MTV cribs: Special Edition Africa

Welcome to the heart of Senegal. This is my crib. As you can see it's built in the traditional African bush style with exquisite attention to detail, including such features as mud bricks and thatched roof. The home was built in 2007, custom made specifically for PCVs! Since the hut is 7 years old, it has some character not found in more recent, bland constructions including disintegrating floors, fossilized bug nests, and rotting wood. C'mon, let's go inside!

Here we have the kitchen/garage area. Not everyone would think of combining these two rooms because they really don't go together. Note the state-of-the-art gas range on the left. An innovation in minimalist design, it has only one setting: cremate.







Separate from the kitchen/garage is the zero-energy bio refrigerator. It only stores water and as a bonus feature creates a perfect habitat for earwig breeding, another environmental bonus as earwigs are probably good for something in the complex ecosystem of life.








On to the study, where the arduous work of being a sustainable agriculture agent takes place. I spend hours at the vintage-shabby desk. Mostly eating, sometimes reading and working. This photo was taken before the wood warped and cracked from setting hot pans on it all the time. On the wall is my contemporary African art collection. I only have one piece so far, a horse-gazelle that I haggled down from $20 to $4 in Thies. Atop the concrete floor is a cozy plastic mat, a feature of every self-respecting Senegalese's hut since it can also be used as a bed and for praying.

























Next is the bedroom. The hut came furnished with a king size stick bed. Probably inexpertly made by my host dad so he could charge my ancienne an exorbitant price for it. Watch out for stray pieces of wire when you climb in! The wicker armoire was left for me by the previous volunteer but my "dad" took it and sold it back to me. He's such a charmer. Mice love making their nests in my clothes. No more need to pay extra for distressed jeans. I have my own little factory right here.

This is my yard. When I moved in there was NOTHING here. Just dirt. Now it's a beautiful, lush oasis of calm in a crazy Wolof village. My plants include potted basil but the back door, 3 chaia trees for making leaf sauce, a red bird of paradise flower, cassava, papaya and banana trees, and an experimental moringa intensive bed. Velvet beans are climbing up the side of the latrine, my attempt to make a shade structure so I don't get sunburnt while taking long poops.


Thanks for visiting my hut! Come visit for real sometime and we can sit around and squash bugs together and cook beans:)

xoxox Jessie aka Sokhna