In Senegal, the left hand is considered dirty. No one uses their left hand as their dominant hand (for writing, eating, etc)- any children who might otherwise choose to use their left hand are quickly corrected. The left hand is dirty because, here, there is no toilet paper. Rather, people use water and their left hand to clean themselves after using the bathroom. Thus, it is socially unacceptable to use that same hand to do anything else. Hand shakes are done right-handed. You use your right hand to eat (most people eat with their hands). And, you always pass something to someone else using your right hand (even if you are carrying it in your left hand and it would just be easier to pass it directly to the other person, you must first transfer it to your right hand before passing it to the other person).
However, there is one exception. When saying goodbye to someone you don't know if you'll see again, or who you know you won't see again for a long time, you shake their left hand. The idea behind this is that, by shaking the person's dirty hand, you are then obligated to come back again in order to reconcile the social affront that was committed. It's a way of obligating the person to visit again.
Well, a few days ago, I said goodbye to the village. It was sad, of course. Though thankfully there was no wailing, there were plenty of tears shed. And, as I said goodbye to each of the family members, I shook each person's left hand (well, except the two little boys, who didn't seem to get the left handshake thing and refused to give me their left hand- it was actually kinda cute how adamant they were about not giving me their dirty hand).
Though it was sad to say goodbye, I was happy about the way I was able to end things with the village.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
The Casamance (7/5/09)
The Casamance is the south-western most region of Senegal, located just south of The Gambia (which cuts through the middle of Senegal). While the majority of Senegal is pretty stable politically, the Casamance is known for its rebellion against the government. Whereas the majority of the country is Muslim, the majority of the residents in the Casamance are Catholic. They also speak a language (Djola) that is not spoken anywhere else in Senegal. They are also often neglected by the government. Thus, there is a rebellion movement against the government. There are many landmines in the region and travelling throughout the region by car is often unsafe due to attacks on civilian automobiles (public transit, etc).
However, the Casamance is also one of the most beautiful regions of the country and is the recipient of the majority of Senegal's tourism. The Casamance has tons of tropical forests and beautiful beaches.
Because of the political unstability and lack of safety on the roads, as Peace Corps volunteers, we are not allowed to travel in the Casamance region except to the capital city of Ziguinchor, and, even then, we are only allowed to travel by boat (there is a large passenger boat that travels from Dakar to Ziguinchor twice a week). And, though this perspective of the region is limited, a few friends and I decided to visit there before ending our services (we all are scheduled to complete our services in the next few months). Thus, we took close to a week, traveled to Ziguinchor by boat, and explored Zinguinchor.
Indeed, the area is quite beautiful. there are mangroves, palm trees, and vegetation of all sorts. Even family compounds (which are notoriously bare where I live) were filled with plants of all varieties. It was great. And the boat ride there was surprisingly comfortable. With the state of public transport in Senegal like it is, I was expecting to be crammed into a boat, probably with little air flow, making it a long, hot ride. But, no. The seats were all assigned, and, even though we only had the lowest class tickets, we were provided with airline type seats (with far more legroom than would ever be available on an airplane). And, to top things off, it was all air conditioned! Definitely hadn't expected that. It was actually cold- wished I would've brought a blanket.
Once there, we had a good time relaxing by the pool and exploring the city (and all of the lush green-ness). I'm definitely glad I was able to make a visit there before leaving Senegal.
However, the Casamance is also one of the most beautiful regions of the country and is the recipient of the majority of Senegal's tourism. The Casamance has tons of tropical forests and beautiful beaches.
Because of the political unstability and lack of safety on the roads, as Peace Corps volunteers, we are not allowed to travel in the Casamance region except to the capital city of Ziguinchor, and, even then, we are only allowed to travel by boat (there is a large passenger boat that travels from Dakar to Ziguinchor twice a week). And, though this perspective of the region is limited, a few friends and I decided to visit there before ending our services (we all are scheduled to complete our services in the next few months). Thus, we took close to a week, traveled to Ziguinchor by boat, and explored Zinguinchor.
