~~~MERRY CHRISTMAS~~~

I hope everyone is having a great holiday season. I wish I could be there to ring in the New Year with you. More posts should be up after my parents leave town. Talk to yall soon.

Pictures

Here are some pictures from Raul's visit to the garden and then pictures from my trip to the zoo later that day. Sorry i haven't written much lately, but hope to soon. Hope all is well.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?Uc=7cwno9h.7ct0uctp&Uy=rp7k0c&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1

Raúl pitches in to help fight hunger in Africa

Apparently, after a little research, this is why I had to tiddy up the garden today. Wish I knew something about soccer.

http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000446/index.html

Pictures - Hotel Independance

Here are some pictures I took on the roof of Hotel Independence in downtown Dakar. The hotel itself is not as splendid as it once was, but the views from its roof are some of the best in Dakar. Enjoy!

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?Uc=7cwno9h.c6n1ldi5&Uy=-u5omih&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! Hope everyone had a great one. Miss you all and wish I could have been back in the States to celebrate.

RTS Video

Here is a video done of the garden back in May or June I guess. It was shown on Senegalese national tv. Most of the country only gets this one channel. Somebody sent me the link, so Ill post it. I am at the end of it I believe.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5823591961037570085&pr=goog-sl

Wrong line of work apparently

Over the past five or six months I have lived in Dakar, I have somewhat gotten used to the constant harassment and bombardment in the touristy areas. It stinks at times, but there isn't much to do about it other than live through it...it is part of the excitement and fun living in Dakar.

Even at the hospital, sometimes I feel like the garden is a zoo exhibit and I am the main attraction.. There are times when 20 people or so will be looking down from the infectious diseases wing and watch the work being down. I have started to enjoy this aspect of the job, but sometimes feel like I need to get into costume or something.

While these two situations do not bother me much, when the harassment in the touristy areas is combined with grabbing, I start to get upset. The other night, I was on the "Ponty" (major road downtown) and some guy started talking to me and wouldn't leave me alone, even after I told him to. Finally as i was turning away for the 9th time he grabbed my arm. I don' know why he did it cause he didn't grab me hard or anything, but when he did, that is when I got fired up. The finer words of the English language were now coming out of my mouth and the funny thing is, a lot of these guys know them as well as rusty English to try to get your attention. Finally, he got the point when he realized I was pissed a little. When he left, this other guy, who i presume was his buddy or partner in crime comes up to me and asks "why was that guy following you, why wasn't he leaving you alone, why was that guy following you, huh, huh". I asked him why he wasn't leaving me alone and then left. He too followed me and kept asking me questions. Unlike the other guy, this one followed me much longer even as I was weaving back and forth between cars and such. I just don't understand some people.

You know, this is why I have to respect female adult entertainment dancers, formerly known as strippers. While I only know from rumors and stories from people, they apparently have this rule where you can watch, but you can't touch...who would have known. Maybe I am in the wrong profession or something, I don't know.

I just do not get it, just keep your hands to your self.

Ile de Madeleine

Thursday, November 9, 2006

Today, I managed to do my first touristy thing in Dakar, and it proved to be well worth it. I headed to Ile de Madeleine just off the western coast of Dakar with three other PCVs. I had been meaning to go there for a long time now, but just managed to get there today.

I met the other Volunteers at the park office on the mainland after work. I walked there from the garden and managed to get my self lost in the University complex. I had never really been deep inside of it, so that in and of itself made the day worthwhile.

Once at the office, we got in a pirogue and took a 20 minute ride out to the island. We had a pick-nick lunch that we brought ate it when we arrived.

After lunch, we swam some and then explored the island. While it is not a huge island, it has a lot of character and can be tricky to navigate due to its rockiness.

We stayed at the island for about 3 hours and I realized that despite having little shade, that amount of time was not enough. It was so strange to be one of four people on this island and then look across the water at the 2 million inhabitants of Dakar. It was so quiet and peaceful there that made it difficult for me to comprehend where I was.

I highly recommend that you click on the link a few posts down and view the photos of my trip to the island. Words do not give the beauty found on the island justice.

Books Recently Read

Over the past couple of months, here are the books that I have read:
- Cradle and All - James Patterson
- Violets Are Blue - James Patterson
- Isaac's Storm - Erik Larson
- Mountains Beyond Mountains - Tracy Kidder
- Beach Music - Pat Conroy
- Diamond - A Struggle For Environmental Justice in Louisianna's Chemical Corridor - Steve Lerner
-Kiss The Girls - James Patterson

Big ass bag of rice

In the US, there really is not just one staple food. In my diet in the States, I am sure all you would find in my belly would be fried chicken and potatoes. Typically, this is not the norm for most Americans I'd suspect.

Here in Senegal, the norms are much different. There is a staple food product and it is called rice. While everyday for the past 9 months I have eatin it, it never really occurred to me how much was consumed because it just goes down so good.

Well, when I walked into the kitchen at my house the other day and saw the bag of rice, I realized the Senegal is truly a "Theb" Nation. These bags are 50 Kg or over 100 pounds and families go through them rather quickly. I doubt Sam's or BJ's carry bags of rice this big.

If I could have a 50 Kg bag of Weaver D's for Christmas, it would be amazing, but instead, I suppose I will settle for 100 pounds of gift-wrapped rice.

Where is the light?

It is kind of weird here. My mental clock tells me that it is still March and that the Final Four is a few days away. In reality, I am dumb and it is November and college bowl season is just around the corner.

I say this because I am having difficulty with the concept of time. In the States, you have something called day lights savings time, but not here in the plains of Senegal. It would be pretty cool if they did have it here, because lately it has started getting dark early and by 7:30, I am struggling to keep my eyes open. The nights when dinner doesn't start till around 10, I have to be woken up.

I guess I am starting to become an old dawg.

Pictures

I hope that everyone is having a great weekend and that the Dawgs are miraculously pulling through today. I was intending to post a few things today, but I forgot my piece of paper with my notes and topics to write. As a result, the only thing I am able to provide are pictures at the moment. They are from softball last weekend and then my trip to Ile de Madeline (one of the coolest places I've ever been to).

Softball:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?Uc=7cwno9h.8mim16m5&Uy=-gp526n&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1

Ile de Madeline:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?Uc=7cwno9h.6tfhf2yl&Uy=191ig5&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1

Flaming Aces Update

Saturday, November 4, 2006

It has been a tiring day of mixed emotions on the softball field. Many improvements were made by the Flaming Aces from two weeks ago. Despite these improvements, they just were not enough.

The first game, we had to play with a limited roster. One of our girls did not show up, so we had to “borrow one”. Throughout the game, I did not have any action out in center-right field (we play with 4 outfielders). Needless to say, it was a little boring out there, but left field did see a lot of balls come its way. My batting was stellar, going two for two...far different from my little league days. Unfortunately, the opponent was just too much and we got spanked pretty badly. I am unsure of the score and if I did, I probably would not post it. It is much different than the strength found in Team Dalton.

The second game was apparently against one of the better teams in the social league...we changed that though...kinda. I was moved to third base for it. The game, being our second of the day, was a bit tiring, but the Flaming Aces had the rally caps on. We managed to tie the game and it ended that way. No extra innings until the playoffs. I am sure I will reminisce the movie Hardball before we reach the championship.

I was hoping to upload some pictures from the day, but I am having difficulty doing that right now, so sorry.

Leave Changes in Dakar

Wednesday, November 1, 2006

As I have mentioned before, Fall/Winter is slowly arriving here in Dakar. It has been weird. While the changes are far different than those in the States, they are quite noticeable. The onslaught of the season change really just means the rainy season is over and the weather is supposedly to cool down. I say supposedly only because I have yet to take out my sweaters and mittens from under my bed or seen any snow bunnies hitting the slopes of Dakar.

The change has been fascinating though. The grass that was once green is now dead. The streets that were once flooded with water are now covered with sand. Pretty enthralling stuff I must say.

In the developing world, some may think that these changes might end at that, but no, not here in the mighty Dakar. For the past few weeks, workers have been removing all the dead brush that has littered much of the city. It was very nice when it was green, but not yellow and brown. It is grueling work, especially in the heat of the day, which is definitely nothing I aspire to do in my life. This work has ranged from the major streets to even at Hopital Fann. Also, not only has the dead brush been removed, but crews have also been brushing all the streets to remove all the sand. Nobody likes to be sandy.

As a result of this Fall cleanup, my rides home from work have been interesting. To see this beautification endeavor in progress has only put a smile on my face. As a result, I intend to do my own Fall cleanup. In doing so, I hope to shave more often, brush my teeth three times a day, drink lots of water, and always have a fresh haircut.

Hopefully, by the start of Spring, not only will the good looks of Dakar continue to shine, but mine prevail as well.

The Bird

I have been meaning to write about this incident that happened a few weeks ago, but have never gotten around to it. For some reason, a lot of my excitement here in the city happens when I’m on some form of public transportation. This day was no different.

I do not remember the details, but obviously something happened to upset someone. All of a sudden, I saw the moneyman on the Allhum give the guy in the car behind us the middle finger. It was one of the funniest things I have seen in-country.

In the States, you see the middle finger every once in awhile. Also, it is typically no shock to see it. Even with all of the commotion and confrontations that I have seen here, I had never seen it.

So, when I did see it, it was a funny moment. Even with whatever so-called upheaval going on, I was laughing.

I guess when you go so long with out seeing or thinking about certain things, you find it funny when you do...even if it is the bird.

