Price of gas

While I haven't driven a car since March 2006 (not a fact I'm proud of) and don't know the exact price of gas in the States, I can assume from the news reports, it is continually going up.

Since being here in Senegal, I have been meaning to report the price of gas here to you. It is sold by the liter/litre. The current price of regular gas (premium gas is closer to 700 CFA per liter) is 606 CFA per liter. A liter is roughly a quarter of a gallon and at the current exchange rate, one US dollar equals 444 CFA. As a result, a gallon of regular gas here in Dakar is currently..........

$5.16 a gallon

The mouse is back....grrrrrrrrr. After nearly a year on the run, I saw a tail scurry across my roomhouse. I figured I might be able to catch it with bug spray, but that just didn't work (while my body may wake up at 5:45, my intellect is far slower getting out of bed) and this sucker bust have been taking steroids in the off-season because he is much faster.

The chase is on!

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

I think this is the earliest post I have ever written...time to go to work. Hope you all are doing good and enjoying the cold weather. Just remember, taking showers outside with no hot water in cold temperatures (65 degrees is cold) is not something you want to experience before the sun comes up. Happy readings and enjoy the day at work.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING


GO DAWGS

Dakar Riots - November 21, 2007

Since I moved to Dakar, I have experienced many protests, ranging from students at the university to ones surrounding elections. I have seen riot police shoot off tear gas, but honestly, I have never felt threatened or that I should alter the course of my day. I want to live my life. Some may disagree with this, but we all have differing thresholds. For some reason, I like excitement and future stories to tell too much.

While I remember seeing a notice a few days ago at the Peace Corps office mentioning the protest, I don't know if I read it past line two. I did get a phone call today informing me of the protest, but once again, this is Dakar, and protest happen. So, what did I do after work today, I tried to go to the Peace Corps office.

About half way there, the allhum I was in came to a stop. Police were forcing everyone to turn around. By forcing vehicles to turn around, all passengers were getting out of them. About 10 seconds after getting out and already seeing flames and black smoke just up ahead, everyone started running in the opposite direction. I had no clue what was going on until I realized a huge police truck with about 5 guys on top in riot gear and tear gas launchers. Let me tell you, I've never run that fast in my life, unfortunately, nobody really knew why they were running or where they should run too....for the most part, I was amongst normal Dakar citizens. While this was going on, I looked out the corner of my eye and about 5 feet from me, a police officer tackled a guy. I don't know what he did, but he was getting a whipping.

Finally, the big truck turned around and headed back in the direction of the smoke. Within 2 minutes though, a smaller police truck comes down with guys in riot gear and tear gas. This time, I managed to find a vehicle to get into that was heading towards my house (I don't leave anywhere near this part of town). When I was seated, I managed to get my camera out and ready for our getaway. As we were leaving, I tried to take about 5 pictures, only to realized my camera wasn't on. Very quickly, I got just one and turned to the kid sitting beside me and told him I just wanted a picture of Senegal.



This site is not one for political discussion or for me to give my views on what is going on. Part of me being here and doing what I do, I have to limit the things I say, but I urge you all to read about it. My goal is to provide the readers of this site the needed information to make their own conclusions.

If one of your conclusions is, "Justin, what were you thinking" then I have already heard it.

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

EMAIL - Bus strike and T.U. march (Sent 8:16 AM)

Dear Volunteers,

The Dakar Dem Dikk which is the principal public transportation service (Large Blue Buses) in Dakar is on strike today. Transportation will be a little disturbed for the day. Prices may increase a little with the other means of transportation such as taxis, car rapides and Ndiaga Ndiaye buses. Also, the trade union march which was reported to you last week begins today at 3 p.m here in the capital not far from the Peace Corps Dakar Office. The duration of the march is unknown. The marchers have been granted authorization to march and will begin their demonstration at the Medina Poste Office roundabout and advance towards the RTS radio station on Avenue Malick SY. Police will be present to maintain peace and order. Marches may also occur in other regions and departments of the country therefore stay informed and plan ahead your movements.

On another note, PCVs in the MATAM region are to know that there will be an unauthorized trade union march in the area today. Police may be present therefore your attention and vigilance is important. Use common sense and sound judgment and avoid large crowds and gatherings. Once again, PCVs who are to travel to Dakar today please do so before the march begins or wait until it concludes.

