Senegal

More Goodbyes - Yele Fulani Music Group

2010-09-19T21:16:00.000-07:00

This Yele Fulani musical group came to our hotel to play for us the last night of our stay.

Saying My Goodbyes

2010-09-19T18:19:00.000-07:00

A few days before our scheduled departure from Dakar, I began to feel a mix of sadness and excitement. The need to absorb the sights, smells, feelings, and to remember the people I'd met was strong. I started to carry my camera with me more often. I know, I know. This blog is evidence that my camera was practically my best friend during this trip, but now it became the tool that would link me back to this place and time, and the moments were coming to an end! These photos are some of the final memories recorded.

While buying my morning paper that last leisurely morning, I made sure I got a photo with my paper guy. He would come to the hotel restaurant each morning, knowing that he had certain sales. (I wish I'd asked his name.)

Cathy and Sue cooperate with me as I take a photo outside a souvenir shop around the corner from our hotel.
Therese, my roomie for the Boston segment of this trip, and I pose at the farewell dinner. Therese is a talented musician and technology media expert. Something about her attracted children (and vendors) in droves. She appreciated the unrestrained joy of the children. In fact, children in Sokone are probably still playing "Duck, Duck, Goose" and "Red Rover, Red Rover" because she and Suzanne taught them how. Talk about leaving a piece of yourself in Senegal!
Chon posed with Jan at our farewell dinner. Jan's plans after the Senegal trip meant that she would not depart with us to New York. Chon and Jan shared similar interests and had spent some time visiting art museums and shops together. They both used Lonely Planet guidebooks to navigate the streets in several of the towns we visited. Being a rookie traveler, I appreciated their leadership when we set out to eat or to take advantage of sights or events which were not scheduled on our program itinerary.

The biggest shrimp I have ever eaten! Note that the heads, eyes, and whiskers (?) are still attached. This would be my last group meal in Dakar.

John, a rare orator, speaks for our group as we present gifts to our directors. John endeared himself to group members with a quick wit, a great sense of humor and a Staten Island accent. Ousmane Sene poses with him as we say our goodbyes. Ousmane brought energy and joviality to the table from the first to the last day of our seminar.

Samba Gadjigo spoke on behalf of the directors at our farewell dinner. He was eloquent, as always, and touched our hearts with the sentiment that our new understanding of Africa goes home with us to our classrooms, our schools, our districts, our communities, our families and friends.

Ousmane Sene and Mbye Cham, project directors receive a framed photo of our group at the farewell dinner on July 3oth. Mame Coumba, in blue, also wove her way into our hearts as she made sure that our time in Senegal was both educational and enjoyable. I shall not soon forget her chastising the young boys who tried to hitch a ride on the back of our bus while we were in route to Touba.

Worth her weight in gold, Mariane Yade, is not only beautiful but resourceful. Her job at WARC was as a, well, um. . . She did everything! As assistant to the directors of the Fulbright seminar, she did whatever was necessary to assist us as we worked on our curriculum projects and visited the sites of Senegal. We took advantage of her as a language translator, coordinator, logistical planner, and in many more ways. This photo was taken as she was saying good-bye to us for the last time.

Morning after morning, Sue and I would pass this woman as we walked or ran along the corniche. She was one of the only Senegalese women we crossed paths with as we endeavored to exercise our well-fed bodies. After several days of smiling and nodding to one another, we began to say "Bonjour" and "Hello" alternately. Sue is special because she is not afraid to say what she thinks or ask questions that occur to her. She is always sensitive and kind in the process. Because our "woman in red" answered "Hello" in English, Sue stopped to ask if she spoke English. Alas, she did (does). That led to the exchange of email addresses the next and last full day of our trip. Our "woman in red" is Ndella, and we have been able to become e-pals. She is gracious and willing to answer our questions about life, customs, family, religion, schools, and more. From this experience I have learned that I should not let an opportunity to meet people and learn their stories pass. My life is richer because I am getting to know Ndella and because Sue taught me not to be afraid to approach people.

Instead of simply heading out on my morning walk with fellow Fulbrighter, Sue, I packed my camera along in order to record the route. While a few still photos can give a glimpse of the environment, I couldn't capture the combined sense of freshness of morning, warmth, and humidity that was the usual climate for these walks. We picked 6:30 a.m. as the time of day which would be light enough to see, but early enough that the streets were not bustling yet. The streets and walkways were already busy with people preparing for the workday, but not like they would be just minutes later. Various combinations of Fulbrighters participated in these morning walks. It was a great time to get to know one another.

Mornings along the corniche were a time for reflection for some residents and for exercise for others. The Porte du Ille Millenaire is representative of Africa's past and global future. Through the door, you can see Goree Island, the island from which slaves were shipped across the Atlantic, representing its colonial past. The view of the ocean represents Africa's global future, and the woman with the horn is welcoming the 21st century. Architect Rock Atepa Goudiaby created the piece, and it was inaugurated by President Abdoulaye Wade in 2001. This structure, for me, has become a symbol of the time one takes for oneself to reflect, to rejuvenate, to prepare for upcoming tasks, and to foster friendships. It is, after all, the people that I miss more than anything else. The places and activities were extraordinary experiences, but the people with whom I shared this adventure, both Africans and Americans, are the true life-changing component of a journey like this.

I couldn't help it. I passed this athlete of stone every morning.

A last look out the window of my hotel room.

I'd grown fond of my home away from home, electrical outages and all.

Each day I passed by this painting in the hallway of the hotel.

Check out the beautiful view of the hotel pool from our breakfast venue. Occasional rains meant only the covering over of the tables with awnings. The restaurant staff didn't miss a beat.

Contemporary African Art

2010-08-28T19:16:00.000-07:00

A great place to get a sampling of what contemporary West African artists are creating is the Village des Arts in Dakar. My post of 7/11/10 introduces you to this wonderland of creativity. A community of local artists have studios all together in this one place near the major stadium in the north part of town. The government sponsors this effort. On the grounds, there is a gallery for the display of selected works. Some of the artists are highlighted at http://www.typicartsgallery.com/.

A gander through the gallery was an experience in itself. After the cab adventure I told you about in my entry called "Transportation - Getting from Here to There" of 8/7/10 and upon arrival in the art village, Sue, Suzanne, and I went our separate ways as we were each interested in different art and had different personal reasons for visiting on this day. Admittedly, Sue and I needed Suzanne to interpret for us in some cases, and she was patient and gracious as she made the link between us and the artists we wished to speak with. Sue, by the way, had a special bond already, with a young artist whom she had interviewed for her curriculum project. These kinds of personal interactions are the pieces of this trip that will last in our hearts and memories the longest. Sue would have to tell you her story.

Poster and "Les Jumelles" by Alpha Sow

The Obama poster is typical of many hints at the village and beyond that Senegalese people are watching the U.S. and rooting for Obama in his role as president. T-shirts with his picture abound. Back to the gallery - - - The floor of the gallery was of sand or sawdust. By now I can't remember exactly which, but I had the impression of soft, quiet, and the fresh scent of wood. During my visit, I was the sole observer. Sue and Suzanne were otherwise occupied. I snapped only a few photos of the art represented here.

"La hantee" by Sarane

"Eko Sapiens 1" by Akomian, "Jazzman" by M'ballo Kebe, "Mariage traditionelle", by Assane Gning, and "La Tontine" by Bidounga Russell.

"Jour de FETE au Village" by Bidounga Russell, "Confidences 2" by Sela Diallo, "Duo de Jazz" by Issa Diop, "Ndabu Gaan", by Zulu Mbaye

"Ndabu Gaan 1" by Zulu Mbaye

"Le Bois Sacre" by Tita Mbaye, "Ama Zulu" by Oumar Kata Diallo

"Le Masque" by El Sy

"Objectif" by F. Camera

The artist whose studio I spent the most time in on this day (July 30, 2010) is called Seni Mbaye. He spoke enough English that we could communicate about his work. He had jazz playing on the boombox and was working on a series with jazz as an inspiration. He had been in New York in 2007 as a guest artist and had a photo album which we looked through as he described his experience there. I came home with two of his paintings. In fact, were you to see me in any of the airports I spent time in on my two-day trip home, you'd have seen me carrying my rolled-up canvases, wearing my backpack over my Bohemian-style brown dress with the teal scarf that protected me from mosquitoes faithfully for the duration of my visit to Senegal. I was quite the sight.

Saly-Portudal

2010-08-25T19:05:00.000-07:00

Saly-Portudal is south of Dakar and considered a part of Mbour and Thies. It is a BEA-utiful resort town. Wikipedia says it is the number one tourist destination in all of West Africa. I can see why. Clean beaches, plenty of great food, nothing to do but relax, swim, read, and shop.

Saly-Portudal was once a Portuguese trading post. That's your whole history lesson for this post.

What can I say? We relaxed, ate, read, swam, and shopped.

More relaxing, eating, reading, swimming, and shopping.

Ahhhh. . .

Lac Rose - The Pink Lake

2010-08-24T20:04:00.000-07:00

Two destinations were on our itinerary for Thursday, July 29th. First would be a stop to view the famous Pink Lake and then on to Saly-Portudal for a relaxing day at a beach town and resort. Below are some of the scenes from the bus between Dakar and the Pink Lake.

I keep thinking this is one of my favorite photos. What a beautiful smile on a beautiful girl. She is selling water in plastic bags.

We have arrived! First, a rest stop at a hotel near the lake, then on to that pink(ish) lake.

Does it look pink to you? Check out the mounds of salt. A high concentration of salt and cyanobacteria in the water cause it to appear pink, especially in the dry season. The color also depends on the weather. If the sun is out, there is a better chance to see what all the fuss is about. Any industrious person can set up a salt mining business here. They just have to be willing to do the work. A very small amount of this salt now resides in a "jar of honor" in my home. I didn't take it, a vendor gave it to me, calling it a gift. Of course later I was pressed to buy something from her because she was kind enough to give me a gift. Anyway, I'm glad I kept it, because it's a reminder of people I met, things I learned, and how I was touched by the entire experience this summer.

A little-known fact: Episode 6 of The Amazing Race included a task here. Contestants had to bag salt. (Haven't you always wanted to be on The Amazing Race?!) They also went to Goree Island's House of Slaves, and had to guess the author of a poem by former Senegalese President Leopold Sedar Senghor.

