The Lamantin Beach Saly

From July 13-July 25, all 25 volunteers from my stage traveled back to the lovely city of Thies for 2 weeks of In-Service Training. I decided while at site that during IST I was going to switch languages and attempt to learn a second indigenous language, Pulaar. In my village there are three different ethnic groups each speaking a different language: Wolof, Pulaar, and Pula Futa. It is usually the case that even if people are ...

From Toubakouta we hired a sept place to take us all the way to the lovely and tiny fishing village of Toubab Dialaw. So peaceful and a really friendly place! We even ended up gettin our very own tourguide free of charge called Jamil who insisted on taking us everywhere around "his village" and often tried to convince us that we should stay there forever...he didnt even ask any of us to marry him ...

Hi all! So we were finally given our site placements! yay! For the next two years starting in May I will be living in a very small, very rural village called Keur Ndongo. It is in a region of the country called Tambacounda and is its closest big city neighbor is Kupentoum which is still like 30km away haha. so I will be doing lots of biking.* My village has about 200 to 300 people total living in it depending on the ti,e of year and whether is ...

... holding a dead 2 foot lizard. I asked him in Wolof if he killed it and he said yes. Then I asked if we were going to eat it for dinner, yes again. He then put the lizard on the ground for some other kids to see who then proceeded to throw rocks and kick sand on it. And yes, we did later eat it for dinner. With enough sauce it kind of tastes like chicken, just as long as you don't get a piece with the scales still attached.<br> I've been trying to ...

... chemistry in the group that I did not expect. It is amazing what a roller coaster this trip has been so far. My journey got off to a rock start when I almost was in an accident on Philadelphia Road. I was drinking my coffee (made with egg nog instead of cream) when I skidded on the ice. The car in front of me had stopped and I swerved to avoid hitting it. I was looking forward to the warm African sun and forced myself to stay alert though my mind was cluttered. The rest of the ...

... It makes for good story sharing. I kind of had had this image that seeing everyone again would be a great time for collaborating and it has been for the most part but the hours are long at the training center (12 hours) and during breaks you just want to be alone and doing your own thing. The long days make you miss your simpler life back in the village where you make your own hours and where your routine is, although nothing is really routine here, except those ...

... concret, lorsqu'on y va on ne travaille pas les prehensions, la marche ou l'equilibre... non. Avec elle, on danse, on fait de la lutte, on joue a ce qu'elle veut jouer... Et elle est heureuse. Comme un enfant la journee de noel, avant d'ouvrir les cadeaux. Il y a Issa, un jeune garcon de 11 ans. Lent. Intelligent, relativement habile, mais tres lent! Meme quand il sourit... mais il a tellement un beau sourire et beaucoup de volonte. Mais sa famille ne le voit pas ...

... research, but also because my homestay mother, after repeatedly telling me how much she would miss me after I go home, told me that she has a stronger connection with me than she did with Kate. For those that have no idea why that comment would be so shocking or exciting, Kate was a previous SIT student who stayed with my family and who has already returned once to Senegal in the past year. Kate is dating one of the neighbors ...

... this is very energetic and very good. Our friend Goda is a special person because he helped us, showed us where to eat, he is working in a hotel every night and the day he's working in gardens. He also teaches religion and others courses to kids from this village that's why they call him Goda because his real name was Thaddeo. The day after we took advantage of the Ocean and took some rest....

... of food on matts on the ground. Five people sit around one bowl and eat with either their hands, or spoons. It took a few days to be comfortable with bowl etiquette, but ive figured it out. Class lets out at 6 pm and volunteers either walk home or take the bus. Families here eat between 8 and 10 at night, so that gives me enough time to do some homework before eating. My family has been VERY excited to hear what ive learned each day, and its fun to try ...