Global Studies: Senegal

Asalamaleykum families and friends! We’ve missed you, but in the meantime, we’ve been adopted by new families here in Senegal. Our homestay journey started on Monday when we traveled from Kolda to Temanto. Before heading south, Samba taught a lesson on family dynamics and gender roles in rural areas. We let this sit in and talked about additional expectations for the next 5 days. Upon our arrival into Temanto, an army of little kids chased after our van welcoming us with big smiles. The entire village was waiting for us, excited for the week ahead. The students divided up their food and were introduced to their new families. There were a lot of hugs, “tanaa alaa”s, and children grabbing our students by the hand to lead them to their bedrooms. The rest of the evening everyone was at their respective homes practicing their Pulaar and cooking.

A quick description of this village: there are small huts in compounds that connect families that all tend to have one of three last names. There are roosters, cows and donkeys everywhere. The mornings are loud with animal sounds and there is no chance you can sleep past 6:30. Mangos are life here, and we are extra lucky that the mangos are in season. Electricity was introduced to the village about 10 years ago and everyone gets water from a handful of wells and brings it to their respective homes to shower, clean, etc.

It was officially our first full day in Temanto. After breakfast, all students came to meet for the day’s activities. Immediately, Samba was peppered with Pulaar questions on how to say a variety of things. It was quickly apparent that everyone was slightly overwhelmed with the lack of verbal ability to communicate with their new families. It’s hard; we are used to easy forms of communication and now we are using broken Pulaar and hand gestures to communicate. We started the day with an over an hour lesson on Pulaar so that students could write down phrases they needed. We then walked around the village and oriented ourselves with where others lived and some other important landmarks. One thing we noticed was the amount of mango trees covering the land. Mangos are the heart of Temanto. Everyone eats mangos throughout the day and the mango trees provide crucial shade as a haven in the hot hours. To hunt mangos, you take a long bamboo stick and knock the mangos off the tree with someone below hoping to catch the heavenly fruit before it hits the ground. When someone successfully catches a mango, the crowd applauses with joy. Today, we broke into three groups to have drum lessons with Mamadou. Mamadou is an extremely talented musician, drum teacher and kora player. He is so talented that he has high expectations for his students. He brought four different drums with him and taught groups rhythms and how to listen to others in order to keep a beat. The rest of the day everyone spent with their homestays, continuing to get to know them and embracing the slow pace of life in the village.

On Wednesday, we woke up early to trek to Ginea Bissau. The border is only 5 km from Temanto and we walked along the road through a handful of villages to the neighboring country. A local guide who is in charge of Ginea Bissau-Senegal border relations joined us at the border. There is an agreement between the two countries where there are no ID checks within 20 km of each border. The border itself is extremely arbitrary as it is a result of colonization between Portugal and France. The Pulaar ethnic group is on both sides and there is hardly any difference between the groups of people besides their current ‘nationality’. This sparked a thoughtful conversation on borders in general and why they exist and specifically their effect on countries in Africa. This is one of those discussions that will stay with the students for a long time, especially given the passion that Samba, Toussa and Mamadou had when they talked about the topic. Our understanding of borders in the United States is very different compared to a country like Senegal. The rest of the day was spent embracing slow village life.

Thursday dawned as a beautiful morning with a small morning respite from the heat before the sun rose high in the sky. After breakfast, we were informed that we would be invited to a Senegalese baby naming ceremony, which is a very important tradition where babies’ names are gifted to them one week after they are born. Important aspects of the ritual included the sacrifice of a goat, plates of food prepared and shared, and lots of giving of gifts and prayers shared on behalf of the family. It was truly an incredible, once in a lifetime experience that we felt so grateful to be welcomed into! Following this ceremony, we were introduced to the process of making the local bread: tapalapa. Though a similar process to making wheat bread, the baguettes are cooked in a homemade dome -style oven constructed out of mud. Students got the opportunity to make their own loaves of bread and cook them in the sweltering oven! Needless to say, they were delicious. To end the day, we had the opportunity to speak with an Imam, or Islamic prayer leader, who teaches at a Talibe, an Islamic school. We were grateful to learn from the Imam and hear about his experience.

