Must Have all the Senegalese Clothes & Food!

I started off the morning walking with my host mom and we walked much further than we’ve walked before. I jogged part of the way back and got ready for French class. In French class we ended up doing a lot of random vocabulary – with me learning the French words and even my host mom learning some new English words (sometimes I didn’t even know the English words).

Off to the market again! 

At midday I managed to get my butt to the Marche Sandaga to buy some cloth. I have two weeks left and I am determined to make one more outfit before I leave! It was quite a hassle picking out the cloth and when I did, I was pleased with my decision. As we were leaving the market what did I see but some coconuts. I had to have one – it’s been months. I drank it right then and there (no straw) and had the vendor chop up the jelly and a little ‘spoon’ for me to eat it with. It was heavenly and the jelly was nice and thick. Note to self: Must go have fresh coconuts in Jamaica.

My eating on the roadside didn’t stop there tho. Altho Coumba had a coconut too, she counselled me against buying other things on the road. But as I always say in Jamaica, “what don’t kill, fatten” – not that I want to be fattened but I still want to try stuff altho I really wouldn’t be so carefree buying on the road in Jamaica. I ate this cookie thing – it tasted coconut-y but it was kinda hard and hurt my mouth after chewing it all. Then I had this pastry that had a little fish inside – the lady wrapped it in some paper and gave it to me after dousing it with some good old sauce (Senegalese really love their sauce, any sauce). And lastly, I munched on some little coconut balls, those are my favourite now, next to those sugary balls of goodness that I can never remember the name of – (Someone just reminded me that it’s called begne – yummy begne).

Here was some begne that my host mom bought once

At La Poupponiere, I had a pleasant surprise. I had thought that Marie-Rose had already left for France, but it turns out that she was still in Dakar, just not at the orphanage. She came back with her adoptive parents to say goodbye – quite similar to the scene yesterday when Yacine and her adoptive parents were saying goodbye. 

When I returned home, I decided to exercise my lazy butt for an hour. As I pointed out to everyone at dinner after my workout – the net effect of my exercise and eating habits is weight maintenance – because I eat 3 times everyone else, LITERALLY. It was lamb and chicken and fries and mashed potato and salad for dinner. Plus mango for dessert. 

So this is not a pic of the dinner but lunch I had one day - and this was just for me (dessert and drink not till after the meal too)

Monday at the Fish Market

So my host mom told me that we had run out of fish – now this cannot happen to a Senegalese household! My morning French class was cancelled so that she could go to the fish market. I thought that I might as well join in and see what it was like there.

I must tell you that was the grossest thing I’ve done since being here. As soon as we stepped into the fish market I managed to avoid stepping on a bloody fish head lying on the floor. I soon realised it was impossible to avoid getting my feet wet in the dirty water littered with fish scales that covered the floor.

Really gross floor

My host mom was completely unperturbed so I put on my bravest smile and followed. We went around to a couple vendors all side by side with fish so huge that they were half my height. 

Don't know why he picked up his smallest fish when I asked to take a picture - but here is a vendor at his stall

There was fish of every size, colour and shape but it was the really big fish that got to me. My host mom was bargaining with a few vendors until she got the best price from one of them for a huge white-fleshed fish.

The first fish that my host mom bought!

She also bought a few other fish (what I would call normal sized) and put them in a bucket that she had carried. Actually there was a man helping us carry the fish from the vendors and I later realised that altho he sold no fish himself, he was very much a part of the market since he cleaned the fishes that people had just bought.

Where the fish was being cleaned

So we went to this man’s stall area to get the fish scaled, gutted and sliced. All very graphic. I managed to hold onto my breakfast and even somewhat smile for some pics.

I feel that this pic is so awkward - smiling altho I was freaking out inside still

Ha this is not a graphic pic, lovely slices of fish - what was gross was gutting the fish - this aint so bad

By this time the smell had so consumed my lungs that I had forgotten what fresh air smelt like, I just took a bunch of videos of the man cleaning the fish as a result of what I can only call incomprehensible fascination.

My host mother deciding to kill two birds with one stone, stopped at a market on the opposite side of the fish market to buy some mangoes for the house.

Me and the regular market in the background where we got some mangoes

When I reached home, I felt that I could not use enough soap to get the fishy smell off of me. The very smell had permeated my already destroyed sandals which have seen its last days thanks to all the walking I do in Dakar.