Have more posts on way

Still have two upcoming posts that need to be written, but here are the topics....Korite......Middle Finger Sighting

Softball

October 21, 2006

Today was the start of the Flaming Aces softball season. Don't ask about the name, because I have no idea where it came from. Yes, I said softball season. It is kinda funny because the majority, if not all Senegalese have no clue what softball, or really baseball is.

The Flaming Aces is comprised of volunteers in the Dakar Region. The league is one that is put on by the embassy. There is a social and a competitive league. While the skills and talent of the team speaks for itself, we decided to just play for fun in the social league.

Pretty much for the next 3 months, the Flaming Aces are playing double headers, two Saturdays each month. Organizers of the league fit in our busy schedules and difficulties of some to make it to Dakar every weekend and allowed us to play every two weeks instead of every week. Because of that...we are greatful.

So, today was a great day. We had t-shirts made and were forced to borrow equipment from all the expats, but in the end, all of us realized that signing up for this league was a good idea.

To sum up the days games, we lost the first one to a bunch of american 12 year olds. They may not have been 12, but they were definetly no older than 13. While we lost, we had a good time.

The second game, we did much better. We got the W. We didn't play perfectly, but some of the kinks from the first game were worked out. I suppose this is what happens when no one has practiced in a year or so.

Next two games...November 4

Special Delivery - Happy Birthday

October 17, 2006

So today, I was able to celebrate my July 14th birthday again. After much concern, I finally received a birthday package sent towards the end of June. Thanks yall. Sorry it took so long.

Fall Weather

The weather here is starting to become somewhat nice. It is so nice that I think I may have written about this before. While it is typically still hot during the day, the breeze has been amazing and taken the edge off at times. I get out of the shower in the mornings and when the cool breeze hits, you question whether or not you need to put on a sweater. Unfortunatly, the leaves do not turn here.

Since I have been here, the weather has only been hot. I can't say that I have been cold here. When that cool breeze hits though, it really does remind me of home. It is moments like this, when memories of home come at weird times, that are the toughest.

Escapades with my friends...the pickpockets

October 21, 2006

I have been fairly fortunate during my 7 and a half months here in Senegal. I still have my health, which is all I guess you can ask for these days. The potentially negative experiences such as breaking my hand and having my bike stolen have all made this journey interesting, which I really can't complain about.

Last night and again today, I had new set of occurences that some may consider negative. At the time, I did too, but now, it is just another story to tell. So, here I go....

It was around 10 pm on Friday night, and I had just spent a couple hours with some PCVs at the regional house in Libertie Six, about 2 miles from my house. I took a Car Rapide, as I always do, for 75 CFA (15 cents) to Patte D'Oie (my neighborhood). I got out where I typically do to make the 200 to 300 yard walk to my house...not a big deal. As I got out and started walking, something did not seem right. I really had no clue what it was, but I had that feeling.

As I continued to walk, I started to feel as if someone was following me. Thats cool, I am a pretty boring person to watch and follow, but if that wants to be someones Friday night entertainment, than go for it.

With my follower starting to follow to close and me starting to walk faster than normal, I decided to do a few zig zags. I covered up my pockets with my hands. Also, I turned my head back both ways to try and tell the guy I knew he was there. Unfortunatly, he was stupid.

Finally, I had had enough. I turned around, found my messenger bag had one strap undone and pushed the guy away. He looked at me like I was an idiot, but, unfortunatly, he was the idiot. A lady seeing the events unforld told me that I should weave back and fourth. I just noded my head.

The moment I confronted the guy, I was literally fired out. I really wanted to beat the crap out of the guy....so I did. Only kidding, my anger was controlled. Needless to say, it really made me upset. I can't say that has ever happened to me before, and I guess with the first time, you will always remember it...unfortunatly the memory is that of a pickpocket.

The fun does not stop there gang. The next afternoon in the same spot, the same thing happened almost but with another friendly pickpocket...fortunatly this one had a sense of humor. I had just gotten out of the car rapide and was walking towards the Rout de Aeroport and I see the hand of a guy who I am passing pull at one of the loops on my bag. Once again...stupidity here. I guess the senses get strong when you rarely let your guard down.

The moment he went for my bag, i brought it in close to my body as if I were protecting a football going through a gauntlet. I turn back and the guy looks back and smiles and gives me a thumbs up. Needless to say, I did laugh. It is a shame that this is where my humor came from.

As for the reason to the pickpocketing, it is the end of Ramadan and people need money for the festivities of Korite. It is a shame that this sort of thing has to happen, unfortunatly, it is the reality.

Sunday, October 22, 2006

I promise, or atleast hope to update things this week. I have a number of topics to talk about. The whole broken computer thing has thrown off my ease and ability to write...as a result, emails and posts have suffered. I appologize.

Pictures from past few weeks

Here are some pictures from the flooding in my neighborhood, Tour de Senegal, Garden and its pests, and car ride to Ndiom. Some of the pictures didn't get uploaded for some reason, so I appologize.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?Uc=7cwno9h.28muypwl&Uy=lq44z7&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1

Trip to Ndiom

The girl to guy ratio in Peace Corps Senegal, as well as from what I've heard throughout Peace Corps, is quite high. There are a lot of girls here. In most PC regions in Senegal, there are atleast a few guys. Dakar region actually seems close to a 50 - 50 ratio. In the Matam region, things are far different. From my stage, one guy was sent there to watch after about 8 or 9 girls. I don't know if I could do it.



As a result, the girls of the Matam region through Kris a suprise birthday party, inviting some of the guys from my stage up. So, this past Friday, myself and 4 others met in Thies, rented a sept-place (7 seat car), and began the long trip to Ndiom. It was an awesome trip up there. We drove from Thies to St. Louis, which I've been to before, then went from St. Louis to Ndiom, where I have never been before. It was really cool to see the vast change in landscape and temperature. When I left the Dakar region, it was very green, hot and humid, and people around. On the way to the north, it quickly grew less green, a lot hotter and drier, and few signs of life. About 7 hours after leaving Thies, we arrived at the small garage in Ndiom; a town no bigger than the size of my pinky.

The partying began the minute we arrived. Kris was pretty suprised. It isn't easy to get everybody together like that, but somehow it was pulled off flawlessly. The girls did a great job. They took care of all the food and drinks. While there, we had chilli, spaghetti, french toast, chips and bean dip, and a good time. For some reason, my stomach started bothering me late in the day Saturday, so my eating and drinking were curtailed to starvation, thirst, and running to the bathroom. The only thing they couldn't really figure out where the power outages and heat, both things that are difficult to solve.

Saturday night, we ended up having a pretty impressive game of kickball. Apparently kickball is coming back in the States right now (that is what rumor is), so logically, Senegal is the next place on the map for these trends to hit.

Sunday morning rolled around, and it was time for some of us to head back to our sites. Five of us went to the garage and got into an allhum supposedly headed to Dakar (but we were just taking it to Thies). The minute we got onto the road, we knew we had made a mistake. This was not going to be a quick trip. While it was only 10 am, I was hoping to be in Dakar at a house that I am currently housesitting at 8pm, including a quick stop at my house.

Six hours into the trip, we finally reached the garage in St. Louis. The five of us dove off the Allhum realizing there was no reason to take it to Thies, because it would be another 5 hours or so. The other guys rented a sept place and headed to Thies and I jumped into a sept-place headed to Dakar. Around 9 pm, I managed to reach Patte D'Oie. Because I had no time, I avoided stopping by my house, jumped into a cab, and headed for the middle part of town to house, dog, and cat sit. I was pooped.

What a good weekend, minus having an upset stomach for part of it. The coolest part of the trip was to see another part of the country and see how the volunteers interact there. You might think that all volunteers and regions are the same, but the Dakar region is far different...it was neat to see another side to things.

Royal Ramadan Rumble

We are currently around the halfway mark of Ramadan. I believe that it comes to a conclusion on Korite, which is supposedly on the 25th of October. Unfortunatly, my Ramadan knowledge is not up to par.

I give those Muslims who follow the monthlong fast much respect. Going from sun up to sun down with nothing to eat or drink is far from easy and then devoting yourself to prayer and the breaking of the fast at sun down is quite a fascinating site.

With the fasting though, people typically get more hostile towards each other. It is hot outside, people haven't eatin or quinched their thirst, they get a little cranky. For the white peace corps volunteer non-muslim-faster, you can find yourself in some pretty interesting situations as a result of this crankiness.

Up until Ramadan, I do not believe I had seen a fight in Senegal (other than Senegalese wrestling on TV). With the onslot of Ramadan, I have seen 3 or 4 fights...pretty interesting stuff. Here are the highlights of two of them, both occuring on different forms of public transporation...I can't alway jump into my BMW and drive to the garden.

FIGHT 1: I was coming home from downtown Dakar after a morning of working and then running errands much of the afternoon. I was pondering taking a taxi only because the bus from downtown takes forever due to traffic and usally you have to stand, but, I used my better judgement and took the bus. Once inside the bus, I found it not too crowded yet, but there were enough people where I had to stand (eventually the bus fills to about 75 or 100 tightly packed individuals). I went to the cashiers both inside the bus and paid my 175 CFA (25 cents). The cashiers sit in a caged stall by the rear bus door.

Three stops into my journey and now far past American fire marshall standards, a gentleman got mad at the cashier for telling people to pack it in. The continued to bicker for a stop or two, until the cashier had enough and leaped out of his cage and grabbed this gentleman's neck. Pushes and shoves were exchanged for a minute or two as the passengers really had no place to move.

Honestly, I didn't know what to think on this one as it was happening literally a foot away. It was a little intense for a minute, especially on a hot and packed bus towards the end of a day.

