I've officially been in Senegal for about two weeks and it has been the most eventfully two weeks of my life. My cohort and I had the pleasure to travel and spend part of the first week with the very famous program coordinator Adam Zeender, who was there for a site visit. We got to go inside the African Renaissance Monument and have our first experience "eating around the bowl" while at our hotel. "Eating around the bowl" is when Senegalese people gather around one big serving bowl and share the food rather than having individual plates for everyone. Typically people use spoons not forks and knives and I am very impressed with my host family's ability to cut meat with one spoon.
On my third day in Senegal I finally met my host family. They welcomingly greeted me and gave me a tour of the house. I have a mom and dad, two sisters, Aby is 17 and Sophie is 13, and a brother who's 23. My first night I went to the pizza shop close by with my sisters to grab dinner, not exactly what I thought my first meal with my host family would be like but I was glad to spend time with them. I got to hang out with them later in the week when we went to local conscience store for shampoo and the pool with our cousin. I'm really thankful to have sisters who are around my age to show me around Dakar and be my friends.
Five days after we arrived we visited Gorée Island off the coast of Dakar. The island was where millions of slaves from all over west African came to be sold and shipped off to various places in the new world and Europe. Our tour guide taught us about the horrors that slaves endured on Gorée Island and on the voyage to the new world. The "Door of No Return" is a doorway where slaves passed through to board the ships. It was called this because once they went through that door they never saw Africa again. Husbands were forced from their wives and children ripped from their mothers. It was a chilling experience to walk through the former slave house and imagine the tragedies people went through over generations of slavery.
After our tour we ate at the restaurant there and listened to the music being played. In addition to the restaurant there's a small beach, a church, a mosque, and an extremely selective private girls school. I fed some of the stray cats even though I probably shouldn't have because then I had five cats at my feet waiting for food to fall and Adam gave me a disappointed look.
I started school on Tuesday and I've made a lot of friends. The first day I was pretty shy and didn't talk to many people other than my cohorts and some senior girls who are very friendly and involved in the school. But as the week has gone on I've made more friends in my class and I feel much more comfortable. They're also super helpful and will explain stuff to me if I don't understand something in class. I still can't understand a lot of what the teachers are saying and it's frustrating because I can understand a lot of written French and people talking when I'm in a conversation with them but my teachers lecturing is so difficult for me to understand. I also met another American who moved to Dakar with her family so I'm glad I have another person who I can talk to about missing the U.S. sometimes.
Overall I've had a wonderful time. I've gotten along well with my cohort and I feel we get along well together. I think we're going to become really close friends and I'm so excited to spend the next ten months with them. Even though everyday is filled with ups and downs and I miss home sometimes there's nowhere I'd rather be. I have such an amazing host family and a supportive family back home. I'm just so thankful for this opportunity and the people in my life.
On my third day in Senegal I finally met my host family. They welcomingly greeted me and gave me a tour of the house. I have a mom and dad, two sisters, Aby is 17 and Sophie is 13, and a brother who's 23. My first night I went to the pizza shop close by with my sisters to grab dinner, not exactly what I thought my first meal with my host family would be like but I was glad to spend time with them. I got to hang out with them later in the week when we went to local conscience store for shampoo and the pool with our cousin. I'm really thankful to have sisters who are around my age to show me around Dakar and be my friends.
Five days after we arrived we visited Gorée Island off the coast of Dakar. The island was where millions of slaves from all over west African came to be sold and shipped off to various places in the new world and Europe. Our tour guide taught us about the horrors that slaves endured on Gorée Island and on the voyage to the new world. The "Door of No Return" is a doorway where slaves passed through to board the ships. It was called this because once they went through that door they never saw Africa again. Husbands were forced from their wives and children ripped from their mothers. It was a chilling experience to walk through the former slave house and imagine the tragedies people went through over generations of slavery.
After our tour we ate at the restaurant there and listened to the music being played. In addition to the restaurant there's a small beach, a church, a mosque, and an extremely selective private girls school. I fed some of the stray cats even though I probably shouldn't have because then I had five cats at my feet waiting for food to fall and Adam gave me a disappointed look.
I started school on Tuesday and I've made a lot of friends. The first day I was pretty shy and didn't talk to many people other than my cohorts and some senior girls who are very friendly and involved in the school. But as the week has gone on I've made more friends in my class and I feel much more comfortable. They're also super helpful and will explain stuff to me if I don't understand something in class. I still can't understand a lot of what the teachers are saying and it's frustrating because I can understand a lot of written French and people talking when I'm in a conversation with them but my teachers lecturing is so difficult for me to understand. I also met another American who moved to Dakar with her family so I'm glad I have another person who I can talk to about missing the U.S. sometimes.
Overall I've had a wonderful time. I've gotten along well with my cohort and I feel we get along well together. I think we're going to become really close friends and I'm so excited to spend the next ten months with them. Even though everyday is filled with ups and downs and I miss home sometimes there's nowhere I'd rather be. I have such an amazing host family and a supportive family back home. I'm just so thankful for this opportunity and the people in my life.
We are so proud of you and are just happy that you are having such awesome experiences. We miss you very much!
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