Village life in the big city

A while back my computer died on me. One too many power surges zapped my charger...and now I spend my siest (the three hours after lunch when everything closes so people can nap away the afternoon heat) reading any printed literature I can get my hands on instead of watching reruns of Golden Girls on my computer. So, I will be out of commission for a while until this problem is regulated. I will also probably build a wealth of knowledge of very random topics from all the reading I now do in my spare time.

In other news my family is moving to a new house. In true Senegalese style, we are moving in before the house is actually finished. So it resembles less of a house you and I are accustomed to and more of a hobo squat shelter in Watts. Exposed brick, cement and dirt floors BUT we'll all have doors, alhumdulilah. No power and no running water for now. In West Africa, it is possible to be a villager in the city.

After much wear and tear, the chain on my bike snapped. So, I've been walking and sweating, a lot more than usual. Clandos (unofficial shared "taxis" that drive around town) are pricey for a PCV budget.

There's African saying that goes "there are only two kinds of people who walk in the mid-day sun, the lunatic and the white man". Enough said.

I'm not good at taking a lot of photos so this is the best I have of the Kedougou adventure until I snag some more from others:

Roadtrip!

Mary, mentally preparing herself for the ride back.


And on an unrelated subject...I took this pic the other day in response to people who don't understand how I sometimes mistake the roaches for mice.

Happy 4th

I spent the 4th of July in Kedougou, a lush beautiful GREEN region of Senegal near the Guinean border 500 kilometers from my site. We made the 13 hour journey for the annual independence day bash held by PCVs. BBQ. Beers. Dance party. And a 3 hour bike ride turned 8 hour detour off the trail and lost through the fields and grasslands where the air was scented by wild mint and fresh rain. All in search of a waterfall. I was nearly charged by a cow I mistakenly made too much eye-contact with. My ankle is swollen from falling off a bike while riding side-saddle in the dark. All-in-all I had a wonderful holiday and I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate our nations independence than by lighting off Chinese fireworks and dancing to Lady Gaga, in West Africa. God bless America.

Photos to come. But for now I will leave you with this:



My lovely host brothers wish you a happy independence day.