Well here it is! The Eve of my move
Hi guys!! Well tonight is the last night before I move into my hut for the next two years! I have very much enjoyed my last few days in Kaolack though! Glee and OC marathons! I mean who could ask for better? Rawatina (especially) between trips to the second biggest market in Africa?!
I have just as many thoughts going through my mind as new things for my hut! shopping for everything was a blast and got to practice my Wolof and haggling skills, WHICH I must say, I have gotten down preeeettty good. Bought some sweet old t shirts from America at the Fukki Jaay. Seriously it is quite amazing how many American shirts end up in Africa and the people have zero clue what they mean or say. One guy kept holding a shirt up that had a picture of like a pastor on it and the name of a church and said. "its pretty isn't it?" Before getting me to be interested in a shirt that said "Cosmic Bounce". Seriously the most random things ever. Which is why I absolutely love it.
Had a not so pleasant experience in the market today when a local guy spit on my shirt. I was in such shock that I couldn't do anything but shortly after it took everything in me not to run after him and give him a good punch. Anyways I guess I just gotta always keep my cool and realize I look different and am therefore a target to some. Nothing some good music, internet and a beer can't fix.
Well Not much else interesting has happened except the internet going out in the regional Peace Corps apartment and saying bye one by one to my fellow PCVs and friends as they depart for their lives as a volunteer. It is great knowing that we have a lot of fun and great events, festivals, meetings, and visits in our future though!! Also learned how to make Ceere which is milliet couscous and is AMAZING!!
aaannnd Remember that time I said I would upload more pictures? Well I will not since I forgot my camera memory chip and will not have internet for the next month or so. But you guys can wait just a bit longer right??? MY apologies. but by then I will have a bunch more awesome pictures of my new family and village and potentially some photography experimentation?? haha who knows.
Well wish me luck!! I am in for some intense language training and must meet all 800 people in my village and get to know them over the next three months. Although I will have lots of downtime I will also have lots of stuff to take care of and learn so the journey is never over and never paused.
I'll leave you with these breathtaking pictures of Lac Rose. I went there with my language group one of our last days in Bayakh (neex na), as our PC driver would say. Granted, these pictures are from google and much better representations than what we actually saw but it looks better on my blog :) the last three are more like the scenery I would describe from my journey. Still Great though!! I loved how deserted it was, except for the locals trying to sell us anything and EVERYTHING!
Short little anecdote of our journey back: So because it was so not busy, finding transport back looked like it would be difficult. Thankfully we had told our taxi driver to meet us back at 6 PM smart right? wrong! so by 6 30 we were getting worried. We know Senegalese time can be mjorly delayed but when there is no one else around and you don't want to be stuck in a somewhat deserted location, one starts to panic. So we converse with our Senegalese friend/personal tour guide/ walking buddy about getting ride in this one car waiting there. We finally decided to not wait for our taxi and take the car but by then it had filled up with people. After much strained conversation in broken Wolof, French and English, we found out that the driver would come back for us but we would need to pay him all of the money up front. My RADAR said "uh uh!" So we dismissed the man and thought walking up the sand road would be the best idea to catch any possibly taxis or rides back to the main road. We ended up finding a red van that had stopped I said Halelulah! We ran to catch his attention and negotiated a price before hopping in back. It became scary when we heard him latch three locks on the outside and noticed all of the windows were barred. Then we see our taxi driver on the road and mention to our current driver that we want to get out. well he wasn't having it and sped away. Then he noticed some women needing a ride and stopped to pick them up. However, once he stopped, we made moves to get out. Then once he noticed, he decided "nevermind!" and stepped on the gas yet again!! Thought we were trapped and it is not a pleasant feeling when the windows are barred, the only exit is locked from the outside and there is a fence between you and the front seat passenger and driver. Turns out he dropped us off at the main road to catch a bus safe and sound but let me tell you. The experience was a tad stressful and made me sweat it out for a little while... Okay that story was longer than usual but I wanted to add it in with the serene pictures. Also what made the trip memorable was the tiny adorable orange kitten I got to hold and nuzzle for a few short but glorious minutes :)
Also had no clue the lake was so close to the ocean until now. I new it was somewhat near but we did not see the ocean during our visit.
Okay well talk to you soon!!!
Grosses Bises!
