left Hand - It is culturally inappropriate to do anything with the left hand. When you eat from the communal bowl, your right hand becomes your ladel. When you walk into a room full of people, it is your right hand that acknowledges everyone's presence. This is one cultural custom I am going to have to let you figure out.
2. No McDonald's - So if you were planning to take a trip here any time soon to taste what a Senegalese Big Mac tastes like, you will be slightly disheartened when I tell you there are no American businesses here. Many, many American products, but no stereotypical fast food joints. So you will be able to purchase that bag of Lays I had been craving, but won't be able to have it as a side with my mcburger.
3. No Washers/Dryers - Most average Senegalese family's hire someone to do their laundry for them. The positive, more jobs are created, but the bad news is that most Senegalese families won't have th full washer/dryer experience.
4. No Chicken Nuggets - My search for the chicken nuggets began with the realization that you can order most average American foods here: hamburgers, hot dogs, corn dogs, pizza, etc. However, discussion with my peers has lead me to the belief this will be an endless pursuit. They have plenty of chickens here in Senegal but lack the process quality of American chicken.
These are just a few reasons to feel culture shock while in Senegal. Now the feelings of anxiety are starting to recede to a minimum, you will be able to expect more updates. Hopefully tomorrow I can post about Korite. Bon nuit!

Ndank ndank mooy jap golo ci nay.

The title of this blog is a Wolof proverb that translates to "Slowly, slowly one catches a monkey in the forest." It is a reminder of how much patience you need to get through the trials of life. It shows the sense  of humor that lies at the heart of the Wolof culture. What does a  monkey actually have to do with patience?

Yesterday was the first day that I felt I was able to communicate with a sense of confidence in French. Even though it is still difficult for people to comprehend me (and vice versa), I know it has improved. Just like today someone showed me a way to upload my pictures. Ndank, ndank.

Exploring the realms of conversation with my family, I was able to piece together that Korite is going to fall on either Friday or Saturday based on the lunar cycle (my guess will be Saturday). Korite is a very important day to the Islamic population of Senegal because it marks the end of a month of fasting and prayer for Ramadan. My sister-in-law told me that everyone dresses in new clothes and eats three big meals on that day.

Ndank, ndank. Those with patience and who work hard reap many benefits. Mooy jap golo ci nay. And maybe one day, you will catch the monkey in the forest.

The Practical Idealist

On my first day of real classes, I had a day filled with thought, music, and Wolof. Awakened this morning again by chanting from the mosque at a quarter 'til five, I knew it was going to be a good day when I had a difficult time returning to sleep. But, I was also eager to get to school to attend my first anthropology class.


During anthropology, we discussed the term "culture shock." The term was first introduced to me a few years ago by a good friend and professor to me, and it was the commencement of my travels to Africa. My anthroplogy teacher advocated that we reframe the term culture shock to cultural learning. This framework will allow us to use our "shocks" as learning experiences.

My anthropology teacher also made the statement that she felt that our entire group was on the road to bigger and better things that we could ever have imagined for our lives. She suggested the book Practical idealists believe that linking their personal values and passions with social change you will be able to build necessary skills to bring change. Idealism is what drove me here to Senegal, but practicallity is the tool that will carry me through my learning experiences here.

So if I am a practical idealist then I will leave you with my favorite Randy Paush quote, which I feel is applicable to this situation. "It's not about how to achieve your dreams. It's about how to lead your life. If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to you."

Bonjour! Je suis Diop.

Last night I moved in wtih my host family. There last name is Diop, which is pronounced j-yop in Wolof. I have a room of my own, which is nice and a rather large family. The house is a grand-maison which houses 3 genereations of family. The ages are from 50 to 4. The youngest is a little girl named Haditikah, who was bouncy and full of life today.

Yesterday afternoon we visited a Village of Artists. The idea of a place where artists can live in a community and work sounds fascinating to me. the types of art varied from brass sculpture to glass painting to batik (cloth painting). It was very interesting to listen to what inspired them and how they do their work.  One artist showed us a painting that had several male and female figures in many shades of brown. Each person had a different object, like masks, bowls, or instruments. The artist said he wanted to show Africa's diversity but how it had the same united voice. Yesterday morning we also saw an ensemble of African instrumentalists sing and play. I took some videos, but it is difficult right now because my camera won't work with my camera. But soon there will be pictures as I figure out how to get it work.

Now I must go. I just got an orange phone, and I need to gather numbers. I am a little hot and a little tired but quite ready for the weekend!

La Pays du Terenga

So I haven’t blogged in a few days. I guess I will catch you up on what has been going on in Dakar the last few days. 