FIGHT 2: I was heading downtown after work one day last week on an Allhum (big, rusty, white bus) and alittle commotion occured. Commotion occurs fairly frequently on this form of transportation, but it is usually just verbal. It is alway over the same thing...25 CFA (5 cents I think). The cost of the fare on the Allhum and Car Rapide is based on how far you travel, so it could be as little as 50 CFA but no more than 125 CFA when traveling throughout Dakar. Sometimes, there is a dispute as to whether the fare should be one price or another....when this happens, usually somebody is trying to screw somebody (whether it be the cashier on the Allhum or the passenger)...its just how it is. I have gotten ripped off a few times and I've also argued a few times too.

So, on this trip, the passenger apparently thought he got ripped off. The cashier would not budge, which makes me feel as if the passenger were to blame. The commotion went from the back of the Allhum into the road. The passenger eventually started pushing and may have thrown some punches too, im not quite sure. He had a little posse too, but they didn't seem to help him out. Eventually the driver got out and cooled things down a little. We started moving again and the passenger started chasing the Allhum down, but soon we were out of sight...crazy people.

---------------------------------------------

I was having a conversation with someone in the States about this the other night and they couldn't really comprehend the reasoning for fighting as a result of fasting for Ramadan. It sounds kinda hypocritical. Unfortunatly, I couldn't fully agree with them. The same thing can be said about Christmas in the States. It is supposed to be a happy and festive time of the year, yet people can get a little cranky when they are doing all of that shopping. Same concept but different place and religion. In both cases, neither religion is at fault, just the weakness of society. Basically, what it comes down to is that we are all human.

If you want to call this an update....

I am sorry to announce that I have nothing new to put up here...I am still alive though, smell really bad because Ive been working outside all morning, and need a haircut. Hope all is well.

So I Iied

Monday, September 25, 2006

The other day, I apparently wrote that I was not going to fast for Ramadan. After thinking about it and being talked out of it, tomorrow has been decided that I will fast. I can be easily convinced to do things, fasting being at the top of the list. As a result of my fasting, my brother said that we would have chicken in our maffe (maffe mardi, maffe Tuesday for the French illiterate including myself) instead of beef. I have never had chicken maffe, so I was willing to make a sacrifice and go from sun up to sun down without eating or drinking water. I am a little nervous but think I can manage.

With that being said, I had to fend for lunch myself yesterday, so to make it easy, I went and bought a can of pringles, some cookies, an oringina, and a coke. It was a pretty good lunch.

Regarding meals during Ramadan, it is weird. While they do not eat during the day, a meal is not skipped. The three meals are packed in from sun down to around 11 or so. I ate breakfast for the first time at my house as a result yesterday, but skipped dinner because I was stuffed and tired.

Happy Ramadan

Foreshadowing...

Sunday, September 24, 2006

So I decided to clean up my room after waking up from a four hour nap today, and in the process I decided to look at some pictures that had been sent over. They were my first several sets that I had taken here in Senegal.

It did not occur to me that on the bus trip from the airport to the Thies training Ceter, within an hour after arriving in Senegal, I took about 10 pictures. The funny thing is, is that out of those 10 pictures, on of them was of the basketball court I broke my hand in. If only I had known then.

I am almost afraid to go to the beaches in Senegal now.

Ramadan

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Well, tonight or tomorrow is the start of the Muslim Holiday of Ramadan. I don't know the details about it other than they fast from sun rise to sun down. I have been asked countless times if I am going to fast for it, but I don't think I will. I have never really gotten into the whole fasting thing. Also, with the amount I work outside in the sun and am running around Dakar, I just don't think it is healthy for me. With that being said, the hardest part is finding ways to eat, drink, and be respectful. I think the only way to do it is go in my roomhouse, clothes the windows and lock the door. To me, whether or not you believe or participate in practices done by those in Senegal, respect and potentially understanding are crucial. I'll let yall know how it goes.

Have a great weekend

Pictures

I have pictures that I was hoping to post from the past week (floods, Tour de Senegal, garden), but I am having difficulty with the computer reading my camera as an external drive. As a result, you are going to have to wait to view pictures.

Hope you are all doing well. Miss you all.

Tour De Senegal

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Today, I went to Stade L.S.S. right beside my house with two other Peace Corps Volunteers for the conclusion of the Tour de Senegal. The Tour de Senegal is a 9 stage bike race starting on Friday, September 8, with stops in Koalack, Dialakoto (couldn't tell you where this is), Kedegou, Tamba, Mbour, Somone, Thies, St. Louis, Louga, and Dakar. From what I heard, it is the largest bike race in West Africa, but from the looks of it, it did not carry the international prestige.

Despite that, the event was something to do on a Sunday afternoon. In the end, we got free t-shirts, got a free beer, free water, and saw a few cyclists wreck. We tried to get as much free stuff as we could, but pretty much failed. Everything was gobbled up by the Senegalese kids that were in the grandstand. Also, we managed to get access to the field after the race. While we did not have credentials, I will not go into our reasoning for being allowed this unprecedented access.

The event also had a few musical acts. Internationally acclaimed music act and Senegal's own, Da Brains performed on top of a few others. Needless to say, I was jumping out of my socks.

By the end of the awards ceremony, we realized that we had had all the fun we were going to have. The hip hop break dancing act just didn't intrigue us. Scared by them , we skipped out on the free mosquito nets and went home.

Garden IPM Changes

Friday, September 15, 2006

With IST over and now having a great understanding of the garden, it is now time to experiment, make changes, and have fun with it. This week, I have done that. While the Hopital Fann Garden De-weedification project has been under way for about the past week and a half, other projects (more research based) are somewhat underway now as well.

The project I want to discuss is that on pest control. With the rainy season going on, there has been an increase in pests, from white flies, aphids, spide mites, escargot, to everything else. As a result, this is the perfect time to test some non-traditional methods to combat pests.

The first experiment was the utilization of beer to combat escargot. In the English vernacular, we often say "snail". The brand of Royal Dutch was used primarily due to its low cost and placed in a makeshift sauce pan. Because my only concern was a quick and painless death for the escargot, I feel like this experiment was a failure, but also because of the expenditure of $2 on 2 high quality beers could have gone to other and better purposes.

So, do I recommend beer as a pest control measure for escargot? NO...While it may be an effective solution, I don't think it is cost effective or necessarily efficient. While this may offend some of the more eco-friendly people who I am sure read this stuff, I typically prefer the use of non-organic pesticides do to the size of the garden, their effectiveness and efficiency, and you get a better bang for the buck typically.

The next day, I ended up getting a pale, filling it up with water and decis, then just placing about 75 snails in it. They stopped crawling around fairly quickly. I did learn that there are some people in neighboring countries and potentially Senegal that eat these snails. I am pondering the exportation of snails and the establishment of the Hopital Fann Snail Shack Restaurant to of raise money for the garden.

The second experiment is something I have been doing some research on for a few months and have been quite excited about. It was the making is spraying of a "organic" pesticide concotion. Inside a large 2.5 gallon zip lock bag, I placed 3 small packs of dried hot pepper, 6 small diced onions, 2 small packs of ground tobacco, 1 bunch of basil, 1 bunch of mint, and 3 diced garlic. From what I have gathered through research is that tobacco is the only thing you have to be concerned about due to its strength. After placing it all in the bag, I added water and let it sit for 2 days.

Two days later, using a hand-held sprayer, I added 3 parts of the strained organic solution to about 5 parts of water and a little bit of powdered soap. I probably went a little weak on this, but my major concern was with the tobacco's ability to burn the plants, especially after it burned my hands. Also, I would rather go weak, then too strong. You can always spray again.

Did it work? With the use of organic, homeade pesticides, results often take time and repetition. They are also better as a preventive measure. Because of this, it is important to continue trials, but in a more integrated and rotational method, using potentially dimathoate, decis, as well as the use of fungicides. As the fungicide, I plan to try and integrate baking soda into the mix. Another potential is hydrogen peroxide, but feel baking soda will be more cost effective.

The two things I didn't like about this hillbilly tea was its smell. It kinda smelled like the bathroom of a bar after a long night of taking shots. I got sick in my stomach most of the morning as I sprayed. The second qualm I had with this solution, is that it clogged the sprayer everytime. When it takes about 10 to 15 refills to cover the entire garden, it can be frustrating. Fortunately, the major reason for this was that I did a poor job filtering it and should have bought a strainer.

So, a lot of positive things are happening around the garden with this sort of research development. In the coming weeks, other solutions will be added into the rotation so hopefully pest control can eventually be done in a preventively way instead of the current combative way. Also, a few upcoming meetings are scheduled to refine the goals of the garden and start determining how to accomplish them. I'm fairly excited about the direction that things are going in making this garden last far longer than my time in Senegal as well as creating the understanding that the purpose of the garden not only involves the garden, but the culinary aspects of utilizing the vegetables, the well-being and quality of life of the maladies infectious patients, and more.

It is going to be an exciting 1.5+ years left here in Senegal.

One of the most beautiful days....

Saturday, September9, 2006

With the current state of the garden after my return to Dakar from IST, it has been my goal to get it back into shape as soon as possible. As a result, I've been working longer hours and workin part of the weekend too. While I can't say that is a problem, because it isn't, I am especially glad I went to the garden today. It was one of the most gorgeous days Ive experienced here in Senegal. It brought back a lot of memories from the States.

Today, there was barely a cloud in the sky, a slight breeze, and suprisingly not too hot. I say suprisingly, but I really have no clue what month it is or how hot it should be....honestly, I think it is still March. It reminded me of a fall day between the hedges in Athens or the start of little leauge in early spring as a kid.

