Hey everyone,
Hope you all had a fun, safe week. Sean and I had quite the adventure in Eastern Senegal.
Back in Dakar now, allelulia = alhamdulilahi! I have been thoroughly enjoying the creature comforts of home, namely electricity, a soft bed, a ceiling fan and reliable running water. Thank God is "santa yalla" in Wolof and I am so thankful to be back in Dakar after a challenging voyage: "maa ngi santa yalla bu bax!"
We headed out Sunday morning bright and early at 7 am, down to the bus station, in what I thought would be an innocent start to an enjoyable vacation. We were well prepared with snacks, water and a healthy taste for adventure. This was our last Senegal trip as Sean heads back to Europe on the 5th. We found a bus going to Tambacounda (2/3 of the way to Kedougou), bought our tickets, and hopped aboard. We had planned on spending the night in Tamba to avoid travelling overnight. Buses here wait until they are full to leave, so we ended up sitting in the station for 7 hours before finally leaving at around 3 pm. It shows how much Sean and I have grown accustomed to the uncertainty of life in Senegal that we had the patience to sit on a bus for that long. Spirits still high, we headed out.
The bus was fairly well ventilated but we ended up sweating most of the way. Being hot and uncomfortable quickly became the norm for the trip. We had 1 long stop to change a flat tire that took about an hour. We had several stops to get food and let off passengers. We also had a 3 hour stop at a random gas station so that the bus driver could take a nap. In the end, we didn't need to spend the night in Tamba because we showed up at 6 am and immediately found a sept-place to Kedougou. This part of the voyage was a little more pleasant because we were driving through Senegal's largest national park: Niokolo Koba. The scenery was unlike anywhere else in Senegal, we were surrounded by green, rolling hills. We also saw a little bit of wildlife: warhogs, red-footed monkeys and some birds.
We showed up in Kedougou Monday morning at 10 am. It took us 26 hours to get there and we covered about 700 km which is about 435 miles. We found a nice hostel and took a nap. We got some sleep on the bus but we were constantly trying to catch up on sleep. We explored the town and got some ceebujen for lunch. We talked to a local guide about where to go in the area and how to manage it on our own. We also met some really nice Peace Corps volunteers. They invited us over to the Peace Corps house in Kedougou and we chatted about how best to explore the area. We decided to rent bikes to get to Dindefelo where there is a cute little village and a nice waterfall. We went to bed early to prepare for an epic bike trip.
Tuesday morning we were up at 6 to beat the heat. We biked out of Kedougou at 7 am, leaving our backpacks at the hostel and bringing only the basics with us. We had plenty of water (about 6 liters) which we were very thankful for. We brought some food and a change of clothes. We tried to travel light because the roads were unbelievably rough and Dindefelo was 36 km away (22 miles). We had been assured that the bikes were up to the trip, but about 17 miles in, Sean's back tire was totally flat. We walked a mile to a village called Segou and filled it up. We kept biking but it was a temporary fix and two miles later we were walking again. Luckily we were only about 2 miles from Dindefelo at that point. We showed up exhausted at about noon. We found a cute little hostel with huts and settled in. That afternoon we hiked the 2 miles to the waterfall. It was gorgeous, totally worth the effort. We found a calm, quiet canyon with steep cliff faces and a wonderfully relaxing pool at the base of the falls. We swam and felt comfortable temperature-wise for the first time since Sunday morning. We walked around the small village of Dindefelo that afternoon and watched a local soccer match.
Wendesday we found out that there is a Nissan 4 X 4 that drives between Kedougou and Dindefelo everyday that would be able to take us and the bikes back. Thank goodness, because there was no way we were going to be able to bike back. We made it back to Kedougou after a 2 hour long very bumpy ride. We returned the bikes and unsuccessfully bargained for a refund on Sean's bike. We settled into the same hostel and relaxed. We bought street fare for dinner (the same place we had already been to twice) and didn't think twice about it. We bought some local palm wine and watched the Barcelona-Milan semi-final match of the European Champions League with our local guide. Everything was fine until about 1 am when I woke up with a terrible stomach ache. I didn't sleep at all due to nausea, "shuking" (diarrhea plus puking) and a 102 degree fever. I stayed in bed all day until about 3 pm Thursday. Sean was very helpful, he had some medications with him and a thermometer. I am glad that I didn't get sick on the bus or in Dindefelo. We were best equipped to deal with it in Kedougou. At least we had lots of water and our own bathroom in the hostel. I am pretty sure it was the sandwich that did me in.