Thank you and enjoy your day.

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

Senegal police fire tear gas at rioters in capital
21 Nov 2007 12:45:54 GMT
Source: Reuters

DAKAR, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Police fired tear gas at stone-throwing protesters who rampaged through the Senegalese capital Dakar on Wednesday, burning tyres and smashing car windows after authorities cleared away street vendors.

Several hundred rioters set fire to piles of rubbish, blocking streets and traffic and forcing businesses to close their shutters, witnesses said.

"The street sellers are throwing stones at police," said Mamadou Diallo, as he swept up debris outside a closed commercial centre. "The police replied by firing tear gas."

Plumes of black smoke rose above the city's business district, set on the western tip of Africa's coast, as riot police pursued youths down sidestreets choked with tear gas. The disturbances spread to neighbouring residential quarters, witnesses said.

Casualty figures were not immediately available.

Vans packed with riot police rushed towards the disturbances in the city centre. In one of them, police beat a detained protester with batons, a Reuters witness said.

The riots, the most serious to hit Senegal in years, erupted after President Abdoulaye Wade's government ordered police last week to move on street sellers from Dakar, where thousands of people earn a living peddling goods on the streets. (Reporting by Alistair Thomson; Writing by Daniel Flynn; Editing by Pascal Fletcher)

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

EMAIL - PC office closed early (Sent 1:13 PM)

To All PCVs

The Dakar Peace Corps Office has closed until Friday morning. We have decided to close early today due to the manisfestations in and around the capital. There have been bus burnings and rock throwing exchanges with Police on the streets since this morning. A march by the Trade unions is also scheduled for today beginning at 3 p.m from Place de l'Obélix near Boulevard du General Charles de Gaulle also known as Centenaire. Therefore, if you are to come to the capital please avoid the main streets. We would suggest not coming to Dakar altogether until Friday morning.

Senegal tries to clear streets of beggars, hawkers

The Associated Press
Saturday, November 17, 2007

DAKAR, Senegal: Under presidential orders, Senegalese security forces have begun clearing the capital's clogged intersections of beggars, hawkers and walking salesmen.

The thousands of beggars and illegal vendors blocking traffic is "unacceptable," President Abdoulaye Wade said during an investment conference held in Dakar earlier in the week.

Wade argues that the country is losing millions of dollars every year because potential investors visiting Dakar are frightened by aggressive beggars and men hawking perfume knockoffs and phone cards to put more calling credit on mobiles.

"We cannot allow our city to turn into a place of squalor," Wade said.

Security forces descended on two of the capital's most congested markets — Marche Sandaga and Avenue Ponty. Soldiers, who arrived in trucks, and policemen on foot began the clearing operation after midnight Thursday.

Two days later on Saturday, only the roundabout leading into the two market streets appeared to be less congested than normal, but the walking salesmen and beggars, including barefoot children and handicapped adults in wheelchairs, had returned to the side streets.

Amadou Dieng, a beggar, had taken refuge on a small street not far from one of the markets that was being cleared.

"This sweep will do nothing other than increase our poverty. Where do they expect us to go if they are forbidding us to be in the streets?" asked Dieng.

The operation has thrown a spotlight on Senegal's global ambitions, which are at odds with the poverty of its population; more than half of working age adults are unemployed.

Dakar has been chosen to host a summit of Islamic countries next year, for which numerous high-rise buildings, five-star hotels and luxury bungalows are being built.

In an attempt to clean up its image, Senegal created a new ministry last year charged with public hygiene. Its mandate includes the fight against congestion.

Local aid groups estimate that there are between 50,000 and 100,000 unlicensed vendors and beggars in the capital, although no formal tally exists.

Many of the beggars are children who are sent out to seek money by their Islamic teachers. They are typically required to bring back around the equivalent of US$0.50 cents a day, or face a beating.

Pictures - November 14, 2007

I had gotten some requests to show some pictures of the new garden at the Psych Wing of Fann Hospital that I am working on. It is somewhat my baby right now and is the new challenge that I needed in my service. It is nothing like the other two projects I am involved in at Fann and much smaller scale, but letting me use the things I have learned, liked, and not liked, and hopefully implement a sustainable, creative, and beneficial project while teaching, working, and collaborating with Mboup, and employee at the Psych Wing.

