Hello;
It has been another 2 weeks since I have last arrived
in the 'big' city to read emails and to just get out of the
village for a change of scenery. But of course during the
2 weeks there is always something going on. So, here are
some of the stories or mini-adventures, I guess it is one
of those half full/half empty things.
***** Don't worry ... be happy*****
After the last time that I came into the 'big' city
(Kolda in the region of Kolda - just below The Gambia)
we hit the road to return to the village on a tuesday
morning. I was in town with another Peace Corps
volunteer from the village over from my village 'Goundaga'.
So at about noon after filling up on some decent chow
we go to the gare (that's what they call the garages
where you catch the bus ... 7 palaas to your destination).
It was interesting that day because actually the gare is
pretty hectic and not so aesthetic place. But as we
are sitting there waiting we see this bird or should I
say more like one of the birds that ones sees on an
exotic travel brochure ... it was between 2 and 3 ft.
tall ... black with a red plume on top of the head. I
know that we have all seen this bird on TV or in the
zoo and it sure seemed like a wacky scenario seeing it
scrounge around the gare (though walking as graceful
and proud as could be).
So after watching an example of Wild Life Africa
in the oddest place we wedged ourselves into the 7-palaas
(which is an old Peugeot 505 station wagon usually
with no shocks and a broken windshield, but with a
fire extinguisher) ... (also I don't why know they call it a
7-palass because it actually sits 8 counting the
driver ... 2 in the front ... 3 in the middle seats
... and 3 in the back seats ... all in a car smaller than
a mid sized) ... oh yeah ... then there is baggage,
goats, buckets ... and today 3 - 10 liter plastic
gas cans filled with gas ( I figured what ta hell
... this could be as good a day as any to die).
OK ... back to the return trip to the village ...
after wedging ourselves in the 7-palaas ( me and
Pat (Peace Corps volunteer from the other village)
and 5 good sized Wolof women) ... I live in a region
of Senegal that is predominately 'Pulaar-Fulakunda'
and the Wolofs live up above 'The Gambia' near
Thies and Dakar ... so there is this language
difference as we have learned Pulaar and it isn't
all that similar to Wolof.
So off we go and it was a good day as they didn't
have to push start the car (which is about 80%
of the time). After about 20 minutes Pat (who is
probably pretty renowned for being able to sleep
in anything that moves at any time) konks out and
all of a sudden from the radio comes Bobby McFarren's
'Don't worry ... be happy' ... it was something to sit
there thinking about the problems of the village
and what can we do about it ... and then listening
to " Here's a little song I wrote ... etc. ... nah,nah,nah
... don't worry be happy". It was one of those moments
that all of a sudden the thought comes ... look at where
I am. In a 7-palaas with 5 wolof women and each one
is as colorfully dressed as one could be ... they all have
head wraps with colors of orange and black ... brilliant blue
... chocolate brown ... red and yellow with some day-glow
pink (sounds like it wouldn't work but it was striking) and
a gray and cream color melange. Also I looked over and there
was Pat zonked out and here we are bombing down the
road with don't worry be happy on the radio ... Wolof women
in colorful dress and speaking Wolof ... and Pat sleeping and
me trying to figure out how to solve problems that I have
no clue where to start. I can tell what I learned from that
surreal ride ... don't worry be happy as I was there then
and had all this happening and was caught up in problems
that will be solved in it's own time. I have to thank ole
Bobby ... I think I am going to enjoy the ride a little more
from now on.
***** The Tomato *****
I arrived in the village on the 12th of June which
is right at the beginning of the planting season or when
the rainy season starts and it is when there are people
going out to the fields all the time and it is also the time
of the year where the food supply starts dwindling down.
Especially where last year was a drought year and the yield
from the harvest was down considerably. What happened
is that we are to the point where we eat nothing but 'follere
and rice or follere and millet' all the time. Follere is a pasty
green sauce made out of weeds, water, salt and on a good
day 'jimbo' which is like a salty bouillon cube. Of course the
question would be ... why don't they go out and buy some
food ... the reason is that they have no money and I literally
mean 'no money'. I had it better than the people in the
village as I had some money and could go into town and
get something ... but I did that twice as I was starving and
for me to get that way takes a bit. I lost 16 lbs in four weeks
and that was with eating 3 times a day. I refused to go into
to town everyday because I wanted to know and experience
what the people where going through. This way I can
understand what their lives are about.
