Salaam Aleikum!!
Na ngeen def? Yeen angi ci jamm? And so the greetings go here in Senegal. I am finally here.
It's funny, when I got back to Mac for my senior year it felt as though my year in Senegal had never happened. But now that I'm here, it feels like I was never gone.
I got in late last night (3am) after over 24 hours of travel! Ugh. Sadly, my bags didn't seem to make it on the flight. God knows where they are. Uganda? Johannesburg? Atlanta (if they never made it off my plane)? Hopefully they'll come soon as I only have the clothes with me that I wore.
I'm so happy to be back in Senegal. The sounds, sights, smells are all so familiar. The busy streets with the colorful car rapides, people chattering in Wolof, my family and friends, the smell of charcoal fires and the cooking food, the loud airplanes passing overhead, the sensation of perpetual sweating (so hot here!), the smell of their soap, of the house, of everything. So many memories come rushing back to me that I have associated with all these senses of mine. How I missed this place!
I spent the morning at the house. There was a power outage so no chance of e-mail. I washed my clothes and wore an oversized Senegalese outfit my mother loaned me. I read, and sat, and thought, and played with my two new nephews. They are certainly a new sound in the house. 1 yr and 10 months old! They are quite the duo. Never ending energy!!
After lunch, my clothes had already dried on the line. I set out to run errands and stopped to chat and visit with old friends and their families along the way. I love the culture. I can just stop and sit with people and catch up on the past year. It's so great to reconnect.
Anyway, that's all for now. Keep your fingers crossed that my bags will arrive tonight.
Jamm ak Jamm.
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3 comments:
Hey Hannah, great to hear you made it safe and sound, but huge bummer bout your luggage. Looking forward to reading about your adventures in Senegal - welcome home!
PS: Have you sighted a big Mutzig yet? :)
JEALOUS NAA TOROP. Yo, yangii ci Senegal dinaa jooy. Bu bari. Tell Adama the boutique man (across from WARC) that I say hi. :_( Nuyul ma moom parce k man dama koy namm. And if you get a chance, drop in through the orange door under the mango tree, across on the far end of the INFORMAL football field of Ouakam, where men play dirty, and, des fois, "on est obliger de lui fait mal parce-qu'il est trop bien quoi." Yes, my beloved terrain Nali.
The blue and yellow will take you there.
Your day-long excursion to Ouakam:
You will see 2-4 guys working on windows under the tree if you arrive between working hours. Maybe more. Maybe nobody and silence if it is takosan. Perhaps you will see Ousmane, perhaps Souleyman. (in which case you should definitely throw out a friendly hello from Mareme Fall)
You can find a rock and sit there, or you can go in through the orange door, totally go into the house NO PROBLEM. and that would be totally fine. ...(Seriously, though, there would be no problem. Just ask for a drink of water they will get a huge kick out of it, ha!)
If you are feeling ambitious, you could ask somebody to lead you to Taglou. Taglou! Once you were in Taglou you could ask around for Maget Fall, friend of Badara Diouf. You could pet her goat!
For the more mystical experience you could ask around for rukhu nyambi, yam corner, for a true brew of cafe touba and spiritual enlightenment. Be sure to pay your respects to the 30 year old turtle on your way in and out. Avoid Baay Goor Fall at all costs.
Reading this blog is like I've been transported back for just an instant!!!!
Nuyul ma sa waa ker. Ba benin yoon inchallah. Drunk people are swearing and talking about their DUI's outside my window right now. Be glad you are in Senegal.
Travel nak jamm! Sweat bu bari nak JAMM!
-Madelyn
You're the only one in the family who can call Senegal home--good for you! I'm sure you'll enjoy being with all those who mean so much to you. Hope the time goes slowly for you--as summer seems to be whizzing by back at your other "home".
Have fun and thanks for the blogs--great to read. Hope the luggage shows up! Love, Aunt Cheryl
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