Happy Mother's Day

Well hello there again wherever you are. I hope everyone is mad appreciating their mothers today. After all, without her, you wouldn't be here. Show some love. I personally want to thank my real mom and my various surrogate mothers all around the world for the love and support they have given me over the years. I speak specifically to my mom (US), Raquel (Chile), Odile (Senegal) and Aida (France). Happy Mother's Day ladies.

I can't say that this last week-ish has been very eventful. It was nice, for a while, to rest after such a wild ride in Kedougou. However, I prefer being active so I quickly bore wtih the easy life.


Mostly this time has been about saying good-bye and trying to wrap up my time here in Senegal. Without all the LC students, it made me appreciate how much their presence made this study abroad program special. I will miss them tons but I am starting to get really excited for the next phase of this adventure.

Friday I recovered and had a last night out with Julia who left Saturday evening. Saturday I spent with my host mom, Aida, because she left for France on Sunday. I also checked out a small jewelry shop in the Biscuiterie neighborhood and got a silver bracelet made for me with "Adama" my Senegalese name, engraved in the top. It is customary here for people to wear silver or gold jewelry with either their first name or their family name engraved in it. And I really like the name Adama.

I spent a lot of time just chilling with Sean who has become something of a best friend and fellow adventurer with me in Senegal. He was suppposed to leave Wednesday eaerly morning but due to a big mishap in which Royal Air Morocco deleted his itinerary and refunded his ticket without telling him, he ended up leaving early Thursday morning instead.

This weekend, things finally started getting interesting again. I went out downtown with some of the students from Lawrence University (another ACI Baobab study abroad program). We had dinner at Chez Lutcha and then checked out this quirky little club called Cafe Iguane. Friday night my host sister (Selly) arrived from France. She is studying fashion design in Paris and spends her summers in Dakar, so it was the first time I had met her.

Saturday I stayed home all day because Abdoul, my host dad, was getting ready to go join his wife in France. Saturday evening Selly and I went to a club called Diamond which is in Almadies, a pretty nice neighborhood in Dakar. We had a lot of fun and I always enjoy dancing with my girls. Needless to say, I was ready for a nice relaxing Sunday.

So, next week I move into an apartment when Mike gets here on Wednesday. we are going to solidify some of the details for the next phase of the trip and get to know Dakar for a few days. After that, it's off to Mali.

Everyone have a great week. Be safe and appreciate the mothers in your life.
Peace.