So after seeing and feeling the hunger daily I asked
my village counterpart "why don't we start a vegetable
garden?". Or more like why wasn't there any vegetable
gardens. He said it was because of money ... problems
with having to haul water over distances ... and a few
others with some being human related ... like it just
isn't done in the wet season. So, I go out
buy a bunch of seeds and off we go starting an example
'wet season garden'. When you live by sustenance farming
you have to learn patience as if you plant the plants
today it is going to take 3 months or so to eat. But,
we planted tomato plants and immediately there was
this big village interest as a whole bunch of people
came out to see these seedlings in our garden next
to the well. As the time goes by I stake the plants
and the torrential rains and winds (hendu in Pulaar)
batter these plants and to their credit the wouldn't
accept defeat. Well, finally, though the food situation
has started getting better as some of the early crops
started coming in (this has been a big year for rain) ...
here comes the tomatoes. Well, actually it started
pretty slow and there is one tomato that is pretty
close to ripening and man ... I got my peepers on
that one. It was really small for USA standards but
for here it was big and again the people come out
to see this tomato. Well, my counterpart warns me
that we should take it off the plant before it ripens.
Any true tomato aficionado would blanch at the
thought. So ... of course I said
"why don't we wait till it is a little more ripe" which
actually turned out to be ... let's leave it there
till something comes by and eat it. So there goes
tomato #1 ... a frustration in sustenance farming.
But of course others are coming and this time we
pull them off the plant. It was like an event as there
were about 40 people (about 30 of them kids)
whom came over to witness the harvesting of tomatoes
in the rainy season. All the people wanted to hold
the tomatoes and each one had some remark about
how great these 4 tomatoes were. One guy had this
dumbstruck look on his face and couldn't say anything.
So, we take the tomatoes to my hut for the
finishing touches of the ripening process. 3 days
later ... 2 tomatoes are ready and the anticipation is
building as after eating follere and rice for a while
this tomato is going to be a culinary treat. All day
we had debates on the best way to eat the tomatoes
and there was about 8 different ways and for me it
is straight up with some lamdam (salt in Pulaar). So,
as darkness falls and I light up my kerosene lantern
the air is electric with the thought that we are going
eat these tomatoes.
Let me tell you something ... biting into that tomato
was spiritual. It was something to come from having
everything at a moments whim and taking things for
granted and not seeing the significance of a tomato
to the hungry and poor people of the world.
As the tomato and I have become one ... as
we are what we eat ... and I will carry it with me
the rest of my days. Not the physical part ... but the
significance, the not taking things for granted and
seeing the importance of all things. As maybe for
those who have, it is only a tomato ... but for those
who don't ... it is life.
Till Later
Paul
Senegal
West Africa
Thursday, November 2, 2017
More stories from 'le Senegal' - September 15, 2003
Hono mbad-daa;
It has been another 2 weeks since the
last time we came into the 'big city'. Here
are a couple of the things that have been
going on.
*****BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR*****
Here in Senegal polygamy is legal and pretty
much practiced. In my village of 300 people about
50% of the marriages/relationships are polygamists.
Of the 50% only one guy has more than 2 wives.
Of course everything looks good on paper but
when it actually is going on it could be not quite
as good as one thought it could be.
One day my next door neighbor with 3 wives
whose name is Amadou Balde comes home after
a hard days work thinking that he can kick his feet
up and just chill out. It didn't work out that way as
what he came home to was more of a hornet's nest.
His number 2 wife Salimata (who is really a nice person)
is really pretty mad with a lady from the other side
of the village. There was a little incident between their
2 daughters at the community well.
So Salimata has been yelling at the other lady
(who actually hadn't been there for 2 hours) while
ole Amadou strolls up to his hut with his cow in tow.
So he walks into this hornets's nest as number 2
wife has riled up number 1 and 3 wife. He starts
by listening to number 2 then number one starts
about another subject that leads number 3 to
start on yet another subject. Ole Amadou is arguing
3 arguments at the same time. I was in my hut
with a few guys (some not yet married) so I asked
the guys how many wives do they want? They all
said "none" ... also my counterpart in the village was
there and I said I heard that Demba wanted to get
another wife (he has one) ... he said " no way".
It was funny as we were sitting there chilling out
with our coffees while ole Amadou was swatting
away the hornets. I doubt Amadou had that in
mind when he was thinking of 3 wives. Also, 3
wives and a lot of kids ... like 14 ... 4 with
number 1, 8 with number 2 (she's not yet 30)
and 2 with number 3.