Currently, it is still a work in progress and everyday, something new happens. In my eyes, it will always be a work in progress though. Long term, the idea of the garden will switch more to a therapeutic approach for patients. It is a low cost garden (currently $11 in the hole) with an emphasis on alternative, recycled containers (tires, water bottles, oil jugs, etc.). The soil is all composted material from one of my other gardens. One of the biggest challenges right now is sunlight....there is not as much as I would like, but like everything else, gotta take what you have and go with it.

If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them...just remember, ideas aren't always as easy to replicate here.

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=1IZsnLNo4YvaA&notag=1



Here are a couple pictures from the other garden and some of the guys I come across during my work day. While a simple photo, I really feel that the picture above with Lope is one of the pictures that I feel somewhat sums up my service here and making realize that I made the right decision.

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=1IZsnLNo4Yvhg&notag=1

Circus Show

I remember having a conversation with my dad on the phone a few months ago, telling him how I was looking forward to living a life not in the spotlight. That may sound weird, because I am far from a red carpet celebrity. By standout, I mean from the Peace Corps sense, being the "Dakar Volunteer", being white in an overwhelmingly non-white society, speaking a traditional language (not national language), etc....I standout. Standing out isn't all that bad, so I somewhat rescind the comment I said to my dad, but one aspect I do not like about standing out is the "circus show" phenomenon.

You may or may not know what this is, but regardless, it is disrespect of difference. Early in my service, I don't remember if it bothered me if I was minding my own business and a Senegalese person would come up to me to try and be cute or funny and speak arrogant french to me in places not typically frequented by white people/expats/tourists/non-Senegalese/etc (public transpot, thieb(cheb) shacks to name a few). The thing is that it isn’t over at “Bonjour” but lasts for awhile typically. You always get a few that have to mess it up for everyone.

I feel like I've gone a long time since I have had this experience. I go to the same places for lunch now and take the same route to work now, not because I want to avoid confrontation, but because this is my home. And it is nice to be able to do that, say that, and feel at ease.

Tonight, was a different story. I was on the DDD Bus #5 coming home from downtown after meeting a couple of friends and I sat down in a seat and three guys started talking to me. You know it right when it happens, and I realized that I was the circus show and in for a long ride. After a year and 9 months of the circus tour, you get tired of it....i'm trying to figure a way compare it to something at home, and thing I can compare it to is the fat kid in school (who is minding his own business) who always got picked on even when he didn't know it.

All of these conversations are exactly the same. The all bring up Senegalese food and women. That is typically it. I'm looking for new material so I can spice up my act.

Yes, I did call it an act. Everyone has there own coping skills to situations. From my point of view, you can either be an asshole, shut down, or go with the flow. If you are an asshole, you are going to get eatin alive. If you shut down, you will be ridiculed right in your face. If you go with the flow, you can get annoyed but also have fun with it.

Tonight, I decided to take the "go with the flow approach." One of my biggest tactics in this approach is to never agree with the "opposition", so I didn't. I somewhat got them laughing when I decided to pull the wolof card out of the hat. Seeing a white guy on the last bus head out of town was a good opener, but hearing one speak wolof was apparently a new joke.

So the first thing they brought up was obviously Senegalese food (yawnnnnn). I love Senegalese food, but as a topic of conversation from hecklers just gets old. In their eyes, thiebudiene (rice and fish) is the only Senegalese dish. Sometimes I feel more cultured and Senegalese than them after just talking to them about food, primarily because there is more than one dish in Senegal. To their suprise, it is not my favorite dish.

The next topic is whether or not I am married or want a Senegalese wife. The answer to both is no. I am definitely not married, I can't fool myself on that one. Senegalese women are beautiful, and while I am not opposed, I currently just don't find that to be in my best interest right now. I can't say I'm looking for a wife at the moment....I'm looking at the next 7 months and then what and where I am going after here (I don't put that in my circus show though).