Friday began with time for students to work on their individual educational pursuits: choices included drumming, learning about traditional medicine, tailoring, and learning about education at the local school. Following a brief search for more mangoes, students began preparing for the end of homestay party that the village threw for us! Students were given traditional dresses to wear to the ceremony by their host families, and a few of the dresses were even sewn by the tailor in less than 24 hours! The ceremony began with drumming, singing and dancing with host parents drawing students in to partake in the dancing. The community then walked around to each student’s homestay house, where more dancing and prayers occurred. The party ended with each student dancing and sharing kind words with their host families in front of the entire village. Some of our students also performed the drumming piece they had been practicing, which sounded amazing. We were so proud of and impressed by how our students carried themselves and engaged throughout the whole ceremony. The day ended with more dancing and singing. It was a beautiful end to a wonderful week with our homestay families. On jarama!

The majority of Saturday was spent driving back to Dakar area from Temanto samba . We then arrived in toubab dialow, a beautiful coastal town right near the ocean. We are excited to spend the next few days along the coast before our final travel back home. We are soaking in the cooler air and the truly incredible breeze!!

Eva here checking in from Senegal. We’re wrapping up our trip on the beach where it is a lot cooler. Excited to see you soon

Empress out.

 

We’ve finished our homestay and we’re finishing up our trip at the coast which is a nice wrap up. Can’t wait to see you all! Happy Mother’s Day. Love, Anja

 

Hey guys! I’m so excited to give you all big hugs when I get home and tell you all about the homestay and the coast. Mom- happy Mother’s Day, I can’t wait to celebrate it with you. I can’t wait to see you dad! Lots of love, Sunny

 

Hi Mom and Dad!

Happy Mother’s Day! We are at the coast, and had a beach day yesterday. See you guys soon!

Love, Alex

 

Hello! I can’t wait to see you guys SO soon! I hope you had a great Mother’s Day! Can’t wait to eat American food! Love yall!

<3 Addy

 

Hi Family! Hope you all are well and Happy Mother’s Day Mom! We are on the coast again and so excited to see you all. Love Sam

 

Hey fam! Miss you and love you all so much. Happy Mother’s Day Mom! So excited to see you all. Also can we get yampa valley kitchen for lunch the day I get back?! Love you guys! Love Talon

 

Hey Berkey and Clare,

Mom, happy Mother’s Day. I love you so much. Dad can’t wait to see you. Soren I’m excited to see you too. Also please no rice for dinner when I get back.

Love Caz

 

Hey Fam!

Happy mother day again mama love you and miss you. Grandma and Auntie Kim, Diesel can’t wait to see you guys in steamboat. Almost done with the trip can’t wait to be back and tell you guys all about it. Love you all

Sachi

 

Dearest Parents,

We are back at the coast now and done with the heat. I can’t believe the trip is almost over and I’m excited to see you on Friday!

Ian

 

Hey mom and dad

I miss y’all a lot and can’t wait to get back. Hope you’re doing well. Excited to tell you all about the trip.

Honza

 

Hi! I miss yall so much. I cannot wait to be home. This has been one long trip, excited to tell you everything. I love y’all so so much!!

Laura Jett

Trip updates continued! We woke up to our second day in the city of Kedougou, a large village in the south eastern section of Senegal. We braved the 100+ degree heat, and traveled to a rural village on the outskirts of the city, traversing over red sands and observing the honking of passing cars signaling to yaks, sheep, and stray cats crossing the roads. The economy of this rural village is primarily sustained through gold mining. We were able to view most parts of the gold mining process, almost all of which is completed by hand. After receiving rocks and processing them either through crushing the stone with a machine or by hand, the resulting sand is washed and filtered to find minuscule pieces of gold. It was eye-opening to learn about the process and both the benefits and challenges of this economy. The second half of the day was spent transferring to another rural village outside Kedougou where we began our trek! We started the hiking portion of our trip with a short hike into the hills beside the village, where we walked through an indigenous Senegalese village where Bedik people live. There were beautiful views at the top! The day ended with a delicious meal of rice, veggies and chicken. 