While thinking about the Dawgs game at South Carolina, I ended up hanging out at my buddies boutique stand for about 3 hours having tea and shooting the shit. Afterward, I decided to forgo one of the cars I have to take to reach my house, and decided to just walk that leg of the journey.

Writing this, I realize that the natural beauty and enjoyment of the day was very surreal. For some reason, it made realize that strange, untimed moments like this, are what this whole experience is about.

Its Like Living in the States

Thursday, September 7, 2006

I got a phone call today from my buddy Roger and he made the observation from conversations we have had, pictures, and my writings, that despite being in Senegal, I can do many of the things I did in the States, and somewhat live an American life. It was a very true observation, but I told him to take it lightly. Doing things that I would similarily do in the States is very important to the mental health of any volunteer. But, it is important to understand that there is a balance between living a Senegalese life and that of an American in Senegal that I feel Peace Corps Volunteers here have to make. It is not a 50 - 50 thing, but something determined by each individual. Everyone knows when they need to find a snickers bar and have a mental health break.

Living in Dakar, as metropolitan as you can get in Senegal, living a somewhat western life is somewhat easy while still being enriched by the culture. Dakar is far from all that Senegal represents though. Living a somewhat western lifestyle can be done not only in Dakar, but possibly St Louis, Thies, and a few other locations, but very difficult in the villages, which is one of the challenges that village based volunteers face.

In Dakar, I am able to go to restaurants, eat fast-food, take public transportation, go to the pool, go go-carting, go to the beach, go to the grocery store, dress in western styled clothes, speak english, and etc. This is a very unique situation to a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal I would say...I feel very spoiled to live in Dakar honestly.

So, to better respond to Roger's observation, it is possible to live or do typically western things here.

New Posts....

I am hoping to have a few posts put up before most of you get to work on Monday Morning. The laptop ordeal has hindered the process. Goo Dawgs, miss you all, and have a great weekend...JLand

Flooding

Friday, September 8, 2006

Since I have been out of town for much of the rainy season, I have yet to experience a try down pour. Today, that changed. I got to the hospital around 6:30 so I could try and beat the heat. It looked pretty overcast much of the morning and even springled some.

Around 10:45, the rain came. there was no means of escape. I went and hid in the kitchen, where my lady friends gave me a bowl of rice,beans, peanut sauce, fish, and beef. It wasnt bad, but did the trick since I was hungry. The rain let up around 12:15 or so.

Soon did I realize that much of the runoff from the hospital grounds flowed to the back of the hospital where the infectious maladies kitchen is located, as where I was at the time. It became apparent when I was wading through knee high water for about 100 yards that I truly am thankful for all the vaccinations Peace Corps pumped into me.

As I left the Hospital grounds and reached the main road, I found even more flooding. I felt that it wasnt worth getting in a bus to head home at the time, only because traffic was at a stand still due to all the water. As a result, i came to the cyber to type this up and determine that I now smell.

It is now sunny, so I think Im going to head to the pool for the afternoon.

Have a great weekend and Go Dawgs.

Pictures

ACCESS Summer Camp (Aug 7 - Aug 12)
http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?Uc=7cwno9h.3yz7hgst&Uy=xi1l86&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1

Weekend in Popenguine (Aug 19 - Aug 20)
http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?Uc=7cwno9h.4d8zbinh&Uy=6g46b2&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1

Weekend in Dakar (Aug 26 - Aug 27)
http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?Uc=7cwno9h.5zn1thvx&Uy=lhkmga&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1

Random IST Pictures
http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?Uc=7cwno9h.4yzy6gel&Uy=4uq1cr&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1

At The Hamptons (Sept 2 - Sept 3)
http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?Uc=7cwno9h.ap5r006l&Uy=b0tj2d&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1

A Few Loose Ends

Thursday, September 7, 2006

Broken Things...Senegal has not been kind to my posessions for some reason. I finally got a new phone on tuesday, and fortunatly have the same number. Unfortunatly, my laptop I think has reached its end on Wednesday evening. For awhile, the screen has been distorted and often times flickered, now, I cant seem to get it to charge. I dont know what its deal is, but it probably will take me longer to update this site and respond in detail to emails, until I can figure something out. Unfortunately they dont have Best Buys here. Also, the soles on my chacos are coming apart, but fortunatly my remedy for that are the Gellies. Also, I know I can have them repaired. Just another bump in the road...not much you can do about it.

6 Month Review....Now that i have been in senegal for 6 months, i plan to sit down when I have time and write a review of the time I have spent here. It is strange because I am about .25 done with my service and it has flown by so far. Hopefully I can get it written and typed sometime in the next week or so.

Sorry I have been out of contact with most of you lately. My time in Thies was very limited. I had a list of about 15 detailed emails I planned to write when I got back into Dakar, but now with the laptop messed up, I dont know when or if ill get the emails out. Hopefully I can because I feel bad not being more in contact.

Homesickness...this is by fqr the longest I have gone without being at home, seeing family and friends. I think the three or four weeks I went not talking to my parents due to my broken phone, was also the longest ive gone without talking to them or any close friend for that matter. I guess what Im trying to say is that the inability to communicate freely has made me alittle homesick. It isnt at a point that I want to go home, but it isnt easy. I really couldnt be more excited right now knowing my parents are coming to visit in December. It is something I look forward to everyday. It helps me get through the emotional challenge that volunteers , including myself, face. Miss all of yall tremendously and cant wait to talk to yall and hopefully see you next year.

First Day Back At Garden

Wednesday, September 6, 2006

For the past several weeks, I have been looking forward to getting back to the garden. It is an important project to me, and honestly, I missed the atmosphere or the garden and Dakar. Also, I missed working.

After getting to the garden and seeing it for the first time in about 3 and a half weeks, I realized that I had better hope that I enjoy working, because it needed a lot of work. There were weeds and pests everywhere, along with a lot of empty plots. While the gardeners watered, it doesnt appear that they weeded. This is crucial during the rainy season. I am hoping that by early next week, the garden will be back into beauty pageant shape. Following this beautification process, I hope to get some more stuff planted and start the organic pesticide regimn.

After coming back from IST, i realized that leaving Dakar for extended amounts of time probably wont be likely. As of right now, the only extended vacation I have tentatively planned is a trip back to the states in mid 2007. Other than that, I guess Ill just work...fortunatly, I enjoy what Im doing and there is a lot of potential.

Gellies

Tuesday, September 5, 2006

I made a big purchase the other day in Thies. Gellies as they were called in the States several years ago, are a common piece of footwear here. Kids play soccer in them, adults run in them, some work in them, toubabs think they are a hot commodity. I mean, you cant buy much for 2 dollars. While I had been wanting them for awhile, I purchased them from a guy on the side of the road, so I could have them for the Hamptons party. The reponse was good. Now, while they arent entirely comfortable, I plan to start utilizing them more in Dakar.

Getting In and Out of Dakar

Monday, September 4, 2006

With the rainy season underway in much of Senegal, things are sometimes made a little tricky and difficult. Dakar is no exception. I had heard from a few fellow volunteers that it took them 7 hours to get to Mbour from Dakar. The distance between the two is about 70 km. Part of the problem is that there is one road in and out of Dakar and the second is that this road floods and holds water. I didnt realize how bad it was until i traveled home from Mbour and IST. While it hadnt rained in a few days, it still took about 3 hours or so. Part of the road was covered with muck, making only one lane passable. Also, the smell was terrible, most likely because of the horses that travel the road or potentially raw sewage. What an adventure!!!!!!!

At The Hamptons...

Sunday, September 3, 2006

The Dakar Region of Peace Corps Senegal has typically been viewed as a region that has little harmony. The major reason supporting this argument is that most of us are in sites that dont require us to get together too often. Also, we have no true regional house to call our own. Well, with the swearing in of my stage, brought in motivation to create harmony and unity that can be seen throughout the rest of the country. As a result, we decided to throw a party in Mbour just after IST when 3 out of 4 stages would be in the area. We decided to make it classy so to speak, and came up with the theme: At The Hamptons.

Saturday turned out to be a hectic day for a few of us. Immediatly after IST ended, a few of us headed to Mbour to get everything finalized. It turned out to be a nightmare the minute we got there. The power was out in most of Mbour. The weather looked bleak. Also, we still had to pick up the drinks from the distributor, pick up the food, double check on the speakers, and potentially find a generator, just in case the power didnt come home. Around 5 pm, we were getting alittle worried. Also, the gaurd/caretaker of the house dropped the tv as he was moving it. It was one of the nicer tvs Ive seen here, so there were several hostile moments. fortunatly, he didnt blame us and took responsibility, but hearing somebody screaming and yelling in a foreign language always creates a shaky situation.

At the house, it was discovered that some of the neighboring houses had electricity, but ours didnt. I checked the electrical box, and while the power had been out earlier in Mbour, the power hswitch had be turned off at the house. The minute that happened, things got moving.

As for everything else, Ill let the pictures tell the story. it turned out to be one for the ages

Weekend Back Home

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Well, it is the end of another short weekend during IST, but what a good one it was. The original plan was to head to Mbour for the weekend with a few folks to try and finalize a few things for the At The Hamptons party, hosted by the Dakar Region, next weekend. It was decided that the trip was unnessecary, so a few of us headed to Dakar. Actually, it turned out a lot of people headed to Dakar, but everyone had different agendas for the most part.

The trip started off a little bumpy. I got in a cab in Thies from my house with a buddy. Half way to the garage, I realized that I had forgotten my key to my houyse in Dakar, so we had to turn around. Not a big deal, just a little stupidity on my part.

