Wedding!

I'm sorry this is delayed! Everything's been crazy and I've been in Dakar for Jackie's birthday but! Here's the wedding post with pictures to follow:

The wedding actually started the night of the 2nd after some family members had arrived. The women all sat on a mat in the courtyard and prepared green beans for the next day (and there weren't really any men around). We also had a whole bunch of local women cooking dinner (cous cous and meat). After the bin-bin exchange went down, I just hung out with everything until dinner was over and I could retreat to my room. Before turning in for the night, however, I received instructions on dressing for the next day from the bride: wear your normal (green) complet until the afternoon then change into your new clothes....

...Luckily for me I've been here long enough to know that I wasn't supposed to come downstairs in my nice clothes (the green complet I wore for swearing in) because in Senegal women ALWAYS have work to do in the morning and everyone would be in casual clothes. I hung out while my hfmom got her hair done and then went upstairs to change. From about 10am until lunch the women sat in plastic chairs under a tent in our courtyard and the men sat on couches under a fan in our salon (typical of Senegal). Right after lunch after I had changed into my new clothes, the bride appeared briefly in a fabulous blue outfit, and I also got to meet Youssou's mom (he's technically my "cousin" that lives with us). Around 3pm, with the men still sitting in the salon, the women started to bring out the gifts for the bride (who was nowhere to be found... I'm pretty sure she was getting her hair done). A traditional singer came and sang praises of my hfamily, especially my parents and Ndaiye Fatou. Then everyone gave their gifts while the singer announced how much/what each person gave. My parents had sent me some fabric so I gave that to my hfmom for Ndiaye Fatou.

Around 5pm the men emerged from underneath the ceiling fan and went to the mosque while everyone else contined to hang around... I think, if the power hadn't cut, there would have been dancing (luckily the power cut).

Afterward the men got back, some prayers were held outside of my house (the only space big enough for everyone to fit). Then I was told to go to the Mayor's office/reception hall for the reception.

The reception, it turns out, is only for young people - mostly her friends. After we were all seated (in plastic chairs of course) and given our plate of fried food and small bottle of Africa Fun! soda, the wedding party entered. First came each of my hostsisters dressed in bright pink gowns escorted by guys (who I've never seen before) in white dress shirts and slacks. Then, finally, Ndiaye Fatou (the bride) came in escorted by her uncle.... yeah.. the groom has NOTHING to do with the wedding on the brides side. She was dressed head to toe in gold with gold things in her hair and glitter on her dress. After the entire party walked around the center table, the party walked around Ndiaye Fatou and her uncle (aka the groom stand in) while raising and lowering their hands. Then we were all invited up to give her a gift (this time I gave money) and take a picture with her. We had about 15 minutes of dancing and then were ushered back to the house. When I say ushered, I really mean it. See, Alan had sent a Yankees hat for Youssou and now Youssou loves me (and wore the hat the whole time). He spent the entire reception making sure I had my food and soda; at the end he personally cleared the way for me to exit and return home. Once at the house, the older family members, who hadn't come to the reception, were still talking and giving gifts. Finally, my hffather gave a serious speech in Wolof... which he then translated to me: "we have to get going, it's late and they're waiting in his village for us to show up." I was then told that the plan for the rest of the night was to drive through the middle of the desert (in the pitch black). At the outside of the groom's village they would be met by the women of the village who would then mock the bride (yep. mock. I had to ask for a clarification) and her inability to find a husband/her attempts to steal a man from their village. They would then party for the next two days at the groom's house. I politely declined going: my host family has been so hospitable to me, I wanted to give them time as an actual family to celebrate.

Overall the wedding was amazing and exhausting. I think I have some pretty good pictures that I'm uploading!

Other than the wedding it's been pretty low key. Like I said I was in Dakar for Jackie's birthday (quarter of a century!) and now I'm really trying to get things moving with the girls' camp... hopefully good news will come this way around Wednesday (keep your fingers crossed). I hear it's been great weather in Chicago and New York, I hope everyone's enjoying spring! We've had a break from the heat so I'm getting some spring here too!

KO