On Sunday, we went to Goree’ Island which is right off the coast of Dakar. It was about a 15 minute ferry ride to the Island. This Island had so much information and historical artifacts on the Slave trade from Senegal. We went inside the Slave House on the island, it was incredible! There is a door that opens from the slave house to the ocean and it’s called, “the door of no return”. This is because when the slaves left that door onto the ships, they would never return to Africa ever again. We also walked around the gorgeous island and I swam at the beach for a good couple hours, I am really getting a beautiful tan here! We played Frisbee in the water and jumped off the docks. It was a good little get away and the ferry ride is only 1500 CFAs/ about 3 dollars! I’m sure we will all be back at least a couple times this semester!
I’m starting to miss little things of home, like peanut butter, Chipotle trips, my roommates, CLU, and my family. But I realized that I am making good friends here with the other students of the program and the locals! Now when I walk around in my neighborhood the people say “Hi Toubab” which means “ hi white person” in Wolof! Last night I went with my host mother to an Islamic musical dance prayer gathering. It was definitely and experience, women on one side of someone’s roof and men on the other and I was fully clothed with a veil. My mother was really happy that I volunteered to go with her and some of her friends, it definitely made her day. I was glad to make her happy. Even though I had no idea what they were saying because the ceremony was in Wolof, I understood how faithful my host mother is. She is very happy that I’m such an open minded person and she is too, it helps us both understand each other and each other’s religion.
Something interesting, our bedroom door has this gross looking yellow fungus growing out of it. Don’t worry, I googled it, and it’s not harmful but it just looks very disturbing, even our maid, Maryam wouldn’t go near it… and when a local wont touch it… you don’t go NEAR it. But the most important thing I have learned in Africa is, “en Afrique, c’est pas grave” translated- in Africa, it doesn’t matter or it’s alllll good! Being here has taught me to be very easy going to many unexpected difficulties that will come into your path, like power outages which happen probably 3-5 times in a day, flies, mosquitoes and bugs that you’ve never seen in your life, mold growing in places you wouldn’t expect, and just unexpected happenings. I have a weird “burn” looking thing on my hand, don’t know where it came from… maybe the yellow fungus? Ha! Just kidding… it’s probably the heat and the humidity! Don’t worry though… I’m insured!
Life is good. Life is different. Life is complicated. But I’m still being the crazy little Mariah in Africa, and people are giving me the same weird looks as they would in the states. People aren’t as different as some seem to think. I don’t have classes on Fridays but I’m starting to volunteer at many different places. Well that’s all I have for now but I’m sure this weekend will bring some stories!
Today is September 11th as most of you may know. There’s a weird feeling among some of the students here, because in the past seven years we never spent this day abroad and there are always memorials or something in the states for today, but here… nothing.
Just remember…. “c’est pas grave” for the difficult or misunderstanding times, because as i have learned in Africa, life could be so much worse.
Love,
Diare'
(my senegalese name)
I’m starting to miss little things of home, like peanut butter, Chipotle trips, my roommates, CLU, and my family. But I realized that I am making good friends here with the other students of the program and the locals! Now when I walk around in my neighborhood the people say “Hi Toubab” which means “ hi white person” in Wolof! Last night I went with my host mother to an Islamic musical dance prayer gathering. It was definitely and experience, women on one side of someone’s roof and men on the other and I was fully clothed with a veil. My mother was really happy that I volunteered to go with her and some of her friends, it definitely made her day. I was glad to make her happy. Even though I had no idea what they were saying because the ceremony was in Wolof, I understood how faithful my host mother is. She is very happy that I’m such an open minded person and she is too, it helps us both understand each other and each other’s religion.
Something interesting, our bedroom door has this gross looking yellow fungus growing out of it. Don’t worry, I googled it, and it’s not harmful but it just looks very disturbing, even our maid, Maryam wouldn’t go near it… and when a local wont touch it… you don’t go NEAR it. But the most important thing I have learned in Africa is, “en Afrique, c’est pas grave” translated- in Africa, it doesn’t matter or it’s alllll good! Being here has taught me to be very easy going to many unexpected difficulties that will come into your path, like power outages which happen probably 3-5 times in a day, flies, mosquitoes and bugs that you’ve never seen in your life, mold growing in places you wouldn’t expect, and just unexpected happenings. I have a weird “burn” looking thing on my hand, don’t know where it came from… maybe the yellow fungus? Ha! Just kidding… it’s probably the heat and the humidity! Don’t worry though… I’m insured!
Life is good. Life is different. Life is complicated. But I’m still being the crazy little Mariah in Africa, and people are giving me the same weird looks as they would in the states. People aren’t as different as some seem to think. I don’t have classes on Fridays but I’m starting to volunteer at many different places. Well that’s all I have for now but I’m sure this weekend will bring some stories!
Today is September 11th as most of you may know. There’s a weird feeling among some of the students here, because in the past seven years we never spent this day abroad and there are always memorials or something in the states for today, but here… nothing.
Just remember…. “c’est pas grave” for the difficult or misunderstanding times, because as i have learned in Africa, life could be so much worse.
Love,
Diare'
(my senegalese name)
No comments:
Post a Comment