Indeed, the area is quite beautiful. there are mangroves, palm trees, and vegetation of all sorts. Even family compounds (which are notoriously bare where I live) were filled with plants of all varieties. It was great. And the boat ride there was surprisingly comfortable. With the state of public transport in Senegal like it is, I was expecting to be crammed into a boat, probably with little air flow, making it a long, hot ride. But, no. The seats were all assigned, and, even though we only had the lowest class tickets, we were provided with airline type seats (with far more legroom than would ever be available on an airplane). And, to top things off, it was all air conditioned! Definitely hadn't expected that. It was actually cold- wished I would've brought a blanket.
Once there, we had a good time relaxing by the pool and exploring the city (and all of the lush green-ness). I'm definitely glad I was able to make a visit there before leaving Senegal.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
The Axis of Evil Sends Gifts? (6/27/09)
I know the term hasn't been used in a while (Oh, George W.), but the Axis of Evil has reared its ugly head in the most unlikely of places: Senegal. And, even more surprising, they come bearing gifts.
First, we have the Kaolack mosque. This mosque has been around for some time- plenty longer than I've been here. But, nonetheless, this massive mosque on the edge of town came as a gift from the fine people of Iraq, while under the management of none other than Saddam Hussein himself. Now isn't that a nice claim to fame? I live in the city that is watched over by the mosque that Saddam Hussein built. This is gift #1 from the Axis of Evil.
As I said, that mosque has been around for a while. And, therefore, while its interesting to know about, it can't touch this next gift from the Axis of Evil. Currently under construction on a high hill right on the edge of the Atlantic, the North Koreans are building a gigantic statue of a man emerging from the depths of a volcano with his wife and child. It is supposed to represent the African Renaissance (the African people rising up and forging the way towards development). It's construction is coming along nicely. They are finished up to the woman's neck and the man's chest. But, it looks a little absurd. And, it's in the middle of nowhere- it's not near anything. I couldn't imagine going there specifically just to see the statue. The only reason I have seen it is because it lies on the road between the Peace Corps office and downtown. But, the president (of Senegal) says he wishes it to be a landmark that distinguishes Dakar from the rest, like the Statue of Liberty in New York, or the Eiffel Tower in Paris. But, really? With all of the real-life, pressing problems facing Senegal, does Dakar really need a bronze statue taller than the Statue of Liberty? "No worries," says the president, "The money for the statue is all coming from private funds" (private North Korean funds that is...) While I understand the upside to not using public funds for this endeavor, is it really important enough to seek out the help of a country like North Korea? Really? Oh, Axis of Evil- trying to wheedle your way into other people's affairs. And, oh, Senegal for letting them. Who's next? Iran? The Saudis have also been here trying to curry favor with construction projects. So, I wouldn't really be that surprised...
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Peace Corps Saves the Military? (6/11/09)
The Peace Corps and the military are very different entities. Though you could say they are both agents of US foreign policy, that's about where the similarities end. And, in most cases, military business and Peace Corps business don't mix. The only real exception, I think would be in case of emergency evacuation, when the military helps get everyone out. As such, it is the military that comes to the rescue, not the other way around. However, I had the opportunity the other day to turn the tables. In my case, it was the Peace Corps that was able to save the military. :)
Among my fellow volunteers, I've earned the nickname "Dr. Kari". You see, when I first came to the Kaolack region, I was the first health volunteer they'd had in many years. As such, I became the first point of contact for many medical questions coming from volunteers. I can't tell you how many conversations I've had that started with, "So, you're a health volunteer, right? Do you have any idea what this [insert bizarre medical symptom here] is?" I've inspected infected wounds, oozing abscesses, and discussed the minutiae of many a GI illness.
