I know I have been in Africa the last 3 days, but today I really FELT like I was in Africa.  I don’t know if I can explain the change…I think it is a little bit of everything: acknowledging my own culture shock and a bit of homesickness, recognizing the power of this place and how it is in control, not me, feeling a bit of anxiety for my next stop as I journey further into the heart of this land, and also just feeling more comfortable with my surroundings and the people.

Apparently I am also starting to look Senegalese :).  That is one of the favorite jokes told to me around here.  It goes a little like this:

Senegalese person: “Where are you from?”

Me: “Seattle, WA in the United States.”

Senegalese person: “Oh? I thought you were from here! You look Senegalese! Ha Ha Ha” 

Me: “I know!  I get that all the time! Ha Ha Ha” 

It actual really is kinda funny.

The sunset this evening on the coast of Dakar.

Spectacular.  The weather was perfect as it was about to rain….so not hot at all and a little breezy.

Ah, this morning!!  I must share the events of this morning….cuz where else would they happen but here!  I woke up (late!) to clamoring and yelling in the hotel hall way and lobby.  I could tell there was a good sized group of people out there and clearly some sort of problem or altercation had occurred, but I could not understand anything. So I dressed quickly to go out and see what the ruckus was about.  As I opened my door I was passed by two burly African men carrying out a couch from the lobby!!!! Huh!!!???  They placed it in a big moving van, came back (along with their team of about 10 men) and took the other couch, all the tables in the dining area, chairs, barstools, the coffee table, the flat screen t.v. and finally the espresso maker. While this was going on a shouting match developed between the manager of my hotel and apparently the guy who owned the furniture. Near them, gathered by where the espresso maker once use to be, were all the women staff members at the hotel.  All were shaking their heads and  looking mournful.  I asked Fatima to explain what was going on…her words were, “big trouble.”  Apparently the previous manager of the hotel wasn’t well liked or something (the details of all of this are quite sketchy to me) and now someone is trying to “steal” the hotel from the current manager….starting with the furniture.  I wasn’t sure if my bed was on the list of items to stuff in the moving van, so I asked the manager what I should do.  At first he told me to “be cool” in a testy tone, but later revised his statement and thoughtfully told me not to worry that all will be fine and that the furniture will be returned tomorrow.  He did look exasperated by the whole ordeal…in fact he looked much how I looked when I ran to him the evening before asking for help with the 2 inch cockroach in my bathroom….his response to me is what I stated back to him this afternoon, “Africa is tough.”

Behind the Jeep is the moving van used to haul all the hotel furniture away. You can see the little espresso maker (which elicited the most emotion from the women when removed) in the bottom left hand corner of the truck. I must say, I was sad to see it go too…BUT it will be back tomorrow….or so I am told.

After feeling assured I would come back to a furnished room ( a room, however, with electricity is an ongoing question mark here in Africa), I  took off for a little R&R at a beautiful seaside hotel called Terrou-Bi.  Frankly, I haven’t eaten much since getting here for a myriad of reasons so I was just famished when my hotel driver, Ibou, dropped me at the 5 star hotel.

Malick!!

 He was my delightful server that helped and entertained me for the 4 hours I sat in the spot that I took this picture from.  Besides bringing me delicious goat cheese terrine, fresh bread, salad and French white wine, he taught me words in French and told me about life in Senegal.

His income: $245 a month!  Imagine that…with a wife and child!

My time in Senegal is coming to a close.  It has been the perfect host in welcoming me to Africa….and Mali will have big shoes to fill.  I have so enjoyed the people and their genuine warmth towards me….from the school kids that clustered around me to sing their praises of America, to the sales women who fanned me in the heat and spit cleaned my necklace purchases (never had seen that done before!), to the guards man who left his post to make sure I got to the restaurant I was looking for okay, to the shop owner who just took off 30% of the price of an African antique as I went to pay for it (I think she was surprised by my shriek of delight)…everyone has treated me with respect, kindness and patience.  I hope to come back someday.