A few weeks after moving I noticed a lizard in my bathroom one night, but he quickly scurried out the window. I named him Steve and we've been co-habiting pretty peacefully. He's recently been in the open more lately, I think because it's actually chilly at night, and today I found out that he spends his days on the wall behind my bookshelf. Oh Steve.
In other news, we've had fishballs (they're like meatballs but made of fish and horrible) for lunch and dinner for at least 3 days now. I think someone made too many but no one in my family eats them so they just keep being reheated. Awa (project partner) got offered a job working with an American NGO but she needs to practice her English so, before IST, she and I are going to work on that.
Otherwise, nothing too exciting!
KO
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
A grab-bag of a day
In the land where you could wait for hours for a meeting to start, even though there was a start time, my mood often changes in an instant. I swear I wasn't this irrational at home but something about Senegal has put me and fellow volunteers (Jackie blogged about it a few days ago... yes we read each other's blogs....) on an emotional roller coaster.
I didn't have much planned for today - with the Magal coming up people are all over the place so having meetings is kind of difficult. I spent my morning responding to letters from my World Wide Schools class (more on that another time, and thank you class for all the letters!). Lunch was generally uneventful, reheated chicken, rice, and onion sauce from I think two days ago, and I spent the beginning of my afternoon annoyed at my host dad. I was annoyed for a stupid reason, I've had a head cold/allergies to something and today he told me I shouldn't drink cold water because that's making my stuffed nose worse, it was the general super patriarchal-ness of Senegal that had me peeved.
Around 5pm, I set off to meet Awa, the work partner I gushed about in The Dating Game blog. She lives across town so it's about a 15 minute walk. Today walking there I got yelled at probably more than I have ever in Bambey; they were hissing, yelling Toubab, yelling "madame," yelling about how pretty I was, making kissing noises... everything. I spent the whole walk fantasizing about turning around and just screaming, "WHAT? WHAT DO YOU WANT? WHAT GOOD DO YOU THINK BEING THAT RUDE COULD POSSIBLY DO YOU?" But, alas, I have not yet hit the possibly inevitable breaking point, and I kept walking. Right before I got to Awa's I gathered myself and tried to get out of me "freaking'fracking'Senegal" mood.
Spending time with Awa is my oasis in the desert. We didn't even really talk about the project, just about life in general. We hung out and it was amazing. I really like my host family but it's so nice to have someone relative to my age (she's Noah's age, actually) to hang out with. I've heard the warning that finding Senegalese friends is hard for some female volunteers because you're at a different point in your life as many people your age, which is something I've found to be sort of true - except with Awa. I could continue for hours but I'll leave it at: when I told her that I didn't really like kids (which Senegalese AND some Americans respond negatively to) she agreed with me! She agreed that, though she'll want kids one day, she doesn't want them now and they're annoying - it was amazing! Oh, also, she bought me shoes, I didn't ask her for anything but she said she was in Touba and thinking of me and wanted to buy me shoes! She's so nice!
I walked home in a really good mood and when some 40-something year old woman asked me for money I was able to just laugh it off. A few blocks away some girls that always greet me, by my name, asked me to come over and read to them. They're probably 10 and they had some French homework so I made them read the story for a little then I read a few lines.
I got home around 7:30 aka MARINA. I think I've mentioned it in passing but Marina is my guilty pleasure. It's a Telemundo soap opera and it is SO good. I'll go into more in detail another time, but it revolves around Marina and her recently ex-husband Ricardo, their real son Cheuy (who just found out he was their son - everyone thought he died at birth), their adopted daughter Patricia (who's been kidnapped to a Houston hospital by her real mom who then told everyone she died - Patricia has an unnamed illness that's actually being treated). Of course you can't forget Fredirico (who's in love with Marina and about to marry her) who schemed with the very evil Veronica (who's about to marry Ricardo) to break Marina and Ricardo up. ANYWAY. I was sitting with one host sister who was tuned into another soap (Toubillon de Passions) as my host mom told her to tell the other girls Marina was on... turns out the plan was to watch Marina on one tv in our "living room" so Awa (not the project partner, but a host sister - it's a popular name) could watch the other show on the other tv. It was soap opera heaven.