Well, these medical "qualifications" came in handy the other day while we were hosting a group of ROTC cadets on a study abroad-type trip a couple weeks ago. They were visiting, getting a taste of the local culture. But they had only been in Senegal for just over a week at that point and had yet to acclimate to the weather. This time of year, the average high is between 100-110 degrees, every day. This day in particular may have even exceeded this (110+). And, as the rainy season hadn't started yet, the skies were completely clear and sunny. And, as any Senegalese person will tell you, the sun is hot!
Thus, several of the cadets were feeling under the weather, mainly due to dehydration. Before I'd found this out, I'd made a presentation to them about the work that I do as a health volunteer, at one point focusing on how I teach mothers to make "oral rehydration salts" to rehydrate their children when they have diarrhea (ORS is a simple way to replenish not only water in the body, but also the electrolytes that are necessary for proper hydration). I'd talked to them about how you can make it in the village by adding just sugar and salt to water. But, there's also a more technical version of ORS that is available at pharmacies (or, in my case, from the Peace Corps).
After talking to the ill cadets and "diagnosing" their dehydration (which really isn't that hard when they tell you they feel weak and nauseous and that they haven't had to go to the bathroom all day), I asked their leader if they had a medical kit- something that might contain some ORS. No, they had no ORS in their kit (what medical kit in the tropics doesn't include ORS?). So, I ran back home, grabbed as many packets as I had and came back, mixing up miracle cocktails for those who were ill. One girl reported that, while she hadn't been feeling well for a good part of the day, she started feeling better almost immediately after starting the ORS. I also learned, maybe a week later, that their group leader was asking around trying to find more ORS packets. Woohoo! Looks like the military has a few lessons to learn from the Peace Corps after all! :)
Among my fellow volunteers, I've earned the nickname "Dr. Kari". You see, when I first came to the Kaolack region, I was the first health volunteer they'd had in many years. As such, I became the first point of contact for many medical questions coming from volunteers. I can't tell you how many conversations I've had that started with, "So, you're a health volunteer, right? Do you have any idea what this [insert bizarre medical symptom here] is?" I've inspected infected wounds, oozing abscesses, and discussed the minutiae of many a GI illness.
Well, these medical "qualifications" came in handy the other day while we were hosting a group of ROTC cadets on a study abroad-type trip a couple weeks ago. They were visiting, getting a taste of the local culture. But they had only been in Senegal for just over a week at that point and had yet to acclimate to the weather. This time of year, the average high is between 100-110 degrees, every day. This day in particular may have even exceeded this (110+). And, as the rainy season hadn't started yet, the skies were completely clear and sunny. And, as any Senegalese person will tell you, the sun is hot!
Thus, several of the cadets were feeling under the weather, mainly due to dehydration. Before I'd found this out, I'd made a presentation to them about the work that I do as a health volunteer, at one point focusing on how I teach mothers to make "oral rehydration salts" to rehydrate their children when they have diarrhea (ORS is a simple way to replenish not only water in the body, but also the electrolytes that are necessary for proper hydration). I'd talked to them about how you can make it in the village by adding just sugar and salt to water. But, there's also a more technical version of ORS that is available at pharmacies (or, in my case, from the Peace Corps).
After talking to the ill cadets and "diagnosing" their dehydration (which really isn't that hard when they tell you they feel weak and nauseous and that they haven't had to go to the bathroom all day), I asked their leader if they had a medical kit- something that might contain some ORS. No, they had no ORS in their kit (what medical kit in the tropics doesn't include ORS?). So, I ran back home, grabbed as many packets as I had and came back, mixing up miracle cocktails for those who were ill. One girl reported that, while she hadn't been feeling well for a good part of the day, she started feeling better almost immediately after starting the ORS. I also learned, maybe a week later, that their group leader was asking around trying to find more ORS packets. Woohoo! Looks like the military has a few lessons to learn from the Peace Corps after all! :)
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Winding Down (6/11/09)
Well, as my time in Senegal winds down, I find myself wrapping up projects and finishing things up. And, as I do so, it seems that I'm not the only one that has reached the end of their service.
