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| Check out my amazing hair!!! My host mom braided it and put it in a side ponytail! :) I love it! |
Thursday, September 30, 2010
I have braids and a side pony tail!
PST is almost over!!!
What's up guys?? So I'm so excited! Tomorrow is officially October 1st and we are swearing in on October 15th. I'm almost there! I'm back in Thies at the training center, we are doing our Counterpart workshop this week. I've been super busy with that. Tomorrow is the American cultural fair and my group is working on American Pop culture. We are going to educate all of the small enterprise development (SED) counterparts on American culture; it should be interesting. Like I said, my group has pop culture and I am specifically working on Fitness and Health in the USA. Anyone of my Zumba students probably could have guessed that was the topic I was most passionate about :) No free dance class though. I'm going to educate the Senegalese counterparts on how health and fitness is important to a lot of Americans, and how eating a balanced diet is very important. It's contrary to the white rice and oil I eat here everyday---ahhh! Marro et lili (fish and rice) I'm so over eating everyday! haha! Don't worry though, I will also talk about how many Americans are unhealthy and inactive. I gotta cover all my bases: We have people who follow both types of lifestyles in the US. It should be interesting :)
So the last week in Mbour was fun! I"m getting slowly better at Pulaar. We had a test last friday and I acheived intermediate low. I need intermediate mid to pass out of training. The next test is next week and I hope I get the level I need too. I just want to go to my site: Kounkane!!! :) Training is tiring and I'm tired of living between two cities. Soon enough: 15 days! Oh and saturday we will be going to one of the Eco-tourism sites for a petite vacation: Popinguine--I think? It's absolutely beautiful; right on the beach. We are leaving saturday afternoon after language class and then returning on sunday evening! I can't wait for the nice little break! I'll post pictures soon! Also Monday we are going to Dakar! That should be amazing. We have to learn where all the important buildings are so it's more of an educational day, nonetheless, it's something new! I can't wait.
I posted some new pics on facebook about my homestay compound, you guys should definetly check it out! The goats are in the album haha! I have so many more pics to post and will do shortly after PST (preservice training). Oh and I have a great story to tell: So here we all have to have Senegalese names. My name is Adama Djallo (currently, it will change when I move to Kounkane). And the Senegalese have these jokes that they always say every time they see a friend or neighbor; they love to joke around with the last names. With my Senegalese last name being Djallo I get to hear often the phrase: Djallo ko goodjo, which translates to Djallos are thieves. Well last monday, my two little brothers, Buba Caar and Baille Cherno lived up to their last names. I was just hanging out in the compound with my family studying some Pulaar when all of a sudden like 30 people just entered the compound yelling and screaming. I not even kidding it was the entire neighborhood (Quartier Liberte). I didn't understand a word of what was going on because it was all in Wolof. There was one man in particular who was yelling and screaming and he was telling my host father the story of what happened. He kept saying my brothers' names so I knew they did something.... Shortly after the man said what he had too, he left with the entire neighborhood following him. My family started discussing amongst themselves in Pulaar and finally I was able to understand bits and pieces. Apparently my two little brothers were corn thieves. They stole from our neighbor two ears of corn, and it caused a giant fiasco in the neighborhood. It was pretty funny, mostly because people are always calling me and my host family thieves due to the last name, and this time it was actually true. My host brothers are goodjo tobaano aka corn thieves. My family thinks it's hilarious that I was able to understand what happened. They talked about it the entire week: "Adama asked if the boys were corn thieves! She understands!!!!" :) Yes! The Pulaar is slowly coming along :) Moyyi! haha! Hope you guys are all well! I'm missing the US a lot this week!