To get some of my photos, I walked into the water. It was as warm as if I were stepping into a bathtub. The dried salt coating left on my feet and ankles was a little bit uncomfortable, but I had been learning to adapt to heat, humidity, and the idea that I would not look and smell fresh and clean for very long at a time in this climate, so this was no big deal.

Fulbrighters and vendors are in the distance. Notice the girl in yellow who has decided I must look at the beads she is selling.

"Take a picture of me." I did. She gave me a piece a paper with an address on it to send her the photo. The paper includes her name and "Lac Rose". I wonder if it would really get to her...

The Mangroves

2010-08-22T13:28:00.000-07:00

Mangroves? We're going to see the mangroves? To be perfectly honest, the image I conjured up when I heard the word, mangroves, was this. I could vaguely remember something about mansomethings in Harry Potter, so I was more than curious. None of my colleagues knew that I was clueless, though. I never let on.

photo source: ebling.library.wisc.edu
While staying at the Hotel Keur Saloum in Toubacouta, Fulbrighters got an opportunity to visit the mangroves in the delta. This would turn out to be a eventful day in which we learned a great deal, had some time to relax for a picnic lunch, and did our best to tolerate the heat. First of all, traveling to the mangroves, which I figure took us about an hour, was by boat. Awesome! We navigated westward through the Sine-Saloum Delta.
Our fearless leader, Samba.

Ah, so mangroves are actually a tangle of trees/shrubs whose roots grow in the water. That does sound familiar after all. What's so special about them?
These mangroves are at the picnic area we would eventually return to for a relaxing afternoon. More on that later.

Reminiscent of the Disneyland jungle boat tours, our boats slowly entered deeper, denser clusters of mangroves where we would stop for a lecture on the characteristics, uses, challenges to existence, and other little-know facts about mangroves. Also reminiscent of the Disneyland tours, our guide told us that another tour group had seen a crocodile in these waters. If I wasn't awake before, I surely was by now!

Some facts: Mangroves are a resource here because oysters attach themselves to the roots underwater. They can be found and harvested easily. Usually it is the women who will come to the shores to do the work. One problem is the way they have been harvested historically. The mangrove roots were cut away in order to get to the oysters. Obviously, that method means that the same mangrove plant will no longer be there as a habitat for oysters or any other kind of life. Sounds kind of like killing the goose that lays the golden egg, if you will. Mostly, that is not done anymore. We even observed the setting up of a rope system that entailed sections of rope dangling into the water right beside the mangrove plants. The ropes could be lifted out for harvesting the oysters and then returned to the water. No cutting. Voila! Mangroves are a habitat for crabs, barnacles, sponges, and fish as well.

Mbye gets a good look at clusters of oysters attached to these mangrove roots.

Me, Mbye, Samba, and Laurie. I now know the difference between the mighty mangroves of the Sine-Saloum Delta and the fictional mandrakes of Harry Potter fame. Mission accomplished.

My Curriculum Project Focus

2010-08-22T12:15:00.000-07:00

In order to apply to the Fulbright Hays Seminar Abroad program, a teacher must write a project, or follow-up plan. How, we are asked, are you going to disseminate the information you receive as a participant in this program? Honestly, it's tough to plan for a specific curricular focus when you haven't been through the seminar and don't truly know what you will learn or what may inspire you. I knew this: I teach middle school world history and U.S. history. Africa, especially West Africa, plays a huge role in both. I also knew that my students get more involved in the lesson when it is told in a narrative style. They love stories. So I endeavored to learn the stories of modern Senegalese residents, and beyond that, the stories of their ancestors. Eventually, I realized that my project focus would be communicating the idea that oral histories have been, and are important, not only in African history, but currently, and not only to Africans, but to American students as well. So my unit is called, "What's Your Story?", and these are some of the people who helped me tell it. While in Toubacouta, WARC staff arranged for me to visit the family home of a farmer whose first name is Nouha. As we drove up to the farm, he was still in the field but had been forewarned of our visit, so rather than being annoyed with me for interrupting, he was welcoming and friendly. This was not going to be easy for me, because I do not speak Wolof or French. The interview would take place in Wolof. Thankfully, Waly, a representative of WARC, came along to lay the ground work by introducing my project idea and interpreting the interview. Nouha is the patriarch of a large, extended family living at this compound. He agreed to allow me to interview his teenage son, Talibouya, and his mother, Dieynaba. Thus, I had three generations in a Senegalese family who could tell me about oral histories which were passed from one generation to the next and demonstrate how well they remembered them. I video-taped the interviews, so do not have still photos to load here. The family was beautiful and their photos alone could tell you much about them. Grandmother Dieynaba was just returning from her granddaughter's wedding in her finest clothing. She was a joy to interview, so animated that, in order to keep her in the center of the frame, I had to pan with her.

The photograph above is of what was happening at the home behind and beyond the video-taping of the interviews. Nouha told me that when the soap opera comes on, the television is set up, and many members of the family gather to watch. This, he also said, was one reason that not so many family stories are told after dinner as they once were. Ipods and television shows have replaced them.

These Senegalese American Bilingual School (SABS) students made themselves available for interviews conducted by four members of the Fulbright program. Each of us, Amy, Yumi, Suzanne, and I, had a different project focus, so we organized a rotation system through which we each had a chance to interview as many students as necessary for our curricular focus. This time I was able to ask my own questions and understand the responses because these students speak English, often several other languages as well. One "take away" from the experience of talking to Senegalese about the histories and stories of their families is that, after becoming comfortable, they were very pleased to tell their stories. I hope my American students will enjoy looking into their own family histories and understand the importance of both listening to older generations and telling those stories to generations that follow. This is something am passionate about!

Wild Animal Update

2010-08-21T20:50:00.000-07:00

While my earlier entry about the wildlife of Africa was satirical because many of us have preconceived ideas about what we will find in Africa, I did see a few, more exotic types of animals while traveling through the rural regions in Western Senegal.

Not exotic, but very cute. This little 'un was perched in a tree just like her bigger, feline cousins would. This picture was taken at a hotel near the Pink Lake and just too cute to leave out.
While staying at a hotel called Keur Saloum in Toubacouta, http://www.keursaloum.com/ , we actually did see monkeys in the wild. They were red in color and our hotel posted this illustration of monkeys found locally, so I think this may be the type we saw from our boat on the delta and from our bus on the highway. I was simply not near enough or fast enough to photograph the real ones. It was exciting to see them, though, sometimes in big family groups.
At the Hotel Keur Saloum just beyond the outdoor restaurant. These little guys would swoop down on the tables looking for leftovers.
These water buffalo were NOT seen in the wild. They are living in the Reserve de Bandia, http://www.reservedebandia.com/description.htm, which is 65 kilometers from Dakar and 15 kilometers from Saly-Portugal. This was not on our itinerary, but was added after some of our group members expressed a desire to stop and see it. Our directors, Samba and Mbye, were wonderful about making sure we could see as much of Senegal as possible. They knew it may be our only opportunity. . . ever. As it turned out, we used the reserve as a lunch-only rest stop on the way back to Dakar, but from our outdoor tables, we had a view of a handful of the animal residents.

Keeping an eye on the pizzas and chicken that members of our group were eating, this guy had no problem hanging out very nearby. A Bandia Reserve resident.

My National Geographic shot! :) Sometimes, you're in the right place at the right time. Upon arrival at the reserve, one croc stayed near the shore as we ate, I got some photos of him, but they were no big deal. His eyes and nose poked out of the water a bit, and sometimes he was only visible through the branches of the small trees between us. After a big lunch and a lazy afternoon, however, another croc came to call. Alerted by the growling or roaring of the second, I grabbed my camera and caught some action. As with all living photo subjects, the moment arrives, and then it's gone. Only minutes later, the second crocodile left the scene, and we had our peaceful, lazy afternoon back.

Sokone Dancing

2010-08-11T21:43:00.000-07:00

Faces of Sokone

2010-08-11T12:49:00.000-07:00

Visiting Sokone

2010-08-11T12:24:00.000-07:00

Sokone is the home of one of our directors, Ousmane Sene. He is the current director of WARC, the West African Research Center. A dynamic personality, he is the patriarch of a large family, which we got to visit with on our way to Toubacouta. His beautiful house was the site of one of the best meals we ate while in Senegal. Below, Megan sits in the room which will soon be the site of meaningful camaraderie, serious eating, and listless chilling out after the meals have been consumed.

Notice the colorful cloth laid out for each small group that will gather around a common bowl. Strategically placed pitchers and bowls for hand-washing can be seen in this photo as well.
Diane uses a spoon at this meal. Not everyone did. Megan and I took the opportunity to use our hands. It feels like we're breaking all the rules we've grown up following. Jan prepares to take a photo in the background.
If you find yourself eating from a common bowl in Senegal, do not use your left hand. In an earlier post I told you why. Think of the meal as if it were a pizza. You may eat the wedge nearest you. If the portion of meat becomes unevenly distributed, it should be moved around in order to offer all people plenty to eat. Once you have finished, push the remaining rice and meat to the center. It's possible that a second group of people will sit around that same bowl once it has been removed from your group. Eating with your hands is expected, but utensils may be provided as well. Burping after the meal is considered a compliment. I couldn't bring myself to do that.
Ousmane's family has a beautiful, hexagonal kitchen which is separate from the house. Mosaic floors and hard surfaces are easy to clean. The kitchen staff was amused that we would want to take a picture of the kitchen prior to the meal.

After an initial greeting, and a special welcome from the children of the family and neighbors in the village, the women brought out giant gourds which would become drums. A celebration of music and dancing preceded our meal. This celebration started as a listening exercise, but soon, and one-at-a-time, the women would come to the middle of the circle and dance. By now, we'd come to understand that there would not be a dance celebration that we would be allowed to simply sit and watch. Eventually, every single one of us would be singled out to come to the middle of circle and try to put the moves on. Some of us managed passable dance moves, others of us managed to bring giggles to the locals more often than not. All of us gave it an honorable try.

The celebratory momentum picks up.

As I said, not one toubab tourist can escape the notice of the dancers. Kristine dances here.