Over the past couple of months, a number of items that have been very valuable to me here have decided that they've had enough of the hard life in Senegal, and have died. First, there was my headlamp. Living in a compound that doesn't have electricity requires a good flashlight. And the headlamp that I brought with me served me well for two years- I think it was the brightest flashlight in the whole village. But, recently, a combination of the harsh conditions and bad, leaky batteries, put an end to my headlamp.
Then, about a month ago, my Teva sandals broke. They were actually my second pair of Tevas that I've had in Senegal. The first, a pair I'd had for several years before coming here, broke after about 6 months here, and I had my mom send me a new pair. Now, this second pair has bit the dust. One of the straps just broke through. I tried sewing it back on, which worked for a short while, but, alas, it broke again, leaving me with the only option of living strictly in flip-flop sandals for the last several months of my service (a situation that results in unfortunate blisters when I end up walking 5km when I miss the bus...)
Then, just this afternoon, my "unbreakable" plastic water bottle broke. I accidentally dropped it on the floor, apparently at just the right angle, which broke the lid (the only part of the bottle that isn't covered by its "unbreakable-ness", I guess). It is now useless.
As I finish up my service, it would seem that the timing of these things is pretty good- I don't have to go too long without them, I don't have to worry about finding a home for them when I leave (so that I don't have to bring back beat-up items), and I'm free to buy new ones when I return home. But, at the same time, it's hard to go long without a flashlight in a country that, even where it has electricity, suffers from frequent power outages, or go without decent shoes in a country where I walk everywhere, or live without a water bottle in a place where the daily high varies between 100-110 degrees. Haha. I get along. I just think it's funny that, as I'm getting ready to leave, all of my material possesions are deciding that they've had enough too- 2 years in Senegal was just too much. Haha.
Over the past couple of months, a number of items that have been very valuable to me here have decided that they've had enough of the hard life in Senegal, and have died. First, there was my headlamp. Living in a compound that doesn't have electricity requires a good flashlight. And the headlamp that I brought with me served me well for two years- I think it was the brightest flashlight in the whole village. But, recently, a combination of the harsh conditions and bad, leaky batteries, put an end to my headlamp.
Then, about a month ago, my Teva sandals broke. They were actually my second pair of Tevas that I've had in Senegal. The first, a pair I'd had for several years before coming here, broke after about 6 months here, and I had my mom send me a new pair. Now, this second pair has bit the dust. One of the straps just broke through. I tried sewing it back on, which worked for a short while, but, alas, it broke again, leaving me with the only option of living strictly in flip-flop sandals for the last several months of my service (a situation that results in unfortunate blisters when I end up walking 5km when I miss the bus...)
Then, just this afternoon, my "unbreakable" plastic water bottle broke. I accidentally dropped it on the floor, apparently at just the right angle, which broke the lid (the only part of the bottle that isn't covered by its "unbreakable-ness", I guess). It is now useless.
As I finish up my service, it would seem that the timing of these things is pretty good- I don't have to go too long without them, I don't have to worry about finding a home for them when I leave (so that I don't have to bring back beat-up items), and I'm free to buy new ones when I return home. But, at the same time, it's hard to go long without a flashlight in a country that, even where it has electricity, suffers from frequent power outages, or go without decent shoes in a country where I walk everywhere, or live without a water bottle in a place where the daily high varies between 100-110 degrees. Haha. I get along. I just think it's funny that, as I'm getting ready to leave, all of my material possesions are deciding that they've had enough too- 2 years in Senegal was just too much. Haha.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Bassari Festival (5/18/09)
In addition to visiting the waterfalls of Dindifelo, while we were in Kedougou, we also had the opportunity to attend the Bassari Festival near the town of Salimata. The Bassari are an ethnic group located in the Kedougou region of Senegal. Every year, they host a festival in which boys are initiated into manhood. The boys, aged around 14-15 are put through a series of formalities and challenges before being officially accepted into manhood.