Our second day of trekking, we began (as always) with baguettes, though these were a fresh version that is specific to the rural southeastern parts of Senegal. Our hike started with a few miles alongside the road as we took in views of the lush hills around us and the noises of donkeys in the distance. After a short rest, we began the uphill portion of our hike! It was grueling and sweaty, but we were rewarded at the top by having the opportunity to visit another Bedik village. At the top, young children ran up to greet our students and grab their hands, and our students made friends with some Senegalese teens who showed them around. We were then fortunate enough to hear from the leader of the village, who spoke to us about the history of the Bedik people. Our day ended with a transfer to Dindifelo, which is a rural village just a few miles from the border of Guinea and Senegal. 

We woke up to the sounds of birds chirping outside our huts, and a cool breeze making its way through our windows. The students received delicious breakfasts of fresh eggs, avocado, beans and potatoes from locals who were generous enough to open their homes to our group. We then began our hike into a wildlife preserve nearby. The preserve stretches from Senegal into Guinea, and contains animals including monkeys, chimpanzees, and a variety of rare bird species. We even saw some monkeys on our walk! The hike led to the most gorgeous waterfall most of us have ever seen. If you’ve been following along in Senegal, you know it’s quite hot…..so this waterfall was a much much needed respite from the constant heat! We cooled off and rested in this oasis for much of the day, avoiding the rocks that mischievous monkeys enjoyed dropping down from their perches on the edges of the cliffs. After arriving back to our hotel, we received a lesson from Samba on the local language of Pulaar, which is what most people speak in this area. Our students were very engaged with the lesson, as being able to communicate with the people we meet respectfully is such a crucial part of cultural immersion. We ended the day with a classic Senegalese meal of local grains, caramelized onions, veggies and meat.

We woke up on Thursday to young children practicing the call to prayer at 5 am. In our beds we all questioned the voices we heard over the loudspeaker and then our suspicions were confirmed by Samba at breakfast a few hours later. Today, we started the morning with a lesson at the Information Center for the Reserve. Here, we learned about the different distinctions of the Reserve and how the local people are allowed to harvest goods from certain zones. Most of the group was extra happy to pass around a baby that was crawling along the floor. The Center also had a museum that highlighted different aspects of Pulaar culture and history: drums, cooking utensils, masks, etc. One small exhibit listed out the different endemic birds in the area, which many people purposely travel to from different corners of the world to check off their birding list. The later half of the day we went back to the waterfall to escape the heat. Students relaxed under the falling water and played cards, read books and enjoyed a 30 minute solo of journaling and reflection. On the hike back we marveled at a soccer pitch shaded under a grove of mango trees; what a delight! As the sun set and the temperature came down, Samba tested us on our Pulaar knowledge. Groups of two got up in front of the group and went through an entire conversation without notes. We were radically impressed with their abilities and cannot wait for this to cement in their brains during the homestay.

The following day, we woke up early to travel to Kolda. Although only a 7 hour drive, we knew the unexpected nature of travel days in Senegal. You never know what twists and turns lay ahead. We feasted on egg sandwiches in Kedougou and marveled at the monkeys and warthogs along the road of Niokolo Koba National Park. In typical Senegal fashion, we switched vehicles twice, got stopped at two security checkpoints, waited for a driver to retrieve his lost sunglasses, and got pulled over as the road was closed for the President driving through “at some point soon.” Were impressed with the students’ ability to roll with the flow as these unexpected delays extended our travel time. Many played chess, passed along Perks of Being a Wallflower and shared MP3 players. The arrival into Kolda and air conditioned rooms with a cold-ish shower was well deserved. 

We woke up in Kolda with fresh eyes and hearts. On our morning check in, students were mostly in the 9-10s on the physical and emotional scale. We love to see it! Sometimes, all you need is a shower and sleep in air-conditioning to reset. After a fruit feast, Samba taught us a robust lesson on Islam. He got deep into the five pillars: the whys and hows of Islam practice. The group asked thoughtful questions to help color the image of a beautiful faith that has a complex history in America. For lunch, we went to Samba’s house where we ate under a mango tree and met a variety of his family members. In the afternoon we let the students explore the local market in groups – many bought traditional hats, sarangs, sunglasses, and more. The day finished off with a taste from home: pizza! Spirits were high as we feasted on a Senegalese infused familiar dish. 

