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.