The festivities start on the first night when the initiates dance and show off their prowess. For the spectators, there is tons of food to eat and people selling cold drinks (sodas, etc). They do this all night. I don't believe the initiates are able to sleep at all. The next morning, there are more festivities. The small village where the event is held becomes crowded with people. Men who have already been initiated dress up in masks and dance. Then, all of the men who weren't already at the festivities, come walking down in one big long line from the mountain, where they then proceed to the wrestling grounds.
Each initiate is required to fight one of the adult men in a ring, with everyone watching. Women aren't actually allowed at this event. It is considered secret. However, I was fortunated enough to come upon a place up on the top of the hill, away from the actual ring where I could watch from a far. No one cared that I was up there. The fighting starts off using wooden sticks. But, it quickly degenerates into a form of wrestling. The first one to get thrown to the ground, loses. In most cases, it was the young initiates who lost. Their future enterance into manhood doesn't depend on whether or not they win- just that they went through it. But, on a few occassions, the young men were able to best their opponent. These, of course, were the most exciting fights of all.
It only lasted about 24 hours. But, nonetheless, it was a pretty cool event to see. Certainly nothing like you'd ever see in America.
The festivities start on the first night when the initiates dance and show off their prowess. For the spectators, there is tons of food to eat and people selling cold drinks (sodas, etc). They do this all night. I don't believe the initiates are able to sleep at all. The next morning, there are more festivities. The small village where the event is held becomes crowded with people. Men who have already been initiated dress up in masks and dance. Then, all of the men who weren't already at the festivities, come walking down in one big long line from the mountain, where they then proceed to the wrestling grounds.
Each initiate is required to fight one of the adult men in a ring, with everyone watching. Women aren't actually allowed at this event. It is considered secret. However, I was fortunated enough to come upon a place up on the top of the hill, away from the actual ring where I could watch from a far. No one cared that I was up there. The fighting starts off using wooden sticks. But, it quickly degenerates into a form of wrestling. The first one to get thrown to the ground, loses. In most cases, it was the young initiates who lost. Their future enterance into manhood doesn't depend on whether or not they win- just that they went through it. But, on a few occassions, the young men were able to best their opponent. These, of course, were the most exciting fights of all.
It only lasted about 24 hours. But, nonetheless, it was a pretty cool event to see. Certainly nothing like you'd ever see in America.
Kedougou (5/18/09)
Kedougou is the South-Eastern most city/region in Senegal. And, while the majority of Senegal is very dry, sandy, and flat, Kedougou is an anomaly. It has mountains, rivers, waterfalls, tons of trees, and decent soil (this might not sound that important to those of you back home, but soil quality, and the ability to grow crops successfully, can have a major impact on people's quality of life here). Kedougou is also one of the farthest flung regions of the country. It is not easy to get to. By car, it takes a minimum of 12-15 hours to get to from Kaolack, where I live. As such, I had never been down there before. I'd spent over 2 years in Senegal without ever having gone that far South. I'd been to Tambacounda several times (a city part-way between Kaolack and Kedougou), but never Kedougou. So, as I find myself winding down my service, one of my goals was to make it down there before I leave.
Thus, last week, my friend Susannah and I went down for a visit. We spent a couple nights at the Kedougou Peace Corps house before heading out to Dindifelo, the site of one of the many waterfalls that dot the Kedougou region. We chose Dindifelo because, being as we are at the very end of the rainy season and there hasn't been any rain for many months, only a few of the waterfalls actually still have water. Dindifelo is one of the ones that does. There is also a volunteer based in the town of Dindifelo who we could consult on information regarding how to get there, where to stay, etc.
