American Exchange student visits Kounkané

So one of the Peace Corps goals promotes helping Americans understand the people and cultures of other countries. For me personally, that means informing the people of America (and other countries--I have international blog readers :)) about Senegal and Senegalese culture.  This month I did some work to contribute to this P.C. goal by hosting an American exchange student.  :) Her name is Renée, and she is a student studying abroad in Dakar for the Spring 2011 semester.  She came down to Kolda for a 5 day visit to see what life is like for Senegalese people in this region, and also to learn a little bit about what a Peace Corps Senegal volunteer's life is like. 



Renée hangin out in my hut! :)

We had a great five days! We spent some time making posters for our Kounkané girls club that myself and two other volunteers run every wednesday, and we went to the lycée and hung up the posters to get more girls to come to our meetings. :) Renée and I spent a lot of time talking to people around my town; we practiced our Pulaar (She learned a little in the 5 days being in Pulaar country!) and also a bit of Wolof.  We went to a formation that taught basic business principles to local entrepreneurs taught by my counterpart, and we spent an entire day in a "real village", meaning we biked out to Goundaga (Ally's village) and spent the day playing games with the children and eating kodé (millet couscous), yum! :) We also celebrated my brother Djouldé's birthday by buying him a cake and boisson mix similar to Kool-Aid...oh and Renée bought my family a chicken for dinner so they slaughtered it and made us a delicous dinner of chicken on a bed of fresh lettuce, tomatos, green bell pepper, boiled eggs, and fried potatos drizzled with a delicious onion-y yassa sauce...now that's a patron dinner :)
Renée already had a really good understanding of Senegalese culture because she has been living here for 2 months, but it was nice to share with someone the projects I've been working on and the potential projects I'm in the process of starting.  She even brought me some delicious dark chocolate as sillafonda (gifts) from Dakar, but with the weather now being in the hot/dry season, it melted.  We ate the chocolate with a spoon! :) Can't waste it; it's Chocolate!



Melted Sillafonda, delicious nevertheless!

Until the next blog posting.....besos! xxx