Na nga def (1/15/03)
How did yáll like my wolof intro. I started Wolof which is the major language in Senegal. Everyone tells me it is easy, that is the Senegalese tell me it is easy, because it doesn't really have verb tenses, but the constructions are so different from what I'm used to, that it will take me forever to get it down. However, people are very helpful and I get to practice quite often.
For those of you who didn't receive last week's email, tell me and I will send you a copy. i think i finally have the address book straight.
I wanted to make a correction from last week. Someone noted that I had written:"you think of slavery and then you see the present day senegalese who hold themselves to high." That should read "who hold themselves so high" I know i'm the master of typos but when it changes the meaning of something i really want to get across, i want to correct it.
So anyway, where do i begin? i'm finally getting over my initial culture shock altho i had a relapse when i couldn't get the phoneline to work last weekend. but i'm over it and enjoying all the great things senegal has to offer. i've begun to make many friends and since everyone is so open and kind, that's very easy. some new friends took me to a party last saturday where i spent most of my time to watch soccer, for those of you who didn't know, i'm a huge soccer fan, but did make it out to the courtyard to see how the senegalese dance. it's amazing. i've never seen people move so fast and in so many directions. supposedly, i'll be learning how to do this but i don't think it's possible for me. we shall see! i'm going to a wedding this saturday and will surely have stories to tell next week about that. i have no idea what to wear however. the people get megadressed up for class so i would hate to see what they sport for fancy events.
i started classes this week which i'm really enjoying. i'm taking a french translation course, african civ, african lit, afr music and dance, wolof, and an awesome art class. today we learned traditional dyeing tecniques. i got to play with wax which is always fun. then we all sat around and drank tea. how else would i spend 4 hours?
i'm integrating into the family well. joking around a lot and being the butt of many jokes...my sisters are real pranksters. i'm also enjoy hanging out with the maids. i still don't like the fact that people wait on me so i always insist on doing things myself, but it's nice to know that they are basically a part of the family. the other night the kids and the maids shared the same bowl for our evening meal...a true sign of community and collectivity. i really like the family style eating practice because you bond in a certain way that you don't feel when you have separate plates.
one thing i can't get used to is the trash on teh floor method. there are no trash cans. u just leave whatever trash on teh floor and the maids pick it up the next day when they make every inch of the house spotless. i think i should ask for a trashcan.
i had finally added shells to my dreadlocks. been saying i would do this for a while and finally have. i needed a change.
fun fact: in february is the sheep festival. u wil never see sooo many sheep! apparently, everyone in dakar feeds sheep all year around just to slaughter them this one day and eat sheep meat all day long. everyone gets dressed up and parties. the idea is intriguing yet i worry about my stuffed sheep sirpenes who has joined me on my senegal adventure. for those of you who don't know, my stuffed sheep goes everywhere. some of you might have seen him in my photos. well, my sisters find it quite amusing that i have a stuffed sheep and threaten to slaughter him along with the live sheep. so every time i come home tehy hang him out the window and tell me how he will not be spared. i think i'll be shipping him back to the states ;-)
i have so much more i want to say but it will have to wait until next week. i'm out of time. i wish you all a great week!
For those of you who didn't receive last week's email, tell me and I will send you a copy. i think i finally have the address book straight.
I wanted to make a correction from last week. Someone noted that I had written:"you think of slavery and then you see the present day senegalese who hold themselves to high." That should read "who hold themselves so high" I know i'm the master of typos but when it changes the meaning of something i really want to get across, i want to correct it.
So anyway, where do i begin? i'm finally getting over my initial culture shock altho i had a relapse when i couldn't get the phoneline to work last weekend. but i'm over it and enjoying all the great things senegal has to offer. i've begun to make many friends and since everyone is so open and kind, that's very easy. some new friends took me to a party last saturday where i spent most of my time to watch soccer, for those of you who didn't know, i'm a huge soccer fan, but did make it out to the courtyard to see how the senegalese dance. it's amazing. i've never seen people move so fast and in so many directions. supposedly, i'll be learning how to do this but i don't think it's possible for me. we shall see! i'm going to a wedding this saturday and will surely have stories to tell next week about that. i have no idea what to wear however. the people get megadressed up for class so i would hate to see what they sport for fancy events.
i started classes this week which i'm really enjoying. i'm taking a french translation course, african civ, african lit, afr music and dance, wolof, and an awesome art class. today we learned traditional dyeing tecniques. i got to play with wax which is always fun. then we all sat around and drank tea. how else would i spend 4 hours?
i'm integrating into the family well. joking around a lot and being the butt of many jokes...my sisters are real pranksters. i'm also enjoy hanging out with the maids. i still don't like the fact that people wait on me so i always insist on doing things myself, but it's nice to know that they are basically a part of the family. the other night the kids and the maids shared the same bowl for our evening meal...a true sign of community and collectivity. i really like the family style eating practice because you bond in a certain way that you don't feel when you have separate plates.
one thing i can't get used to is the trash on teh floor method. there are no trash cans. u just leave whatever trash on teh floor and the maids pick it up the next day when they make every inch of the house spotless. i think i should ask for a trashcan.
i had finally added shells to my dreadlocks. been saying i would do this for a while and finally have. i needed a change.
fun fact: in february is the sheep festival. u wil never see sooo many sheep! apparently, everyone in dakar feeds sheep all year around just to slaughter them this one day and eat sheep meat all day long. everyone gets dressed up and parties. the idea is intriguing yet i worry about my stuffed sheep sirpenes who has joined me on my senegal adventure. for those of you who don't know, my stuffed sheep goes everywhere. some of you might have seen him in my photos. well, my sisters find it quite amusing that i have a stuffed sheep and threaten to slaughter him along with the live sheep. so every time i come home tehy hang him out the window and tell me how he will not be spared. i think i'll be shipping him back to the states ;-)
i have so much more i want to say but it will have to wait until next week. i'm out of time. i wish you all a great week!
posted by maya at 6:40 PM
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