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_hFDUJjmLI

Ile de Ngor Video

2010-08-10T21:23:00.000-07:00

In the entry of 7/11/10 I tried to include a link to a short video that gives a feel for what it was like to be on the beach there. It didn't work in that format. Here is the embedded video.

Monitoring West Africa's Natural Resources

2010-08-08T16:20:00.000-07:00

At the Centre de Suivi Ecologique in Dakar, data is collected and monitored in order to inform the state department about the condition of Senegal's natural resources.

A CSE employee explains how West Africa's environmental data is collected from satellites, recorded, and compared with data in ten year increments to determine whether the vegetation is disappearing or maintaining a healthy vigor. Samba listens and translates the French language into English for those of us that are not fluent French speakers.

Steadman and Teresa analyze the physiographic maps displayed at CSE.

Sue listens and watches as Ousmane Bathiery demonstrates how data is retrieved.

C.S.E generously provided resource material to our group.

Road Signs

2010-08-08T15:35:00.000-07:00

What do these road signs mean?

All are found along the corniche, where some of us took regular morning walks/runs.

Transportation - Getting From Here to There

2010-08-07T18:59:00.000-07:00

In order to get up close in the mangroves, boats were our only option. Cars! There are a multitude of cars here. The middle lane of many roads seems to be for either direction of traffic. Somehow the drivers know when to weave "to" when another is weaving "fro". Thankfully, leaving the air-conditioned tour bus behind and getting closer to the street, a caleche provided the perfect mode of transportation for a tour of St. Louis. In order to get a closer look and to hear important historical information about the town, we step out of the caleche.

Taking a walk before lunch at a family home in Pikine, we passed these boys sprucing up the taxi. There were several taxis getting a bath here. The boys really wanted me to take a picture of them. Some things are easily communicated, even when you don't share a common language.

Once again, the trusty horse-drawn cart provides all-around transportation for both human and non-human cargo. This photo was taken during one of our day trips to a nearby town. Motor scooters are also a go to type of transportation for many locals. We even saw motor scooters used as taxis in Toubacouta. Many of those were highly decked out with colorful paint and fur seats.Fishermen use pirouges to navigate the waters while they cast for the catch of the day.

The Car Rapide is a common form of public transportation. People who can't fit inside, sometimes hold on to the back. Boys who collect the fares can also be found hanging on from one stop to the next.

Our tour bus stopped at the border of Senegal and Gambia where we were given permission to do some shopping. What I didn't know at the time, was that some items would need to be taken to a customs building and taxes would be assessed before we could take them back into Senegal. This bus created immediate interest wherever it parked. One never need exit the bus in order buy anything! Cashews, bananas, clothing, sim cards, water bags, towels, hats, fans... were all available through the window most places. :)

My typical view from the cab. I tended to let my colleagues who speak French sit in the front in order to converse with the driver. I never would have imagined that my first cab ride EVER would be in Africa. Really? The cab driver pulled over and left us in the car. ?? We figured he had an errand to do. Do cab drivers do that? Cab mates Suzanne and Sue wait with me (It was so hot I had to step out) as we endeavored to get to the Village des Artistes near the stadium.

Okay. This is NOT a typical form of transportation in Senegal. This camel jockey looks ready to serve the tourist industry. We encountered him on our way from the Pink Lake to Saly.

The cab of this truck sports a floral design. LOTS of trucks and buses are colorfully decorated.

This bus passed ours on a road particularly busy with traffic one evening. It's amazing the kind of things you see in the luggage rack of public buses.

This taxi driver ended up smiling and giving me a high five after a bit of a "discussion" about whether I should have taken this photo or not. After convincing him that I am a teacher and would like to show my students the types of transportation found in West Africa, and that I was not intending to exploit him by selling the photo, he became the friendly Senegalese citizen I was used to meeting.

IFAN Museum

2010-08-06T20:46:00.000-07:00

The Institute Fondamentale de L'Afrique Noir (IFAN) hosted a tour for Fulbrighters on Monday, July 19th. What a treat to be able to access the inventory. Many of the ceramic pottery pieces shelved here were found in the Saloum region of West Africa in burial sites. I really think I heard the docent say that these were dated circa 600 A.D. I could be wrong.
More examples of ancient African art that the IFAN holds. It reports that plenty of inventory exists, but that it struggles with the processing, storage, and displaying portions of the art and artifacts.

A museum employee measures and records information about an artifact.

Items not on display are held in labeled drawers. The labels indicate the age and the regions in which they were found.

This sculpture greets visitors in the front lobby of the museum. Back at WARC, our home research center, a museum director, Dr. Abdoulaye Camara introduced us to several of the museums of West Africa through a Power Point lecture.

Senegalese Wrestling

2010-08-06T18:24:00.000-07:00

Introducing!. . . Senegalese stadium wrestling in Dakar.
I can't tell you how big wrestling is in Senegal. Light poles and walls of buildings, along with the the windows of buses and personal cars sport broadsheets announcing a wrestling event or promoting particular wrestlers. During our time in Senegal, we were able to see two wrestling events. This one was held at a stadium in the city and was dedicated to the issue of parity, or equality, for women. It was later televised and a couple members of our tour group reported seeing us in the audience on T.V. Incidentally, when we, the toubabs from America, entered the stadium to find our seats, we understood some of the words on the loudspeaker, which seemed to be announcing our arrival as guests.

The other wrestling match we saw was quite different. It took place in a village in Toubacouta. It was held in a small town square with a circle of plastic chairs surrounding a dirt patch, which was cleared of rocks and sticks by the youngest of the boys present. It was dark, and the power went out several times, so photos and videos of the action were of poor quality. Instead of the single match at a time spectacle we'd seen at the stadium in Dakar, the village wrestling matches had us watching three to four pairs of wrestlers at a time. It went very late, so only the young, strong, and brave stayed to the end. As a treat, they were asked to present the awards to the winners. I don't remember what they said all of the prizes were, except for the bag of rice.

The arena in Dakar. Note that as the stadium fills, you can see fans wearing color coordinated clothing in support of their favorite wrestler. Sounds familiar, huh? The arena floor is sand, and trainers and crew members are in the middle plotting the best way to ensure the success of their wrestler.
No Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders here, each wrestler has a group of dancers who circle the arena to drums and singing. The preparatory celebration is most of the spectacle. It takes place for about an hour, with the actual wrestling match lasting only a couple of minutes at most.

"What", we asked, "is going on here?" The answer: The trainers are using mojo on the wrestler to protect him and curse his opponent. I saw mixtures of liquids poured over the wrestlers, writings drawn in the sand, circling of the arena with ropes dragging along behind, an egg thrown on an opponent, and some other interesting behaviors. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that my mouth hung open as I watched the event, because it was so different than anything I'd seen before. I call this photo "The Thrill of Victory". (Thanks ABC's Wide World of Sports)
"The Agony of Defeat"The goal: Get the other guy on the ground. Can you hit and punch the other guy? No. Do they? Yes. Does a ref step in? Yes.

A little TLC

Here, lots of media attention goes to Ndeye Ndiaye Tyson. If you follow my blog, you've already met her. She and Yelimane Fall are pictured at the Village Pilote, a center for children found on the street. I describe it in my July 11th entry called, More on Education. Tyson, the first woman wrestling promoter and a community advocate, is held in high regard.

After the event is over, the crowd fills the arena. Dancing and excitement spills out to the streets. Our bus had to take a small detour to avoid some of that excitement.

A match:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ROGU-pP2Lk

Fisherman's Village in St. Louis

2010-08-06T16:24:00.000-07:00

The Senegal River acts as part of the border between Senegal and Mauritania. It separates a thin strip of land called the Langue de Barbarie (Tongue of Barbary). Here salt water from the sea and fresh water from the river mix resulting in a both a positive and negative environment for the fishermen of Guet Ndar, a fishing village within the city of St. Louis. A kind of dam has been created in order to use the fresh water from the river, which in turn, creates a salt water area that is so full of concentrated salt that it is damaging to local plants. The young men of the village set out in pirouges, or a dugout-type of boat, into the Atlantic each morning to fish. As they return in the afternoon, families and wholesalers converge to make deals on the catch of the day. This photo looks toward the fishing village from across the river.
At the fishing village, baskets wait for use in the process of buying and selling fish.

For the most part, people at Guet-Ndar do not like to have their pictures taken. As a guest in their land, I tried to be respectful of that, while at the same time getting photos of the buildings and geographic features. However, these young boys found our tour group amusing and enjoyed showing off for the cameras. The attention from villagers was not exclusive to the children. There was a man of around twenty-something who was particularly interested in our bags and backpacks. We were told to hold them tight.

On the tables between the beach and the road, fish are set out to dry, nets and other fishing equipment are mended and stored, older men gather to talk and reflect as they wait to see what the day's catch will bring, and women process the fish, using every part to its greatest potential. The fisher folk are very resourceful. Our guide wanted us to know that the appearance of the homes, is not really an indication of poverty. He said that inside one might find several televisions and other material portents of economic security. There are many paintings of marabout, or religious teachers on the walls of buildings and boats on the shore, revealing the Muslim faith strongly held by the majority here.

It's a Miracle

2010-08-06T16:04:00.000-07:00

It's alive! Upon return to the states, the unveiling of the comatose laptop revealed a working system. A miracle!

Thanks for hanging in there with me as I waited for good news on the diagnosis of my computer. Thanks to Kristine for the use of her hair dryer, Suzanne and Therese on the advice to "pack it in rice", to Teresa for her leather man's tool, and to Sue for loaning me her computer for the duration of the trip.

BTW - Here's a video of Mama Sandio's group as they performed at our hotel in San Louis. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPmnPE1ssgI

Blog on Hold - Stay Tuned

2010-07-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

Borrowing a computer tonight. My computer is in the hospital. Not sure if it will recover. Stay tuned. Perhaps by Monday I'll know something more about its life expectancy and the data it stores.

St. Louis

2010-07-23T03:13:00.000-07:00

This is a first installment on the town of St. Louis. After uploading these photos, and intending to load more later, I came home (back to the hotel in Toubacouta) to find the air conditioner leaking all over my electronic equipment, including my computer! It couldn't have been much wetter were it tossed in the swimming pool. Alas, I hadn't had a chance to save the photos of the last several days seminar to an online website or to a flash drive, so here's what I'm going to do about this blog: In the next few blogs, we'll jump ahead to more current events, then, when I get home, and (hopefully) have extracted data from my comatose computer, I'll be able to go back and describe some events and tours that you absolutely must know about. Deal or No Deal?