On Sunday morning the students went out to the market to buy food for their homestays. They were given a list of fruits, vegetables and home items in both Pulaar and Wolof, but not in English! The students had to find out what goods they needed to buy and to barter them down, as they were only given 5000 CFA. It was fun to watch them walking around the market with sacks of potatoes, carrots, eggplant and soap on their backs. Tomorrow we head off to our homestays to begin another part of the journey!

Hey Clare and Berkey,

We went to a really cool waterfall in dindefelo and it was super nice. We saw some monkeys and some warthogs. I’m really excited to see the homestay’s. 

Love you both’

Caz

Hey Mom and Dad, 

I’ve been through the ringer a little bit with the nose and concussion, but I don’t have to fake feeling okay about going to Dakar for it. I have a good group of people around me and all will resolve. Can’t wait to show you pictures of the waterfall we went to. Easily one of the prettiest places I’ve been, and far and away the best waterfall. Mom, you would appreciate the birds. Love you both so much. 

Love, Owen

Hi Mom and Dad!

We went to a really cool waterfall and rural village. My Polaroid camera has been great, I’ve given away 40+ photos. I’m excited to show them all to you guys. Pet Addy for me.

Love, Alex.

Hey Mom and Dad

The trip is pretty cool and I’ve definitely learned a lot. I wish you a happy Mother’s Day mom and hope you’re both doing well and so are the dogs. Love you lots and miss you.

Honza

Dearest parents,

The trip is still going well, and I have found a liking for habanero peppers. I miss the cold water at home but we only have a few more days before we go back to the coast and there should be some pretty nice weather there. I’m excited for the homestay which starts tomorrow and I hope I’ll have some cool stories to tell you when we get back!

I’ll see you soon,

Ian

Hi mom, dad, and Rick,

Hope you all are well and the family is doing great! Senegal is going good lots of changes because of the heat but we are all doing good and have adapted well! I’m taking lots of pictures and can’t wait to tell you all the stories and show you all the pictures. I can’t wait to see you guys. Also I eat eggs now and am a big egg guy. Love and miss you guys!

Love Sam

Hey guys! Hope everyone is doing great and I miss you all so much. There have been some really amazing things to experience here and I am so excited to tell you all about it. I hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy back home. Give everyone lots of love for me and I cannot wait to get home and see you all. Lots and lots of love, Talon.

Hello everyone!! I hope Steamboat is getting into some more spring weather and everyone is enjoying the warmth. I know we are here (sometimes). Things are good in Senegal, I can’t wait to tell you guys the stories behind the pictures I have been taking. I have also been vlogging a lot so don’t worry! Mother’s Day is in a week, I’m sorry I’m not there to spend time with you guys, but I hope Ruby and Nilo give you guys the celebration you deserve! Love you all endlessly!! <3 Addy

Hi everyone!

I’m out here challenging myself, having fun, reading, drawing, eating and enjoying what Senegal has to offer. Happy Mothers Day Mom! I’m so grateful to have you as my mom! I have so many fun stories and adventures to tell you all about when I get home! I’m gonna continue to live in the moment and make friends through this next part of the trip! 143

-Eva

Hi guys! I hope everything is going well back at home. The heat here is hard but we’re getting through it. We’ve gone on a few hikes to rural villages and an awesome waterfall which I’ve really enjoyed. The fruit here is really good as well. Miss you all a ton! Happy Mother’s Day! Love Anja

Hey mom! Happy early Mother’s Day I’m so sad I can’t be there to spend it with you. I miss you so much and hope all is well at home. The trip is definitely starting to look up for me and I’m adjusting to the speed of life in Senegal. I can’t wait to give you a big hug when I get home. And hey dad! I miss you so so much. I wish I had some of your terrible jokes to make me laugh right now. I’ve taken some cool pictures on my camera that I can wait to show you. All my love, Sunny.