I rested all day and drank lots of water. Thursday we had already purchased bus tickets on the direct overnight bus back to dakar. We left at 6 pm and got in around 5 am. I felt better, but it was still very up and down. The bus was hot and I completely sweated through my clothes. I got a little bit of sleep but it will take me a few days to really recover.
After this trip, I have whole new standards of comfort. I have suffered through heat, sickness, fatigue and discomfort. I feel like I came out stronger and better prepared for my next trip. This was like a small, trial run and it was quite the learning experience. Now that I have really gotten sick, I know to plan an extra day into my trips. I know now what food poisoning feels like so I can better judge the risk that street food poses. I will be better equipped to pack a first aid kit knowing what helped me in this situation and I fill pay extra attention to what I eat before travelling or when I am in a remote area.
Dakar feels especially luxurious after my trip to Eastern Senegal. If anyone wants to Google Kedougou or Dindefelo, you will see how truly far we went. We were only a couple of miles from the border with Guinea and not far from Mali either. It was a very pretty region, a challenging trip and a great learning experience. I wouldn't change a thing. I hope everyone had a nice, relaxing week. I will try to put up pictures when I get a chance.
Peace!
~Jess~
Friday, April 30, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Fin du Programme
Hey everyone!
Thought I would start with some pics. This is our final performance for our Senegalese Music class. Me and Kelly, the first and the last the leave Dakar.
I am officially done with my semester abroad...in any sort of formal capacity. From here on out it is just me doing my thing. This means that the blogging is going to become a lot more sporadic...and potentially more interesting. To illustrate that point, for example tomorrow I am off to Kedougou with Sean and I probably won't have internet for a week. It will probably be a similar story for most of my travels this summer.
Anyway, the semester ended with a bang! I had a final French exam with written and oral parts. We turned in a big paper and presented on it. We had our final music and dance class and our final session volunteering at Village SOS. I'm gonna miss those little kids.
We had two more final presentations and a final paper for literature and seminar. Wednesday we busted out the djembes and played a show for our family, friends, teachers and pretty much all of ACI. Thursday we had our re-entry session to prep (most of) us for life back at home.
Everything went smoothly and I have had a couple days of down-time to just breathe before the next adventure.
And then the good-byes started. Kelly left on Wednesday right after our show. 9 little Indians left in Dakar...Jess H. and Alexis are flying to Paris as I type. 7 little Indians left.
Since Sean and I are headed to Kedougou for the week, I said good-bye to Leia, Rebekah, Katherine and Julie today, too. By May 1st, there will only be 3 of us left, and by the 5th, I will be the last one standing. I am excited to have some time to explore Dakar some more before Mike gets here. I am also looking forward to having a chance to take things as they come and reflect on my experience here.
I love Senegal so much and there are so many wonderful, unexplicable, beautiful moments everyday that I wish I could really share with everyone. Like when you fall asleep on the couch waiting for dinner and you wake up to your (host) grandma taking a picture of you with her camera phone. There are always those cute interactions with vendors on the street or when you suprise someone with your Wolof. I have found a lot to love here and I am so thankful for the opportunity to study in Dakar.
Anyway, I have to finish packing up my backpack for Kedougou. It is in the eastern part of Senegal, near Guinee. It is supposed to be really green and beautiful but it will take us two days to get there since it is not always safe to travel at night. I am looking forward to adventuring out on my own with Sean and getting to know a new part of Senegal. Hope everyone has a great week! Also, I will try to add more pictures to my posts in the future, to give you an idea of where I am going and the people I spend time with.
Peace.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Last full week
Hey everybody.
Wow, it has been a great week and, as the title suggests, this was our last full week together as a group of 10 toubabs. Next week we start dropping like flies, starting on Wednesday when Kelly heads to France (volcanos permitting).
Here's a quick break down of my week. Most of us spent a considerable amount of time writing our Continuity and Change paper (10-15 pages in French talking all about our village stays.)
Monday we had 3 hours of French and then our Wolof final class and exam. There was a written and an oral part. I think I did pretty well. I really love Wolof and try to speak it whenever I get the chance, which is often. We had 3 hours of Music class Monday evening.
Tuesday morning I slept in and recovered from a brief but nasty cold. Then we had an hour of seminar. This whole week we have been having the final class periods for most of our courses and then we'll have our exams next week for the most part.
