Wednesday everyone started feeling as sick as I felt a while ago. I think it’s finally hitting everyone that we are eating all new foods and stuff. Despite how some of us were feeling, a group of us ventured out to Marché H.L.M. This is a market place that has everything from Tupperware to fabric to shoes. It was crazy busy though. There were taxis driving through these teeny tiny roads with booths on both sides and throngs of people walking through them. Any time the group of “toubabs” (the Senegalese word for foreigner, i.e. our group) we got flocked, literally surrounded, by people selling things. It was a bit overwhelming honestly. I don’t know what I’m doing there and I’m not very good at bargaining mainly because they say numbers way too fast. Jess wanted some fabric so she could have something made for her to wear. I want to do the same thing but maybe I’ll buy fabric somewhere a bit more calm! Turned out today when her and Hannah went downtown they bought fabric from a woman who hooked them up with someone to make their shirts. It seems really cool.
I had my Gender and Development class Wednesday and it was kinda boring. We spent the whole 2 ½ hours discussing the difference between gender and sex and discussing feminism. Not that these things aren’t important but I feel like they think we don’t understand anything in French. It’s nice to go slow but it was a bit too slow. I’m really sick of trying to figure out classes. The University is the most unorganized place I’ve had to deal with. We think the Federal Government in the U.S. is a shit show you should try taking some classes in Dakar. I think I’m just going to take classes at IFEE (Instruction Francais pour les Etudiants Etranger) French classes for foreign students. At least I know what time those classes are and where they are. I just hate that Wells College decided to demolish their language programs because what I wanted to take at UCAD was a class that would count for my FREN 300 level class. I wanted to take African Lit but now I guess I’m taking that at WARC. Oh well…it was just really frustrating today. But hey we get stipends for lunch for the month! That made my day a bit better.
I bought a subscription to skype to call landlines which I would suggest for any student abroad. That or the MagicJack phone someone has here. It’s awesome. It was nice to hear my Dad’s voice today though even though it was a short call. He figured out how to call my cell phone here in Senegal! Congrats!
Today I went with Alison, Imani, and Marshall to meet Alison’s family and friends in the area. She lives really close to me so that’s cool. I have a partner in crime so to speak. The baby of her host family really does hate her. I witnesses it lol. I took my first Car Rapide today! Yay me! It was a little packed but I was traveling at a weird time of day so it wasn’t too bad. I found another way through my neighborhood to the main road with less people clicking/hissing/honking at me or calling me a “toubab”. It was a better walk I think. It also seems to be getting a bit hotter again here and I don’t like it! I feel so yucky with all the sand and grit and sweat. You know what else is yucky? Biggest blister ever on my foot. Korka (one of our assistants with the program) helped me pop it and doctor it up. She’s a life saver. It’s still kinda yucky though. I also had pizza last night for dinner so I’d have to say so far it’s going okay. I found my way around My Shop. It’s really nice and I found BEN & JERRYS! Whoda thunk it!?!?!
Well the power is out and that’s all I have for news now. Killed a big cockroach today. Dang they are big here. That’s it. Good night…
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