St. Louis

At one of our stops, young boys were enjoying a swim.

Riding on a caleche was a great way to see St. Louis. It got us out of the bus, and a little more connected with the town. Occasionally we stopped and got out to tour a site and listen to our guide explain the significance of an area or object. We were told not to take pictures around the military facilities, and in the Muslim area, we should only photograph scenery, not people. Our guide told us that the buildings were all either this gold, a brick red, or white. The condition of the walls on this building are typical of all the buildings in St. Louis. In St. Louis proper (or the French colonial part), we happened past a convent. The stairs are reminiscent of the stairs at the House of Slaves on Goree Island.
Leaving the fisherman's village in St. Louis, you can see how impacted the streets are.
It was short walk to the beach from our cabanas at Hotel Cap St. Louis, which provided the scenery for my morning walks while staying there. Often, Sue, Jan, Suzanne, Therese and Bill got up early to walk or run as well.
I didn't get one of these cute, round huts to stay in, but my little house was just perfect for me. Since mosquito nets were provided for each bed, I thought I'd better take advantage of mine. (Now that I am in Toubacouta, I'm wishing I had my own.)
Me, Chon, and Therese. We must have had green on the brain that day.

Another view of the Baobab tree that we stopped at on the way BACK from St. Louis. Note the vendor's stand on the left.

Elana, Lauri, and Mariane are standing INSIDE the baobab tree. I have climbed up a bit to snap the shot and look out of the "knot hole" to see the peanut field.

Agriculture in Senegal

2010-07-20T15:06:00.000-07:00

Bio-Terre is a company involved in innovations in farming methods here. We toured a rice processing plant, which was fascinating, but my camera batteries died the moment we jumped out of the bus, so I can't show you the hand pouring of the rice into a machine that separated the hull from the rice and the fan that blew away the chaff. Nor can I show you the stream of workers carrying both bags of rice and bags of chaff to the next part of the process. While there are some dangers to livestock from silicone. They use it to feed some livestock in the area. The process works, but does not produce enough rice to feed Senegal, so rice is still being imported as well.
The town that hosted our tour of some local agriculture was Ross Bethio. Our guide, Mr. Djibril Diao, the executive secretary of the Amicale, spoke to us of "The Amicale de Waalo, Ross Bethio".
It was this tree that gave us a reason for a pit stop on the travel day home from St. Louis. We crawled in and out of the hollow center and posed for pictures. The baobab tree is known as the upside-down tree of Africa because the branches look like roots, and I understand that the trees do not have any considerable root structure. There are many baobabs around Senegal, but none as big and old as this one. Baobab juice is a common choice for breakfast and lunch. It is made from the seed of the tree. The leaves are used in the same capacity as Pepto Bismo (IYKWIM).
In order to see the century-old baobab tree on our way to St. Louis, we had to tip-toe through the peanut plants. They were still young and tender. The twenty sets of foot steps could have done quite a bit of damage. That's significant if, in order to be a successful Senegalese farmer, you most likely till the earth with a single horse or donkey and a small, hand-guided plow. I have seen some tractors, but from my limited observations, most work the land by hand.
Rural towns have a mix of grass huts and concrete cinder block structures. This one is on a street with businesses and vendors nearby. But pastoral compounds usually are fenced with sticks that surround round huts and a couple of concrete buildings.

These little horses work hard in both the city and the country. I've seen them hauling people, furniture, bags of grain, mattresses, etc. Whatever needs to move from one place to another probably can be moved on a horse-drawn cart. This one waits near the rice mill.

Bags of rice hull, millet, or straw provide a resting place for this little guy who was amused by the spectacle we created.

We walk out to the rice fields. (I'm going to try to bring a handful of rice stalks home. Don't tell the agriculture department at the airport.)

Rice

Wild Animal Safari in Senegal

2010-07-19T17:45:00.000-07:00

For all of my friends and family who wonder whether I've ridden an elephant, or seen a giraffe, I am including the snapshots I've been able to grab of the elusive animals in Dakar and vicinity. Get ready for some fascinating surprises!

Doing my best "teacher look" here, I thought perhaps this photo would go on my school website to introduce myself to my new students this coming year. What do you think?

Just as confirmation that the "teacher look" animal does exist, I caught another photo of the elusive creature.

I was in constant danger as I crept close to the native animals of the region.

This dangerous and wild critter wasn't quite fast enough to escape my camera, nor was his brother fast enough to escape my foot. The sound of a crunch in the dark was evidence of the creature's inferiority.
The most colorful exotic creature I have seen yet.
Herds of innocent looking, but dangerous quadrupeds are hard to miss.
A resting quadruped
Not so rare flightless poulet

Again, common and relatively harmless wildlife in the region

These fowl were on the run, but my speed and cunning allowed me to grab a photo before they disappeared.

The captive variety

Seriously! That's all I've seen.

On the Road to Touba and St. Louis

2010-07-19T06:08:00.000-07:00

The trip to St. Louis, a good five hours on the road, took us through Diourbel (jur-bell), which is important to the Muride Sufi Brotherhood because it was the home of Amadou Bamba (1853 - 1927), founder. The main mosque in Diourbel was a photo stop for us.

Upon arrival in Touba, long skirts or dresses and head coverings were required of the women in our group. We were escorted by members of the Muride Sufi Brotherhood through a series of girls' classrooms, the library, administrative offices, and around the perimeter of the main mosque. We were not allowed to enter the mosque because the current Caliph had died the week before we arrived, and non-Muslims may not enter during the mourning period. Update: That's what I understood at the time of our visit, but I've read since, that the mosque is only open to Muslims at all times. The education of young children is important to the Islamic community, and in Touba there is a structure and enough money to provide the curriculum required by the state, along with religious and cultural education. The school has been operating since 2006 and started with the earlier grade levels, so when we asked about state testing scores, we were told that the students hadn't reached that level yet, but that they are working with the Arab government on a mastery test which would be the equivalent of the baccalaureate.
Kindergartners
These girls are probably around 2nd grade. Their teacher didn't miss a beat as we crowded into her classroom. They snap their fingers and raise their hands to be called on to answer a question. (I won't be adapting that custom into my classroom.) Most Americans are offended when snapped at.
Me and Suzanne
Amy and me. Note the gift shop behind us. Some teachers in our contingent were intrigued by the, what we call "man purses" which are worn by Muslim men. It seems they are used to carry necessary papers, scriptures from the Qur'an, and so forth. An old photograph of the main mosque in Touba during a pilgrimage that celebrated the return from exile of the Cheikh Amadou Bamba Mbacke. This pilgrimage takes place yearly, shortly after Ramadan, which does not happen on the same date each year, because the Islamic calendar is used.

An extensive library holding the writings of Amadou Bamba and others is quite impressive. I didn't have my notebook with me, but if I remember correctly, one of the caliphs is buried under the library.

Shaykh Bara Mbacke, the sixth Caliph and the first not to be the son of Amadou Bamba, passed away a week before our arrival in Dakar.

Continuing on our journey,with our final destination being St. Louis, roadside vistas changed from the city and suburban sights we were used to seeing, to more pastoral, agricultural scenes. Whenever we saw either herds of cattle, goats, or donkeys, there were usually young boys shepherding, or minding the livestock. In this photo, the boys are leaning against a concrete pillar. The electric lines are strung on towers made of concrete, not wooden poles like I am used to seeing in the states.

Goats are literally everywhere in the parts of Senegal I have visited. These men tended theirs along the roadside as we drove through this town.

_________

Short videos of the countryside, first and then a rural town seen as we drove from the city of Dakar to St. Louis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLGV5iQPt4g

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct0Mwa1uX88

Voila! My room at Hotel Cap St. Louis has four beds, and I have no roommate. I would have to rotate beds every two hours to take advantage of them! (Actually, sleeping for eight hours is something I've done just once here.) The mosquito nets were provided for good reason. St. Louis is where I got buzzed and bitten most often until now. (Back in Dakar at this writing) However, the biggest critter I shared my room with was a lizard. I only saw him once, but I felt his presence continuously. . . (space between ellipses for Suzanne)

The Village That Changed My Perspective

2010-07-18T15:35:00.000-07:00

Scenes on the Road to Pikine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGDymd7knBA

I don't know the name of this village. It's in or near Pikine, where Yelimane Fall's art center is located. Just view the photos. The experience of walking through the streets, in and out of people's "houses" and meeting the people who live this way, without the promise of the air-conditioned bus waiting to take them away, was life-altering. Almost everyone watches as we, the "toobabs" (sp?) have come to see their village. In this place, people were very kind, and seemed to want us to see the way they lived. Not all people welcome us, but I felt accepted, if not a spectacle, here.

The kitchen of a resident

Concrete cinder blocks are a super common building material, even in the bigger cities.
A woman welcomed us into her home and pulled back a curtain to show the standing water in what used to be a bedroom until the flood - FIVE YEARS AGO! The flood left its mark in many places, but in this village, no one has come to repair or create a decent environment for humans to live in. I believe that the woman only hoped that if people from outside the village knew, they may be able to hope for improvement sometime in the future.
Some of her children were tickled to see us, and happy to be in pictures. Other children were not.
Here is evidence of the love of these people for Madame Ndeye Ngiaye Tyson (the wrestling promoter). She told us that this is one of the nicer neighborhoods that she knows of and works with. Much of the graffiti we see is political, as it is on this wall. Elections are coming in 2012. There are about twelve political parties. Abdoulaye Wade is the third and current president of Senegal, and has been since 2000. Senegal has only been an independent country since 1960. Graffiti seems pro-Wade.
From the air-conditioned bus. (!!)
________________________________________________________________

Back at the Yelimane Fall Center in Pikine for a hearty lunch. Such a contrast from where we had just been.
We ate, here, from a common bowl. Spoons were provided, which was nice, but I had been prepared not to expect that. Chebu Jen was on the menu.