Wendesday we had two hours of literature and 3 hours of French.
Thursday we had a very interesting AIDS in Africa session with Gary, the founder of ACI. We learned a lot about the epidemic and what is being done to combat it. We had lunch with Tricia, the director of our program and reflected a little about the classes and trips we have done with ACI. 2 hours of French to round out 8 solid hours at school. Finished up my paper just in time!
Friday we had two hours of French. Final editing of my paper. Then we had a 2 hour session for each group to present their village stays. It took us almost 3 hours, but that's Senegal. Things went very smoothly and it feels really good to have that behind me. It was our biggest project by far, with a 10-15 page paper and a 20 minute presentation per group, in French. So it is nice now, we still have 3 exams but things will come in smaller bursts now.
Saturday we had 2 hours of French and then a lazy morning with the family. I watched Marseille win a soccer match with Sean (OM is my new soccer team). They have a great Senegalese player so Sean and I both wore our Niang jerseys that we bought in Dakar. After a nice dinner at home, we went to Myshop with Leia, Rebekah and two U Penn students (Anne and Benji). We hung out for a while and then decided to go dancing at Voyageur again. Rebekah, Leia and I went with a friend of Rebekah, a girl named Aisha from Djibouti. It was pretty fun but we left after about 2 hours.
Sunday was great. It is finally a day to just relax and recuperate. We went to a beach on the east side of Dakar, hidden in an industral district, called Voile d'Or. It is a private beach (1000 F = $2 to get in) so it was a little nicer kept than other beaches. It was gorgeous. We got some sun, swam and relaxed all day long.
So, I am mentally preparing myself for the last few days of our program and then trying to figure out what I'm going to do afterward. This time next week, I will be free so the posting from here on out may get a little more sporadic. I am hoping to travel either to Eastern or Southern Senegal with Sean for a week after the program, but we'll see. I think that Senegal has helped me a lot with being a flexible traveler. I am super excited for the next stage of my adventure: travelling for 4 months all over Africa with my friend Mike. Mike gets to Dakar on May 12th, so we will spend a few days here and then head toward Mali.
Anyway, I hope that everyone is doing well. Hope that the volcano isn't messing up air traffic too bad.
Peace!
Wow, it has been a great week and, as the title suggests, this was our last full week together as a group of 10 toubabs. Next week we start dropping like flies, starting on Wednesday when Kelly heads to France (volcanos permitting).
Here's a quick break down of my week. Most of us spent a considerable amount of time writing our Continuity and Change paper (10-15 pages in French talking all about our village stays.)
Monday we had 3 hours of French and then our Wolof final class and exam. There was a written and an oral part. I think I did pretty well. I really love Wolof and try to speak it whenever I get the chance, which is often. We had 3 hours of Music class Monday evening.
Tuesday morning I slept in and recovered from a brief but nasty cold. Then we had an hour of seminar. This whole week we have been having the final class periods for most of our courses and then we'll have our exams next week for the most part.
Wendesday we had two hours of literature and 3 hours of French.
Thursday we had a very interesting AIDS in Africa session with Gary, the founder of ACI. We learned a lot about the epidemic and what is being done to combat it. We had lunch with Tricia, the director of our program and reflected a little about the classes and trips we have done with ACI. 2 hours of French to round out 8 solid hours at school. Finished up my paper just in time!
Friday we had two hours of French. Final editing of my paper. Then we had a 2 hour session for each group to present their village stays. It took us almost 3 hours, but that's Senegal. Things went very smoothly and it feels really good to have that behind me. It was our biggest project by far, with a 10-15 page paper and a 20 minute presentation per group, in French. So it is nice now, we still have 3 exams but things will come in smaller bursts now.
Saturday we had 2 hours of French and then a lazy morning with the family. I watched Marseille win a soccer match with Sean (OM is my new soccer team). They have a great Senegalese player so Sean and I both wore our Niang jerseys that we bought in Dakar. After a nice dinner at home, we went to Myshop with Leia, Rebekah and two U Penn students (Anne and Benji). We hung out for a while and then decided to go dancing at Voyageur again. Rebekah, Leia and I went with a friend of Rebekah, a girl named Aisha from Djibouti. It was pretty fun but we left after about 2 hours.
