Tata Fatou!!!

When I started at the preschool, the kids were told to call me "Tata Fatou." I'm having a hard time defining "Tata" but it kind of means any woman who's in charge of you. Typically, it means "aunt" but it's also what kids call their dad's wives who aren't their mother. For example, I call my host mom here "sama yaya" ("my mom" in wolof), if I were to ever meet my dad's second wife I would call her "Tata whatever her name is." It can, however, also be used in place of "miss" or "ms." for young kids.

Even though I'm not going to the pre-school as regularly now, my original goal is being met. Now instead of getting "TOUBAB TOUBAB" when I walk down the street, young kids (even those not in the preschool) call me Tata Fatou (they heard kids in my class doing it). The older kids, those too old to use "tata" just call me Fatou. Even though it's weird to walk down the street and have choruses of kids singing my name, it's way better than Toubab.

The other day I was sitting with my host sisters and hfmom. We were sitting on the mat just hanging out and I happened to be sitting in eyesight of the door. All of the sudden my chorus started up "Fatou!!" "Bonjour Fatou!" "Fatou ca va?" Even though I was a little embarrassed my hfmom and sisters got a KICK out of it. After letting it go on for a little bit, my hfmom got up and said something to them in Wolof and they left. This isn't the first time it's happened, but usually Youssou's home to chase the kids away (I told you he's a punk).

Otherwise, things in Bambey are pretty normal. I got exciting mail today including letters from my grandma, letters and a magazine from Amy, my Illinois primary ballot, and a HUGE pack of letters from a French class in California that I'm corresponding with and they're also writing to a French class here.

The rest of the week is pretty uneventful, just getting ready to go to IST and wrapping up loose ends here/trying to secure projects for when I get back.

KO