Chon, Sue, Steadman, Richard, and Kathy

Me, Kristine, and Teresa

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Processing what we learned on this day would take some time. My first thought was to load the pictures onto the blog, but I had no words then. All I could think of to tell you is that I had no words. This visit took place on Tuesday, July 13th. It is the 18th now, and I have been able to attempt some kind of description of this day. It changed my view, my perspective, my heart.

More on Education

2010-07-11T16:56:00.000-07:00

Yelimane Fall, painter, has a center in Pikine. He spoke about language, culture, and the spiritual lives of West Africans. Additionally, he runs a center for the arts in which his studio is located, along with spaces for several other artists of all genres, even clothing design and music. He also does NGO (non-governamental organization) work in the community. Pikine is about 30 miles from Dakar.
Fall shows us a short video of the process he uses to create his calligraphic art.
Ndeye Ngiaye Tyson and Fall showed us a center that takes in street children. They asked us not to photograph the them. The staff actively searches the streets for young children who appear to have no home or family, and brings them to the center for education, food, shelter, and structure. They also create files for each child and search for the families to reunite them if possible. Here Fall and Tyson are speaking to us about the center, about Tyson's work with the community, and about her role of wrestling promoter. That's right! The name Tyson is her professional name. We go to see a wrestling match, Senegalese-style, tonight. This is a spectacle not to be missed! Tyson is the first female wrestling promoter, which is only part of the reason she is adored by people in the communities she has adopted. When driving and walking through a local village (more to come about our life-changing experience at this village), graffiti testifies to how much people esteem her. She gives them hope for a better future.
The classroom at Village Pilote

Books in the classroom are in French. Because these children appear not to be in school, I expect that they cannot access the stories, except through the illustrations, unless the books are read aloud.

Children of the streets of Senegal, act together! (I think - Remember my French is rudimentary.)

SABS

A Visit to a private school was interesting and informative.

Elana checks out the literature and textbooks on the shelves in the presentation room. While the books are copied and spiral bound here, Stephanie Nails Kane, principal, says that they are being replaced with electronic textbooks and CD's. They do have hardbound books, but shipping costs can be quite high, so SABS is working with online resources often.

The founder and principal of the school, Stephanie Nails Kane, is from Baltimore. She began as a parent who was interested in improving the education of her own children. Encouraged by others, she organized the school, beginning with pre-school and kindergarten-aged children only. Each year a new grade level was added. In addition to classes, students have opportunities to meet with one another in peer study groups, use computers to do research and projects, and get individual help. Kane says she believes the difference between public schools run in the French tradition and her school is that SABS looks at the learning styles of individual students and addresses them. She also says that the school does not have stringent entrance requirements, so anyone may take advantage of the unique opportunities offered here.

In this private school, SABS, students get to work in smaller classes than in public school. While school was already concluded for the year, these students were on hand and agreed to speak to us about their experience in SABS. All of them are ambitious and have either already gotten scholarships to universities in the U.S. and Canada, or they are working to that end. They all plan to return to Senegal after graduating the university, in order to be a part of improving Senegalese society.

The grading scale for public schools in the French tradition is pictured above. It is common that students do not acheive higher than a B+. That is considered good.

Ile de Ngor

2010-07-11T16:54:00.000-07:00

Our group suits up for the boat ride out to the island of Ngor. When asked about the historical significance of the island, the answer was that it was a fishing village. We enjoy a day of exploration, good food, watching the fishing boats come in and out, and checking out the wares of the vendors. As the day wore on, more and more boats full of people arrived. This was the most crowded beach I have ever been on.
In order to make sure we had the chance to buy from her, this vendor followed us all over the island as we took our tour. The island is very small. The perimeter can be walked in under an hour . The far side of the island is not so "touristy". Very peaceful, as a matter of fact. Some of our group stayed to soak up the sun while others walked to see the sights. This is Akon's island home. Seriously! He wasn't there, of course, but they say he visits often. For those you aren't sure who Akon is, a quick google or youtube search should help.Scenes from the Ile de Ngor

Which ones do you like?

The end of a very warm, very relaxing day.

Video alert!

To hear and see what it is like to be here on a crowded Sunday, see the video embedded in the blog of 8/10/10.

Goree Island and the House of Slaves

2010-07-11T16:53:00.000-07:00

From the ferry between Dakar and Goree Island, many fishermen and their beautiful boats could be seen at work. As the ferry draws nearer the island, French colonial buildings come into sharper view.
Young boys swim out to meet the ferry.
Along the walking paths, crafts, art, and other wares are for sale. Everything is so very colorful here. Our guide described how, at the end of French rule on the island of Goree, the stationary guns were turned toward the island instead of facing out to sea (guarding against Hitler's advances). No one knows why they were turned toward the island, but they were also destroyed by cutting notches out of the barrel, as you see in the photo below.

If you look really carefully and intently, you will see the Statue of Liberty way out there.

(KIDDING!!)

Mame Coumba and Elana look at some sculptures.

The building known as the House of Slaves was built by the Dutch in 1776. It was the last slave house built. The first ones were built by the Portugese, the first Europeans to arrive at the island in 1444. This was the place where Africans were brought after being rounded up for deportation to the New World. Much of the New World was built by and with the economic resource of slaves.

A visitor to the House of Slaves gazes out on the ocean as he looks through the "door of no return" through which slaves walked as they were loaded onto ships.

A hallway down which slaves passed on their way to the slavers' ships.

Holding "houses" held either men or women, who were released once a day to take care of their personal needs. 100 - 150 people were kept in each room, I mean house. The filth created by the waste was the cause of a pest epidemic which devastated the island in 1779.

An opening from a holding room in the House of Slaves looks out onto the Atlantic Ocean, across which around 50 million slaves were sent to the Indies, the Americas, or Europe.

The sign above the door tells us that recalcitrants, or slaves who were misbehaving, were put into this tiny, dark, dank room as punishment. Families were housed separately, and likely never saw each other again. Men had to be at least 60 kilos, and if they weren't, they were set aside to be fattened. Women who were virgins were highly valued. Some slave traders had children with them. In this case, the women could be released and their mixed race daughters were called segnors, which comes from the Portugese noun, "segnora".

These are the famous stairs of the House of Slaves.

This is the line to return to the mainland on the ferry. We stood in line for around an hour and learned a lot in that time. The concept of single file and any personal space does not occur to people here. There is constant pushing and passing in order to get closer to the front of the line. A grandfather sat on an overturned bucket and cared for a young one of about a year old. His patience was impressive. Another young boy "tossed his cookies" nearby.

An elementary-aged group of students (I presume they were students because of the blue vests.) rode the ferry to and from the island with us. These girls thought it was pretty funny that my French stinks. We had a fairly rudamentary conversation with pregnant pauses regularly. They did like my camera and asked to have their picture taken.

Village de Artistes

2010-07-11T16:43:00.000-07:00

Wall art at Le Village de Artists greets our group as we visit on July 9th. I know, I am a couple of days behind as I post and journal about my study tour of Senegal. I've found that this blog has turned into thematically, or topically posted ponderings. Which means that you may go back and reread a post and find that there is more information or a link to a video or resource. Our days are full, so time to catch up here is limited. Enjoy the photos of art in this post. We did not spend much time here, but some of us will be going back to this village to interview some of the artists for our curriculum projects . Remember, they speak mostly French and Wolof, so interpreters are needed in most cases.

Wearing an Obama shirt, this artist displays his batik work. Even the building were works of art. Mbye Cham exits this studio.

Laurie interprets the artist's statement about his work and inspiration.

I asked if the painter of this work was inspired by Picasso. He said he had heard of him, but the inspiration for many of his works is African masks.

Suzanne enjoys this opportunity to visit several artists' studios.

More wall art. This wall is located at Le Village de Artistes, but there is art all over the city of Dakar and into the suburbs. Watch for more photos in future blogs.

Speakers and Specialists

2010-07-11T16:17:00.000-07:00

Can rap music possibly be considered oral history? On Monday, 7-12-10, after an informative morning lecture given by Mr. Lamine Kane about the Senegalese educational system (which I will elaborate on in a later post), we heard from three significant personalities about Contemporary Youth Culture and Practices in Senegal. That is to say that these folks are in the creative arts, have been for some time, and can comment on what they are seeing with regard to similarities to traditional customs and whether or not any positive changes are coming. Above is Fatou Kande Senghor, a film maker and photographer from Nigeria. She has worked with the hip hop community since she was young. Her interests are in the shifts in youth culture at different ages and she has done research that concludes that hip hop isn't anything new. It's been around since the days of traditional and indiginous cultural practices. Senghor visited a village in the south and found similar rhythms, vibrations, and energy in the rites of passage gatherings. She has documented, on video, many hours of hip hop performed by various groups and makes the assertion that hip hop and traditional practices are related.
Duggy Tee (The power has just gone out again. This doesn't surprise me anymore. It happens a couple of times a day on average.) Anyway, Duggy Tee of Positive Black Soul (I think), or PBS spoke to us as well. Since 1989, he has been rapping, but his evolution is interesting. At first he just admired other rappers and wanted to be like them. Friends told him he had the talent to step up and start his own group. He then decided that he was different than many rap groups because he wanted to have a positive message, AND he wanted to stay in Senegal. His songs focus on the health, security, education, and similar themes. You can look him up on You Tube. What I like about his rap, besides the lyrics, is that he actually breaks into melody and sings as well as raps. Duggy Tee raps in English, Wolof, and French. A short video clip can be seen here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3djfucgkvXo

Fou Malade has been rapping since 1996. He also uses positive messages as lyrics. He started rapping as a way to speak out. Malade grew up thinking that young people didn't have a voice. He saw rap as the only way to speak out on important issues. He works with prisoners and former prisoners to help them become productive and resonsible through rap.
Souley Mane Keita allowed us into his home and studio to show us his artwork and describe what he draws inspiration from as he continues his long and successful career. Note the blue art piece that he describes as "baggy pants". Fulani men, he says, wear baggy pants and carry a pole which they place their arms over. (So sorry, I can't remember why...)
Colle Sow Ardo has been a Senegalese fashion designer long enough that she has seen the marginalization of African designers in national clothing shows. That, however, is changing slowly. See her website at collesowardo.com.
This scene from a video highlights a couple of pieces from Colle Sow Ardo's collection. Penda Mbow, you can tell by this photo, is a dynamic and animated speaker. She is a historian and an expert on gender issues, political reform, and the social structure of African cultures. She lectured twice this day (7-8-10). The first lecture cited many struggles that are facing Senegalese people. Women were important in folk tales and the social structure before outside influences arrived. the French, Portugese, Europeans, and Americans brought a patriarchal society. Islamization also brought a shift in the place of women in society. Lecture number two focused on the things that give her and others hope for a good future for Senegal. As I said in an earlier post, West African issues cannot be addressed in categories. Religion, politics, the economy, geography, and the movement of people from rural areas to the city are complicated and intertwined. Mbow is up to the, very likely, long road ahead as she speaks out for reform in Senegal.