Sunday was great. It is finally a day to just relax and recuperate. We went to a beach on the east side of Dakar, hidden in an industral district, called Voile d'Or. It is a private beach (1000 F = $2 to get in) so it was a little nicer kept than other beaches. It was gorgeous. We got some sun, swam and relaxed all day long.
So, I am mentally preparing myself for the last few days of our program and then trying to figure out what I'm going to do afterward. This time next week, I will be free so the posting from here on out may get a little more sporadic. I am hoping to travel either to Eastern or Southern Senegal with Sean for a week after the program, but we'll see. I think that Senegal has helped me a lot with being a flexible traveler. I am super excited for the next stage of my adventure: travelling for 4 months all over Africa with my friend Mike. Mike gets to Dakar on May 12th, so we will spend a few days here and then head toward Mali.
Anyway, I hope that everyone is doing well. Hope that the volcano isn't messing up air traffic too bad.
Peace!
Monday, April 12, 2010
Nearing the End
Hey everybody! So, we are coming down to the last two weeks of the program. Life is still full of fun and adventure and, true to Senegalese style, no two weeks are ever the same.
Monday we had a day off for Easter and lots of shops were closed. Even though Senegal is 95% Muslim, a lot of the holidays here are shared. It is pretty cool that the religious communities are so close, and families are intermixed. This makes it nearly impossible for any sort of ethnic or religious strife to ever threaten Senegal’s stability. I went to Ngor with some of the other students and instead of spending a relaxing day on the beach, we decided to explore the northern shores of Dakar. So, we started at Ngor, and then walked west around the point of the peninsula. We even went out to the westernmost tip of Africa (and took some pictures), then we walked south past the Monument of the African Renaissance. It was a great day wandering around and we got to know the neighborhoods of Ngor, Almadies, and Ouakam pretty well. That night we had another dinner party at our music professor’s house.
Tuesday morning was free because Village SOS has two weeks off for Easter break. In the afternoon, we had our seminar discussion class and two hours of French.
Wednesday was a very full day. We had two hours of Senegalese literature which we had with the author again. It is amazing being able to talk to him about his book but it is unfortunate that he is better known outside of Senegal than in his own country. He talked to us a little bit about the difficulty that Senegalese authors face in getting their works published and then finding a readership. We had two hours of French, lunch and then two more hours of French. Since we missed a couple of classes due to professor illness, we now have to make up those hours.
Thursday we had an Arts Visit for our continuity and change class. We went to the French Institute downtown and saw a photography exhibit about historic Saint Louis (located on the northern tip of Senegal.)
Friday was another two hours of French. Then I went to a really cool market in a neighborhood called the Biscuiterie with Jess, Julia, Leia and Rebekah. We wanted to get soccer jerseys because football is huge here and we all have different teams we support. My new team is Marseille because they are pretty good and they have a really good striker named Mamadou Niang who is Senegalese. So, I got his #11 jersey (for only five bucks) and I wore it on Sunday for the Marseille-Nice match. Friday afternoon we had a Wolof class outing. We went to the market together to buy vegetables for our hands-on class on Saturday. Friday night was another relaxing evening chilling at Myshop with the toubabs.
Saturday we had a jam-packed day. Two hours of French in the morning (more make-up sessions) and then a whole afternoon of Wolof “lab.” We learned how to make ceebujen, which is one of the more recognizable Senegalese dishes. It took us from 11 until 3 because we were cooking for about 17 people. It was a good lesson and hopefully we will be able to do it ourselves when we help out with orientation for next year’s group. I was pretty exhausted by Saturday night so I decided to stay in and chill with my host family. We ate dinner at the matriarch’s house and it was very pleasant. My Wolof is still coming along and I practice all I can because our final exam is today. At the end of the night a little host-cousin of mine called Sohna Fatima fell asleep on my lap. She is about 4 years old and already speaks better French than I do! She is pretty adorable.
Sunday I had lunch in Almadies with a contact from the Ghanaian Embassy. I am starting to do mad research for my trip so that I have some ideas of where I want to stay and where I want to stop and what I want to do along the way. The details are slowly coming together. I went to a bar in Baobab to watch the Marseille-Nice match. Marseille killed them 4-1. Niang played most of the second half but didn’t score this game. He is League 1’s leading scorer, though, so he is a lot of fun to watch. Sunday night I hung out at home again and watch the dubbed French version of “Next” with my host dad.