Well, one paragraph is not just enough for this topic though. While I say I do not have a Senegalese wife, they typically dig a bit deeper, and I will provide them with as much as I can. They typically ask if have I have a Senegalese girl. Of course, I say no, because that is the wrong answer. Going against anything I learned in 7th grade health class, I'm sure Sunday School when I was 8, and the sweet, innocent, angel status I felt I once had, I tell them that I have 4 or 5, spread across Senegal (NOT TRUE....its actually 8 during peak travel periods). This got them rolling.

By getting them rolling, I am referring not to the 3 guys who initially started talking to me, but the entire back portion of the bus. I hadn't had this happen to me before, but it was somewhat interesting.

Then, the guy across from me tells me he just came from the US yesterday. I take this for a grain of salt but ask "from where?". He says "the capital". In my mind, I know what the capital is (and was) of the US, but I ask him again where he is from. He says the same thing. So, I ask him where that is. While I did not see the news reports or notice any demolition when I was in Washington DC this past summer, APPARENTLY NEW YORK CITY IS THE NEW CAPITAL.....I heard it first on the Dakar Dem Dikk….who would have thought.

Finally, I was close enough to my stop, where I did not find it socially awkward to get up and head towards the exit. I somewhat felt that I should bow, but I held off, instead, I just passed around a hat to see if anyone would put change in it to show their appreciation for my performance.

It was nice to get off the bus and make it home, only so I could recreate it in my head, cry about it, and write this 5 minutes later. Getting back to it though, if I hadn't taken the give it back to them sarcastic approach, I would not have survived. I wish I could deal with curtious, nice, and respectful people 100% of the time, but, its only 95% of the time here. With those 5%, you can't handle the situation like you would in the States (atleast I can’t), in this culture, you can't settle for being a victim of your race, nationality, culture, beliefs, you gotta spit it back and play their game....it took me a long time, but tonight, I proved myself to be an equal, which is all I can want….welcome to the JLand circus, with Dakar shows every hour.

So, is this a good approach to handling a situation like this. I honestly don’t know. The thing I do know though is that the next time one of these people sees me, they typically know my name, know I’m a Peace Corps Volunteer, know what I do here, and have lost the arrogant attitude they once had.

At the end of the day, you have to be the standing ovation act in the circus show before you can sit in the audience.

Anybody want some sucre

Today, when I got home from work for lunch, I looked down at my niece, Fatou, and did a double take. While the pictures don't really give her justice, she was covered in sugar...hair, face, clothes, hands, feet. I don't know what she got into, but it made me want to be a kid again.

Senegal: Youssou Ndour in Atlanta On Sunday December 9, 2007

Freedom Newspaper (Raleigh, North Carolina)

11 November 2007
Posted to the web 12 November 2007

Following initial review and reactions by fans regarding the venue capacity and vicinity, organizers of the Youssou Ndour concert have confirmed a new venue known as The Dekalb Event Center a.ka Atlanta Live @ 3595 Clairmont Road, Atlanta Georgia 30319.

Senegambia Productions has done it again! ATLANTA will once again live up to it's name "HOTLANTA" in DECEMBER @ the Youssou Ndour show with a chance to win three prizes which includes two roundtrip tickets to anywhere in West Africa, $500 Cash and a Desktop computer

They have promised, and they are ready to deliver Youssou Ndour as one of it's two biggest Senegambian events of the year to Atlantans and it neighbors. So, if you have not yet reserved your tickets to Atlanta, now is the time do it.

When asked about its second event of the Year which is scheduled with Assane on New Year's Eve , Lekbi quietly replied- It is going to be an evening when Senegambia Productions will also present hot and rising Gambian artists under the management of Gambian Talents international, as well as music by renowned DJ King Solomon and DJ Sheikh Ndong.

Tickets for Youssou Ndour will go on sale @ TicketMaster on Wednesday, November 14, 2007.

---

Work Summed Up Today in a Photograph

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Everyday, I typically read three different stateside newspapers online. I don't know why at times, other than it has become part of my routine. Today, in the AJC, it already started talking about Christmas and good ol' St. Nick. It is funny for two reasons; first, I couldn't even tell you what month it is, second, the past few days I was in Tamba (8 - 13 hours southeast of Dakar) and was at a large boutique wanting to buy a Coke, when I came across a bag of Christmas cookies...expiration date: October 10, 2007. Guess they were trying to market the season's early shoppers.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

What are we doing...Where are we going

Sunday, November 4, 2007

As I have stated before, over the past 19 months, I have grown tremendously. I am still 6 foot, 2 inches, but I feel my mind and eyes are far older at times. The combination of this experience and my desire to take in what I see has done that. Often times, it has made my interpretations and views almost philosophical.