After a nap, I headed off to La Poupponiere by car rapide. I was taking care of my twins as usual when Yacine and her adoptive mother came by. She was saying goodbye as it was her last day at the orphanage. I couldn’t help but be happy that Yacine had gotten lucky. But as I stared down at my twins, I wondered if they would ever be adopted – the both of them, because they couldn’t just be separated but I’m sure being twins made them less likely candidates for most adoptive parents unfortunately.

  

I returned home utterly exhausted from my day – and in part from the weekend in which I had been running on minimum sleep. But it was certainly an interesting day – I laugh when I think of how my Auntie G would react if she had gone to that fish market in my place. Ha, the things I experience here!

My Weekend in Saly

My host family and I set out early in the morning for Saly – a nearby coastal town that has tons of hotels. It was for a retreat for all the English professors at the University that my host mom teaches at and every year my host mom and sisters go. Well I joined the party and altho Zhaoyi was to come – due a little misunderstanding and miscommunication she wasn’t able to make it.

When I said we set out early – it was after 9 because you know Senegalese people are never on time – and we all waited at the Ecole Normale to drive together.

I thought maybe I’d take in the view as we drove the 1.5 hr to Saly from Dakar – but I promptly fell asleep. When I awoke, we had stopped at a Pizzeria to grab lunch altho we were near the hotel.

I was attempting to spend a quiet day in but I couldn’t figure out how to get the AC to work. When I noticed that the pool was pretty empty, I thought what’s better than exercise in a private hotel pool? I just swam and then some floating around – all the while turning different shades of brown (have yet to tan to one colour).

This here is the pelican or guardian that always stayed nearby the pool lol

When it was time for dinner, I had no time to dry and style so I went with slicked back wet hair hidden behind a scarf lol. I was expecting to enjoy a good dinner but what I was not expecting was the 

entertainment.

The Entree for Dinner

Me and Coumba at dinner

When we arrived, there was drumming and I was thinking – oh nice, how Senegalese. But this man (I consider him an obeah man, but I’m not sure what his magic is called) came and did the most unbelievable things at dinner.

I have to make a separate post, detailing the show but just to let you know – he was sandwiched between tow beds of nails while people sat on him(including me), he walked on broken glass, rubbed himself with fire and he remained unharmed through it all. Sooo creepy!

Me beside one of the bed of nails that he used - I was also the first volunteer to walk on the nails - But no worries they held me while I walked across it and I was unharmed!

But dinner was still a great social event – giving me time to meet up with more English speakers. After all, English is my fave language lol

Finding Americans in Dakar! Amira (right) and her mom (left), me (middle)

After dinner and the show you’d think everyone would call it a night – but no. The adults all went to have attaya (tea) by the beach and us young people went for a midnight swim by the pool. I was told that these events were not supposed to involve much sleeping and it was so. By the time we returned to the room and I managed to dry my thick head of hair, it was very late indeed.

The next morning, I woke up early to wake along the beach with my host mom. We simply walked onto the beaches of other hotel properties (I was concerned, but apparently that’s totally legal) up to 30 minutes away before walking back. We got lovely seashells in the process!

Me and the host mom (altho this was at dinner, not in the morning)

Made it to breakfast and thought to eat to make up for my midnight hunger that was not met. There was this pastry that I could not get enough of – sooo good, yum.

After breakfast, I went by the pool but it wasn’t as sunny as the day before. It had rained in the middle of the night and brought out a bunch of bugs. I waited while the pool was cleaned (and helped too, don’t ask) while reading a book IN English that Niassa had lent me. After that, I enjoyed a nice swim, before it was lunch time.

By the pool

For lunch I had fried fish and tons of veggies plus cous-cous (Vegetables are nt very popular in this country so I was very glad to have three different types of salad on my plate!) And dessert was mangoes, melons and watermelons J

Unfortunately lunch meant the end of my time there. I packed everything up and soon we hit the road for what seemed like a never ending journey to Dakar. When I did reach home, I was so tired from the trip but I really had a great time in Saly!

Workouts vs. Ice-cream Dates (Thursday - Friday)

Whoops! Ancient post (Weekend update coming soon)

Well I had planned to go walking with the host mom as usual Thursday morning – but she left before I was even dressed. However, I was not gonna lose my morning walk so I decided to walk the Corniche to a little spot overlooking the seaside that people work out at. I jogged and walked the way by myself and reached the designated spot utterly exhausted -  it’s just a cemented area with horizontal posts(really tree trunks) and some cardboard for each workout spot. (sorry did not carry camera this time). I kinda just followed what some of the guys around me where doing (mostly abs) if I could follow anyway.