After Marina was dinner (green bean sauce and bread) and I came upstairs because I didn't want to watch a show in Wolof.
Now I'm off to bed for a few hours before watching the State of the Union.
KO
I didn't have much planned for today - with the Magal coming up people are all over the place so having meetings is kind of difficult. I spent my morning responding to letters from my World Wide Schools class (more on that another time, and thank you class for all the letters!). Lunch was generally uneventful, reheated chicken, rice, and onion sauce from I think two days ago, and I spent the beginning of my afternoon annoyed at my host dad. I was annoyed for a stupid reason, I've had a head cold/allergies to something and today he told me I shouldn't drink cold water because that's making my stuffed nose worse, it was the general super patriarchal-ness of Senegal that had me peeved.
Around 5pm, I set off to meet Awa, the work partner I gushed about in The Dating Game blog. She lives across town so it's about a 15 minute walk. Today walking there I got yelled at probably more than I have ever in Bambey; they were hissing, yelling Toubab, yelling "madame," yelling about how pretty I was, making kissing noises... everything. I spent the whole walk fantasizing about turning around and just screaming, "WHAT? WHAT DO YOU WANT? WHAT GOOD DO YOU THINK BEING THAT RUDE COULD POSSIBLY DO YOU?" But, alas, I have not yet hit the possibly inevitable breaking point, and I kept walking. Right before I got to Awa's I gathered myself and tried to get out of me "freaking'fracking'Senegal" mood.
Spending time with Awa is my oasis in the desert. We didn't even really talk about the project, just about life in general. We hung out and it was amazing. I really like my host family but it's so nice to have someone relative to my age (she's Noah's age, actually) to hang out with. I've heard the warning that finding Senegalese friends is hard for some female volunteers because you're at a different point in your life as many people your age, which is something I've found to be sort of true - except with Awa. I could continue for hours but I'll leave it at: when I told her that I didn't really like kids (which Senegalese AND some Americans respond negatively to) she agreed with me! She agreed that, though she'll want kids one day, she doesn't want them now and they're annoying - it was amazing! Oh, also, she bought me shoes, I didn't ask her for anything but she said she was in Touba and thinking of me and wanted to buy me shoes! She's so nice!
I walked home in a really good mood and when some 40-something year old woman asked me for money I was able to just laugh it off. A few blocks away some girls that always greet me, by my name, asked me to come over and read to them. They're probably 10 and they had some French homework so I made them read the story for a little then I read a few lines.
I got home around 7:30 aka MARINA. I think I've mentioned it in passing but Marina is my guilty pleasure. It's a Telemundo soap opera and it is SO good. I'll go into more in detail another time, but it revolves around Marina and her recently ex-husband Ricardo, their real son Cheuy (who just found out he was their son - everyone thought he died at birth), their adopted daughter Patricia (who's been kidnapped to a Houston hospital by her real mom who then told everyone she died - Patricia has an unnamed illness that's actually being treated). Of course you can't forget Fredirico (who's in love with Marina and about to marry her) who schemed with the very evil Veronica (who's about to marry Ricardo) to break Marina and Ricardo up. ANYWAY. I was sitting with one host sister who was tuned into another soap (Toubillon de Passions) as my host mom told her to tell the other girls Marina was on... turns out the plan was to watch Marina on one tv in our "living room" so Awa (not the project partner, but a host sister - it's a popular name) could watch the other show on the other tv. It was soap opera heaven.
After Marina was dinner (green bean sauce and bread) and I came upstairs because I didn't want to watch a show in Wolof.
Now I'm off to bed for a few hours before watching the State of the Union.
KO
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
There comes a point...
Tonight as I was waiting for dinner to be brought out, I played the game I play every night. As dinner's being prepared I like to list foods that I wouldn't mind eating, they have to be Senegalese foods, and I try to make the list as long as possible. It sounds masochistic but it helps when something is put out and I think "that was on the list!" or "at least isn't not lek!" So, tonight I was sitting on the mat watching my second favorite imported soap opera and thought to myself, "I wouldn't mind eating..." but "beans" was the only thing I could fill in. I'm nearing my breaking point - I don't know how much longer I can stand 2 meals a day of Senegalese food.
