Timing...

Today started out pretty uneventful, I had things I wanted to get done but nothing set. My hostdad, however, has decided it's time for me to start working (something I'm mostly fine with) and planned a busy morning. I had a really long, great conversation about the importance of theater and its role in Senegalese culture. The friend who we were talking to, an inspector at the school and someone who has his own theater troupe (we'll see as far as that goes this Saturday), explained because Senegalese history is an oral history, retelling history is really important to keep it alive. Even more so because when the French came they reorganized and rewrote (mostly just ignored) Senegalese history. There are still remnants in some pretty recent texts on African history, a discipline that is kind of being re-discovered because so much of it had been ignored before. All of this got me really excited to get something going, not that I wasn't before, but I had no idea what the potential benefit would be and now it's starting to form. I have a friend from freshman year who gave me some great advice on community theater, they have to put on a show about what they care about, which is kind of how I feel about all of my work - it could be the best project there is but I can't be the only one invested in it. The friend said he'd call the troupe together for a meeting this Saturday.... which is when I was brought back to reality:
Friend: What time Saturday works for you? 3pm?
KO: Um, whatever time works best for you... I'm always here.
Friend: So 3pm? 4pm?
KO: (thinking if we say 3 it won't start until 4) Yeah. 3pm.
Friend: oooohhhhhhh I don't think the Senegalese (he's Senegalese) will come, it's hot then.
KO: Ok.... 4pm?
Friend: It's still really hot. What about 5pm?
KO: yeah. that's works.

So that kicked off what today's theme seemed to be "timing."

Next my hostdad took me to the high school because I'm trying to set up correspondence with a sociology class at my old high school and a teacher I'm paired with through the Peace Corps World Wide Schools system (basically I was given a penpal class and they want to talk to Senegalese people too). So my hostdad and I walk into the principal's office (walking ahead of the huge line of students of course).
Secretary: He's really busy.
hfdad: hmmmmmmm....
Sct: Look at all the students.
hfdad: hmmmmmm
Sct: can you come back this afternoon?
hfdad: hmmmmmm we're here now.
Sct: ok after these two girls you can go in.

Obviously if it was just me I would have believed him when he said "come back this afternoon" (a habit I need to break) so thankfully my hfdad was there to get me in to see the Principal. A quick note on that, if my ancienne (the girl who was here before me) is reading, thank you SO SO SO SO MUCH. Not only do I have patron living conditions but Mor (my hfdad) is really invested in helping me and he's taken me around to meet people and summoned people to our house. You are amazing, you have an outstanding reputation here (which is why I don't mind when people call me by your name). Thank you.

The rest of my day followed pretty normally: lunch, some internet time, talked with Matar about what he's selling at the upcoming Artisan Expo, hung out with the family that runs the boutique that sells killer bean sandwiches (unfortunately I'm not a morning person and usually miss out), came home, sat with the family, watched some Mexican soap opera, ate dinner, and came to my room.

Overall, a good day in Bambey (that could be because I also ate some donuts aka fried millet balls but they're really good)! Tomorrow I start wolof tutoring we'll see how it goes!

Ba suba,
KO