Expecting a peaceful jog/walk back, I was gravely mistaken. For almost half of the way back, some guy on a bicycle was insisting I take his number – Even after numerous attempts on my part telling him that it would be useless cause I have no desire or time to call, he still asked me to do him the pleasure of taking his number even if I wouldn’t call. -_- Really tho?

Finally got away and was home safe and sound for French class.

For lunch I had soup! In Senegal, soup is usually reserved for the sick – but I had brought some Maggi with me and gave it to my host mom (I also brought festival and saltfish fritters which were very well made by Ami altho she couldn’t read the instructions that were in English).

Yumyum! Altho this can't touch Mama's Sabbath Lunch Soup

I went to La Poupponiere with Coumba who helped me at work. It was so hot! The babies just get even more miserable with all the heat.

When I was done with work, I went to hang out with some friends from church and we all met up at Mama Mia, an ice-cream place near my house. I swear I have had ice-cream 3 or 4 times this week already. Smart me took no pictures. Gabbie was the celebratory guest as she’s leaving to go back to France for vacation – yes, she’s French but she’s been living in Senegal now. We also had dinner together and called it a night luckily before a thunderstorm – the rain and thunder was crazy, what a strange ‘rainy season’ – not like in Jamaica.

This is Gabbie (right) and Lucas (left) - friends from church

Got ready and went to work expecting to see Zhaoyi who wasn’t there. (Found out later, she had a security breach unfortunately in her part of town) I was really tired at work almost falling asleep. However, my plan was to go to CentreVille, Dakar to buy a swimsuit. I hopped into the big white bus, but then saw some remnants of the market that Coumba had said was only open on Wednesday. I literally hopped out to look in that market. Luckily, I rummaged around (by myself) in the hot sun and found two that I got for real cheap. Feeling all accomplished, I returned home to streets full of people and cars finding difficulty driving through the crowd. Everyone was just leaving the mosque – I can’t believe I’ve never been on that road (the mosque is on a road parallel to the one I take to go home) at 2 pm on a Friday before because I was literally confused until it hit me – Friday prayers at the mosque is for everyone, men AND women and the most popular duh.

Went back to the house where I ate my weight in fruits during French class. 

Was also entertained by this beautiful, lost bird, who kept flying around during class lol

After French class, I stayed in and did this awesome Brazilian Butt Workout that I found on tumblr J and called it a day. I stayed online to talk to the moms, but couldn’t go to bed late – Saly in the morning!

Getting Lost in Dakar && Mon Stage

So I have not been keeping up very well this week at all.

What happened recently?

So on Monday, because I had not exercised I came up with the brilliant plan of walking home from work. I had never done this before, but I knew the way by car so it wouldn’t be a big deal, right? Wrong.

I decided I was following some car rapides but then some went one way and some others took another route. Well, let’s just say I took the wrong route and followed the cars going to Parcelles (a less privileged area in Dakar). I noticed that all the buildings looked strange but I kept walking hoping that somehow it would become familiar. When I saw the sign to Parcelles and no sign saying Mermoz, I knew I was lost. I asked for directions from some ladies walking for exercise – I felt good that my French is competent enough for me to ask for directions altho I had to ask for her to speak more slowly when she was responding.

I was told to take the next left turn but I only ended up in a little neighbourhood.

I took forever to find my way to a main road, asking directions all the way. It was pretty ridiculous because I felt like I was being pointed in arbitrary directions – but I had to find my way home before sunset. When I saw the name “Mermoz” I thought I was close, but Mermoz is huge. I was walking for more than an hour, when I saw a familiar sign and had a little celebration in my head. I still had a little walking to do, but I was walking in the opposite direction that I would take with the carre – so I basically had doubled my journey walking away from my house to only have to turn back by cutting through residences and dusty non-asphalted roads. I thanked God when I reached home, safe and sound – but no worries, I’ve walked home since and it’s been fine.

Tuesday and Wednesday, I went to work as usual. The workers are much more comfortable around me now, and sometimes greet me in Wolof haha.