On the way to Dakar, a few of our instructors passed us in the sept-place. It was kinda cool, but only reaffirming that it is a small world.

once in dakar, my buddy Russ and I stopped by my house so I could drop some stuff off, then headed to the transient house in Liberte VI. Here, we got to work. We decided to have a good, old fashioned American Cook-Out...Burgers, Fries, and Beer. It turned out to be awesome.

With evening casting down on us, we decided to hail a cab and head to a party at the American Club. It turned out to be a guys night out, so 5 of us got in a cab, only to realize half - way to our destination, that the cab had no brakes. We realized this when we were forced to to a doughnut in the median of an intersection. Also, our lives flashed before us later in the ride when an ambulance was utilizing our lane in the road, but was coming in our direction. Always excitement here in the big city.

At the party, it turned out that we were pretty much the only ones there. Actually, we were mostly the only ones there the whole night. Fortunatly, it wasnt such a big deal. We had a good time anyways and a few other Volunteers met up.

One of the reasons I wanted to head to Dakar for the weekend was because I wanted to sleep in my own bed and utilize my fan. So, that is what I did. I jumped into a cab, with two others, so they could be dropped off at VI, and then I could continue home. Our cab driver turned out to be a riot. He ended up knowing pretty good english, but suprisingly, the words he knew best were explicatives. It turned out to be pretty funny and one of the more memorable cab rides in my life...actually two in one night.

When I got to my house, my key to the coumpound door for some reason would not work. After trying for about 10 minutes, I utilized my MacGyver skills and broke into the compound in stealth mode, because I wasnt gonna ring the doorbell at 3am. As a result, I carefully and quielty lifted the rickety garage door and slid under. I made it undetected.

Today, I headed to VI and relaxed a bit with everyone else...nothing too exciting...and then headed back to Thies.

IST Difficulties

Monday, August 21, 2006

Well, we are about a week into IST, and there are a few things that are difficult about it. First, while I love my Thies family to death, after being fairly independent in Dakar for the past three months, moving back in with the family is challenging. It is difficult to balance time between other volunteers and my family equally. I am a big fan of equal distribution, but I have found that it doesnt always please everyone. Peer pressure can be difficult, as can a padlocked chain around the front door at 11pm. Cant say I like waking the family up to be let in. Another challenge is that the garden at the hospital has been an amazing classroom, and it is difficult to gain that kind of knowledge at IST. There is alot of stuff being taught that affect other volunteers, but dont face me, such as village issues or urban ag practices not needed in Dakar. With that being said, my project and site are very unique to the Peace Corps Program in Senegal, which I am very fortunate to have.

Other than that, I have been trying to relax a bit during IST, but it is very structured, making it difficult at times. My room has a severe mildew problem, so I have had a pretty bad cough and a lot of congestion as well.

Popenguine

Sunday, August 20, 2006

Well, it is the end of the first weekend of IST. Most of us went bacdk to Popenguine, but fortunatly, this time we took an Allhum. A few people biked and ran into a bad thunderstorm on the way...not much you can do when your out in the bush.

The trip to the beach was a good time to catch up with folks and just relax. As always, we managed to have a pretty good time.

Because I am writing this 3 weeks after the fact, I dont remember the details. There are some pictures of the trip that I will post. Also, this is where my phone met its death in the Atlantic.

No Phone

After a great weekend at the beach, I am now phoneless. Early this morning, I tripped over a rock on the beach and fell into the ocean. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, but this time it was, since my phone got wet. Currently, the SIM card and battery work, but not the phone. Hopefully tomorrow will be a new day. If not, I'll try and have a new phone (will have same number) in the beginning of September.

Hope everyone is doing well. Miss all of yall a lot.

Heading to Thies

Saturday, August 12, 2006

I just wanted to let everyone know that I will be heading to Thies tomorrow morning for three weeks of In-Service Training (IST). I should be returning to Dakar in early September. My internet time will be limited and the likelihood that I update this site during this time is slim. I even plan to leave my laptop in Dakar. Hopefully, I will have some pictures for you by the end of IST.

Also, while I picked up five birthday packages of mine from the Peace Corps office this week (some were mailed in mid-June), there are a few that are still MIA that I know of. I do not know why it is taking my packages so long to get here (letters still taking about 2 weeks or so). Hopefully, by the time I return from IST, they will all be waiting at the PC office. Thank you to everyone who sent a letter or package, it has been nice to have a mid-July birthday in August and September. Yall are great.

Thanks again for all of your support during the past five months I have been in Senegal. I can’t believe it has been that long…only a year and 8/9 months left.

ACCESS Camp

Sunday, August 5, 2006

This week is going to be far different from the past two and a half months. I am going to be working at the ACCESS Summer Camp put on by the ESL (English as a Second Language) Program at the US Embassy. The camp corresponds with the ACCESS program that the high school students are involved in.

There are three camps going on across Dakar at various high schools. I will be working at one about a mile and a half from my house, so it will be nice to do some work in my neighborhood. Also, there are thirty kids attending the camp that I will be assisting. Along with myself, there will be another PCV and two ACCESS teachers.

Because it is an English language learning program, the purpose of the camp is to help the kids utilize their English skills, but also gain a better understanding about the United States. On the agenda:

First, we are hoping to discuss American geography, values/beliefs, and history all with an emphasis on diversity. The reason for the focus on diversity is to show that the US is not just a single entity, as many here believe, but far grander. In this segment of the camp, we are also hoping to discuss pop culture. I probably won’t be doing any dancing, but the plan is to show the evolution of American music and its origins.

Second, play games such as capture the flag, kick ball, Scrabble, and ultimate Frisbee.

Third, some sort of hula hoop thing. I don’t know what its about, but some American “specialists” have volunteered their time to come for the day and do their thing.

Fourth, critical thinking discussion.

Fifth, some sort of gender role discussion/talk/game.

Sixth, a field trip

Well, that is what I will be doing every morning between Monday and Saturday. It is far from the camp dynamics and lifestyle that could be found at Westmont, but it will be a nice change of pace and a good way to interact with people here. It should be interesting.

Street Vending and Tea

Saturday, August 4, 2006

So I have a new buddy. He is a street vendor that I pass everyday going and leaving the hospital. Typically everything he sells, from fruits, snacks, to drinks, are overpriced…typically by 50 CFA or 10 cents…basically a lot of money. I told him awhile back that I refused to pay 350 CFA for his .5 little Cokes when I could go to any other boutique and buy it for 300 CFA. You gotta be a bargain hunter. I won the battle.

Anytime I pass, whether I’m buying anything or not, I always ask what’s up. Well, this week, I was invited to sit down and have tea with my street vendor buddy and a few other folks. Tea in Senegal is far different from that in the States and is also a time for conversation. I ended up sitting there for nearly two hours hanging out. It was awesome. I was told that I needed a Senegalese girlfriend if not 4 or 5 (which might be cool in some sort of fantasy don’t get me wrong), but they just didn’t understand my preference for American girls. Also, during out conversation we discussed a lot about the United States. People are always curious. It is always cool to hear what people’s perceptions are and how often times they are very flawed…I am always amazed.

Throughout the tea time, I opened my Wolof notebook for the first time in two and a half months. What was great was that they were so nice, understanding, and willing to help me with my Wolof. Learning a language for me has never been easy for me, so being in a positive situation to learn it is great. Also, learning Wolof on the streets of Dakar is far better than in a classroom setting. This is like the wild wild west, people don’t always talk as it is written in a text book.

Needless to say, I’ve stopped back by to hang out with my new friends a few times this week. I feel that this is a step in the right direction not only for my language learning but also in feeling more comfortable in the city I live in. I have even done some selling of some goods.

It is weird, but because I stand out here, people typically remember who I am. I feel bad because I am terrible with names, especially Senegalese ones, and here I am bad about recognizing people that I have met (even briefly), but I have learned how to play that off. It is crazy though now because I will be in the area surrounding the hospital and people will be calling me by my name or even stop me on the street. It is really kinda cool.

Things are starting to come together…Inchallah!

Beggers

Thursday, August 3, 2006

I don’t know what it was, but for some reason, all the people asking/wanting money from me today got to me. Everyday, I’d average between 25 and 50 people ask/want money from me in some way. It was no different than any other day, so I don’t know why I let it bother me, but I guess it just gets old sometimes.

It is a weird, double edged sword situation Peace Corps volunteers are in here, and a tough one to say the least. It does not matter what sacrifices you made to come here or your desire to assist the people of Senegal, it will never be enough…some people just want your money. It is a frustrating situation.

It is frustrating in many capacities. First, a lot of people in Dakar are poor, in a way far different from that found back home. There is a problem with poverty, unemployment, and lack of money in the system. With the facts at hand, it is difficult not to feel bad for those who have difficulty helping themselves. I would probably be doing the same thing if I were forced too. Unfortunately, some are not trying to help themselves, which makes it even more frustrating. It is also difficult to see people who you are close to, know they work hard, yet still have no chance to make ends meat. You could say that this is life, which is true, but we have it so lucky back in the States. That is one thing that I have learned immensely the past 5 and a half months. Second, every time I get asked for money I always say “beneen yoon” or “another time”. It is the proper way to respond to these requests. If I continually get asked or pestered by the same person, I say “Amuma xalis leggi” or “I don’t have any money right now”. This is where the frustration comes in. If you say this, they will laugh and say that you are white, American, and have money, regardless of how many times you say you are a Peace Corps volunteer. It stinks because they are partially right, especially when it comes to their situation. It also stinks to always wonder what the next person wants from you…it makes you very cautious. Third, what is giving 10 CFA to one person going to do? Probably nothing. From my point of view, it is not a sustainable practice. It is not why I’m here.

