A Trip to the Grocery Store

For about the past two weeks, I have been living the life with house sitting. As a result, all my meals I've had to fend for myself and my schedule has be modified alittle. When I housesit, the one thing I typically want to fix is a good sandwhich....Blimpies, Jersey Mikes, nor Subway exist here.

So, last night, I decided to walk across the street to the Petite Casino (formerly Petite Score), a chain of grocery stores here in Dakar with items priced at amounts that don't come close to what I have in my wallet. I went in with 5,000 CFA ($10) in hand thinking that it would be plenty. All I needed to buy was a little cheese, a little meat, and a loaf of bread at a boutique which costs 150 CFA (30 cents). Not a problem.

In the grocery store, I started reminescing about my college days...not about tailgating or downtown Athens....but about the number of times I made a Philly Cheesesteak for dinner. I sold myself right there and hunted down some roast beef. The closest thing I could find was beef pastrami. It looked good, so I got it. My mind went wishy washy with the guy behind the counter trying to decide if I wanted 200 or 300 grams of it. I settled on 300 grams...I mean, I live in Africa, I need to put some weight on when I have a chance.

The guy handed me my cut meat and I looked at the receipt and noticed it cost 5,340 CFA. I couldn't figure it out. I had looked down at the price tag before ordering and thought it said 1,700 CFA per kilo...which is really a good price, but didn't think much about it. That was before the order. After the order, I looked at the same tag and realized it said 17,000 CFA ($34) a kilo or about $16 a pound. I guess it better be the best sandwhich meat I've ever had.

Well, I didn't really know what to do. The only think I had on my possession was 5,000 CFA, a house key, and my pride. I looked around to see if I could find a place to set it down and then run, but the Petite Casino isn't very large. Checked that off the list. So, I asked the guy if he could hold on to it while I went back and got some more money since I only had 5,000 CFA.

My friend, mister meat counter clerk one upped me. Not likely to happen in the States, he took my bag, put it back on the scale, and just rang it up as a cheaper kind of meat. So, instead of paying $34 a kio I only paid $30....what a deal.

I don't know if there is a moral to the story, primarily because sometimes here in Senegal, all morals are thrown out the window. Needless to say, while I may not have had a VIC Card or Kroger Plus car, I must thank my buddy behind the counter.

And the sandwhich....it was well worth it.

More Pictures

Here are some more pictures from the visit. Because it is comprised of a few different sets of pictures of the Laura Bush visit, the order is somewhat jumbled.

Pictures

Pictures

Here is my first batch of pictures from yesterday as well as the week leading up to the visit. The airplane shown is the C-130 cargo plane carrying logistical support for the First Lady's visit. Also, the garden is not the garden at the Infectious Diseases Ward that many of you have seen pictures of but at the C.T.A. at Fann, which is about 100 yards from my garden.

I should have more pictures of the visit up soon

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?Uc=7cwno9h.2edzumwl&Uy=-g8knxk&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1

A Garden of Possibility

Here is an article written by Mark Silva, a journalist from the Chicago Tribune who is currently traveling with Mrs. Bush on her African Journey on her visit to Hopital Fann.

A Garden of Possibility

The past few months have somewhat been leading up to tomorrow. First Lady Laura Bush is on a 4 country African tour, stopping first in Senegal. During her brief but important visit here in Senegal, she will be visiting one of the gardens I am involved in. It is not my main garden as many of you know, but another one on the hospital grounds. It was started by Steve Bolinger, a former Peace Corps/Senegal Volunteer and founder of the NGO Development in Gardening (D.I.G.). The work that Steve has done is incredible and he truly deserves all the credit. The impact that he has made is amazing. Hopefully, in a short time, his young NGO can raise more funds and continue to create gardens and spread the importance of proper nutrition with individuals living with HIV/AIDS throughout Africa and the world.

I encourage you to visit the link for D.I.G. as well as visit the link below and read the article.

First Lady to tout aid on Africa visit

First Rain of Year

I was awoken last night at 3:46 by the patter of rain. It was the first rain of the year here in Dakar. While it only lasted about an hour, or maybe less, it was noticable when i left for work at 6:30.

While I am somewhat excited to see what the rainy season does to all the road construction projects littering Dakar, I am somewhat worried about the possibility of my roof leaking, especially when i felt a few splashes last night...just another story to tell.

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I am hoping to get a few posts up sometime soon, but I might wait till I have time when I get to the States in July. The next few weeks are filled with housesitting, alot of gardening, even more meetings, and finding time to pack and jump on an airplane.

See yall soon.