Sending love from Senegal! Til the next time!
xoxox
So the last week in Mbour was fun! I"m getting slowly better at Pulaar. We had a test last friday and I acheived intermediate low. I need intermediate mid to pass out of training. The next test is next week and I hope I get the level I need too. I just want to go to my site: Kounkane!!! :) Training is tiring and I'm tired of living between two cities. Soon enough: 15 days! Oh and saturday we will be going to one of the Eco-tourism sites for a petite vacation: Popinguine--I think? It's absolutely beautiful; right on the beach. We are leaving saturday afternoon after language class and then returning on sunday evening! I can't wait for the nice little break! I'll post pictures soon! Also Monday we are going to Dakar! That should be amazing. We have to learn where all the important buildings are so it's more of an educational day, nonetheless, it's something new! I can't wait.
I posted some new pics on facebook about my homestay compound, you guys should definetly check it out! The goats are in the album haha! I have so many more pics to post and will do shortly after PST (preservice training). Oh and I have a great story to tell: So here we all have to have Senegalese names. My name is Adama Djallo (currently, it will change when I move to Kounkane). And the Senegalese have these jokes that they always say every time they see a friend or neighbor; they love to joke around with the last names. With my Senegalese last name being Djallo I get to hear often the phrase: Djallo ko goodjo, which translates to Djallos are thieves. Well last monday, my two little brothers, Buba Caar and Baille Cherno lived up to their last names. I was just hanging out in the compound with my family studying some Pulaar when all of a sudden like 30 people just entered the compound yelling and screaming. I not even kidding it was the entire neighborhood (Quartier Liberte). I didn't understand a word of what was going on because it was all in Wolof. There was one man in particular who was yelling and screaming and he was telling my host father the story of what happened. He kept saying my brothers' names so I knew they did something.... Shortly after the man said what he had too, he left with the entire neighborhood following him. My family started discussing amongst themselves in Pulaar and finally I was able to understand bits and pieces. Apparently my two little brothers were corn thieves. They stole from our neighbor two ears of corn, and it caused a giant fiasco in the neighborhood. It was pretty funny, mostly because people are always calling me and my host family thieves due to the last name, and this time it was actually true. My host brothers are goodjo tobaano aka corn thieves. My family thinks it's hilarious that I was able to understand what happened. They talked about it the entire week: "Adama asked if the boys were corn thieves! She understands!!!!" :) Yes! The Pulaar is slowly coming along :) Moyyi! haha! Hope you guys are all well! I'm missing the US a lot this week!
Sending love from Senegal! Til the next time!
xoxox
Monday, September 20, 2010
Korité
So korité or the end of Ramadan was last friday. My host family braided my hair, check out the pic on fb! haha! Its great and im loving them. My family killed two of our chickens for dinner and I got to watch as they killed them. It was really hard to watch, but the chickens are always running around our compound and bothering me so I didnt feel too bad. The baby chicks get into my room sometimes and poop in the corner, its really annoying haha! My brothers and sisters chase them out because they know I dont like the chickens there. Arond the time the sunsets all the kids chase our chickens and goats around the compound trying to force them into the coup. They tie the goats to the tree so they are not roaming at night. Ill try to get a photo! Its so funny to watch.
So yea, Korité is basically a day where the women spend the morning cooking a gigantic lunch and where the men relax all day. The families eat a huge lunch, like thanksgiving and then they eat the leftovers hours later for dinner. During the evening its like Halloween. Everyone gets into their nicest clothes that they had specifically made for the occassion and walk around to their neighbors houses dressed up and ready to greet. A lot of people go to these little photo shops to get their photos taken, and that part of Korité reminds me of Prom. It was fun!
So im back in Mbour with my homestay family until Sept. 28. I just got back from volunteer visits; which was amazing! I will be living in the Kolda region in an overgrown village called Kounkané. Check it out! Oh and im currently obsessed with my favorite form of street food: bean sandwhiches. Ill probably blog about those a little later when i have more internet time.
Miss you guys!
Gros bisous!
xxx
So yea, Korité is basically a day where the women spend the morning cooking a gigantic lunch and where the men relax all day. The families eat a huge lunch, like thanksgiving and then they eat the leftovers hours later for dinner. During the evening its like Halloween. Everyone gets into their nicest clothes that they had specifically made for the occassion and walk around to their neighbors houses dressed up and ready to greet. A lot of people go to these little photo shops to get their photos taken, and that part of Korité reminds me of Prom. It was fun!