One Rumore Put To Rest

Wednesday, August 2, 2006

I got kinda excited tonight. I had heard a rumor several weeks ago about the BBC World Service Radio network being in Dakar. After a few unsuccessful, yet haste attempts to find it, I gave up, turned on my IPOD, and put it into the pile of other rumors I’ve heard. Attempts to locate Oreos, Gatorade, and Miller Lite have all proven to be unsuccessful

Well, tonight I came across the English speaking news service that I had so long ago heard about, but crazy accents they have. Following current events here can be somewhat difficult, so it was a nice relief to come across it. Normally, during every trip to the Internet, I try to briefly catch up on events covered in the headlines of the USA Today, AJC, and Charlotte Observer, but because time is limited, the only true current events news I’m following in detail surround the Bulldogs. Every once in awhile I’ll catch up on my celebrity news so I can stay current as well...I mean you gotta know about Katie and Tom's secret wedding or when Angelina is gonna come to Senegal.

Needless to say, I have gotten caught up on world events tonight and even got to hear part of Bush’s radio address. I kinda feel like I’m back in the States now.

Tuesday, August 1, 2006

I bought a Snickers at the grocery store today. I don't know how much it cost because I didn't care. I ate it and it was good.

Books Read

Monday, July 31, 2006

One thing that I have done in my down time is read. Whether I am in my room/house or at the pool or beach, I typically have a book or my IPOD with me. I don’t know why, but I guess it is nice to read or hear stuff in English. It is weird because there was a span of time that I didn’t read a book for a few years, with the exception of my textbooks that is. I figured I’d jot down what I have read over the past 4 and a half months here. Most were good, but a couple were terrible. I wish they had a Pizza Hut Book It Club here...yet alone a Pizza Hut.

Character: Presidential Profiles
The Water is Wide (Pat Conroy)
Condi: The Condelleza Rice Story (Antonia Felix)
All the Best (George Bush)
Into the Wild (Jon Krakauer)
Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors (Piers Paul Read)
Seabiscut: An American Legend (Laura Hillenbrand)
The Flanders Panel (Arturo Perez-Reverte)
Friday Night Lights (H.G. Bissinger)
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man (John Perkins)
They Call Me Coach (John Wooden)
American Bashkir Intercollege Camp Handbook (ELO Moscow)
All Fisherman Are Liars (Linda Greenlaw)

I’ve got a few books that are in the line up to read soon: The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinback), To Kill a Mokingbird (Harper Lee), Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight (Alexandra Fuller), Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand), and Along Came a Spider (James Patterson).

Sandwich Crave

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Cravings for American food come and go here. There isn’t a day I have not thought about either Bojangles or Weaver D’s. I often think about McDonalds or a good steak from Firebirds in Charlotte. I would probably settle for Mexicalli if I had to as well.

For some reason, I got a crazing for a sandwich today. I don’t mean a sandwich from Blimpie’s, Subway, or Jersey Mike’s, but a plain sandwich. Get a little white bread, mayonnaise, mustard, ham, turkey, and roast beef, and then make one up. Yeah, it would be nice.

Well, being in Dakar, I do have a lot of luxuries, including Score, which I have talked about before. It is a very western grocery store, but often times, above my budget. I got suckered into going when another volunteer who is in town asked if I wanted to go, and all I could think about were sandwiches. I said yes. I need to learn how to say no to things though.

I went and took a look at the deli meats and soon realized that they were out of my price range. I stop looking pretty much as soon as I started, so maybe I was looking at the Rolls Royce’s of sandwich meets and should have been looking in the back room at the out of date products. I did see a pack of 4 pieces of ham for about $9.

As much as wanted a sandwich, I quickly changed my mind.

Pushing Car

Thursday, July 27, 2008

In the States, if you are driving a car that is more than 5 years old, it is often times thought that you need to get a new one. In Senegal, if you are driving a car that isn’t 25 years or older and only has a working engine and wheels, then you are not in the cool crowd.

Often times, you will see people having to push cars here to get them started and going. Rarely do we see this in the States, but it is a daily occurrence here. A lot of times, it is one or two people pushing. For the past few months, I have been fascinated by this and come to the realization that I need some action.

My fascination turned into a reality today. I had just gotten out of a car rapide and was walking to catch another car home, when I saw a man pushing his car up a bridge. Another guy on his bike stopped to help. I didn’t know what to do, but realized that this was my chance. I had my book bag on, stuffed to the brim as well as my sandals on, but neither stopped me. Running across the on-ramp, a car nearly clipped me, but that was cool. I would nearly compare my running and determination to the opening of Baywatch, when the cast is running into the ocean, but take away the beach, the gorgeous girls and music, put my head on that of David Hasselhoff’s body, and throw a car on the road that needs to be saved.

Finally, in my shinning moment I helped push this beast of a car up the bridge until it reached its crest and the car had started. It was a proud moment for myself. This may not be something that some people get excited about, but I think I will probably remember this moment for a long time.

Bed Sheets

Thursday, July 27, 2006

As I just sit here, I am sweating. The past 72 nights (minus 5 when I was out of town) in which I have been in Dakar I have sweated. If I’m not sweating, then I know something is wrong.

With that being said, as I think I have said before, the sheets on my bed probably needed a good washing a long time ago. In college, I was pretty good about keeping the sheets washed, clean, and sweat free. Typically, about every month they got thrown in the washer.

Well, things are a little different here and I have had to do what the higher ups at Peace Corps call “adaptation”. I still do my laundry in a washing machine, but in order to utilize this luxury, I have had to “adapt” and go to Libertie VI (Dakar Regional House), about 2 miles from my house to do it. It is a rough life I tell ya.

I try not to go there to often, unless I am going to do laundry, which is about once every two weeks. For some reason, the washing machine takes close to 2 hours for one cycle and the drier I don’t think works. As a result, I don’t like to take up a good portion of my day doing laundry.

Well, that all changed on Wednesday afternoon when I had to drop some stuff off at the Regional House. I had the novel idea, that since I had just washed my clothes a few days before, I would strip my bed and pillows and wash my sheets. It was a pretty big accomplishment.

The one problem I came across was that by the time my load of laundry was done, it was nearly dark and by the time I could make it home it would be dark. Laundry does not dry when it is dark as I found out around 11:00 pm when I was about to crawl into bed. My sheets were quite yet. The pretty boy in me came out when I decided that I wasn’t going to sleep on just the mattress. So, I decided to use two soft mats that I have, placed them on the floor, and then put my Thermarest pad on top of that, and I just slept on the floor.

It wasn’t very comfortable and I woke up several times, but that is no different than any other night. In the earliest of science classes, they always tell you that heat rises. That may be true, but not in Senegal. It was just as hot on the floor.

I never thought I would stoop this low and write about my sweat stained bed sheets but I’m running out of topics and there is a good chance I will write about the same thing in four months.

I feel dumber for writing this.

Garden Update

Sunday, July 23, 2006
I haven't talked much about the Hopital Fann Garden lately, so I wanted to give you an update. While I haven't talked about it, don't think I haven't been busy there.

Last week on Friday, we had the wife of an American diplomat who was visiting Dakar came to the garden with a group from the Embassy, including bodyguards (which was cool). Much of the past week or two was spent ironing out the details and then getting the garden shape as well. Whether it is a high-profile visit or just an individual coming to look at the garden, they are all very important to the potential expansion of the garden as well as the idea behind it. In the end, this visit seemed to go very well.

This week at the garden will hopefully be an eventful one as well. The plan is begin excavation on a second garden on the grounds of the Infectious Maladies Department. The purpose of this new garden will initially be for fruits (papaya trees, banana trees, and melon), but eventually expand into medicinal plants as well. Currently, the site is covered with rocks and improperly disposed medical supplies, so Tuesday, we are hoping to get it cleaned up.

The second thing that I hope to get done this week is initiate new pest management procedures. Currently, we use mostly chemical pesticides and apply them when needed, not on a schedule. The new plan is to try to use natural pesticides on a 2 or 3 week rotation. The purpose of this is to make the garden a little more natural (I'm not going to say organic) and hopefully less expensive to maintain. The question is, will it work?

I am hoping to use a tobacco based liquid solution, tobacco dusting for certain crops, and a solution potentially consisting of peppers, mint, onion, garlic and soap. I am currently trying to do a little more research and in talks with my Peace Corps boss and another volunteer who currently has an all-natural garden. Hopefully I can conclude my research early this week and start making and applying these solutions.

So, this is what is currently going on at the garden, on top of its daily maintenance, upkeep, and increase in temperatures. Thanks for all the support and interest a lot of you have shown.

Wolof Struggles

Sunday, July 23, 2006

While things as a whole have been going pretty well lately, I felt this past week flustered with my Wolof. Dakar has proven to be a difficult place to sit, use it, and learn the language. I think my French has actually gone down hil, but then agai, I rarely use it at all. It just isn’t easy and I have not had time to find a tutor yet. For some reason, this past week things just weren’t clicking.


This is nothing that I had not heard would happen. I definitely was told that walls would be hit when learning the language. It is a weird feeling though and in a sense, a hopeless one.


Hopefully, a new week brings new strength.

Jehovah Witness Encounter

Saturday, July 22, 2006
I had an interesting encounter this morning when I got back to my house with my brother from an unsuccessful trip to the police department. We were standing in front of the compound and three guys came up asking if anyone spoke English. It was kinda weird, but since I was the token English speaker, I said I did.