*****NEW PICKUP LINE*****
There is another Peace Corps volunteer in the
village over (Saare Kheutayel) and every 2 weeks
we ride our bicycles 40 kms to a small city called
Velingara to check mail or buy seeds ... etc.
The last time in Pat (volunteer's name) buys this
soccer ball and ties it to the rack on the back of her
bicycle and off we go to head back to our villages.
Well evey 2 minutes you hear these guys yelling
"hey come here I want to look at your ball". It
was amazing the attention she got. It makes me
wonder how some people buy cars for 50 to 100
thousand to get attention and hit on and Pat got
more attention with a 6 dollar and 50 cent soccer
ball.
*****FAMOUS IN AFRICA*****
Here in Senegal politically correct hasn't quite
arrived yet as trying to survive malaria and droughts
and poverty seem to have priority.
Here we are called 'toubob' which I think that
in one of the dialects here means 'white person'
or something like that. Of course if you don't like
being called 'toubob' you are going to be pretty
unhappy most of the time. Also being a 'toubob'
gets you the opportunity to pay more for things
as they think that all 'toubobs' are rich and actually
start off at charging a 'toubob' double. But after
being here a while they charge us the same as
everyone else.
Those are a few of the lousy things about
being a 'toubob' in Senegal ... but ... there is
also a good side ...
As I mentioned in the story above me and Pat
ride to Velingara every 2 weeks on our bicycles.
As we ride down the road with our bike helmets
on we always hear these little voices from 100
meters away yelling "toubob ... toubob". This
starts at about another 100 meters before
their huts or village. It is like we are being
announced ... but the best part of them all
is when 20 kids from about 2 yrs old to
10 come running up to the road just to
shake our hands as we ride by ... it is like we
are some 'Tour De France' guys or something.
I have never felt so famous in all my life.
*****THE REGAL BANNERS OF GOUNDAGA*****
This year has been a good year as far as
rain goes as last year was pretty much a drought
year. One of the crops that the people plant are
sorghum. The stalks are tall and full and after
the nights rains they are heavy and actually
bend over the road and leave like a canopy under
which we walk or ride our bikes. Early in the morning
it is a sight to see as the birds are singing and
the sorghum is creating the canopy of plenty.
It is something to live where you subsist by what
you have planted. That's why when I see the
full and heavy sorghum I know that we will
eat well for another year. So to me the bending
sorghum covered roads of Goundaga are as regal
as any path that Buckingham palace can claim.
Till next time
Paul
It has been another 2 weeks since the
last time we came into the 'big city'. Here
are a couple of the things that have been
going on.
*****BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR*****
Here in Senegal polygamy is legal and pretty
much practiced. In my village of 300 people about
50% of the marriages/relationships are polygamists.
Of the 50% only one guy has more than 2 wives.
Of course everything looks good on paper but
when it actually is going on it could be not quite
as good as one thought it could be.
One day my next door neighbor with 3 wives
whose name is Amadou Balde comes home after
a hard days work thinking that he can kick his feet
up and just chill out. It didn't work out that way as
what he came home to was more of a hornet's nest.
His number 2 wife Salimata (who is really a nice person)
is really pretty mad with a lady from the other side
of the village. There was a little incident between their
2 daughters at the community well.
So Salimata has been yelling at the other lady
(who actually hadn't been there for 2 hours) while
ole Amadou strolls up to his hut with his cow in tow.
So he walks into this hornets's nest as number 2
wife has riled up number 1 and 3 wife. He starts
by listening to number 2 then number one starts
about another subject that leads number 3 to
start on yet another subject. Ole Amadou is arguing
3 arguments at the same time. I was in my hut
with a few guys (some not yet married) so I asked
the guys how many wives do they want? They all
said "none" ... also my counterpart in the village was
there and I said I heard that Demba wanted to get
another wife (he has one) ... he said " no way".
It was funny as we were sitting there chilling out
with our coffees while ole Amadou was swatting
away the hornets. I doubt Amadou had that in
mind when he was thinking of 3 wives. Also, 3
wives and a lot of kids ... like 14 ... 4 with
number 1, 8 with number 2 (she's not yet 30)
and 2 with number 3.
*****NEW PICKUP LINE*****
There is another Peace Corps volunteer in the
village over (Saare Kheutayel) and every 2 weeks
we ride our bicycles 40 kms to a small city called
Velingara to check mail or buy seeds ... etc.
