In less than 100 hrs...

…so much can happen.

The 24 hours of travel went by faster than expected. On flight 2 of 3, I sat next to a very nice gentleman on his way to Dakar. He is a senior project manager with a major development organization; in particular water and environmental development. Jackpot! He has been all over Africa and has numerous contacts on the continent and in Dakar! Being that I’m very open to staying anywhere on the continent after my 6months in Dakar and have always been looking into development I knew he was surely God sent!

All my flight connections went smoothly and the international flight was actually almost too short to get any sleep. I arrived in Dakar around 6:15am (12:15am Chicago time). My luggage thankfully arrived w/ me! It was completely dark and the moment I stepped off the plane I was assailed with the smell of warm air! A smile took over my face and heart! I had arrived!

I was warned that the Dakar airport can be overwhelming with swarms of taxi drivers offering to carry your luggage and whisk you away. I think my time on the US/Mexican border grew me immune to pestering men who “want to help”—I easily ignored them. I waited but 2-3 minutes then I saw a guy a good distance away who was holding a sign w/ my name on it. Well, this guy who picked me up (I still don’t know his name) was everything I imagined a gorgeous Senegalese man to look like!! Besides the warm air, my first thoughts were: “If they’re all this gorgeous—God help me! And Allah help me!” :)

He doesn’t speak much English and my French is still pitifully weak. But he, of course, asked me if I was excited about Obama. We then started to ‘discuss’ music. Much to my happy surprise, he explained that salsa is big in Dakar! Who knew! I rode the rest of the way with a huge smile. I didn’t have the French vocab (or even the English) to explain what utopic feelings consumed my body at that time. Again: I amin Africa, it is warm, there is salsa music, I’m starting life anew-- and it all started w/ a gorgeous Senegalese man at my side! :)

He brought me to my host family who definitely weren’t expecting me that early. But they made up my bed and showed me to my room. My room is cement walls w/ a single bed that ends in the closet of two shelves and a hanging rack w/ no hangers. A large “princess canopy” covers my bed but I was told I wouldn’t need it now. There aren’t so many mosquitoes in the winter. (75 degree winter!).There is a cement desk under the window covered in a drape that resembles a long pillow case that matches the sheets on my bed. The door to right of the window also has a matching long drape. Though I still haven’t figured out why because the door is right behind it! A shelf is secured to the wall next to my desk. My forehead meets the bottom of the shelf,(men are very tall here) so all the tip-toe reaching will be great for my calves! As I laid to down to rest only another smile could show how much I enjoy the simplicity!

Thursday, day of arrival, was a Islamic holiday so nobody worked and nobody really talked to me for most of the day. They left me to “rest in my room”. Finally, Mousa (my host brother) came home and invited me to his room, with his friend, to hang out and listen to music. Mousa is around my age (I think), married, super skinny, a journalist, and a non-threatening guy. He also speaks English but agreed to only speak French, unless necessary.

Mousa and his two boys (9 and 12) and I had lunch and dinner with the domestique (live-in maid). Meals are communal. Everybody sits around one large plate of rice or couscous with some sort of meat or fish. They use spoons, I think because of me, but traditionally eat with their right hand. (The left is reserved for bathroom purposes).

Another major difference I will have to adjust to are the Turkish style toilets: aka a whole in the ground that you squat over! It’s an adjustment and I think I will forever wear skirts…

Friday I started language class. My prof is Rudy Gomis from the Southern part of Senegal. He plays in the Orchestra Baobab who are super famous and super good. He’s played on Letterman, nominated for a Grammy and has played at the HotHouse (my fav lounge in Chicago) at least 10 times! He also speaks Creole Portugese! Parts of Senegal and Cape Verd off the coast of Senegal speak Creole Portuguese. Thus I’m hoping my Portuguese will be of some use so that I’m not completely in the dark with languages.

At school I met the other Rotary student, Cody, who arrived in mid-November and various college students who are on study abroad. I never thought that I would say this, but I was glad to be able to speak English and ask some general questions about getting life started.

I made it to the beach both Saturday and Sunday. It’s about a 15 minute or $4USD taxi ride! Though most Senegalese are wearing sweaters, hoodies and scarves, we Americans headed to the beach! I got sun burnt! Sunday I also explored the downtown of Dakar on my own.

As my i-pod filtered in a shuffle of Brasilian samba, American country and Mexican banda the streets around me were a bustle of French, Wolof and I’m sure many other languages. People sell peanuts, shoes, fruit, peanuts, bags and more peanuts on the dusty sides of the street. (Peanuts are a major export) There is no grass and a lot of garbage. A lot of women are in traditional African mumus-- here they are called boubous. Some of the younger lady boubous remind me of Spanish flamenco dresses with the way they accentuate the hips and rear. It could be overwhelming. I’m sure if this would have been my first experience abroad and I knew absolutely no romance languages I would be incredibly overwhelmed and wondering what I had gotten myself into. Now, I just laugh at the thought that in a couple of months—perhaps weeks—this will all be normal to me.

So, now I have to get ready for another day of cramming French, some Wolof, not stepping on goat poop in the street, Turkish style toilets and whatever is thrown my way. I am safe. I am happy and once again learning my strengths and weaknesses. I thank you for your thoughts and prayers.