please go here to see some photos from my first month here [you can see a preview of the Dakar awesomeness in the photo below, which is a view from the tallest hill on Gorée Island].
This album includes primarily my first week of "orientation" around Dakar: Gorée Island, some random beaches, Pink Lake, the White House... and more! Also, if you have requests for pictures of things, you can write them on my wall or here. Now, onto the enumeration of the month from January 10th to February 10th in Dakar, Senegal.
- Cries of “toubab” in the street: 12 or so, each one less cute than the one before. My new reply—“Tudd uma Toubab” (my name is not White Person).
- Mosquito bites: 25. Pretty good, considering how much mosquitoes love my blood, and that my family won’t buy a mosquito net, and that I’ve been eating a lot of bananas recently.
- Honk-happy taxi drivers: Uncountable. They usually honk at me even when it’s fairly obvious I don’t want a taxi (viz. when I’m at the bus stop… true story). Yes, this is still bothering me a month after my arrival. (More on that later.)
- People wanting my money: Also innumerable, thanks to beggars, vendors, traders, and people who decide spontaneously that they’re going to hold out their hand and see if I’ll put something in it. Heck, why not?
- English classes taught: 2, in my entire life. It’s really awkward when the entire class hinges on the students being willing to talk…
- Things I paid way too much for: 4 that I’m aware of, but probably more. Someone usually tells me I got ripped off after I’m done making the transaction. Curse my pale face!
- Times native speakers have laughed at, with, or next to me for my attempts to speak Wolof: 50 (conservative estimate).
- Cups of real coffee drunken (Drinked? Drank? Drunk? Curse English.): 0… I really miss my daily hazelnut latte. They only have insta-coffee here. On the other hand, there is Café Touba ak Meew—a delicious infusion of caffeine, unidentifiable spices, and powdered milk.
- Cold showers: 29. 105 to go, or more. Apparently, it’s normal to take three showers a day during the hot season in Senegal.
- How much I’ll miss cold showers when I go back, on a scale from 1 to 10: 0, 0, 0. Don’t talk to me about “refreshing” and “invigorating.”
… and this is just the first month.
Stay tuned!
Hello love! I tried to facebook chat you, but it decided you weren't online AFTER I had typed my ecstatic greeting. It was very anticlimactic.
ReplyDeleteYou don't like cold showers, and all their inherant rebellion against industrialization?!? Just be glad there is no snow blowing in your face -- that's almost as bad as an unwanted cold shower. Almost.
Nice comeback. Next, try "your mom is toubab" and see how far that gets you... [or better yet, your face!] Oh, the horrid places american comebacks would take us if we used them indiscriminately...wait...
I wish I could drink, drank, drunk Cafe' Touba ak Meew because it sounds amazing.
Missing you sorely,
Rachael Gian Erichsen :)
I don't know which is worse... snow, or cold showers on a hot day. The coldness usually rubs off (so to speak) after a few minutes, so it's not that bad. On the other hand, sweating is gross, and so is getting gigantic sunburn on your back.
ReplyDeleteHm, I don't know how well "your mom is toubab" would go over... they would probably kill me. I do know how to say that, though! "Sa yaay toubab la!" We've just been learning about the family recently...
Thank you for this post. It was very cheery. Also see your Facebook wall for a message from me about how we need to talk face-to-face (or at least Facebook-to-Facebook).