The last time in Pat (volunteer's name) buys this
soccer ball and ties it to the rack on the back of her
bicycle and off we go to head back to our villages.
Well evey 2 minutes you hear these guys yelling
"hey come here I want to look at your ball". It
was amazing the attention she got. It makes me
wonder how some people buy cars for 50 to 100
thousand to get attention and hit on and Pat got
more attention with a 6 dollar and 50 cent soccer
ball.
*****FAMOUS IN AFRICA*****
Here in Senegal politically correct hasn't quite
arrived yet as trying to survive malaria and droughts
and poverty seem to have priority.
Here we are called 'toubob' which I think that
in one of the dialects here means 'white person'
or something like that. Of course if you don't like
being called 'toubob' you are going to be pretty
unhappy most of the time. Also being a 'toubob'
gets you the opportunity to pay more for things
as they think that all 'toubobs' are rich and actually
start off at charging a 'toubob' double. But after
being here a while they charge us the same as
everyone else.
Those are a few of the lousy things about
being a 'toubob' in Senegal ... but ... there is
also a good side ...
As I mentioned in the story above me and Pat
ride to Velingara every 2 weeks on our bicycles.
As we ride down the road with our bike helmets
on we always hear these little voices from 100
meters away yelling "toubob ... toubob". This
starts at about another 100 meters before
their huts or village. It is like we are being
announced ... but the best part of them all
is when 20 kids from about 2 yrs old to
10 come running up to the road just to
shake our hands as we ride by ... it is like we
are some 'Tour De France' guys or something.
I have never felt so famous in all my life.
*****THE REGAL BANNERS OF GOUNDAGA*****
This year has been a good year as far as
rain goes as last year was pretty much a drought
year. One of the crops that the people plant are
sorghum. The stalks are tall and full and after
the nights rains they are heavy and actually
bend over the road and leave like a canopy under
which we walk or ride our bikes. Early in the morning
it is a sight to see as the birds are singing and
the sorghum is creating the canopy of plenty.
It is something to live where you subsist by what
you have planted. That's why when I see the
full and heavy sorghum I know that we will
eat well for another year. So to me the bending
sorghum covered roads of Goundaga are as regal
as any path that Buckingham palace can claim.
Till next time
Paul
What a difference a village makes -September 1, 2003
Hono hen ( Pulaar for what's up );
During the last 2 weeks we have been busy
playing a couple of soccer games (kids). It is a rare thing
here in Senegal and about the only other place they
have boys and girls soccer teams are in Dakar ( 12
hour ride in a Puegot 505 - old as the hills station
wagon or about 24 hours in a mini-karr which actually
should be called 1/2 bus. Also it is kind of
wacky watching the buses go by with about 4 goats
tied on the roof and standing up) ( here I guess it is
goat buses and not chicken buses as in Central
America ) ... so with 3 other Peace Corps Volunteers
here we have started a movement. Right now there
are 6 villages at it with girls and boys teams. Even the
minister of sports in the region was surprised to hear
that there was a girls soccer team.
Two weeks ago we went to Devon's (PC
Health Volunteer) village called Saare Niantho and
I guess you could say it was called ' a soccer match
broke out at the fights ' well ... it wasn't that bad
but it was spirited to say the least. The girls from
my village are undefeated and are really pretty
good. They are strong and can run for hours
without even getting winded and also you can
see the confidence coming with every game.
Well the other team (Saare Niantho) was their
second game and they got upset when the
girls from Goundaga scored first. One girl from
the other team wanted to start a fight and
actually got yellow carded. The amazing
thing about the way the people here
enjoy the game ( the girls really ) is they
will cheer and sing and dance and it is a
sight to see. Of course singing that
you beat someone at a soccer game
is kind of instigating you could say.
But for the adults of Saare Niantho
(it was the first time they saw the
kids play) they didn't know what to do
and it was hilarious seeing the adults
trying to get in the middle of the
dance/singing/criticizing action
going on. They are chasing the
girls and everyone is running in
all different directions and in the
end everyone was laughing like
there was no tommorrow.
I know this doesn't sound like much
... especially to what happens in the US
but here the reason why the girls get
involved so much is that it is the first
time that they have competed and really
don't know the emotions of competition.
