Power outage

Break from TV

Holy shit!

I just had real conversations! I can have real conversations in French! I'm pretty sure I can do anything. Not to sound egocentric, but that's how I feel right now. I ate dinner with the guys on the roof; cous cous, the food so nice they named it twice. I love family style! We had real conversations, and I was able to respond in nearly the exact same way that I would have in English. I don't think they were very impressed, but I sure did impress myself. It's nice that when I don't know the word Papou has the English to help me figure it out. But, that goes both ways and I don't use it as a crutch. He is very helpful and makes an effort to help me with my French, rather than in most of France where they just make you feel inferior. This is definitely the better learning experience, Dad :) It's nice to have the prospect of a new friend. He seems like a pretty decent guy who speaks 6 languages, who wishes to visit the US above any other country (a common theme among many of the locals I've talked to), but moreso, who dreams of a united African nation where you can drive freely past borders throughout the entire continent. We finished our conversation as he finished his cigarette before entering his house so maman wouldn't see. I asked if she knew, and he said there are many things that people know about here that you just don't let be seen. An appropriate comment and great summation to this intense day of cultural studies.

I am already starting to feel right at home! And the fact that the first day wasn't easy makes me very proud of myself for having JOM and sticking to it. One day at a time, one moment at a time.

Post crash course on Senegalese culture and values:

I am actually much more excited to interact with my family now that I know a few more key aspects of the culture, a few more key phrases to listen to, and it helps that I know my host mom speaks French, which I was not privy to until this morning when she walked me to school. Which, by the way, I should not have freaked out about earlier, because it is literally right around the corner and takes about 2 minutes to get to :)

I just successfully set-up my first outing with my host brother, Papou (spelling?) A fly literally just landed on my eyeball. I am slightly distracted with excitement. Now some girls is doing a music video covering some US pop song in Wolof, while I'm snacking on a sweet ball of "naan" with Grandma (Maam). Today is drastically different from yesterday. It's amazing what spending one day trying to understand another's culture can do to building relationships. Although, I'm sure the time alone helped me build some confidence.
I'm almost having a difficult time journaling in English right now, simply because of my successful interaction with Papou a few minutes ago. That's kind of absurd, but it sort of catapulted me into French mode. Don't want to get over confident too early, but maybe I'll be able to work towards journaling in French :) All that happened was that I put some stuff together to go find somewhere to get on the internet, went downstairs to ask my host mom , Awa, where the closest place was, and she suggested I ask Papou to help me. I went to the roof asking for Papou, who was one of the few people who introduced himself to me yesterday (and who speaks English pretty well as I recall). No one responded, so I asked the other 2 guys for help, and they woke up Papou who was sleeping around the corner. Jealous! I want my bed to be on the roof :) Anywho, he was extremely friendly while I was very apologetic for waking him. "Ce n'est pas grave." He repeated himself with a laugh of insistance. He said he would take me to the cyber cafe after dinner. It wasn't in a way that he was putting me off, but more like he was planning on going anyways and was couretously inviting me to join him. Hopefully I'll be able to hold my own during a real conversation later. Finally, I broke the ice!
KU MUÑÑ , MUUÑ
(He who endures, smiles) :D 

An adventure a minute

Note to self: Get up right away when your alarm goes off at 7:00 and hop in the shower immediately to avoid morning bathroom traffic. Someone was knocking on the door right as I started soaping up, and then continued to do so in 30 second intervals. I was probably under the running water for 2-3 minutes max, and put my clothes on just as fast as I could. It would be nice to just run to my room in my towel since it's about 5 feet away, but I don't think that would be appropriate. Maybe if I buy a full lenth sarong that would speed up the process. Well, now I have to go figure out who to talk to about breakfast and who's going to walk me to school. What an adventure!

What a day so far!

I can officially call this my new home since I have my own phone number and an extremely more functional cellphone than my one in the states. JJ just got dropped off next to a field full of football players. I'm next to be dropped off with my new family. Here goes nothing...

Holy cow! I am hot and nervous. My hands are shaking. The roof is much cooler, but also much more awkward. I guess I expected someone to extend the Wolof greetings to me so that I could respond. I haven't had practice starting them yet. This is so strange. I find comfort even in the abstract idea of using French to communicate. It seems like that's not an option with my host mom, but maybe others in my host family? Right now I'm just sitting in my room, sweating my ass off. Maybe I'll take a shower and then have a fresh start. I'll just embrace the heat like Bikram and find strength and peace within it.