They introduced themselves and they were Jehovah Witnesses from Nigeria. I guess they were sent to Senegal to do their work, but as a recommendation, I think they need to atleast learn French if they are trying to reach out to the masses here in Dakar, not an American Peace Corps volunteer. Regardless of that, I do give them credit for what they are doing.

There are three things that I have never enjoyed talking about; political beliefs (not politics in general), religious beliefs, and money. Even more so, I'm not a fan when these topics are pressed upon me.

So, going back to the front of my family compound, surrounded by a few Senegalese and the three Jehovah Witnesses, I was asked right off the bat: “Do you think the world will come to an end if no positive changes are made?”

I took a deep breath, shook my head alittle, and then was off at the races. My response covered every angle in why their question was flawed, primarily because the way they phrased it, suggested that nothing in the world was currently positive. Also, it is a very deep question that I personally think has no right or concrete answer.

We continued to talk and it turned out to be a decent conversation. They tried to focus the conversation onto one subject that they felt that needed changing. One of the guys reached into his briefcase and pulled out a 30 some page pamphlet on “How to build a happy marriage.” I tried to tell them that I wasn’t married, but I guess he didn’t understand my southern accent. He pretty much went through every single page with me. If anybody wants to have this pamphlet, let me know and it can be yours for 100 CFA (amount that I felt obligated to donate when I got asked for a donation) and the cost of shipping and handling.

I guess as I re-read all that I have written, it may sound as if I am being quite negative of this situation. That is not what I am trying to portray at all. Obviously my outlook and the way I view things are different from that of these three gentlemen. That is no different than anyone else though. I find it fascinating to learn about others views and perspectives, especially when they aren’t necessarily being pressed and possibly similar to my own. I give them credit and respect for what they are doing. Needless to say, it was a very very odd situation.

I suppose of if he pulled out the pamphlet “How to find a cute girl in Senegal that would make my Aunt Betty proud of me,” then I might have been more receptive.

Big Fan of Emails Like This...I want to go watch

Consular Warden Message
July 19, 2006
U.S. Embassy Dakar

Subject: 20 July - Rally and Possible Demonstration

The U.S. Embassy in Dakar is issuing this Warden Message to inform American citizens that the Lebanese expatriate community has requested permission from the Ministry of Interior to demonstrate against the current Israel-Lebanon situation on July 20, 2006. As of noon July 19, the only government-sanctioned event is a rally at 3 p.m. at Radio Television Senegal (RTS) in the neighborhood of Medina. Additional requests, including a march to the Place de Independence, are pending approval by the Ministry of the Interior.

Americans are advised to avoid areas where marches and demonstrations are going to be held. If you see a large crowd of people forming, immediately leave the area and take an alternate route. Remember even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and become violent.

Another week...

Monday, July 17, 2006

It just never ends in this city. With the two stitches in my hand coming out later this week, I thought that I would be able to focus the things that are important and not have to waste time dealing with petty things. My plan changed tonight, when it was discovered that my bike was stolen sometime between last night and tonight in my family’s compound. I had it chained up to the bars on my window, but apparently that wasn’t enough. Who knows? The only thing I do know is that if I come across a red Trek mountain bike in Dakar, it will probably be mine. Unfortunately, this is just another unnecessary thing I have to spend most of my day dealing with. You just can’t win sometimes.

Food For Thought

Sunday, July 16, 2006

Recently, the number of meals I have eaten at home has drastically reduced. This isn’t because I don’t like the food, but in order to go to the pool after work or anything else I need to do, makes it difficult to be in the northern end of town at 3 pm for lunch. If I can’t make it home, I usually eat on the street and then again when I get home. Unfortunately this isn’t always possible because my rice lady outside the hospital isn’t always set up yet, but I now have a sandwich guy I go to as well, so I’m starting to have options. The past few days, I have missed dinner a few times, which I don’t like, because I was socializing.

Because I have missed these meals, it seemed today that my family thought that I just hadn’t eatin because they would not let me stop eating at lunch and dinner until I was about to throw up both times. Usually, I can say that I am full and leave it at that, but not today. For lunch, we were eating out of the bowl and my mom kept pushing rice to my section…I had to eat it. At dinner, we were eating cere and it really isn’t my favorite dish, but I was starving. I put alittle on my plate and ate it. I was asked if I wanted more and I said yes because I wasn’t full and felt I could tough it through a few more bites. Well, my sister decided to keep pilling it on my plate. When eating from a plate, it isn’t cool to leave stuff on it, so I had to eat it all. Following dinner, we had mangos, which are absolutely amazing. While full, I wasn’t going to let that stop me from a piece or two of mango. Well, I was given the slices of an entire mango. Not a big deal, but I knew I would struggle. As I brought my plate of mango outside to eat, my mom made me take a slice of hers. By the end of the night, I was a very full kid.

With this said, I also do not think I am eating as much as I should. I feel like I am always hungry, regardless of how much I eat at meals. If they had corn nuts here, I would probably have a pack or two in the spirit of my dad. Since they don’t, I have been going through Biskrems and Pringles at a costly rate.

I decided to weigh myself at the Peace Corps office last week. I had lost a little weight since arriving, but not a significant amount. I think my weight fluctuates a lot more here because of the amount I sweat throughout the course of the day and night (I wake up in a pile of sweat and my sheets are typically wet each morning). I am trying to compensate for this by drinking between 2 and 4 liters of water a day. This may sound like a lot, but 95% of my day is spent sweating. I couldn’t imagine being in the hotter portions of the country.

My final note concerning food and sweating is the dish of yassa poulet. While I am a huge fan of maffe as I’ve stated in past posts, yassa poulet causes a stir in my head if both are on the menu. Yassa poulet is a plate of rice and rotisserie chicken on top, smothered with a sautéed onion sauce. I am not going to lie, but it is pretty good. I ate it 3 or 4 times last week, on top of a few bowls of maffe as well.

Bon Appetite

Friday, July 14, 2006

I just wanted to thank everyone who sent me a note or called to wish me a happy birthday. It was greatly appreciated. Also, some of you have said that you sent stuff, so hopefully the good ole La Poste cooperates and they show up soon. As of Wednesday, July 12, one out of five that I had been told about, had arrived. Hopefully the stats will be different when I check next week. Thanks again and miss you all.

Last Bit About Hand

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

For some reason, I have always had interesting hospital stories. When I was a kid and lived in Conyers, I had to go to the hospital after I built a bike ramp and then had alittle accident. At the hospital, my dad and I had to wait on the doctor because he was apparently eating a salad. In college, after hitting my head on the exit sign, we had to wait for Gumby’s to deliver our food before we could leave. Today, not only did my Peace Corps doctor have to wait an hour for my doctor to show up, but I nearly had to wait till after August 10, for the rods to come out.

My orthopedic doctor here is a character. He is leaving tomorrow on a month long vacation to France and he still hadn’t packed. I don’t think he wanted to take the rods out because he wanted to get home. My Peace Corps doctor and myself pleaded with him. The rods in the hand have proven to be pretty painful and have limited some of my activities at times. Finally, he broke, and we were heading to the operating room.

Just before entering the operating room, I had to put on a gown over my clothes and booties on my feet. I entered the operating room, accompanied by my Peace Corps doctor, around 11:50. I laid down on the surgical table. My doctor entered with his scrubs on. He cleaned my hand and then jabbed it about 4 or 5 times with local anesthesia. After the anesthesia had time to do its magic, he made a couple incisions in the hand.

During the next portion of the procedure, I learned something new. I believe that the rods were inside my bone, not on the outside as I thought. The first one came out with a simple yank. While I couldn’t see any of it being done, I could feel it alittle, not painful though. The second rod wasn’t as easy and took a few hard yanks. After the first one proved to be unsuccessful, I think my Peace Corps doctor was concerned for me. The only thing I was concerned about was getting a hold of the two rods that were in my finger. Finally, after the second or third hard yank/pull/jerk, the rod came out.

By 12:10, I was stitched and bandaged up, ready to go. I have been told that I have to exercise and stretch my finger so it gets back to normal. Right now, it is not normal. If you have seen Bob Dole’s hand, that is how I feel. Also, I learned that I broke it in a bad spot, so the little sprain that I thought it was, was much worse.

By the way, I did manage to get my hands on the two rods, and they are a lot bigger than I was anticipating.

Mom and Dad Visit

Tuesday, July 11, 2006
So I got good news late last week that my parents locked in on dates for their trip to Africa and bought their airline tickets. They are coming for two weeks in December, including Christmas. It should be a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to it. While it is going to be difficult to show them entirely everything I do throughout the course of my day, such as the modes of transportation I take, I am thrilled and fortunate that they are coming. Part of the Peace Corps experience is to provide Americans an insight into a different culture.

The difficulty now is to figure an itinerary, so my parents can make hotel reservations for when they are in Dakar. I laugh every time I talk to them because they want to know when and where we are going to be places. The problem with this is that it doesn’t work that way here, especially this far in advance…it is hard to relate that point across the phone or via email. Hopefully by mid-September or late November I can develop[ a minute by minute itinerary only to show that 30 seconds in, we will already be off schedule. Needless to say, I am not worried.

Inagural Post Office Visit

Monday, June 10, 2006

I had a huge achievement today which I am very proud of. For the last 117 days, I have been anticipating its arrival…fortunately not 9 months of waiting. Today, I conquered my fear of going to the Post Office.

Up until now, I have mailed three things. The first was a pre-stamped postcard that Peace Corps gave everyone in my stage. The second was a card in which I managed to buy stamps from another volunteer. The final one was a birthday card for my mom, which I had a Peace Corps Volunteer returning to the States mail from San Diego

I realized that with my dad’s birthday coming up later this week on Friday, I was going to have to figure out some sort of solution. Also, I had a package slip in my mailbox at Peace Corps Headquarters from the Post Office stating I had to come and pick up a package. I don’t know why it wasn’t delivered to Peace Corps, but I think it was because it was taxed a lot more than any of the other packages I’ve received.

