Homestay 2

It’s hard to sum up two long weeks in one blog post. Yesterday evening we arrived back at the training center in Thies after our longest homestay during CBT. 16 days!! This homestay was much easier than the first. Now I can communicate basic needs and describe my daily activities but that’s about it. I want so badly to be able to converse with my family. It’s hard to keep my language progress in perspective when we’ve only been here for a month. I just want to learn everything but even figuring out where to start is overwhelming.

Casey’s host sister had a baby during our first homestay so for the first weekend back in Keur Madaro we went to its naming ceremony (ngente). The ceremony took all day. By 10 am the men were done praying and the actual ceremony was over. Then the women began cooking. One ram, 3 bags of onions, 10 heads of garlic, 2 sacks of rice and 4 hours later we finally had lunch. In between the men sat outside the compound and made tea and the women who weren’t cooking sat around and talked. Not knowing the language made the day long and after lunch we escaped to our garden for some peace and quiet. We arrived home in the evening only to discover the celebration was still going on. A whole other meal was cooking, the women had changed into even fancier clothes, and the dancing was just beginning.

During the past two weeks we were also able to run. We discovered a “road” that goes through fields and eventually takes you to the next village over. It’s so relaxing. Every day we see the sunrise over herds of cattle and baobab trees. Infinitely better than running along the main road where we get honked at and have to greet everyone we pass. Between the running and drawing water from the well four times per day for our garden (the school still won’t turn on the water despite PC paying them) hopefully I’ll retain some muscle tone but I fear that’s a futile goal. Already getting a rice belly:(

Cows, sunrise, running, Africa... heaven

Beautiful clothes

The past 3 days were Tabaski. For Kristin’s birthday we went to Thies to shop for fabric for clothes. We all picked out different prints and took them back to the tailor in Keur Madaro. He measured us and made us all beautiful outfits. Only $14 US dollars for the whole thing!! Friday we got all dressed up with our families and helped with the festivities. It was very similar to the ngente, and honestly to a normal Senegalese day. The women cooked all morning and the men in my family slaughtered six rams. I watched in horror as literally every part of the goats were cut up and added to the pots. This includes lungs, head, intestines, testicles, the works. I appreciate using the entire animal and letting nothing go to waste, but eating rumen is an acquired taste. Annd leftovers sat out overnight and were served for lunch the next day. It’s a miracle I’m not confined to the bathroom right now. Anyhow, Tabaski spanned 3 days, which none of us realized. Saturday we came home from the garden, looking forward to an early bedtime and some peace and quiet. But no, every member of my extended family was over and I changed back into my Wolof clothes. We went into town to have professional pictures taken (awkward- I’ll be grinning from ear to ear in an African outfit while my family stands around me staring ahead solemnly). We then chased a parade into the school compound and were shut out of the crazy dance party occurring inside. I’m still not sure what that was all about. Like the rest of my time here, Tabaski was a whirlwind of emotions. Good food, bad food. Nice people, rude people. As we got on the bus to leave Keur Madaro to come back to Thies, my host mom came running out to the bus waving and my little host sisters chanted “Maam Gueye nibbi!” (Maam Gueye come home). It’s people like this that make any hardship or discomfort worth it.

My room