Pre-Spring Break

Hey Everyone!
I figured I'd write a brief update for all those folks who are reading from back home. Nothing too important has happened since my trip to Toubacouta. It's been two pretty relaxed weeks in Dakar. I'm finally feeling comfortable with the city more than 60% of the time. Now I'm at like 85% settled and happy! It still amazes me that the time passes so quickly and I realize I'm really bad at updating this blog. Lately, I have spent a lot of time at Caesar's, a restaurant in Mermoz, where I can use the wireless. Internet has been crappy the last two weeks so I'll take internet wherever I can get it.

In more news, an update on my classes. As some of you may remember the University went on strike a while ago and I didn't have class for like 2 or 3 weeks. It's only once a week so I didn't feel I was missing much. The strike is finished at IFEE (a part of the university but somewhat autonomous) and I go back to class only to find out that I have a mid-term/final exam type deal. WTF?! I've been to a grand 3 classes and missed several weeks and we have an exam. Cool. Turns out the exam was oral and super easy because the professor doesn't want to be there. I did however receive two questions I couldn't answer fully and kind of made an idiot of myself in front of my classmates. I still speak french better than some of them so I wasn't too embarrassed. I then answered a third question kinda. So between all my bits and pieces I'm sure the professor will give me some random grade.

I then show up to class the following Tuesday. We are reviewing all the test questions. Great! I can learn all that stuff I missed in the beginning of their semester. Then the professor asked if I had taken the exam. How many white girls who mess up that hard on the exam does he have to remember? I mean honestly? So I'm convinced I will get a fully make-believe grade when I'm finished the semester. Yay African education systems! I honestly feel bad for the people who struggle through 4 years of this disorganization. It must take years off their life...well I suppose they never worry about it so I'm sure they're fine.

I have made some realizations about my habits and how they have changed in Dakar. I don't flinch when a  car passes me and it's mirror is about an inch away from my arm, I now cross traffic with the full realization that I may get hit but pushing your way through is the only way to get where you're going, I face construction sites like a champ when I shouldn't even be allowed near them, I throw my bus ticket into the wind like everyone else (only because in my conscious American thought process I know paper is biodegradable), I'm entirely too used to the strange groping and rubbing up on folks that is required for my daily bus ride. City life was hard but I suppose if I can face Dakar I can face D.C. this summer.

That's right folks! I'm going to D.C. for the summer to participate in the Fund for American Studies Live Learn Intern program at Georgetown University. I'm pretty excited except that I'm going from the prices of a third world country to the prices of one of the most expensive cities in the U.S. I will cry when I have to pay over a dollar for a bus ride when I pay 30 cents here. I will never take a taxi. Just on principal. It's $3 in Senegal. I don't think you can even sit in a taxi in a U.S. city without paying $2. Life lessons learned!

Since this is my pre-spring break update, I suppose I ought to tell you what I'm doing. I'm going with two fellow friends down to Gambia and stopping in two village/cities on the way back to Dakar. I will be in Bakau, Gambia (just outside the capital) for 4 days. Alice, one of my travel buddies, is going to stay in the little village outside of Toubacouta where we stayed for out trip. She really wanted to return so she arranged that. Me and Ioana, my other travel companion, will continue on to Banjul where we will meet up with a family her Mom here in Dakar knows. We kind of have our own little tour guide set up. I'm super excited for Gambia. There's a crocodile pool, a market, a forest reserve with monkeys, a beach, and our hotel is $23 a night for a double in a private hut and a pool. I love traveling cheap in Africa! Then on Wednesday, after Alice has joined us in Bakau. Her and I will continue to Kaolack, Senegal while Ioana returns to Dakar. Ioana has to be back for her internship but I really wanted to see some other parts of Senegal. Then on Thursday we're off to Touba, the religious hub of the entire country. This is where all the marabouts and mouride brotherhoods are. You should google it. I don't really understand the system entirely myself, but I hear it's a cool place to go. I also think it's somewhere my host family would approve of. Yay! Because I'm pretty sure I got a funny look from my host mom when I told her my travel plans. I couldn't really read her reaction.I hate when that happens!

That's all for now I suppose. Nothing too entertaining but that's the update. Off to Gambia tomorrow! Yay!