Now almost one week back in Montreal. I feel satisfied about my stay and work in Kaolack. I do not know about the future but I continue to email with Mrs. Sanokho and she has called twice and I her once. She is in charge of a summer camp for girls - a way to get them through the summer so that they will not disappear into the world of work and never return to school. She will try to find mosquito nets for some of them so that they will not miss weeks of school when the worst malaria season in October starts along with the schools opening for the next year. She would like to help 300 girls and she already has the teachers who will volunteer... I have contributed a little. If anyone feels to do so, let me know and I can send the money by Western Union.
Yesterday Mrs S just called to chat.... :-)
Bi chi ka na. (See you later in another blog -- who knows.)
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Summing up: another post before the last one
I leave tomorrow and as things will be, I am having conversations that are shedding light on the future and the possibility of my continued involvement re in Senegal.
Today, I got to the office and the gate was locked. As some of us waited for someone with a key to come, we chatted and I struck up a conversation with Sara who works with cyber learning here in Senegal. She is young, American and has been here for some time ... We spoke about the library and the culture of borrowing Vs giving and of how to obtain suitable reading material-- in French-- that includes African authors and materials especially adapted for Senegal. We spoke of adult literacy. I feel hope that in some way the work I have done here will trigger a small wave that will facilitate learning and therefore empowerment for someone....
There are the goals of an organization and then there is the reality of day to day experiences and the fact that change happens most often imperceptibly.
Yesterday at home it rained in torrents and we moved indoors me and sat and chatted as Maman made supper (deep fried fresh fish, french fries, salad .. and for me deep friend shrimp- some sort of snack food that I can eat. The light was dim, and our numbers were reduced to 6 as the two young men who I had thought were nephews and just discovered are friends of friends left in the morning for the vacation.
One young woman who does the cooking and cleaning had gone home; the other, Soxkhna was sick, so Maman (third oldest daughter) cooked. The grandson had for some reason stayed with his parents for the last couple of days. The two other American volunteers had left. So we were just 6 around the evening supper tray.
After supper (around 8:30), Mme Sanakho and I sat with our feet up against a corridor wall ... we all sipped the treat ( a bottle of sprite ) Mama and I had put in the fridge that afternoon (the fridge in the corner store had not been working). Then we watched a sitcom in Wolof together.. I got fed up with one of the characters at one point and prepared to go to bed but the group persuaded me to stay - . I am glad I stayed and shared this family moment. Excellent way as well to learn a little more about Senegalese culture.
In the home I live, there seems to me to be a gap between the freedom given to the young and the traditional expectations expected of married children. Must be difficult for this young generation to know how to make sense of the different values.
Today I am finishing up my final report at the office. The program director has not been here this week and I may not see her before I leave. I am making copies of everything.
At home Mama is doing my laundry- of course, by hand. She or maybe Yande will iron it with the charcoal iron. No chance that I do it myself. :-)
Today, I got to the office and the gate was locked. As some of us waited for someone with a key to come, we chatted and I struck up a conversation with Sara who works with cyber learning here in Senegal. She is young, American and has been here for some time ... We spoke about the library and the culture of borrowing Vs giving and of how to obtain suitable reading material-- in French-- that includes African authors and materials especially adapted for Senegal. We spoke of adult literacy. I feel hope that in some way the work I have done here will trigger a small wave that will facilitate learning and therefore empowerment for someone....
There are the goals of an organization and then there is the reality of day to day experiences and the fact that change happens most often imperceptibly.
Yesterday at home it rained in torrents and we moved indoors me and sat and chatted as Maman made supper (deep fried fresh fish, french fries, salad .. and for me deep friend shrimp- some sort of snack food that I can eat. The light was dim, and our numbers were reduced to 6 as the two young men who I had thought were nephews and just discovered are friends of friends left in the morning for the vacation.
One young woman who does the cooking and cleaning had gone home; the other, Soxkhna was sick, so Maman (third oldest daughter) cooked. The grandson had for some reason stayed with his parents for the last couple of days. The two other American volunteers had left. So we were just 6 around the evening supper tray.
After supper (around 8:30), Mme Sanakho and I sat with our feet up against a corridor wall ... we all sipped the treat ( a bottle of sprite ) Mama and I had put in the fridge that afternoon (the fridge in the corner store had not been working). Then we watched a sitcom in Wolof together.. I got fed up with one of the characters at one point and prepared to go to bed but the group persuaded me to stay - . I am glad I stayed and shared this family moment. Excellent way as well to learn a little more about Senegalese culture.
In the home I live, there seems to me to be a gap between the freedom given to the young and the traditional expectations expected of married children. Must be difficult for this young generation to know how to make sense of the different values.
Today I am finishing up my final report at the office. The program director has not been here this week and I may not see her before I leave. I am making copies of everything.