Luckily, if I ever suck it up, I can explain to my host family that I'm just going to cook for myself (which I might do tomorrow for dinner if I get to the market in time to buy lettuce). Also, soon enough I'll be at training and, though it's Senegalese food, it's dinners are never rice-based (which is where my problem lies). We ended up having rice, beans, and smoked fish which I can always shovel down enough bites to play the hungry card (even though I might be the only volunteer that doesn't mind the taste of smoked fish).
But life in Bambey is keeping on. Matar's hard at work on 9 capes for WAIST; I had a great time going to the market and buying 18 meters of fabric.
Oh! And I learned there are a million places I can watch the State of the Union live tomorrow (well, Thursday for me). Even though it'll be around 2am, I still want to watch it.
Enjoy the State of the Union!
KO
Luckily, if I ever suck it up, I can explain to my host family that I'm just going to cook for myself (which I might do tomorrow for dinner if I get to the market in time to buy lettuce). Also, soon enough I'll be at training and, though it's Senegalese food, it's dinners are never rice-based (which is where my problem lies). We ended up having rice, beans, and smoked fish which I can always shovel down enough bites to play the hungry card (even though I might be the only volunteer that doesn't mind the taste of smoked fish).
But life in Bambey is keeping on. Matar's hard at work on 9 capes for WAIST; I had a great time going to the market and buying 18 meters of fabric.
Oh! And I learned there are a million places I can watch the State of the Union live tomorrow (well, Thursday for me). Even though it'll be around 2am, I still want to watch it.
Enjoy the State of the Union!
KO
Monday, January 25, 2010
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
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
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
In Senegal, birthdays come with good food!
Today's Alyssa's birthday so to celebrate, the volunteers around Thies came in for lunch. My Thies day started when I met Jackie at the garage and we ventured out to go to the bank and buy fabric before meeting up with everyone. About an hour later (and after purchasing some excellent fabric) we met up with everyone at a bar the volunteers in Thies found. Because of the amenities and hospitality in Bambey, I wasn't really stir crazy to get out, but it's always great to see other volunteers. Sure, our conversation usually revolves around the same topics (who's asked to date/marry you? sickness? peace corps gossip, etc.) but it's so nice to speak English and just have a break, for a few hours, from Senegal. After about an hour at the bar we headed to Chicken Dibi!
I don't think I can accurately convey the amazingness that is Chicken Dibi (try as I have and will) but what was even better about today's Dibi was that it was open for lunch! (They usually open around 6pm which is too late for those of us who have to travel back to site.) Alyssa and Emily had asked them to open special for Alyssa's birthday and they were more than happy to (not to mention we consumed almost 5 whole chickens). After sticking some birthday candles into Alyssa's chicken, the meal itself was a blur of amazing food (and probably more protein than I've eaten the rest of the month combined). But that wasn't the end of it! Alyssa, Emily, and a USAID worker in Thies had made a cake! But, this is Senegal and it isn't that easy to bake a cake (to perfection) when there aren't ovens, instead these ladies created a double boil on a stove and then cooked it in that. The cake was perfectly moist and taught us all that you don't need an oven to make a cake!
The trip back to Bambey was a little long, but I was full and thus happy. I'm back to the pre-school tomorrow!
KO
I don't think I can accurately convey the amazingness that is Chicken Dibi (try as I have and will) but what was even better about today's Dibi was that it was open for lunch! (They usually open around 6pm which is too late for those of us who have to travel back to site.) Alyssa and Emily had asked them to open special for Alyssa's birthday and they were more than happy to (not to mention we consumed almost 5 whole chickens). After sticking some birthday candles into Alyssa's chicken, the meal itself was a blur of amazing food (and probably more protein than I've eaten the rest of the month combined). But that wasn't the end of it! Alyssa, Emily, and a USAID worker in Thies had made a cake! But, this is Senegal and it isn't that easy to bake a cake (to perfection) when there aren't ovens, instead these ladies created a double boil on a stove and then cooked it in that. The cake was perfectly moist and taught us all that you don't need an oven to make a cake!