Incredible Edibles

2010-07-10T17:32:00.000-07:00

On the island of Ngor, lunch begins like this. On this particular Sunday (7-11-10), the Fulbright group was treated to a day on the beach. The island is very small. One could walk around it easily in about 30 to 40 minutes, depending on how often she stops to enjoy the view. One spectacle on the island is the fishing boats trolling in and out of the surf. The fishermen were kind enough to let me take a picture of the catch here. Some were spear fishing, others using boats and fishing lines; not rods and reels, but lines. The rebel fishermen were on the other side of the island fishing off the rocks. Does anyone know what kind of fish these are? This fish did not come from the catch in the photo at the top of this post, but it certainly looks more ready to eat Suzanne than the other way around. In the end, however, Suzanne reigned supreme as she made her way through le poisson.
Amy, Elana, Samba, and Ousmane wait for dinner at a wonderful restaurant. I'm not sure what culture one would consider that this meal originated from, although I detected curry, if that helps. This restaurant looks out over the ocean, and the breeze that night was cool and invigorating. See the dish below.
The bar at the Ethiopian Restaurant. Note that the bar and stool are covered with soda labels Waiting for our Ethiopian food.

Can't eat another bite, but it was fantastic. Still the Ethiopian restaurant. Bill, Yumi, Steadman, Elana, and Jan.

When you eat with your hands, you REALLY need to wash up afterward.

At WARC, the cooks start lunch early in the morning. We have learned to check in on them in the detached kitchen to see what's on the menu. This day, it is Cheebu Jen, a Creole dish that's a favorite here. Because we have been so heartily welcomed, our various hosts have treated us to this regional favorite several times since we've been here.
Laurie talks to one of our cooks to find out some secrets of the recipe. I'm so thankful that Laurie speaks French. She has been extremely helpful as I've floundered with the little French I remember from high school. If any of my students are reading this, I want you to know that I regret cutting French class now. In my wildest dreams, I wouldn't have thought that my need for French would come during my visit to Africa. Hey students! All of your classes are important. You never know when you'll need to use a skill that you learned, or should have learned in school.

Lots of root vegetables are used in dishes here. Let's see... Looks like we have carrots, turnips, egg plant, and cabbage. (I was told the white roots are turnips. Is that true?)

Peppers for the Cheebu Jen

Chopping onions in the kitchen. These ladies were very nice about letting us invade their work space.

Snapper and garlic wait their turn to be included in the lunch preparation.

At this restaurant, we ate pizza. There were a multitude of specialty pizzas to choose from, and they were cooked in a wood-burning behive-type oven. The power went out a couple of times while we were there, so it's a good thing we had the light from the fire. This was a night that the mosquitoes came out to eat as well. Check out Teresa's pizza below.

John celebrated his something-ieth birthday here in Africa.

Samba said I should eat the mango with my hands. Again, I have a feeling he may have been playing a joke on me. He loves a laugh.

Me and Samba Gadjigo. This professor has a great sense of humor. His Holyoke College students must love his classes.

At the Village des Artistes, mangos cook under the leaves and in the stones.

Anyone can find instant Nescafe on the street without difficulty.

Photo taken from the bus. The mangos are especially sweet right now. If you come to Senegal, Laay says you must ask for Kent mangos.

More fruit

Millet.

The best couscous is made with millet, not broken rice. This picture was taken as I followed Jan into the kitchen of a highly regarded artist, who showed us his work and spoke of his inspiration. For those of you who would like to Google him, his name is Souley Mane Keita. I'll tell you more about him in a future post. This post is all about food. He laughed that Jan wanted to see his kitchen. She teaches home economics and is officially experiencing Africa through its food, while I am unofficially experiencing Africa through food.

This soda stand was on Goree Island. Sodas we are familiar with can be found most places.

The Goree Island restaurant we ate lunch at today (7-10-10) is called Doree Dolce Vita. Dan, you have to see the salad below! Wow, wow (Wolof for YES!). The flies were thick, so employees of the restaurant and our gracious and talented Mariane fanned them away until everyone had been served.

Corosso is made from prickly pear juice. It's sweet and creamy. I approve.

Presentation is key and well done here.

If Samba was playing a joke on me about how to eat the mango when it's cut like this, then I have done the same, because I had everyone else at the table eating these without utensils. Samba wasn't with us at this meal. No one could tell them any differently. Locals and restaurant employees did not laugh, so perhaps we were eating it correctly. :)

Focus on Education

2010-07-08T11:22:00.000-07:00

Professor Penda Mbow and Professor Samba Gadjigo
Professor Penda Mbow, Historian, was a dynamic speaker. She is an expert on Tradition, Religion, and Change in Senegalese society. She also spoke about the gender issue in Senegal. This was very enlightening. To adequately relay the information she shared would be difficult in this forum. African tradition and women's role in it, traditional Islamists, Brotherhoods, and the state are intricately entwined in a "chess game", if you will, as some work toward bettering the community, and others seek power for themselves.
This represents some of the classwork we are doing on this trip. Lectures, film reviews, and project planning keep the scholar in each of us busy. This group is great to travel with. They are positive and motivated. Each individual has strengths that enhance our discussions and project endeavors. More work on our projects will be done in the next few days. Our directors have been front-loading our knowledge banks so that when we see the sites, we will better understand the signifance of each one.

Teresa and Therese take notes as Ben Diogaye Beye, a pioneer of Senegalese cinema speaks about his documentary, Dakar: La Rue Publique.

We work, daily, at the West African Research Center, http://www.warc-croa.org/ . This is the mosaic on the walk as you enter the compound.

One this day, 7-6-10, we toured the local colleges. When I say local, remember that Dakar is the capital of Senegal, and the colleges here are very prestigious. We passed by the Universite Chiekh Anta Diop, which is where the Director of WARC, Ousmane Sene, teaches African Literature and is chairman of the English department, on our way to CODESRIA (Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa). We were informed about the mission of the school and the programs it facilitates. http://www.codesria.org/ Basically, CODESRIA facilitates research, promotes research-based publications, and creates multiple forums for exchange of views. Classes are super-crowded, so competition is stiff. There simply aren't enough schools at any level to accomodate the great numbers of students who wish to continue their education. There is never enough of anything in this developing country. These are not my own words but the words of our speakers during the informational round-table. Samba Gadjigo describes the system as an upside-down funnel. Many students can enter school at the kindergarten and primary levels (widest part of the funnel), although this schooling my take the form of private Qur'anic study until the age of five, which is not state controlled.

DIGRESSION WARNING! - The young, mostly boys one sees begging on the streets are often part of a group of "school" boys studying under a marabout, or religious teacher, who sends them out after morning prayers and study to beg or sell goods for money. The money is turned over to the marabout for his support. The parents of the boy have "given" him to this teacher for a pre-determined period of time. He may, then, return to his family, where he might or might not have the opportunity to attend public school. Private schools are very expensive.

BACK ON TOPIC - Over time in a child's life, depending on his family's economic, and sometimes class, situation, it is more likely that his education will be interrupted by a variety of more basic priorities. Thus, the young people who complete higher education may "pop" out of the narrow top of the upside-down funnel Professor Gadjigo describes. As you surmise, the educational system needs both help and independence from the state government. There are several political issues that affect the school system. I hope to describe my better understanding of the political and religious current issues in a future post.

Sue listens to Ousmane Sene as he expounds on the educational systems providing higher learning for Africans. On the far right is Dr. Ebrima Sall, Executive Secretary. Regretfully, I did not write down the names of the two panel members in the middle. My apologies.

The African Renaissance Monument

2010-07-07T16:09:00.000-07:00

A view from the hill upon which the monument sits. There are 195 steps to climb to stand at the foot of the bronze.
I took this picture so that you could get an idea about the scale of the monument. Note the size of the onlookers and the foot of the monument.
Many Senegalese do not appreciate this monument. The man, woman, and child looking and pointing toward the west represents the Renaissance, or rebirth of Africa after the slave trade. The president, Abdoulaye Wade, commissioned this monument as a celebration of the 50th anniversary of independence from French colonial rule and a message of hope to the youth of the country. It was designed by a Senegalese, Pierre Goudiaby, but produced by a North Korean company. Here is what I understand about the reason most local people groan at the sight of this statue. To begin with, since Senegal is 95% Muslim, one should call this a monument rather than a statue because the Muslim religion does not make images in human form in their art. The expense was enormous, 27 million U.S. dollars. The complication is that the people of West Africa see challenges all over their cities including poverty and the need for a better infrastructure. How does the government justify, they ask, the expense of building this monument when there is such great need at more basic levels? Also, as noted, this country is mostly Muslim. The statue's (I mean monument's) design shows the woman with part of her body exposed, it is in a Stalinist style, and the bodies do not look like Africans. Abdoulaye Wade said, "It brings to life our common destiny. Africa has arrived in the 21st century standing tall and more ready than ever to take destiny into its hands." So there it is.

Mame Coumba Ndoye, left, chats with a vendor at the street near the African Renaissance Monument. Mame Coumba is assistant to the Dakar coordinator of our Fulbright program. She is also the administrative assistant to the Director of West African Research Center (WARC).

