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
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