The next two weeks are the end of our program so things are going to start heating up here soon. We have 1 exam this week and then a 10-page paper due with a 10 minute presentation. After that, we have 3 more final evaluations and 1 performance. True to the French-style education system, everything that counts comes at the end. Hope you all have a wonderful week.
Wish me luck!
Peace.
Monday we had a day off for Easter and lots of shops were closed. Even though Senegal is 95% Muslim, a lot of the holidays here are shared. It is pretty cool that the religious communities are so close, and families are intermixed. This makes it nearly impossible for any sort of ethnic or religious strife to ever threaten Senegal’s stability. I went to Ngor with some of the other students and instead of spending a relaxing day on the beach, we decided to explore the northern shores of Dakar. So, we started at Ngor, and then walked west around the point of the peninsula. We even went out to the westernmost tip of Africa (and took some pictures), then we walked south past the Monument of the African Renaissance. It was a great day wandering around and we got to know the neighborhoods of Ngor, Almadies, and Ouakam pretty well. That night we had another dinner party at our music professor’s house.
Tuesday morning was free because Village SOS has two weeks off for Easter break. In the afternoon, we had our seminar discussion class and two hours of French.
Wednesday was a very full day. We had two hours of Senegalese literature which we had with the author again. It is amazing being able to talk to him about his book but it is unfortunate that he is better known outside of Senegal than in his own country. He talked to us a little bit about the difficulty that Senegalese authors face in getting their works published and then finding a readership. We had two hours of French, lunch and then two more hours of French. Since we missed a couple of classes due to professor illness, we now have to make up those hours.
Thursday we had an Arts Visit for our continuity and change class. We went to the French Institute downtown and saw a photography exhibit about historic Saint Louis (located on the northern tip of Senegal.)
Friday was another two hours of French. Then I went to a really cool market in a neighborhood called the Biscuiterie with Jess, Julia, Leia and Rebekah. We wanted to get soccer jerseys because football is huge here and we all have different teams we support. My new team is Marseille because they are pretty good and they have a really good striker named Mamadou Niang who is Senegalese. So, I got his #11 jersey (for only five bucks) and I wore it on Sunday for the Marseille-Nice match. Friday afternoon we had a Wolof class outing. We went to the market together to buy vegetables for our hands-on class on Saturday. Friday night was another relaxing evening chilling at Myshop with the toubabs.
Saturday we had a jam-packed day. Two hours of French in the morning (more make-up sessions) and then a whole afternoon of Wolof “lab.” We learned how to make ceebujen, which is one of the more recognizable Senegalese dishes. It took us from 11 until 3 because we were cooking for about 17 people. It was a good lesson and hopefully we will be able to do it ourselves when we help out with orientation for next year’s group. I was pretty exhausted by Saturday night so I decided to stay in and chill with my host family. We ate dinner at the matriarch’s house and it was very pleasant. My Wolof is still coming along and I practice all I can because our final exam is today. At the end of the night a little host-cousin of mine called Sohna Fatima fell asleep on my lap. She is about 4 years old and already speaks better French than I do! She is pretty adorable.
Sunday I had lunch in Almadies with a contact from the Ghanaian Embassy. I am starting to do mad research for my trip so that I have some ideas of where I want to stay and where I want to stop and what I want to do along the way. The details are slowly coming together. I went to a bar in Baobab to watch the Marseille-Nice match. Marseille killed them 4-1. Niang played most of the second half but didn’t score this game. He is League 1’s leading scorer, though, so he is a lot of fun to watch. Sunday night I hung out at home again and watch the dubbed French version of “Next” with my host dad.
The next two weeks are the end of our program so things are going to start heating up here soon. We have 1 exam this week and then a 10-page paper due with a 10 minute presentation. After that, we have 3 more final evaluations and 1 performance. True to the French-style education system, everything that counts comes at the end. Hope you all have a wonderful week.
Wish me luck!
Peace.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Independance Day
Hey all, hope your week has been a good one.
For me it was back to school this week.
Monday I had two hours of French, 2 hours of Wolof and 3.5 hours of Music and Dance. For Wolof we did a field trip to HLM market to practice our bargaining skills. I got henna on my fingernails and did alright bargaining in Wolof. For Music, we are trying to prepare for our end of the term concert.
Tuesday was volunteering at Village SOS in the morning. It was a pretty fun morning because they were getting ready for Easter. I helped my teacher put together Easter baskets for the kids and decorate them. We even got some of the extra candy at the end. Tuesday afternoon we had History of Islam for two hours.
