In Africa!
July 9th, 2005 by Sarin
While browsing at a convenience store in Senegal, I couldn’t help but notice a local dish called “Sarina”
I am writing to you from a pool lounge chair at a nice posh hotel in Senegal, West Africa. I hear tropical birds and there is a beach to the side. Even if it’s the Atlantic Ocean, it turns green when you wade in deep enough.
In the past week, I attended “staging” at a very nice Sheraton in historic Philadelphia. Peace Corps have been very nice in giving us allowances, as we all got $160 each to spend for the next 2 days (alot more money than my mom gave me). The workshops take up most of our time, but we’ve gotten to know each other really well in the process. Although, nighttime is still the time to party and the excess amounts of money and the abundance of nice fancy restaurants and cool bars have gotten me right back into the “party” mode of my college years. We had a good time in Philly, and then on our way to JFK airport, we drove through Manhattan NYC. It was our last glimpses of America for the next few years.
There is 25 of us in the 2005 group leaving for Cape Verde. Almost half male and female and there is one married couple within. We are all from different parts from the USA and at different parts of life. Being a recent college graduate, sometimes I feel out of place with others who have embarked on the real world. So far, these are the nicest and most interesting group of people I have ever met, and I am humbled to be with close with this group for the next few months. Even now, we feel we are indeed a family.
However, we are still “in transit” to our country, Cape Verde. We got news that the airline that was flying us out of Senegal was shutting down for an indefinite amount of time. Rumors started that we would be changing our flight plans, either staying another night in Philadelphia, or connecting to Cape Verde through Spain, or Portugal (a rumor that got us really excited). But we are stuck in Senegal, for now… for I don’t know how long. Honestly I won’t be suprised if we made it there next month.
But I am definitely in Africa. As far as culture shock, I’m only suprised with myself. Senegal is exactly the way I pictured it. There is development going on everywhere, but every 2 seconds you see a nice mansion or a very established small business. And when I mean established business, I’m talking about someones restaurant that is actually serving food from their own kitchen and there is only one dish on the menu. I am handling myself very well and have found the people here very nice. We will be leaving sometime soon, but I have enjoyed our time in Senegal.
One thing that I have to adjust to is how everything just moves ridiculously slow, like there is no point. People take the longest time to speak, people wander the streets aimlessly and the locals don’t care to stare unlike what I imagined. This slow attitude makes sense, but my extremely organized, on time way of getting things done is conflicting. Even the current volunteers here in Senegal speak in the same demeanor as their host country. Which is, speaking very slowly and without any enthusiasm or assuredness. Sometimes we sit around doing absolutely nothing, just waiting and waiting until something goes on. But I still have to tell myself, that this is exactly what life in Senegal is about. Each day just leads to the next and you have to just keep it slow.
So far we have been staying at this hotel by the beach, and before that we spent a day at a Peace Corps transit house in Senegal. Basically a local house with bunk beds enough to house 8, that are from the Peace Corps for volunteers who travel around. There is a security guard here at all times and some volunteers have just come and go in our short time there. The impression I believe is that anytime I want to visit Senegal again, I should depend on this house for a stay.
The latest rumor has us flying out tonight, but no definite way of transporting ourself to the airport. We have resorted to keeping ourself entertained. Card games, pool, beach, and the $2 beers at the bar. I wish we can stay here longer, but I still feel chained down and it makes rather be in the Verde. We’re still indeed going, we’re just unsure right now.
Talk to you soon. Hopefully we’ll figure things out.
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