Needless to say, I was forced to go to the post office. Basically, up until this point, had it been Halloween and I saw somebody dressed up as a La Poste, they would have scared the hell out of me. I walked about 300 yards from Peace Corps to the post office my package was at, and started the package retrieving process. Being the first time, it was far from easy. First, I went to a window in the main hall to provide them with my package slip. They then handed me the US Postal Service/US Customs form that had been filled out. After that window, I went to a back office, unsure entirely where to go, then I was pointed in the direction of an adjoining office. I don’t know whose office it was, but the guy seemed to kinda be a big deal. He took my forms, looked at them, then filled out some forms. After his office, I was sent back into the other office to pay 2,500 FCFA ($ 5.00). In a sense, that is a lot of money here. This step involved stops at two people’s desks. After paying, I had to go back into Mr Big Wigs office to get my receipt and paperwork stamped again. I then went back into the main portion of the post office. Here, I went one window where they ripped off one of the sheets of paper I had. I then went to the next window where I had to pay 1,000 FCFA ($ 2.00) as a holding fee I believe. The longer it is there, the more you have to pay. Also at this window, I managed to buy stamps for my dad’s birthday postcard. After this window, I had to return to the previous window, where I finally got my package.

So, my first pot office visit lasted between 30 minutes and an hour and included stops at 8 places.

Pictures

Here are pictures from the past two weekends. The first few are from Toubab Dialaw. The restand bulk of them are from St Louis this past weekend. I havent had a chance to write anything and I probably wont.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?Uc=7cwno9h.11vi7lv9&Uy=-mbt5n6&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1

Familiar Sighting

RANDOM FACT OF THE DAY....So I am walking down the street today, and I come across a guy wearing a Charlotte Hornets jersey for Muggsy Bogues. Needless to say, I got a good laugh.

Fourth of July

Tuesday, July 4, 2006

I just wanted to wish everyone a great Fourth of July. Hopefully everyone is having a good one and enjoying the festivities that surround the day. If you are having a hamburger or hot dog, at a baseball game, or watching fireworks, I am quite jealous.

I’ve gotten this question from a few people, so I felt it would be appropriate to answer here. The questions have surrounded what I will be doing this Fourth of July, other holidays (American and Senegalese), and birthdays.

First, my Fourth of July celebrating here in Dakar has so far included a busy day at work, which was quite productive and good, and typing up this. For lunch, we are having maffe, which is my favorite Senegalese dish, so I suppose, you could compare that to hamburgers or hot dogs. After lunch, I intend to head to the regional house to do some laundry and use the Internet. That really is my day.

As for other American holidays, there will be little celebrating here, unless I’m with other volunteers. There is a party at the Kedougou regional house, but I am unable to attend the festivities. Also, there was a big Fourth of July party at the American Club this past weekend, but I was at the beach.

Regarding Senegalese holidays, I really couldn’t tell you when they are. A lot of them are based around Islam. Some require fasting. Some last for days. I am looking forward to learning more about them, but I’m sure I will still go to work, by choice though.

If I were reading this, I might feel as I am being negative on the situation and want sympathy. That isn’t what I am shooting for or what I want. While there are things I miss/will miss about American holidays, especially Thanksgiving, they aren’t going anywhere, and 2008/2009 will be a big year of celebrating hopefully.

As for birthdays, I am taking, and want the same approach. Every day here, you get unwanted attention and are in the spotlight all the time. By celebrating your birthday in an American fashion here, you are only putting more attention on yourself and that really isn’t something I want. I didn’t come here to be different. There is a good chance though that I might splurge and go buy a Corona and quietly celebrate.

So, to everyone…HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!

Dead Rat

Monday, July 3, 2006

I have been running out of things to talk about, and my list is getting shorter and shorter, but, today, something interesting came across my nose. I walked into my family’s house after work and realized there was a horrible smell. I was unsure of what it was, but it poured down rain this morning, so I figured it potentially could be a sewage problem. I let the issue rest and quickly retreated to my little, smell free, house.

Later this evening, I was at the same location in the house, and was talking to one of my brothers, but overcome by the putrid smell. I came close to throwin up a little in the mouth, but managed to hold it in. My brother, somewhat laughing, told me that a rat/mouse had died in the wall. I don’t know how that is possible, since the walls are solid cinder blocks, but I went ahead and believed him. There was no reason to discredit him, unless he said there was no odor.

Fortunately, the smell was only in one area of the house, so we didn’t have to bear the smell during dinner. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of asking my brother if he had any Youssou Ndour (internationally acclaimed Senegalese artist) music. I went to his room, near the hub of the smell, to listen to some songs. The minute I sat down, I was itching to get back to my house, no offense to him. Finally, after several songs and a few Senegalese singers later, I felt that it wouldn’t be rude to leave. I was begged to stay for more, but the smell had overcome my nostrils…the time was right to retreat.

That Guy

Monday, June 3, 2006

I was sitting in the bank today and I had one of those rekindling memories of my time at UGA. Just about everyday after class on the bus home, there would be “that” girl who would be on her cell phone talking away without any clue that the bus had other people on it. By the end of the bus ride, one would typically know her quite well. Over the course of time, you would often come across the same phone talkers and not forget the things you heard. I mean, I heard some pretty good stuff.

Today, when I was at the bank, I came across this older patrone, who I would consider “that” guy. The bank had a decent number of people waiting to be helped and this guy was just talking away, clueless that anyone else was around. While I am unsure entirely of what he was talking about, my guess is that the topics were far different from those that I heard on the bus.

It’s the little things like this, that make me miss the States.

Weekend Away

Sunday, July 2, 2006

I have been alittle lazy this past week in my writing and have actually run out of things for the moment, to write about, so I apologize. Fortunately, this past weekend is worth writing about.

Finally, after a month and a half at site, I was finally able to get out of Dakar for the weekend. It was well worth it and I can see the importance of getting out every once in awhile.

My weekend started when I left work on Friday around 11. It is earlier than normal, but not knowing things, I wanted to make it out of the city as early as I could. My plan was to walk to the garage from the Hospital. It wasn’t the shortest of walks, but like always, I did manage to get lost. So, not only can I get lost on the buses, but walking in the streets of Dakar, with directions in my hand. Sometimes I wonder if I have any common sense.

I ended up making it to the garage around 12:15. The main garage in Dakar is where hundreds of Allhums and Sept-places are and you can get to literally anywhere in Senegal, but it isn’t always easy or quick. While I probably should have known, I don’t recommend going to the first Allhum you see going to your destination, especially if no one is in it yet, because you have to wait for it to fill up…this may take hours.

Around 3:00, the Allhum was full, and we were off to Mbour. My clothes were dripping with sweet and quite disgusting I’m sure. The cost was 950 CFA or less than $2 for the 83 km trip.

I got to Mbour around 5 or so. The minute we pulled into the garage, the allhum was swarmed by taxi drivers and potential thieves. I switched into my ass-hole persona, put the sunglasses on, set the hat low, and brushed past all of them unscathed.

I was headed to my buddy Randy’s place. I didn’t know exactly how far it was but he said that he recommended taking a taxi…I walked. After about 45 minutes, I strolled into his place. I met his family and his dad’s name was Aziz too.

Randy’s place is awesome. He lives what I guess you could call an apartment building. He has his own room and bathroom accompanied with a small balcony. He shares a kitchen with the two or three other tenants, but apparently none of them use it. Also, the roof of his building is amazing. It has views of the ocean and the surrounding areas. Needless to say, I was quite jealous.

By this time, two other volunteers from my stage showed up and unwinding began. A bottle of Black Whiskey, Senegal’s finest, was opened up, and stories were told. We decided to go across the street to have dinner, which turned out to be pretty good. A round or two of beer was ordered, we talked to some locals (one of them had family in Houston), and two of the volunteers got henna put on. I can definitely say that I did not partake in the henna action. I can say that I broke a glass while at the restaurant. It just isn’t a Friday night in my book if you aren’t out breaking stuff.

After dinner, we headed for the corner boutique on the way back to Randy’s. Like myself, Randy has become friends with his boutique workers. As a result, Adam and I told them that, we were poor, but Randy was made out of money and they should charge him more whenever he comes in.. We had them laughing for awhile.

Afterwards, we headed back to the roof for a bit to hangout. That didn’t last long, as the night was growing old and we had a big day ahead of ourselves.

Slowly, the four of us awoke Saturday morning. The plan was to hunt down some bean sandwiches, then head to the garage to get a car to Tobab Dialaw. The plan was successful, but it took alittle longer to leave the apartment then it probably should.

Once at the garage, the drivers and their posses’, saw the four toubabs coming in, and swarmed us. We probably had 30 people around us trying to get us to ride in their car. The initial offer they wanted us to pay was 15,000 CFA…far too much. We ended up paying 8,000 CFA, and it probably could have been brought down to 6,000 CFA if we were more focused.

The next day and a half were spent on the beach, playing in the waves, enjoying the company of other volunteers (most of whom I didn’t know), and a 30 minute regional meeting. The tan only continues to improve.

I headed back to Dakar on Sunday afternoon with a few others. On the way, the motor of the Allhum we were in suddenly just cut off. We figured that it just ran out of gas, wish isn’t uncommon in these neck of the woods. Turned out it was much worse and they started searching for wrenches and stuff. We were close enough to Dakar, that we jumped in a taxi and I was let out in Patte D’Oie. Home sweet home I was.