At home Mama is doing my laundry- of course, by hand. She or maybe Yande will iron it with the charcoal iron. No chance that I do it myself. :-)
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Tourist
I took 2 days off to see a bit of the tourist side of Senegal and the ocean! Mbour, Saly, Joal-Fadiouth. I went with Maman and stayed with family... in the end it was not at all the independant, tourist experience I had been wanting. I chose to let the experience happen as it would. Lovely.
We we were welcomed into a home, Issa gave up his small bedroom, just enough space for a double bed, for us. He put up a mosquito net for me and Maman and I shared the bed. We walked on the beach in the fishing town of Mbour.... visited in a home with two terrasse that reminded me of Terry and Cindyś home in Bermuda; we visited Saly and walked along the beach in front of the I hear luxious hotels, sat in a focus spot night life restau/bar/dance establishment, the Letage. I believe and chatted .. Issas eyes lit up as we recalled out restau experiences --- nice to be my age and have so many experiences to draw on for connections with people. :-) Night life, the camaraderie of rest workers, passing warm nights after work chatting, dancing... Later I sat in the deepening twilight in the courtyard with Maman and listened as she told me of her last relationship and how it had ended.. she talked and talked and again I could empathize.... though she too is much younger than I. The next day we visted three small islands made of millions of clam shells and oyster shells that overer the years were thrown away by the villagers who harvest the seafood. We also visited the only Christian Muslim graveyard in Senegal attesting to tolerance for which people epressed satisfaction.
Numerous taxis - 4 place, 7 place .... in cars that had to be push started, most of them missing window levers, many inside door handles... but determination and debrouardisism of drivers triumphed.
This holiday was my treat so I paid way... quite a responsibility since I had no idea of the cost of taxis, nor how many, and a very limited budget due to the fact that y bank card did not operate in Senegal. Thanks to Maggie and Bruce and Molly and Western Union I will have enough to get me and Mme Sanokho to the airport on Saturday =-- she is seeing me off.. This has proven to be an experience in trust, budgeting and clear boundaries with money. I have been able to share and I have people have shared with me. Very good.
Stay tuned for a final post from Montreal with I hope a few more photos. Thanks for sharing in my journey.
We we were welcomed into a home, Issa gave up his small bedroom, just enough space for a double bed, for us. He put up a mosquito net for me and Maman and I shared the bed. We walked on the beach in the fishing town of Mbour.... visited in a home with two terrasse that reminded me of Terry and Cindyś home in Bermuda; we visited Saly and walked along the beach in front of the I hear luxious hotels, sat in a focus spot night life restau/bar/dance establishment, the Letage. I believe and chatted .. Issas eyes lit up as we recalled out restau experiences --- nice to be my age and have so many experiences to draw on for connections with people. :-) Night life, the camaraderie of rest workers, passing warm nights after work chatting, dancing... Later I sat in the deepening twilight in the courtyard with Maman and listened as she told me of her last relationship and how it had ended.. she talked and talked and again I could empathize.... though she too is much younger than I. The next day we visted three small islands made of millions of clam shells and oyster shells that overer the years were thrown away by the villagers who harvest the seafood. We also visited the only Christian Muslim graveyard in Senegal attesting to tolerance for which people epressed satisfaction.
Numerous taxis - 4 place, 7 place .... in cars that had to be push started, most of them missing window levers, many inside door handles... but determination and debrouardisism of drivers triumphed.
This holiday was my treat so I paid way... quite a responsibility since I had no idea of the cost of taxis, nor how many, and a very limited budget due to the fact that y bank card did not operate in Senegal. Thanks to Maggie and Bruce and Molly and Western Union I will have enough to get me and Mme Sanokho to the airport on Saturday =-- she is seeing me off.. This has proven to be an experience in trust, budgeting and clear boundaries with money. I have been able to share and I have people have shared with me. Very good.
Stay tuned for a final post from Montreal with I hope a few more photos. Thanks for sharing in my journey.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Reminder
"I'm not telling you to make the world better, because I don't think that progress is necessarily part of the package. I'm just telling you to live in it. Not just to endure it , not just to suffer it, not just to pass through it, but to live in it. To look at it. To try to get the picture. To live recklessly. To take chances. To make your own work and take pride in it. To seize the moment..."
--Joan Didion
Commencement address at University of California,
Riverside, California, 1975
Commencement address at University of California,
Riverside, California, 1975
In Maskalyk, James, Six Months in Sudan: a young doctor in a war-torn village, Anchor Canada, 2010.
I remind myself of this quote as I approach the end of this dream. Many times since I have come, I have been invited to step through the dream -- to see something that is greater than the adventure of coming to Senegal for a month and working on a project that I see as worthwhile.