My new home is rather large. I have my own room on the 2nd floor complete with a queen size bed with floral sheets, topped with a barbie pillow. Not much in life could prepare you for this moment. I wonder if there will be any small children running around? I hope so! That would make me feel so much more at ease. How has my life led me here? I am so privileged, and ignorant, and curious. Rhianna's 'Rude Boy' is playing in the background -- a language I understand, and fortunately they don't because I have a feeling that wouldn't fly in a Mulsim household. Time to take action, but I can't seem to move. Even the effort of writing is causing slight spasms. Just take my time. Relax. Although these thoughts and feelings are slightly overwhelming, I'm not upset or even scared. Maybe a little anxious, but not necessarily to endure it. Just curious. Time is a strange thing--dinner time, 6:00, family time. How much time to start to assimilate? To learn Wolor? 'Til bedtime? So many unknowns. I really need a shower.

Short shower. Quick nap. First greeting. I can do this!

Baby steps. Introductions. Awkward misunderstandings :)

I made it through my first evening with my new family. I still have no idea who's who, but I'll get there. I wasn't sure of the customs for going to bed, and who I was supposed to tell, and who actually lives here. There are so many people. We had beans and some sort of meat for dinner with bread. It was delicious and very communal! It is very difficult to communicate so far, because I don't know any Wolof, and I don't know who speaks French, and some people will throw some English in randomy, and it catches me off guard, so I find it difficult to respond. Juggling 3 languages is hard. They are very patient with me thus far. I'm not really sure how to extend my deep gratitude and to whom. I'll figure it out eventually. My fan stopped working. Luckily I have my own room with a lock on the door so I can sleep practically naked. That reminds me of spending time at the apartment for lunch with Thiaba and Khoudia (our guides). For a culture where women have to wear full dress (at least on the bottom half) in public, they sure are comfortable and let it all hang out behind closed doors. I doubt I'll be able to experience that much more, though, since this household seems to be predominantly male, particularly those around my age. I'm not compaining, I'm just not quite ready to accept invitations to the roof. Maybe after learning a few more key phrases and cultural norms.

We literally do not know anything.

We have absolutely no clue what is expected of us in any situation, but particularly at this apartment regarding meals and meal clean up. We want to clean up after ourselves and be polite, but don't know the process or the customs. It would likely be more frustrating if we were staying here longer than a day, but mostly we just laugh hysterically at how out of place we are. I don't think we've really even talked to someone from the Baobab center except maybe the woman in the van. I don't know. I'm confused, and tired. I have had only a couple of hours of sleep over the past 2 days. I think I will pass out soon.

Mmmmm pirhanas for lunch!
I'm having a great time getting to know these girls :)

This place is like limbo -- waiting for the unknown. Many questions will be answered tomorrow, but I predict that many more will arise.

NOUS SOMMES ARRIVEES!

It is crazy how much this feels like Thailand. Well, actually it's mostly the humidity that feels the same, because I can kind of understand the language here. We had someone waiting with a van to pick us up at 4:00 in the morning, and give us some currency to get us through until we can make it to the bank tomorrow. Everything has been smooth. The sun has yet to rise, but we are still sweating from every pore. Lacey, Arielle and I are fooling around in our temporary apartment taking pictures of everything, and attempting to let the fact that we're in Africa sink in. We are going to meet for breakfast in Jenna and JJ's apartment in less than 2 hours. My eyes are telling me I'm exhausted, but I'm too excited to give into them. I haven't seen any mosquitos yet, so I'm not sure if it's just my paranoia, but I'm already starting to itch. So, I'm all greased up with some toxic Deet. I think not getting Malaria would be nice, if only to make the $200 pills worth it :) I'm kind of relieved that we have a whole day to relax; orientation doesn't start until tomorrow at 10:00, so the only things I have to do the rest of the day are eat, sleep, email, and EXPLORE!

Let the adventure begin...

Okay, so I'm new to this blogging thing, but I'm going to attempt to combine my experience with facebook and my newfound love (since Thailand) for keeping a travel journal. Run-on sentences are okay, right?

I have just boarded our final flight from JFK to Dakar, stomach full of guacamole -- the perfect last meal. I am now starting to feel the pressure and nerves about my knowledge of the French language and Sengalese culture. I don't think I can even begin to fathom the experiences that I am about to have and the impact that they will have on my life's path. This is where I'm meant to be (because I am), but it still feels surreal. I am trying to journal freely, but my thoughts are buzzing so rapidly that there's no way to even remotely accurately record them. I really like the feeling of writing in my new travel journal (thanks Lyd!). It feels more like I'm writing in the pages of a book. It has a sense of grandeur, and permanence, which I feel is appropriate for this journey. There are so many unknowns ahead of me, my insides feel like they could burst out of me in excitement! My eyes are heavy, but everything else about me is wide awake. Now I just need to learn French in the next 8 hours...yeah right! :)