The Lighthouse

2010-07-07T07:51:00.000-07:00

Les Mamelles Lighthouse was built in 1864. It sits on top of a hill in Dakar. The view of the city from this hill is amazing. Bill and Kristine are getting photos of the lighthouse before heading back to the bus.
There are some very beautiful and colorful blooms on some of the trees and bushes here. They must love the heat and humidity.
Beyond me in this photo is the western-most point of the African continent. The thought that I'm looking back toward America from West Africa is incredible. As a history teacher, the significance of the slave trade routes from here is quite emotional. Later in our seminar, we will visit Goree Island, which is one of the places slaves were held and then loaded onto ships headed for the Americas and the Indies.
Our guide, Laay (sp.?) discusses the city and geographic points of interest with Teresa and Richard. I believe the airport is visible in the background of this photo.

Don't miss the video url address in the previous post!
The sights seen during our bus tour on July 5th include today's post and, perhaps, future posts. We saw many interesting sites.

Touch Down on the Continent

2010-07-05T16:35:00.000-07:00

A view from my room. I am on the third floor of six in this hotel. This picture was taken very early in the morning, perhaps 7:00 a.m. Later in the day, the street is bustling with vendors. Bustling! My room is simple, but clean. The doorknobs and lights operate differently than the ones at home. There is wireless internet here, but the electricity is not dependable. We have occasional "brown outs" in which most of the town's (the hotel employee said all of Senegal's) power is out. They must have emergency generators which keep the essential lights on, but no outlets, TV, or air-conditioning works when the power is out. Currently, the power is out. There has been a life-saving breeze blowing today (7-6-10).My dinner on Monday evening was very good. Language translation was a little tricky, but I believe the waiter said this fish is perch. A dichotomy seems to exist between abundance and want. We have been fed very well here. Too well. I simply cannot eat all that I am served. At the same time, I am increasingly aware of the need to conserve other things. Toilet paper is sparingly provided, and in many cases already, I have found the need to bring it with me because some facilities do not provide it. There is evidence of want on the streets, in some areas of the city more than others. Like any city, I suppose. I've heard differing figures, but around 50% seems to be the average number to describe unemployment here. When rural, agricultural lifestyles are no longer productive, Senegalese do what anyone else would do. They move to the city to find work. With the crowded conditions and the weak infrastructure, including city public works and housing, Dakar strains under the pressure but is working on this problem. It is also a land-locked city, meaning there is only one way in, and one way out of the city. Traffic is unpredicatable, especially if it rains. The rain does not drain well, which limits where one can drive.
After lunch on Monday, I enjoy visiting with my new friends. It is still hot, but a breeze has begun to move the air around, so it becomes pleasant. This is me with Steadman from Kansas, Suzanne from California, Yumi from California, and Elana from Washington D.C.
This is one mode of transportation for people or goods. However, cars, busses, and taxis crowd the streets as well. In fact, it took us about two hours to drive through the market streets to get to WARC today (7-5-10). Some unusally busy streets held us up. It should have taken only a few minutes to get there. That, however, gave us a very good opportunity to see the market.
Books for sale at the local market. A market scene from the bus tour of Dakar. Taking us on a bus tour was a good way to give us an overview of the city. Some parts are nicer and have newer buildings. Others are very busy. People everywhere are selling goods. It reminds me of New York city streets where there are street vendors and tiny stalls which contain goods for sale. This, market, however, was ten times more crowded with makeshift storefronts and had far more people trying to sell their wares without even a place to display them. There is construction going on in most parts of the city, but some of it looks as though it's been abandoned for a very long time. Trash is also common in the market streets that I have seen. I'm told that there is a trash pick up service, but they pick up only what is in the small cans, and people don't feel the need to use the trash cans when they are ready to pitch their waste. I saw this happen at the airport upon arrival to Dakar. The research center is located in a quieter, government business part of town. I hope to get lots of good work done there.

* Check out this short video of a drive down a Dakar highway.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6D1Mf4kNU1c

A reception was held for us this evening. It featured dinner, meeting our new friends from the WARC, or the West African Research Center, a couple of bands, and dancing. We were very tired, but everyone participated in the dancing as well as the eating.

Parotille played for our reception on the first evening we were here. They began with familiar American songs and artists like George Benson and Carlos Santana. I'm pretty sure my George Benson album is still in my closet. They then moved to Senegalese rap. Theirs was on the milder side of the genre. Rap in Senegal is used as a tool to send messages of peace, family responsibility, protest against corrupt government, and love. I have to take their word for it because I understand very few of the lyrics. Fou Nalade followed with more rap, and then Parotille finished the evening music performance. We will be seeing musical performances many more times, both scheduled on our itinerary and optional opportunities. Senegal is widely known for its distinct music. Watch for more information on the music called Mbalax.

Boston - Day 3

2010-07-03T20:12:00.001-07:00

Jennifer Yanco, The West African Research Association (WARA), U.S. Director. She has been a great source of information and has been very helpful in a multitude of ways.

Balla Kouyate. Look him up on YouTube. Several examples of his music can be found there.

The gourds on the underside of the balafon make the beautiful varieties of sounds. Balla says they must be replaced relatively often.

My roommate for this Boston portion of the trip, Therese Laux, is a percussionist. She gets a chance to play with Balla here. Note the ring on her finger. It is strategically worn to create the "clicking" sound.

Alex Zito, above, teaches about the Islamic Brotherhoods in the Senegal region. Maase Ndiaye also expounded on the history of Islam in Africa.

Boston is getting a bit hotter. The humidity is climbing. However, by the time it becomes very uncomfortable, my Fulbright group will be in Dakar. Tomorrow morning we leave at 8 a.m. to begin another twenty or so hours of traveling, waiting, and traveling until we are in Dakar by 4:45 a.m. Monday the 5th. I can't imagine that I will have anything to tell you about regarding the day of travel, but one never knows for sure what events may come.

After viewing a film called Syntaxe Urbaine, by Arfang Saar, which is about the city of Dakar and is a historical and geographic overview, there were more Wolof lessons. I practiced bargaining with an imaginary taxi driver, asking where the bathroom is, and complementing the meal I have just eaten. Laurie and Steadman seem to be catching on very well. I worry about speaking Wolof, but may be able to code switch to a little French and English to get along. I'll take the handouts and my notes along on the plane to practice. I will also be completing some required reading tomorrow during our travel day. We then learned about the history of Dakar as an intellectual hub in the West African region. Samba Gadjigo, a professor of French at Mount Holyoke College, is like a walking encylopedia as he describes the chronology of the development of educational systems in Dakar. Sue (I did not learn her last name), who has lived in Africa for 33 years, shared social protocols with us. We, for example, will likely be eating some meals with our hands. We should NEVER use the left hand to eat when using a common bowl. Nor should we shake hands with the left hand UNLESS it is the last time we see the person. Why? Well, the left hand is thought to be used for very dirty business (IYKWIM!) If, however, it is the last time you will see someone, perhaps for a very long time, you shake hands the wrong way (left-handed), so that you must return to shake them the correct way. That completed, we moved on to an interesting performance. You may not have heard of Balla Kouyate, but perhaps you know the name Yo Yo Ma. Balla Kouyate is a balafon player and a griot from the Sundiata line. He has played with Yo Yo Ma and has also played at the Kennedy Center. It was an honor to see him perform today. An early afternoon break was followed by more Wolof lessons, and discussion about Islamic diversity and Brotherhoods in Senegal. A tasty Senegalese dinner including a dish called Ceebu Jen (rice, fish, ??) followed. If I were to get on that plane tomorrow, and it took me home instead of to Africa, I would feel that I have learned a great deal and had a very eventful seminar. To know that I still have four weeks ahead of me is extremely exciting. It's a little scary to leave the continent and the comfort of an English-speaking country, but I have waited for this day a very long time and am looking forward to it with great anticipation. Ba beneen. (Bye, bye)

Boston - Day 2

2010-07-02T19:38:00.001-07:00

I can't figure out why I don't sleep until my alarm goes off anymore. This morning, after opening my eyes and taking a moment to figure out where exactly I was, I went out into the brisk morning and enjoyed a run (and walk) along the Charles River to begin my day. There were many college students and locals running and biking as well. The rowing classes or teams were out in great numbers as well. Beautiful!

Our meetings and lectures today included an overview of languages spoken on the continent of Africa, more Wolof lessons, a lecture about what it is like to be a foreigner in Senegal, and a viewing of a film entitled, Faat Kine. WARAs U.S. Director, Jennifer Yanco titled her overview of languages, "Do You Speak African?" She finds it is a common question asked of her and others who have lived or spent lots of time in Africa. The question demonstrates one aspect of Americans' misunderstanding of Africa because, in fact, there are more than 2,000 official languages spoken in Africa. Maas Ndiaye continued teaching us basic Wolof grammar and phrases. Today, focus was on parts of the body and what they do. For example, the eye sees and looks. Eye is "bet". See is "gis", and Look is "xool". Learning this may be one of my biggest challenges. Aye! Professor Patricia Tang told us about her experiences in Senegal as a foreigner. She is an ethnomusicologist at M.I.T. Additionally, she plays the violin and the sabar. (Remember the drumming group we saw on day one in Boston? The drums are called sabar.) Her anecdotes were very helpful and practical. Finally, we watched the Ousmane Sembene film called Faat Kine. He was the first African to make a movie about Africans. The movie's setting was Dakar and was in French with a little Wolof. Very interesting.

Boston is in the midst of a Harborfest. It is, after all, the Fourth of July week. We have seen the staging for the Boston Pops, costumed historical figures, and a faire at Faneuil Hall and the Quincy Market area of town.
If one is going to be in Boston, perhaps once in a lifetime, one must eat New England clam chowder in a bread bowl. One really must! Walking back from the Faneuil Hall to the hotel through Boston Commons was also a highlight.

This is the view of Fenway Park from my hotel room at Buckminster Hotel. There was a game tonight, but I decided that $35.00 was too much to pay for the cheap seats. Enjoying the cheering, the lights, and the hustle and bustle on the streets as ambiance was fine given my budget and the amount of time I have here.

Boston - Day 1

2010-07-01T18:56:00.001-07:00

In the evening after our meetings and dinner, Lamine Toure and his Senegalese drumming group played for us. Lamine taught us to sing (I know what you're thinking!!), clap, and dance. He told us stories of his grandmother and mother who are griots, or history keepers, storytellers, if you will. Lamine is in the red tunic. I will try to link a video here, but it's getting late (11:08 Boston time) and the video is still trying to upload. Perhaps tomorrow.

