Randomness...

This is going to be a random collection of things.
Friday, June 19 was a day of awareness for Drepanocytosis or Sickle-Cell Anaemia. Sickle-cell anemia is a life-long, genetic and hereditary blood disorder that affects the red blood cells. Life expectancy is shortened, with studies reporting an average life expectancy of 42 and 48 years for males and females, respectively. Approximately one-third of all inhabitants of Sub-Saharan Africa carry this gene. It’s usually found in the same regions where Malaria is/was prevalent thus can also be found in Northern Africa, the Mediterranean, Turkey, Saudi Arabia. Approximately 300,000 children are born each year w/ the disease. According to the National Institute of Health, approximately 1 in 5,000 carry the disease in the States and it’s most prevalent among African American populations. I didn’t know any of that before Friday.

Carriers of the disease are much more susceptible to Malaria. Before I came to Senegal I had heard of malaria. When I arrived in Senegal, it was treated as a normal element of life in Senegal: everyone in my family has had it at least once. My friend Brian has it now for the fourth time. I have two weeks left…(fingers crossed!!!) Its existence is unavoidable thus it creates a very pragmatic mindset for Senegalese, that I admit, I’ve not yet fully acquired.

Rainy season is almost upon us. Every evening the sky becomes more grey and heavy. What does rainy season really mean? It means, constant flooding in the poorest neighborhoods. That means sewage everywhere…that means public health disaster…It means sleeping under the stagnant air of mosquito nets every night. It means swarms of mosquitoes and any one of them can knock you out for a week—possibly longer-- with malaria. It’s precipitated by growing heat and humidity. Thus the cockroaches have left their homes to fill our homes: the bathroom, the kitchen, the hallway, the stairway…every night cockroaches. I must say I’ve gotten to the point of just looking at them and making a wide circle to avoid them. Who am I to determine who/what has a right to live?

It’s getting hot. I used to say that I really like heat. I still do but my hair hasn’t been completely dry for a week. There is always a bit of sweat. I’m in simple sun dresses, how do Senegalese still manage jeans and long sleeve shirts? My friend visited a neighboring town today and he said it was 46˚C (115ishF) at 9am. It’s hot. I wonder if I’ll be cold in Chicago in two weeks?

I’ll be back in the States in 2 weeks. It wasn’t exactly as planned, but considering I had no real plan it doesn’t really matter. I’ve been accepted to the Master’s Program at American University in Cairo, Egypt for the fall. So, I’ll be back long enough to say hi and repack then off to Egypt for two years! Two weeks left…where does the time go?