There have been and will be still this week many long moments of doing nothing that feels particularly worthwhile, of doing nothing at all, of experiencing frustration of plans that do not work.., of feeling fearful as I struggled with eating difficutlies.... But there have also been many lasting moments- jewels- of intimacy with people, of spirit to spirit communication, of knowing that I am doing what I see to do no matter the consequences that I cannot control, of taking risks and seeing myself move forward in my quest for transparency and self-acceptance-- my quest to comprehend what it means to acknowledge my ordinariness and in this find my true power.
And there are the experiences I did not expect at all: learning a little more about the Black American experience, the converted Black American Muslim experience, sharing with a gorgeous 16 year old Senegalese girl our mutual insecurities about our skin color, learning about the experience of a Senegalese Wolof woman marrying into a family from the Casamace -- and her first arduous years proving to her in-laws that she could work and take part in home duties and she triumphed and is now honored by her in-laws, learning about a Senegalese mans experience with retirment at 52 and finding meaning in his days, seeing a little of the world of the young talabe boys begging for a living as they complete their religious studies,..... Gifts all of these openings to others experiences.
Bye for now
Out of the routine : swimming pools and fashion
Yesterday, Sunday, after breakfast (dinner for us), Mme Sanokho, 2 of her daughters, Maman et Ndike, and her eldest daughters children, Mambaye (7) and Mama Khady (3), went to a lovely hotel in Kaolack, the Relai Hotel.
The kids had never been in a swimming pool and Ndike was to shy to get in, so I put on my swimming suit and got in with the 3. It was fun! The children loved it and Nkike learned to let her body float just a little. Mme Sanokho who actually is younger than I think feels she is past the bathing suit stage. She wrote a report for 10,000 Filles - among other things, she is in charge of finding the homes for the volunteers to stay. We had a walk... and chatted and had sodas and the kids had their first swing and slide experience. Fun!
I will post some pictures later.
We were back before supper. Super afternoon.
In the evening two of the American guy volunteers who also stay with Mme S got their outfits that they had had made by M Ss tailor. Fantastic booboos. (photos to follow). Tonight we plan to take family photos. I will put on my own outfit. I now have 4. I think I can wear at least 2 of them to school when I teach again.
One I had sewed to measure by Ndeyes tailor
An outfit can cost from 11,000 to 25,000 Cefa. I paid for one and ws gifted with tho others. What is really fun to me in this the creativity of the tailors. Amazing fashions-- works of art.
Fashion photographers must love working here.
The kids had never been in a swimming pool and Ndike was to shy to get in, so I put on my swimming suit and got in with the 3. It was fun! The children loved it and Nkike learned to let her body float just a little. Mme Sanokho who actually is younger than I think feels she is past the bathing suit stage. She wrote a report for 10,000 Filles - among other things, she is in charge of finding the homes for the volunteers to stay. We had a walk... and chatted and had sodas and the kids had their first swing and slide experience. Fun!
I will post some pictures later.
We were back before supper. Super afternoon.
In the evening two of the American guy volunteers who also stay with Mme S got their outfits that they had had made by M Ss tailor. Fantastic booboos. (photos to follow). Tonight we plan to take family photos. I will put on my own outfit. I now have 4. I think I can wear at least 2 of them to school when I teach again.
One I had sewed to measure by Ndeyes tailor
An outfit can cost from 11,000 to 25,000 Cefa. I paid for one and ws gifted with tho others. What is really fun to me in this the creativity of the tailors. Amazing fashions-- works of art.
Fashion photographers must love working here.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Le petit dejeuner
a post in French, errors and lack of accent markers included. English version to follow.
Un Nescafe pendant Mme Sanokho mange son baguette aux oeufs et boit son cafe. Elle a voulu que je mange dans la chambre à cause des moustiques, mais je lui ai dit que entre des moustiques et la compagnie, je prefère la tenir compagnie.
Des sons du matin:
Des priers à la radio vennant de la chambre de Titi et Moussa .. et Moussa lui même qui chant ses prièrs de vendredi. De la chambre de M S, la voix de l'annimateur de nouvelles direct de la France.
Des pas de Soxkhna sur le ciment du patio et le son whish du balai pendant qu'elle essaie vainement de chasser les centaines de mouches présents chaque matin. Des mouches sont silencieuses mais ils sont très présentes... il y en ce moment peut-etre 10 sur moi.. Je m'en fou plus ou moins. :-)
Le bruit d'un moto qui passe dans une rue voisine.
Des oiseaux - je ne les vois pas- qui chant : des pigeons, des magpies, des moineaux..
Le son d'eau versé d'un contenant bleu plastiques à rayés bleu foncés sur les pieds lorsque M S fait ses ablulutions avant de prier
De la cuisine (en fait une garage au dans la tête du desinateur de la maison i)qui oeuvre sur la rue- j'entend les son aigues d'une cuillère en metal qui tombent sur le planché pavé (ciment), le sond des bassins et bowls en plastiques pendant que S les déplace...