Wendesday started with two hours of Senegalese Literature and ended with two hours of Islam. I edited my History of Islam paper in between and got it printed out. 10 pages in French all about gris-gris (religious protection amulets).
Thursday we spent the morning on an arts visit for our Area Studies class. We visited a work-working market and saw how the artists make djembes and other wooden products. We had two hours of Continuity and Change and then our very last History of Islam class. We turned in our papers and gave feedback about the class. We also decided to have a litle party and we all brought snacks. Mango season is just kicking off here in Dakar and you can buy 3 small mangoes for a quarter at most road-side stalls! I can't wait til mango season really gets going in a couple of weeks. They are unlike any mango I have ever tasted :-)
Friday we had two hours of French and then the whole afternoon off. I had a big lunch with the extended family and then had a relaxing evening. Friday night we decided to have a girl's night out. So, we went to a cute little restaurant/bar called Oasis and listened to live jazz for 2 hours and then went out dancing. We went to a club called Voyageur which was a lot of fun and ladies get in free! We danced hip hop and mbalax (Senegalese dance music).
Saturday I had a nice relaxing morning sleeping in. The Monument of the African Renaissance was inaugurated and if you haven't read about it, there is a lot of controversy surrounding it. Google it sometime. Sean and I decided to watch the protest against the momument since it wasn't far from Baobab Center. There were about 2,000 people and it was a pretty tranquil march with some chanting, but mostly just marching. Saturday night I spent with the family again hanging out at a cousin's birthday party.
Sunday, today, is Senegal's independence day. This year is especially important because it marks 50 years since Senegal gained independence from France. So, all morning I have been watching a very long, very extravagant military parade. It is very interesting and celebrated in a very different manner than anywhere else I have ever lived. I hope everyone is having a great Easter. There is a huge lutte (wrestling/boxing) competition this afternoon that I plan to go to with some friends.
Talk to you all next week!
Peace.
For me it was back to school this week.
Monday I had two hours of French, 2 hours of Wolof and 3.5 hours of Music and Dance. For Wolof we did a field trip to HLM market to practice our bargaining skills. I got henna on my fingernails and did alright bargaining in Wolof. For Music, we are trying to prepare for our end of the term concert.
Tuesday was volunteering at Village SOS in the morning. It was a pretty fun morning because they were getting ready for Easter. I helped my teacher put together Easter baskets for the kids and decorate them. We even got some of the extra candy at the end. Tuesday afternoon we had History of Islam for two hours.
Wendesday started with two hours of Senegalese Literature and ended with two hours of Islam. I edited my History of Islam paper in between and got it printed out. 10 pages in French all about gris-gris (religious protection amulets).
Thursday we spent the morning on an arts visit for our Area Studies class. We visited a work-working market and saw how the artists make djembes and other wooden products. We had two hours of Continuity and Change and then our very last History of Islam class. We turned in our papers and gave feedback about the class. We also decided to have a litle party and we all brought snacks. Mango season is just kicking off here in Dakar and you can buy 3 small mangoes for a quarter at most road-side stalls! I can't wait til mango season really gets going in a couple of weeks. They are unlike any mango I have ever tasted :-)
Friday we had two hours of French and then the whole afternoon off. I had a big lunch with the extended family and then had a relaxing evening. Friday night we decided to have a girl's night out. So, we went to a cute little restaurant/bar called Oasis and listened to live jazz for 2 hours and then went out dancing. We went to a club called Voyageur which was a lot of fun and ladies get in free! We danced hip hop and mbalax (Senegalese dance music).
Saturday I had a nice relaxing morning sleeping in. The Monument of the African Renaissance was inaugurated and if you haven't read about it, there is a lot of controversy surrounding it. Google it sometime. Sean and I decided to watch the protest against the momument since it wasn't far from Baobab Center. There were about 2,000 people and it was a pretty tranquil march with some chanting, but mostly just marching. Saturday night I spent with the family again hanging out at a cousin's birthday party.
Sunday, today, is Senegal's independence day. This year is especially important because it marks 50 years since Senegal gained independence from France. So, all morning I have been watching a very long, very extravagant military parade. It is very interesting and celebrated in a very different manner than anywhere else I have ever lived. I hope everyone is having a great Easter. There is a huge lutte (wrestling/boxing) competition this afternoon that I plan to go to with some friends.
Talk to you all next week!
Peace.
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