Hi mom and dad and everyone! I miss you guys so much. Happy early Mother’s Day I really wish I could be there with y’all I hope everything is going well. It’s really hot here but it’s pretty cool. I can’t wait to be with you and share all my pictures. I love yall so so much. Tell everyone I say hi. Love LJ 

Hey everyone I love you guys so much and I miss all of you! After having a bit of a struggle last week this week has been really fun and enjoyable. Happy early Mother’s Day mama I Love you and can’t wait to come back and tell you all about my trip! Love you Sachi!!!

Asalamaleykum! Hello from Senegal. To no surprise, our first few days in Africa have been an amalgamation of chaos, awe and juicy mangos. We arrived at 9 am and hit the ground running with no time to nap after a red eye across the Atlantic. The drive from the airport to your hotel gave us a taste of what was to come; the organized chaos of traffic mirrored a dance of motorscooters, pedestrians and taxi cabs with ponytails attached to their exhaust pipes. After we dropped our bags off at our casitas, we walked to the beach for a welcome ceremony. Toussa and Samba, our fearless Senegalese guides, rolled out a grass mat and invited us to take off our shoes and sit. They started off by introducing our first Wolof word: Taranga, meaning hospitality. A big part of Taranga is gift giving. It’s not about how expensive the gift is, but more about the thought and intentionality behind it. Toussa laid out fabrics on the mat and encouraged everyone to pick a pattern they liked. We then went around the circle and explained why we chose that particular pattern or color. Toussa then instructed us to give our fabric to another person in the circle in an exchange. This is a perfect representation of Taranga: it’s not about what you take for yourself, it’s about what you can give to others. After the welcome ceremony we went to the Monument of African Resistance. This is the second tallest monument that you can go inside in the world. It combines multiple histories of African culture and resistance through the years. Afterward, we ate a big dinner and settled in for our first sleep in Western Africa. 

The following morning we woke up feeling bright eyes and bushy tailed. Nothing feels better than walking out on the beach with a cup of coffee and thinking “wow, I’m in Senegal.” Today we settled into a day of learning. We started off with some basic lessons on history and geography. Where exactly are we? What are the differences between the regions in Senegal? How has colonialism and neocolonialism affected this country? We then had our first Wolof language lesson. There are many languages spoken in Senegal (Wolof, Pulaar, French to name a few), but Wolof is the national language. We learned how to say hello “Asalamaleykum”, how are you “nanga def”, I am well “magni fii”, peace be upon you “humdulelah”, and much more. The students diligently took notes and have actively been practicing their Wolof ever since. Greetings are extremely culturally important in Senegal, so one must always say Asalamaleykum to everyone you see. Later, we walked around Dakar to take in the sights and chaos of the streets. Crossing the busy streets in Dakar is an adventure in its own and Toussa and Samba fearlessly led us between sidewalks. We ate dinner at a friends’ house where we sat on the floor and gouged ourselves on couscous, fish and spices. “Jerejef!” Thank you! 

The day began with another delicious breakfast of mangoes and croissants, sitting beside the ocean. Plans change, and today was one of those days! Instead of taking the ferry to Goree island, we visited the Museum of African Civilization in the morning, where we were introduced to a history of indigenous African cultures and ancient civilizations; we walked through rooms that discussed these histories leading up to and following colonization. Following the museum and a wonderful lunch, we were invited to visit the G Hip Hop center, a community organization that focuses on activism and justice seeking through creating and spreading the culture of hip hop. Two leaders at the organization spoke to us about the community programs that have been instituted, and we had a fruitful discussion about activism, identity, and having hard conversations. We ended the day with a birthday dinner (!) for Anja which included a beautiful Nutella whipped cream cake. 

We then took a visit to the island of Goree. Goree island is home to the “door of no return” and was created as a place where enslaved people were held and tortured before being shipped across the Atlantic during the transatlantic slave trade. This was a very powerful and challenging experience for many of our students, and elicited some rich discussion about race, educational systems, and the power of experiencing a place through experiential learning. Following Goree, the students had the opportunity to visit the largest mosque in west Africa, in Dakar. We walked through multiple different rooms and learned about the history of the mosque and how it is currently used. To end the day, students had the opportunity to experience a second hand market. Though an overwhelming experience for many, it was a great way to practice our Wolof and learn! Everything was capped off with a great meal of rice, meat, vegetables and baguettes. 