Whew! The travel day started yesterday at 5:00 p.m. Twenty-two hours later, I have arrived in Boston. You all know about airport layovers and lengthy plane rides, so no need to go into detail. I unpacked but ended up being late for my first meeting. Augh! I think it's rude when people are late, but I was the one who walked in after the program started this time. The desk clerk hadn't given me the note about the location of our meeting, so I went looking and found that I had to walk several blocks to the Boston University African Studies Center. I commit to never being late again during this entire month-long trip.

We began with introductions, which took awhile. We're all teachers, so if given a speaking forum... It was good, though, to hear what each teacher's background and goals are for this trip. In future posts, you will learn more about them as I do. We then learned some Wolof greetings. I can break it down to four for now:

"Salaamalekum" (literally - Peace to Allah - but kind of like "hello").

Respond, "Maalekum Salaam".

"Na nga def?" (How are you?)

Respond - "Maa ngi fi rek." (Fine)

Here's a bonus phrase. "Wow, wow" turns out to mean "Yes, of course." or you say it to encourage a dancer or a band. Practice, "Wow, wow."

We then went over logistics and had a wonderful Cuban dinner. It included chicken, plantains, rice with wonderful sauces, olives, and fruit. I don't know what each dish was called, but there wasn't anything that I didn't love. Following dinner, Lamine Toure, a Senegalese drummer, performed with his band. Check out his website, laminetoure.com. The drums each have their own names, but as a group you call them sabar. He says we'll see them a lot in Senegal. In modern times, they are played at celebrations because they produce a happy vibe. In the past, though, they were used as a communication tool. One group of people could send messages of eminent attack to another, or they may be used to encourage the troops. Today, in wrestling contests, each wrestler has his own rhythm played on the drums to "psych him up" for the contest. The contest may only last ten seconds, but the preliminary drumming could last an hour.

Check out this video of Lamine's workshop: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sugL93cIBpg

Guess what I can see right across the street and out my hotel window. Fenway Park!!! I'll be done with my itinerary tomorrow by around six. The game starts at 7:30. Hmmm.

I'm Off

2010-06-30T09:01:00.000-07:00

Today is the day. My bags are almost packed. My reading is almost done. My excitement is almost contained. Only in the last day, have I begun to feel a little apprehension about whether I am prepared. Already this summer, I have traveled extensively. Each time I tried to remember a lesson about what I could do better next time. Take smaller bills and coins, for example, or take plenty of lotion and sunscreen. It doesn't do to run out on longer trips. I learned that it will be worth the weight of carrying my 15 inch laptop so that I can create documents as I prepare lessons, rather than deal with the slower and less equipped netbook. I will take a smaller bag for day trips so I don't have to lug my bigger backpack everywhere. Relying less on my cell phone has prepared me for international travel where I will not be able to use one. I know I could go and upgrade mine to get a global access card, but it will still be expensive, and I can simply use the internet, email, my blog, and Skype to stay in touch with my family and friends.

Why do most people say, when I tell them where I will be going, to "stay safe" and "be careful"? Yes. I have done some research on the area, the climate, the people, and culture of Senegal. I have read other traveler's blogs as well. For a first trip, I think I am as prepared as I can be, but I will learn, on this trip, things that I will do differently and better "next time". Since the likelyhood is that I will not be able to return to Senegal in my lifetime, I hope that what I learn can be useful to you or someone you know, who may have a similar opportunity in the future. I'm off this afternoon. By tomorrow I will be in Boston for three days of orientation and training. I do feel a little like I'm stepping off a cliff into the unknown, but I wouldn't change this chance of a lifetime for anything. I am taking that step. Come along via this blog. Share my adventure.

Podcast

2010-06-22T22:07:00.000-07:00

The following link will take you to a 52 minute podcast in which the discussion tandems the book, Mistaking Africa: Curiosities and Inventions of the American Mind, by Curtis Keim. The book is required reading for the study tour on which I am about to embark. At 52 minutes, this podcast is not for casual followers, but for people who really do want to delve into American misconceptions about Africa. Perhaps you can start the podcast and listen while you fold laundry or sort your recycling. To the brave few - ENJOY!

http://www.wpr.org/hereonearth/archive_100520k.cfm

Why Are You Going to Africa?

2010-06-16T09:34:00.000-07:00

One of the most frequent questions I get when I tell people I am going to Africa is, "Why? Is this a mission trip?" I explain that I will be studying several aspects of the West African country, Senegal, including culture, art, religion, history, government, geography, educational systems, and current issues. I say that my mission is to bring back what I learn to my students, my school, my district, and my community. The next thing friends want to know are the specific details of how the agenda will work, where I will be staying, etc. Happily, a recent communique from "headquarters"
introduces a website that thoroughly describes the project. Should you have any questions about "why" after browsing its various pages, I will be surprised.

I invite you to click on this url address to find out more about this project.

http://www.gs.howard.edu/wara2010/default.htm

Counting Down

2010-05-17T19:37:00.000-07:00

I do not depart for orientation until the end of June. Thus, it would seem that I have plenty of time to continue my preparation for this seminar abroad. However, because I will not only travel to Africa, but also to Washington DC, Philadelphia, and New York with 8th graders, to Alabama on a Teaching American History grant to study the Civil Rights movement (see my blog, agrovesalabama.blogspot.com), and to Cabo San Lucas on a family vacation prior to the trip to Senegal this summer, precision planning must become my motto. Here's what's happening at this juncture:

All medical appointments are completed.
Yellow fever shot - check
Typhoid shot - check
Malaria pills picked up - check

More information has arrived from seminar directors, Mbye Cham and Samba Gadjigo. The new itinerary includes activity details for each day. Admittedly, I have read through this most exciting new material more than once, imagining myself at each event, meeting my colleagues, planning the curriculum focus for the project which I will present toward the end of the month in Senegal. I am a sponge. To learn as much as I can before I depart, I have done several things. I have ordered and watched "Globetrekker" DVDs about West Africa. I have ordered a "Traveler's French CD" course to review and add to what little French I remember from high school. French is the official language when doing business in Senegal. Wolof is also spoken. The orientation in Boston will include Wolof language lessons. There is pre-orientation reading to be done as well. My students would relate this to the summer reading required for some honors and AP classes as they move on to high school. These books include African History; A Very Short Introduction, and Mistaking Africa, Curiosities, and Inventions of the American Mind. There are also short videos that are accessed on You Tube which are recommended by our directors.

My traveling colleagues and I have begun to meet each other via a social website. Not all of us are using the site yet, but the comments and suggestions some have written have been heartening and helpful. It seems we are teachers from a variety of disciplines, which should be great fun.

No, I do not depart until the end of June, but am hoping that this documentation of pre-trip events and thoughts may be helpful to those considering applying for the Fulbright Hays Seminars Abroad, or a similar program. My students and their families are also on my heart as I write to include them in my experiences. While this experience will enrich my life, I feel a great responsibility to "pass it on". Do let me know if you have questions along the way. As my study tour unfolds, my commitment is to share this unique opportunity with you.

Missed a Call

2010-04-17T19:39:00.000-07:00

I ran for it when I heard it ringing, but missed the call I had been waiting for - for two weeks. Ahhh! It'll seem silly to you, but checking things off my "to do" list does wonders for my mood. When the travel clinic nurse finally called, I was in the other room. Short story long, I ended up having to make another appointment for a phone call in two more weeks. On that day, I'll be sure to paste my phone to my forehead, so I won't miss the call. The travel clinic nurse and I will discuss my itinerary and the possible risks in the area, in order to determine what shots and medications I will need. Here's what I've read:

The degree of risk is high. There are food and waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever. As for vectorborne diseases (mosquitoes?): Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, dengue fever, malaria, Rift Valley fever, and yellow fever. Water contact disease: schistosomiasis. Respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis. Animal disease: rabies (2009)

I didn't save the url address for this information. My students have every right to tease me for that, because I constantly tell them to cite their sources. The illustration comes from coolaggregator.wordpress.com

All part of the adventure! Don't worry, Mom. I'll be careful. :)

Welcome Letter

2010-04-06T19:34:00.000-07:00

My welcome letter arrived yesterday via email. That means the Fulbright Hays organization received my "YES, I ACCEPT THE INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE" fax. The co-directors of this seminar are Mbye Cham and Samba Gadjigo. Meeting people with such dedication to history, culture, and education will be an honor. Our sessions are to be conducted at the West African Research Center (WARC) http://www.warc-croa.org/, and we will be staying at the Al Afifa Hotel in the center of Dakar. I look forward to the seminars, readings, film screenings and other activities.

Could it get any better? YES! Pre-departure orientation will take place in.... Boston! I'd have been happy go anywhere to prepare for this trip, but Boston has been on my "bucket list" for some time.

Fax health forms - check

Fax insurance forms - check

The photograph is titled "Top View of Dakar". Photo Credit - Photos Around the World, worldpress.com

Where is Senegal?

2010-03-31T12:43:00.000-07:00

This map gives an idea about where I will be located on the continent of Africa. From preliminary research, it looks like the climate is tropical, hot, humid, and rainy during the month of July. I've been advised to bring mosquito netting, bug spray, clothes that cover most of me, and a light rain jacket. ??? I promise to report back from Senegal with what works as far as attire.

Tetnus shot - Check
Physical exam - Check

Preparation

2010-03-29T17:26:00.000-07:00

Travel insurance - Check
TB Test - Check
Wow. That part was easy! I'm really good at organizing lists and working my way through them to the completion of a project, but somehow I don't think I get, yet, what I am preparing for. This trip is a very big deal for me. I wonder when it will feel real. ?

AFRICA, HERE I COME!!!

2010-03-27T18:26:00.000-07:00

As I let the news sink in, that I really have been selected to participate in the Fulbright Hays Summer Seminar in Senegal, West Africa, I am "out-of-my-skin" excited. So many things to do to prepare... travel insurance, physical exam, shots, and a multitude of questions to be answered. One thing I resolved to do, if I were selected, was to share the experience through a blog. I have been given this opportunity, and recognize that it is more valuable if I can share the things I learn with, not only my students, but our families, our community, and a wider group whose boundaries are only limited by the world wide web and are unknown at this point. Thank you for joining me at the very beginning of this journey. The actual trip will begin on June 30th. Stay tuned.