So im back in Mbour with my homestay family until Sept. 28. I just got back from volunteer visits; which was amazing! I will be living in the Kolda region in an overgrown village called Kounkané. Check it out! Oh and im currently obsessed with my favorite form of street food: bean sandwhiches. Ill probably blog about those a little later when i have more internet time.
Miss you guys!
Gros bisous!
xxx
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
First post!
Hey y'all!
So I started a blog :) I'm going to try my best to keep it updated but I'm really bad about sticking to stuff like this, and also my internet is really sporadic. So we will try to see how it goes.....
So Senegal is fabulous! I've been living here for one month to today!!! I'm currently living in between Mbour and Thies. The Peace Corps training center is in Thies. We come here for training sessions as a group. It's where I usually access the internet. It works sometimes :) hahaha! My host family post is in Mbour. I'm living there and I absolutely love it. We are close to the beach and my host family is amazing! I'm learning a language called Fulakunda Pulaar. It is incredibly difficult ;( But I feel like my language skills are coming along alright. In my host family I have one dad and two moms. Polygamy is legal. My older or first mom is Maryama. She is great! Such a beautiful person! She makes me laugh! My second mom is Ruby. She is younger about 20 years old! I'm older than she, but she is great! She is always laughing at me because I mispronounce things all the time :( haha! Between my two moms I have about 10 brothers and sisters! My Senegalese family is sooooo big! But I love every single one of them! They are truly a great family.
So in my compound, where I live, I have no electricity or running water. My host moms make two trips every day to the well to pull water. I helped them once. It was difficult. They carry the water back in large buckets on their heads. They don't spill one drop. It's amazing!! I got to try to carry a little bucket on my head. I spilled most of it down the left side of my body. My family laughed and then took it away from me. It was quite the experience. In the evening, we usually eat by candle light or flashlight. It took some getting used to, but now I really don't mind. :) You can see all the stars very clearly! It's beautiful!
I'll try to post some things more often but at least this gives my family and friends a little insight into what's going on in Senegal. I have so many more stories to share!
Write me!!
Love you!
<3 Sam :) xxx
So I started a blog :) I'm going to try my best to keep it updated but I'm really bad about sticking to stuff like this, and also my internet is really sporadic. So we will try to see how it goes.....
So Senegal is fabulous! I've been living here for one month to today!!! I'm currently living in between Mbour and Thies. The Peace Corps training center is in Thies. We come here for training sessions as a group. It's where I usually access the internet. It works sometimes :) hahaha! My host family post is in Mbour. I'm living there and I absolutely love it. We are close to the beach and my host family is amazing! I'm learning a language called Fulakunda Pulaar. It is incredibly difficult ;( But I feel like my language skills are coming along alright. In my host family I have one dad and two moms. Polygamy is legal. My older or first mom is Maryama. She is great! Such a beautiful person! She makes me laugh! My second mom is Ruby. She is younger about 20 years old! I'm older than she, but she is great! She is always laughing at me because I mispronounce things all the time :( haha! Between my two moms I have about 10 brothers and sisters! My Senegalese family is sooooo big! But I love every single one of them! They are truly a great family.
So in my compound, where I live, I have no electricity or running water. My host moms make two trips every day to the well to pull water. I helped them once. It was difficult. They carry the water back in large buckets on their heads. They don't spill one drop. It's amazing!! I got to try to carry a little bucket on my head. I spilled most of it down the left side of my body. My family laughed and then took it away from me. It was quite the experience. In the evening, we usually eat by candle light or flashlight. It took some getting used to, but now I really don't mind. :) You can see all the stars very clearly! It's beautiful!
I'll try to post some things more often but at least this gives my family and friends a little insight into what's going on in Senegal. I have so many more stories to share!
Write me!!
Love you!
<3 Sam :) xxx
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