back in Dakar

Alright, so I am back in Dakar after a much-needed visit home to remind me that I have family and friends that love me no matter how badly I may speak Wolof, or how many of my things I may refuse to give away, or how many marriage proposal I may turn down.

An quick run-down:

-not married

-still remember some Wolof

-didn't forget anybody's gift (yet)

-remembered my way to school this morning

...and that's really all that I can ask for, as I begin a second semester.

So of course, there's has been a change in plans, but really the only thing I have learned to count on is that plans are never set in stone in Senegal.

So rather than two weeks of a research seminar in Dakar, we are going back to our internship sites on Monday (the 11th). I was really looking forward to the two weeks in Dakar to hang out with my fellow program participants and to chill with the Fall family, but alas a ceiling fan needs to be stared at some more it seems in the lovely town of Sokone.

We have been promised a full-semester syllabus before Monday (so do you think I can actually expect it on Friday, or is that just asking too much?).

Hopefully I can post a full schedule for the next few months before the week is out,

mostly for my own peace of mind than reassuring my parents of my quality educational experience.

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My Dakar fam has been feeling a little neglected- what with dashing out of here last month and then only staying a week this time- but I hope that my presents from the States will ease some of their hurt feelings.

*Maman got 6 small etched-glass serving dishes.

*Bally and Fama each got a set of earrings, and I have bracelets for my other two sisters- of course, all of this jewelry is as gold and bejeweled as could be found in Minnesota.

*Babacar and Omar each got ball caps (the Vikings and the Twins) while Ibrahima, a friend of the family living with us, got a toy race car (seeing as how his requested gift, a real car to drive around Dakar, just wouldn't fit in my suitcase no matter how hard I tried).

*The younger boys, Khadim, Ousmane and Ibou, got noise-making silly putty in neon colors... since my arrival, the house has been ringing with a joyous chorus of farting noises. My two host nieces, Sokhna Meye and Mombuso, now have a purple and a pink (respectively) MyLittlePony to groom. My mom also sewed them dolls, using my fake braids for hair.

The staff at school got Obama calendars for a little American-brand inspiration!

Sokone people also have gifts coming their way, but no giveaways yet!

It was so much fun tracking down gifts for everybody back here in Senegal while in the States although it got a little stressful at the end.

The requirements:

cheap (sorry! just too many people to shop for!),

bejeweled and bedazzled for the gals,

and boys are just hard to shop for no matter if they are Senegalese or American,

and then a few specifically requested gifts (no way did I want to face anybody's wrath when I still have 4-5 months here).

The time at home went by super fast. I arrived on Saturday after missing my connection at JFK and getting redirected through Atlanta, and then saw the fam' before heading over to the University for the end-of-semester party (sometimes I just got to act like a typical 20-year old). A week when my cousin Ben visited from Chicago, I went to the Britist Ad Awards at the Walker (twice!), did last-minute gift shopping. My first full weekend I spent visiting my grandparents in Madison, followed by a week of shifts at Breadsmith and the Christmas holidays. Before I knew it, it was my last week at home. I left on Thursday (the 31st), ringing in the new year with airline food and a sleeping pill... and then bam! I was stepping out of the plane into 80degrees and not a speck of snow in sight.

Computer lab is closing, so more later!