I’ve noticed that Marie-Rose is no longer at La Poupponiere, which means she is now with her adoptive parents – so lucky. I noticed another lady always with Yacine and she is adopting her (Marie-Rose’s crib neighbour). Yacine’s new mom always sees me working with the twins – she asked me if I was adopting them. I wish! I just explained to her that I was volunteering and I can’t help but love the twins. Me – adopting? If only I could.

A Senegalese worker with my twins!

I am so used to puke and poop – I still can’t believe that it’s nothing to me now. When Cheikh literally peed on my foot when I picked him up while changing him, I was just like “really?” and then proceeded to wash his tush.

Boy, I am certainly going to miss my babies when I do leave.

Sunday was Goree Day

Me at Ile de Goree

Sunday morning. Rise and shine. Oh wait, nope, there was no shining, only rain. I was so mad, because I was supposed to go to L’ile Goree by 9 on Sunday. We decided to wait out the rain, and luckily enough it stopped by 11. Coumba and I left the house in order to go to take the Chaloupe (this boat) to Goree.

As a foreigner I had to pay more than 3 times than Coumba – and as if it wouldn’t be hard enough to fake that I’m Senegalese even Coumba got questioned if she was really Senegalese lol.

We made our way onto the boat and I felt all excited leaving Dakar behind – I really haven’t left Dakar this whole time, unfortunately.

Bye bye Dakar!

When we finally arrived (of course, the boat didn’t leave on time as expected), I was on an island – it’s been  a while since that you know, altho Jamaica is much bigger. We started to simply walk around and Coumba was pointing out places to me and we were taking in the sights but also taking pictures.

However, there was music playing that drew our attention, and we ended up following a crowd of people. There were men playing the tam-tam, men playing trumpets and young girls and children dancing at the front of the entire parade (I guess, I can call it that). We found out later it was a Fete to celebrate 140 years of La Mairie of Goree. Great timing!

Part of the parade..

It started to drizzle but we still made our way to the beach – one a little less crowded than the ones we saw at first. Still fully clothed, Coumba and I still had a great time ‘dipping our feet’.

We then went to the Maison des Esclaves when it opened. This was where many slaves were kept before they were shipped off to the New World from Senegal. When the curator came outside to talk about what happened, I was completely lost. A bit disappointed in my French, I went upstairs where I learnt much more from reading the information posts than the curator’s speech.

Being there, was all exciting for me – I used to love Caribbean History and slavery was a big chunk of the syllabus, and there I was in a piece of history. But with that fascination, came sadness as when reflecting on the horrors of the past, it seems unbelievable sometimes what seemed perfectly acceptable at that period both for white slave traders and black traitors. After the tour, I wrote in a little book that they had to thank them for the opportunity to see the Slave House and headed out to the seaside once more.

By the seaside..

Three seashells richer, we hung out by another beach waiting on one of Coumba’s friends who lives on the island (Sounds cool at first, but she waits on a boat ride to and from home every morning just to go to school –  that could be a tad stressful during school time).

You’d think that we’d just buy some fish at any of the many restaurants by the beach, but no – Me, being perfectly impolite, told Coumba’s friend (within minutes of meeting her) that I was starving and hence came my invitation for lunch lol.

They spread a cloth on the floor and brought out a big steaming platter of cheb u ginaaw – really chicken and rice. They offered me a stool and I felt left out, I insisted that I wanted to sit on the floor like everyone else, so I did.

The food and our eating area :) - plus the stool I turned down lol

I was offered a spoon and told to eat up. There were 7 of us eating from the platter. Two of the girls were eating with their hands – this was actually the first time I was eating with people while they ate with their hands so I felt all cool, altho I was still using my spoon. The food was really good too – I was starving and all, but it was yummy. And even after stuffing myself, when I stopped they all insisted that I eat up – but I could hold no more. But that is relative, because after having some bottled water I did have my mango for dessert quite easily.

AFTER all our ravenous eating

Niggeritis set in and we just chilled at the house waiting on the next scheduled Chaloupe to arrive. When we went to catch the boat, it was (1) late, (2) carrying some Senegalese singer for the day’s celebration – I had no idea who it was, but I just smiled and waved, blending right in.

You’d think that the day at Goree would be enough – but Coumba and I headed off to get icecream before we returned home.

At Nice-cream with what seems like invisible ice-cream

Then it was really time to call it a day – and a good day it was!

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