Goodbye Wolof && Hello Church Concert

So it has been a while - I didn't post on Friday because I didn't have much to say and I came in so late on Saturday night from church so let me fill you in!

On Friday, I went to La Poupponiere (which was just featured on Senegalese TV again - yay for my babies, I hope they get more sponsors). Zhaoyi texted me that she was sick, so it was just me and this Swedish lady volunteering in the morning.

In the afternoon, I went to my last Wolof class. *Tear* I do not know where 20 hours of class went - much less where 5 weeks went? I cannot believe I've been in Senegal for so long. That French lady I met in my first week was right (she had volunteered for 2 months and left in my 1st week), she warned me that the time will fly.

Me and the Wolof Prof!

I said my goodbyes to my professor Sidy, but I know I will see him again. I might just decide to go to WARC and have lunch with the staff there one of these days.

He waves goodbye!

***

I spent the entire day at church again this Saturday! I left home in a taxi not suspecting to tho. (I was very proud of myself for knowing the directions by taxi by now and I was there pretty much on time.) I am guessing I understood more of the Sabbath school and sermon this time (which was all in French) so maybe my Christian French vocabulary has increased.

The sermon in church - the actual church building this time

After church, I walked with Malcolm and Gabie to Lucas’ house nearby. Let’s just say that the rainy season in Senegal doesn’t make it very easy for pedestrians to cross litter-ridden streets (Not too different from some parts of Jamaica). Before we knew it, the house was filled with people from church.

Gabie (left), Malcolm (middle) & Me (right)

Then the food came. When I say food, I mean tons of food – and altho it was a lot of us, it was a ton of food still. What I don’t usually see at my house was that we were divided by sex and kinda by age (I was a little perturbed by this, but Malcolm assured me I could eat with the guys if I wanted to - but why not make more friends with the girls from church anyway?). The boys ate together, the children ate together and I ate with the girls. It was vermicelli and chicken with sauce.

After lunch, we rested a little before we walked back to church. What was I doing at church? Well it seemed like I was just in time for choir rehearsal. I am in the choir now? That is a good question. Lloyd thought I ought to join in and I actually did in the Alto section (Team A for all my YGB folks). Rest assured I didn’t go join the actual concert just the rehearsal lol.

I was then helping to set up for the concert at 7 – which of course, did not start at 7 – I have yet to find something that starts on time here (oh, I just lied, everything at La Poupponiere is on schedule).

Me helping out at the Ticket Counter!

Then I was helping at the Ticket Counter or whatever – to collect tickets or money when the concert did start. Look at me, getting all involved. And of course, I was an avid cheerleader for my church as well as the other performances from other churches that came. Let’s just say it was a very good concert – even despite the drizzle that persisted for what seemed to me like forever.

Church choir in their robes

And yes, I understand that we started late but let’s just say after 11 it was still kicking. But it finished up shortly after that, and I lent a helping hand again to pack up after the concert. So you know, I wasn’t home till late but I had company.

One of the last performances of the evening - I really wanted this outfit tho!

What sorcery is this? I think Senegal might just have grown on me a tad too much now and I will be leaving only too soon. 

Me sporting two different costumes of the evening borrowed from friends haha