The trip back to Bambey was a little long, but I was full and thus happy. I'm back to the pre-school tomorrow!
KO
Monday, January 18, 2010
Dreams do come true!
Today while I was running I thought to myself, "I would LOVE to have a salad for dinner." Then, because I'm me, I imagined all of the salads I might want to eat: chopped from Portillo's,maybe a Caesar, or, best of all, a wedge with blue cheese or thousand island (It's been a while since I've had a really good salad). After my run I hung out with my hf and we talked about Martin Luther King Jr. a little, mostly about how today is a holiday (then my hfdad lectured me about America yeah...). Finally dinner came and I knew it was going to be good because it had bread on the side. When my hfsister took the lid off the plate it was SALAD! Yes! It was amazing and glorious!
Other than that today was mostly uneventful with "homework" for my training in February. I'm going back to the pre-school tomorrow.
KO
Other than that today was mostly uneventful with "homework" for my training in February. I'm going back to the pre-school tomorrow.
KO
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Football
Like most kids in the US, I played park district soccer and when I stopped, I lost all interest in soccer. Most Americans, or so I think, don't really watch professional soccer. Sure, some go to games, an maybe even more tune in every 4 years to watch the World Cup but we have so many OTHER sports, let the rest of the world have soccer, we'll keep real football.
To all of those non-believers out there, take it from an American abroad - soccer rocks! I'm now a fan of the foot! Before I give you my reasons, let me first say the bi-annual African Cup of Nations is going on (Senegal did not qualify). Now,
A Few Reasons, in no particular order, I Love Football (yes, I now call it football - mostly because that's the French word):
- All you need is a ball and an open space to play so almost anyone, no matter how "underdeveloped" can play the game
- You don't really need anything to "train" for it (most people here run to "train") and so you can hang on to the dream of being a pro for a little bit longer than with other sports
- There actually are successful professional players from around the world
- Africa Cup games are on every night so, even though I'm missing my favorite soap opera, I'm also missing all of the bad ones
- I think it's fun how into the games everyone in my host family gets
- It gives me something to talk about with my host family (you might be able to understand how difficult it is sometimes to have small talk because we're from such different backgrounds... except when it comes to football)
- It gives Youssou and I something to talk about
- Today Youssou asked me if, when he was a profession player, I would come back and watch his games
Now that I've professed my love for the sport, I'll end with two different thoughts: #1. The US is bidding for the 2018 or 2022 World Cup. #2. The main thing I DO NOT like about soccer is that, in the streets, only men/boys play and watch - women aren't involved.
So, World Cup games start around June 12th I think, get ready to cheer on the US (Senegal, again, didn't qualify) or whatever team you want!
KO
To all of those non-believers out there, take it from an American abroad - soccer rocks! I'm now a fan of the foot! Before I give you my reasons, let me first say the bi-annual African Cup of Nations is going on (Senegal did not qualify). Now,
A Few Reasons, in no particular order, I Love Football (yes, I now call it football - mostly because that's the French word):
- All you need is a ball and an open space to play so almost anyone, no matter how "underdeveloped" can play the game
- You don't really need anything to "train" for it (most people here run to "train") and so you can hang on to the dream of being a pro for a little bit longer than with other sports
- There actually are successful professional players from around the world
- Africa Cup games are on every night so, even though I'm missing my favorite soap opera, I'm also missing all of the bad ones
- I think it's fun how into the games everyone in my host family gets
- It gives me something to talk about with my host family (you might be able to understand how difficult it is sometimes to have small talk because we're from such different backgrounds... except when it comes to football)
- It gives Youssou and I something to talk about
- Today Youssou asked me if, when he was a profession player, I would come back and watch his games
Now that I've professed my love for the sport, I'll end with two different thoughts: #1. The US is bidding for the 2018 or 2022 World Cup. #2. The main thing I DO NOT like about soccer is that, in the streets, only men/boys play and watch - women aren't involved.
So, World Cup games start around June 12th I think, get ready to cheer on the US (Senegal, again, didn't qualify) or whatever team you want!
KO
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