This post is one that is based off my thoughts for the past several months. In a sense, it is the foundation to what I believe in, especially regarding what I’m doing here. I’m not sure if I’ve written a post like this before, so hopefully you will be able to make it through the first if not second paragraph.

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

Luck is a funny thing. At times, you may have good luck yet in other instances, you might have bad luck…common sense. Unfortunately, the thing with luck, good or bad, is that you can’t choose which way it is going to come or when you will be lucky.

The first instant in life in which one faces luck is at birth. You can not choose who your parents are (good or bad, successful or unsuccessful, rich or poor), where you are born (modern medical facility or unsanitary conditions), what country you will be born in (country with lots of social programs or country undergoing civil unrest), socioeconomic status (wealthy, influential family or poor, lowest caste family), etc. From that moment, you have the rest of your life in front of you. This initial luck often times provides the foundation for the rest of your life.

After living here in Senegal and having a lot of time to take things in, I’ve realized how lucky, privileged, and spoiled my life has been. Constantly, I have questioned whether or not this is right. The only answer of justification I can provide myself with is to understand that luck is something that just happens, but its what each of us do with luck, whether it be large or small, that sets us apart.

Everyone is different when it comes to this. Sometimes when difficult situations arise, people shut down, others believe in adaptation and hard work to prevail, or at least to give themselves a chance. The television show MacGyver was a fine example of this. MacGyver, the main character, always seemed to find himself in difficult, life threatening situations in which luck was not on his side. Using the little resources around him, he was always able to turn the tables and save the day.

It is troubling though to know that I do not always use my luck in positive ways, especially under my current conditions. Regardless of what statistics published by international organizations say, not all Senegalese are poor and impoverished, especially in Dakar, but it is widespread. Also, there is a large amount of economic disparity.

Sometimes, I look in the mirror and question what I am doing. I have so many opportunities and resources here. If I want a Coca-Cola, I can just buy it. If I want to go to a nice restaurant, I can’t do it everyday, but I can every once in awhile. If I want to go to happy hour on a Monday night to meet friends I can do that. Those reading this back in the western world might see no problems in this, often times, normal behavior. Just realize, from a figurative standpoint, it is always the morning after a night of drinking that you question why you did it, often times with a splitting headache. Literally, I mean that I wake up in the morning, get off the bus near work and see men, women, children, families, and crippled begging…it’s tough to comprehend and face myself in the mirror after seeing that every morning. As I mentioned earlier, it makes me question what I’m doing at times…is it right, is it wrong…I’ll never know. I think the reason for this unknowingness is because I truly believe that regardless of how hard I work, I can always do more

In a sense, the biggest question I ask my self is “how can I live my life the way I want, but be a servant to mankind at the same time?” Often times, I get torn up knowing that no matter what or how much I (or even others) do, it will never be enough. This is not a reason to give up, but a reason to continually strive to do more and realize how lucky we truly are.

A lot of the thoughts I have provided came through time. They would not have happened if I hadn’t been for one thing, which has also been the best thing about my experience. My situation here in Senegal has broken me down as a person and then raised me back up with more open eyes. A lot of times, it takes tragedy and cases of hardship to do this. The more I think about it, I don’t know too many people that get to experience this, in which I feel very lucky to feel like I have.

In the months leading up to joining the Peace Corps, a lot of people said the Peace Corps would change me and I’d come back a different person. I disagreed adamantly then and disagree now as well. I do not think that I have changed in the literal sense, but I have grown here as a person. I’m probably always going to be the tall, lanky guy I was before I left, but I hope that this growth provided by my experience here fuels my future and continues to keep my eyes open.

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

If you have made it to the end, congratulations. As always, I am not going back through to proof read what I wrote, so if none of what I wrote makes sense, I apologize.

Hope you all had a great weekend and GO DAWGS!!!