There are really only two ways to reach Dindifelo. One is by hired 4wheel drive vehicle. This would cost approximately 50,000cfa (about $100). The other is by bicycle, over a 25-30km rugged trail. Though I have only used my bike minimally since being here (the trail I would use at site is very sandy and there are plenty of horse-drawn charettes to meet my travel needs) and so was pretty out of practice, we were not willing to drop $100 on a three-day trip, so biking it would be. On our first night in the village, it rained. It was wonderful. It was our luck that Kedougou's rainy season (which starts much early than it does in Kaolack) had started on our second day in Kedougou, just before leaving for Dindifelo. The rain was a welcome distraction. As I said, most of Senegal, including Kaolack, is very dry. Thus, the humidity isn't that bad, and it generally cools off pretty well at night. However, this too doesn't apply to Kedougou. Though the overall temperature may have been roughly the same as elsewhere, the humidity was incredible. Whereas it often starts cooling off in Kaolack around 7 or 8pm, it was still 11pm in Kedougou, and it felt like we were in a sauna. But, that's the great thing about rain in Senegal. The wind starts picking up, the temperature drops significantly, and then the rain just starts to pour. It was great. With the exception of just one night, it rained every night for the rest of our trip. It was really nice.
Dindifelo was amazing. With the exception of visiting Dogon Country while I was in Mali, I haven't experienced cliffs, forests, or fresh water, in over two years. So, it was pretty cool being able to see all of that in one place. Check out my picture site to see photos from this trip (http://pcvsenegal.shutterfly.com). We spent an entire day at the waterfalls, swimming and just enjoying the environment that is so different than what we'd become accustomed to. Though the bike ride in was a bit rough for a couple people who haven't been in the habit of riding them, it was definitely worth it. I'm really glad I had a chance to make it out there before I leave Senegal.
Thus, last week, my friend Susannah and I went down for a visit. We spent a couple nights at the Kedougou Peace Corps house before heading out to Dindifelo, the site of one of the many waterfalls that dot the Kedougou region. We chose Dindifelo because, being as we are at the very end of the rainy season and there hasn't been any rain for many months, only a few of the waterfalls actually still have water. Dindifelo is one of the ones that does. There is also a volunteer based in the town of Dindifelo who we could consult on information regarding how to get there, where to stay, etc.
There are really only two ways to reach Dindifelo. One is by hired 4wheel drive vehicle. This would cost approximately 50,000cfa (about $100). The other is by bicycle, over a 25-30km rugged trail. Though I have only used my bike minimally since being here (the trail I would use at site is very sandy and there are plenty of horse-drawn charettes to meet my travel needs) and so was pretty out of practice, we were not willing to drop $100 on a three-day trip, so biking it would be. On our first night in the village, it rained. It was wonderful. It was our luck that Kedougou's rainy season (which starts much early than it does in Kaolack) had started on our second day in Kedougou, just before leaving for Dindifelo. The rain was a welcome distraction. As I said, most of Senegal, including Kaolack, is very dry. Thus, the humidity isn't that bad, and it generally cools off pretty well at night. However, this too doesn't apply to Kedougou. Though the overall temperature may have been roughly the same as elsewhere, the humidity was incredible. Whereas it often starts cooling off in Kaolack around 7 or 8pm, it was still 11pm in Kedougou, and it felt like we were in a sauna. But, that's the great thing about rain in Senegal. The wind starts picking up, the temperature drops significantly, and then the rain just starts to pour. It was great. With the exception of just one night, it rained every night for the rest of our trip. It was really nice.
Dindifelo was amazing. With the exception of visiting Dogon Country while I was in Mali, I haven't experienced cliffs, forests, or fresh water, in over two years. So, it was pretty cool being able to see all of that in one place. Check out my picture site to see photos from this trip (http://pcvsenegal.shutterfly.com). We spent an entire day at the waterfalls, swimming and just enjoying the environment that is so different than what we'd become accustomed to. Though the bike ride in was a bit rough for a couple people who haven't been in the habit of riding them, it was definitely worth it. I'm really glad I had a chance to make it out there before I leave Senegal.
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