Le moteur du taxi qui vient chercher Mme S pour l'emmener au travail. Le moteur est bruyant celui d'un vielle voiture.
Un cockquerel (?) qui crie et un autre qui repond..
Ses sons tranquilles qui sont partie intégrale de ce matin paisible.
So many mistakes... but maybe you got a little of what I feel this morning in July sitting in the interior courtyard of the Sanokho family.... just before I head to the office.
:-)
Un Nescafe pendant Mme Sanokho mange son baguette aux oeufs et boit son cafe. Elle a voulu que je mange dans la chambre à cause des moustiques, mais je lui ai dit que entre des moustiques et la compagnie, je prefère la tenir compagnie.
Des sons du matin:
Des priers à la radio vennant de la chambre de Titi et Moussa .. et Moussa lui même qui chant ses prièrs de vendredi. De la chambre de M S, la voix de l'annimateur de nouvelles direct de la France.
Des pas de Soxkhna sur le ciment du patio et le son whish du balai pendant qu'elle essaie vainement de chasser les centaines de mouches présents chaque matin. Des mouches sont silencieuses mais ils sont très présentes... il y en ce moment peut-etre 10 sur moi.. Je m'en fou plus ou moins. :-)
Le bruit d'un moto qui passe dans une rue voisine.
Des oiseaux - je ne les vois pas- qui chant : des pigeons, des magpies, des moineaux..
Le son d'eau versé d'un contenant bleu plastiques à rayés bleu foncés sur les pieds lorsque M S fait ses ablulutions avant de prier
De la cuisine (en fait une garage au dans la tête du desinateur de la maison i)qui oeuvre sur la rue- j'entend les son aigues d'une cuillère en metal qui tombent sur le planché pavé (ciment), le sond des bassins et bowls en plastiques pendant que S les déplace...
Le moteur du taxi qui vient chercher Mme S pour l'emmener au travail. Le moteur est bruyant celui d'un vielle voiture.
Un cockquerel (?) qui crie et un autre qui repond..
Ses sons tranquilles qui sont partie intégrale de ce matin paisible.
So many mistakes... but maybe you got a little of what I feel this morning in July sitting in the interior courtyard of the Sanokho family.... just before I head to the office.
:-)
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Work Satisfaction
Today is I believe July 21.
This week we who are working on the book-mobile are seeing the end of project. I feel satisfied that we have completed something that will be useful this year. We are writing up hundreds of catalogue cards this week and we have worked to set up a system that will work here. The book-mobile serves 10 villages and I from what we have seen here is very much appreciated. The children and some adults of the neighborhood are out asking for books every time we work outside in the van. We put out books that could not work for the library and they were all gone in very short order.
Yesterday I helped one of the American volunteers (Goshan College) do a couple interviews of girls with 10,000 Filles. The two girls, 15 and 17, and going into grades 9 and 10 respectively (the lycee), both expressed that the extra help the organization was giving them was made a big difference to their success. These two girls both have families who support their going to school which is by far, from what I have seen and heard, the experience of the majority of girls.
Hawa and Khadiya both want to continue: one wants to be a journalist and the other wants to be a colonol in the military like her father.
I was the translater between Elisha and the girls (French /English) - a role I often have here. I love it.
I am beginning to catch on to some of what is discussed in my home in Wolof.. it helps that French words are thrown in and that I am observatrice and always looking for the sense of conversations. I have been watching my share of Wolof sitcoms.
All is well.
This week we who are working on the book-mobile are seeing the end of project. I feel satisfied that we have completed something that will be useful this year. We are writing up hundreds of catalogue cards this week and we have worked to set up a system that will work here. The book-mobile serves 10 villages and I from what we have seen here is very much appreciated. The children and some adults of the neighborhood are out asking for books every time we work outside in the van. We put out books that could not work for the library and they were all gone in very short order.
Yesterday I helped one of the American volunteers (Goshan College) do a couple interviews of girls with 10,000 Filles. The two girls, 15 and 17, and going into grades 9 and 10 respectively (the lycee), both expressed that the extra help the organization was giving them was made a big difference to their success. These two girls both have families who support their going to school which is by far, from what I have seen and heard, the experience of the majority of girls.
Hawa and Khadiya both want to continue: one wants to be a journalist and the other wants to be a colonol in the military like her father.
I was the translater between Elisha and the girls (French /English) - a role I often have here. I love it.
I am beginning to catch on to some of what is discussed in my home in Wolof.. it helps that French words are thrown in and that I am observatrice and always looking for the sense of conversations. I have been watching my share of Wolof sitcoms.
All is well.
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