Finally, travel from Dakar to Kedougou! It was a long day with our bus breaking down twice on the side of the road, but 16 hours later we made it! Excited to prepare for trekking and get used to the West African heat!

-Joanie and Emma

Addy – Hello everyone! It is very hot here – no surprise. We are currently in Kedougou, we traveled from Dakar yesterday. It was a very long drive. I am writing this from a fast food restaurant, a nice break from chicken/fish and rice. I hope you are all doing well, and I hope Ruby had a great birthday in Vegas. Love you all beyond words!

Sachi– hi guys!!! miss you all very much. the first week we were in Dakkar and it was pretty cool and there was a pool! Now we are in Kedougou and it’s super hot and im getting over a sickness but doing okay so far. Love you all and can’t wait to see you guys!!!

Hiii I miss you guys so much! the trip is going well, definitely challenging though. We  left Dakar and got to Kedougou last night after a long 17 hours! It is so hot I thought home was hot and holy moly this place is next level hot. I hope all is well and I love you guys so much please tell everyone I say hi! Can’t wait to see you and tell you all about it!! – Laura Jett

Dear Fam, Empress and Nicolette’s,

I miss you guys but I am doing my best to remain here and in the moment. It’s is very hot now that we are out of the city but we are managing. I was a bit sick at the beginning of the trip but I’m doing better now. I’m making new friends and get along with people really well. Sending hugs and kisses 143 -Eva

Hi Dad, Mom, John, and the dogs! Senegal is so cool (but it’s actually burning hot here so technically not cool)! We’ve explored Dakar and are now in Kedougou and although we’re no strangers to sweat and sickness now, we’re slowly acclimatizing and will all be ok. Hope all is well at home. Miss you lots and give Samiya pets for me! – Pia xx

Hey guys! I hope all is well at home, I really miss it. Senegal is an interesting place and I hope that as we continue to see the country I like it more. The heat is hard and I’m getting better from being sick, but I’m trying to stay positive. Lots of love, Sunny 🙂

Hi everyone. I miss you all so much I can’t even express it in this text. It is a literal sauna here and at every point of the day you feel sweaty and sick. But I’m ok. I have had countless dreams about our life and how privileged we are. I hope all is well at home and I just wanted everyone to be happy and loving and when I get back I can’t wait to talk to all of you. Love, Talon.

Hi everyone! Missing you all and I hope everything is going well. Senegal is nothing like I expected and it’s very hot but I find the culture here so interesting and new. It has really made me appreciate our life at home and miss the snow. Give Zeus a hug for me. Love you lots Anja.

Hey guys! Missing you a lot. Senegal is hot, and I wouldn’t be able to sleep without moms towel trick. It really is cool to be here, it feels like Africa in a way South Africa didn’t. Looking forward to when I’m not dealing with diarrhea, and can experience it better. I’m excited for our upcoming trek. Love you lots- Owen

Hey Clare and Berkey,

 Senegal is really hot! I think it’s the hottest I have ever been in my entire life. I’m exited to see the rest of the country. Love your guys! Caz

Hi mom and dad!

Senegal is way different then what I’m used to, but it’s pretty cool. It’s much different then what I’m used to, it’s very hot. I miss u guys, pet Adelaide for me.

Love you, Alex.

Hi mom and dad,

Senegal is very new. It’s hot but everyone is very nice. I hope you guys are well I can’t wait to tell you about my experience. I love and miss you guys!

Love, Sam

Hey mom and dad

Senegal is pretty hot but I think I’m getting used to it and it’s actually pretty cool. Hope you’re doing well and everything is going good. I love and miss you!

Honza

 

Dearest parents,

It’s cool being in such a different place than Chile or Ecuador – it’s quite toasty here and we haven’t seen a cloud since we got here. The food is usually spicy which is nice and we haven’t eaten as much fish as I thought. I’m excited to see you in a couple of weeks!

Sincerely, Ian