Monday we didn’t go too far; we had orientation here at L’Epicea. After a full morning of orientation, we ate our first Senegalese meal, ceebu jen. Ceebu jen is rice and fish with vegetables cooked in a tomato sauce. To eat the meal you are seated on a mat around a large bowl. You aren’t given any silverware and are only allowed to eat with your right hand (it is considered impolite to use the left hand in Senegalese culture). To eat the rice, you roll it into a ball with your hand and pop it in your mouth. If you want fish or vegetables, you pull off a piece with your hand and wrap it in the rice. C’est tres delicieux. Later in the day a few of the group went for a run and rock climbed at the beach.

Tuesday we had our first trip into SIT. The first day at school is supposed to be the day students receive syllabi and hear teachers lecture all day about what they are going to be learning. That’s not the case for SIT students. We were each given an object with cultural significance and four questions. We had one hour to go outside and find the answers. Armed with only a little knowledge of spoken French and what I thought was only a bag of sand and roll of plaster, I set out with my partner to discover how truly amazing the Senegalese were. What I thought would be a difficult task turned into a lot of fun. I found out that what I thought were random objects were actually used to make henna. I may have to try it while I am here!

Today we rode to school in cabs, and I never feared for my life more in a cab than this mornign! I thought New York drivers were crazy; however, they aren’t nearly as bad as Senegalese. If there is too much traffic, people here will literally drive on the sidewalks. It’s ridiculous! Today we also had our first Wolof lesson. So as the Wolof say…

Jerejef, ba beneen yoon!

Senegal, je t'aime...

After much needed sleep, I had my first day to explore Senegalese culture. Lunch today was around 1:30; I had my first traditional Senegalese meal, which was a delicious beef curry. Nearing the end of the meal, we were each poured a delicious glass of bissap juice. Bissap juice is sometimes called the "National drink of Senegal," which is made from the dried red blossoms of a hibiscus plant. It can be served with many different flavors, from vanilla to pineapple juice or orange juice. We had it with a sprig of mint. Another member of the group described it as tasting like a thin mint. It was the best thin mint with juice I have ever tasted. At breakfast we were also given mango juice and supper we had had an orange-mango juice. I think that is one of the reasons the Senegalese are so healthy; they replace a fattening dessert with fruit or fruit juice.

One other note before I sign off to sleep off the rest of my jet-lag. Even though I have been here for a little less than a day, I have never felt more welcome in a culture than this. The moment I stepped on the bus this morning a member of the SIT staff, Bouna, was eagerly waiting to chat with us about Senegalese culture and history. His friendly conversation continued through breakfast. He even returned to keep us company during lunch, even though he could not eat with fasting for Ramadan. Even tonight just a few steps outside the hotel, there were people sitting, enjoying each others conversation and company. I couldn't contribute much to their conversation in French; however, the unmistakable strong community feeling was unlike anything I had ever felt before.

Assalamu alekum, nanga def!

Greetings from Senegal! Just wanted to note I got in safely. More updates later on cultural and interesting experiences.

See you in Dakar

So today is finally here. The day that I have been waiting for nearly two years. In a few short hours, I will be on a plane to Dakar. It seems almost like a dream.

Boul fale. Next time you hear from me, I will be in Africa. <3

My Life, the Rally to Dakar

So in less than 24 hours I will be on a plane to Senegal. Right now I still feel as though I have so much to do and less than enough time to do everything. Ever since I have been in college, I have lead a very type-A lifestyle. Always busy; always more than enough to do. I like it that way most of the time, except when I am tired. I am tired physically and mentally, but moreso, I am tired culturally. I am ready for a different paced life; an inner sense of peace and being happy with one's self rather than the American cultural norm of being dissatisfied with oneself.

So the rally is on; like the off-road automotive race used to be from Paris to Dakar, I am rallying staright from Hanover to Washington, D.C. to Dakar, Senegal with a car and then an airplane. Flying to find a new perspective on life, culture, language, and most importantly, music.

Going to miss the bullet

Just two days left until I board the plane and it seems like I have so much to do. The last two days I have spent rewriting writing samples for graduate school. My paper is about the influence of Public Enemy on Senegalese hip hop. While I have been writing the paper, it has been so strange to think me of being in the places that I am writing about so soon. Thankfully my advisor has guided me through the writing process. It has been a little stressful at times, but I really can't be more thankful than to have such a supportive group of faculty members from Gettysburg with support for what I am doing.

Every day it gets closer, I feel like I am really just going to be on vacation for 4 months instead of studying intensely. I really cannot wait.

The Countdown: 5 days

So the countdown is on...only 5 more days until I board a plane for Senegal. The challenge is to see if I can successfuly complete 6 graduate school applications, orchestral bowings for Tchaikovsky 5, and pack in a matter of 5 days. Can it be done? I'm not sure, but I most certainly am going to try. Boul fale.

In other news, it is currently 86 degrees in Dakar compared to a chilly 63 in Hanover. I am about to go rewrite my Senegalese hip hop paper once more. The connection between Public Enemy and Positive Black Soul continues to amaze me. "Boul fale" is Public Black Soul's best known hit. It is Wolof for "No worries." Boul fale. 5 days!