It is the first time that they are important
and they are the center of attraction. You
should see the difference in the girls in my
village just from 2 months ago. They have
confidence and they just have a little air
about them that says 'I'm someone'. The life
of a village girl isn't easy as they have to cook,
pound meal, wash clothes and watch their
little brothers and sisters and work in the
fields (that's why they are strong - they
work hard all day) also, maybe they may be
promised out to marry someone when you
are 13 and maybe either married at 13
or 14. But, with these soccer teams the
parents get a chance to see their daughters
as something more than a work horse. I am
proud to say that there isn't one girl that
plays soccer that is promised out. On my
team (ages 10 to 15) there isn't one girl
with a boyfriend (yet) and they seem to
be in more control of their lives and when
I tell their fathers that their daughters are
good players they are actually proud of them.
Also, we played Tom's team (another
Volunteer) from Saare Mahdi ... they are
about 15 km away and getting to my
village is pretty tough right now because
of the rainy season. So here comes Tom
and his kids in a tractor with a kind of
wagon in the back. It was the first game
for his kids and his girls were kind of scared
as they were concerned about how big our
girls are. But I have to say that the kids from
Tom's village are just really nice kids and the
girls went out there for the first time and were
so tight and scared for the first 5 minutes but
after that they were great. Tom was like one
of the college football coaches and just getting
animated (it was the first time for him too).
But the games went well and in the end the
girls and boys from both villages walked out to
meet the tractor holding hands and there was
just a real nice feeling. At times like that I
think ... here I am in Africa on a Saturday
afternoon watching this happening.
But ... in 2 weeks we are off to Saare
Mahdi to play Tom's team. Also there was
another Volunteer (Hillary) visiting Tom from
a section of Senegal called Kategou. About
8 hours from here. She was excited and is
going to try and start a team in that region also.
Hopefully it works and the movement can
continue ... it is great to see the change
in the kids.
Well ... I know this wasn't an out of
control donkey story or healing the masses
story ... maybe next time it will be more
exciting.
En on tuma (till next time)
Paul
During the last 2 weeks we have been busy
playing a couple of soccer games (kids). It is a rare thing
here in Senegal and about the only other place they
have boys and girls soccer teams are in Dakar ( 12
hour ride in a Puegot 505 - old as the hills station
wagon or about 24 hours in a mini-karr which actually
should be called 1/2 bus. Also it is kind of
wacky watching the buses go by with about 4 goats
tied on the roof and standing up) ( here I guess it is
goat buses and not chicken buses as in Central
America ) ... so with 3 other Peace Corps Volunteers
here we have started a movement. Right now there
are 6 villages at it with girls and boys teams. Even the
minister of sports in the region was surprised to hear
that there was a girls soccer team.
Two weeks ago we went to Devon's (PC
Health Volunteer) village called Saare Niantho and
I guess you could say it was called ' a soccer match
broke out at the fights ' well ... it wasn't that bad
but it was spirited to say the least. The girls from
my village are undefeated and are really pretty
good. They are strong and can run for hours
without even getting winded and also you can
see the confidence coming with every game.
Well the other team (Saare Niantho) was their
second game and they got upset when the
girls from Goundaga scored first. One girl from
the other team wanted to start a fight and
actually got yellow carded. The amazing
thing about the way the people here
enjoy the game ( the girls really ) is they
will cheer and sing and dance and it is a
sight to see. Of course singing that
you beat someone at a soccer game
is kind of instigating you could say.
But for the adults of Saare Niantho
(it was the first time they saw the
kids play) they didn't know what to do
and it was hilarious seeing the adults
trying to get in the middle of the
dance/singing/criticizing action
going on. They are chasing the
girls and everyone is running in
all different directions and in the
end everyone was laughing like
there was no tommorrow.
I know this doesn't sound like much
... especially to what happens in the US
but here the reason why the girls get
involved so much is that it is the first
time that they have competed and really
don't know the emotions of competition.
It is the first time that they are important
and they are the center of attraction. You
should see the difference in the girls in my
village just from 2 months ago. They have
confidence and they just have a little air
about them that says 'I'm someone'. The life
of a village girl isn't easy as they have to cook,
pound meal, wash clothes and watch their
little brothers and sisters and work in the
fields (that's why they are strong - they
work hard all day) also, maybe they may be
promised out to marry someone when you
are 13 and maybe either married at 13
or 14. But, with these soccer teams the
parents get a chance to see their daughters
as something more than a work horse. I am
proud to say that there isn't one girl that
plays soccer that is promised out. On my
team (ages 10 to 15) there isn't one girl
with a boyfriend (yet) and they seem to
be in more control of their lives and when
I tell their fathers that their daughters are
good players they are actually proud of them.
Also, we played Tom's team (another
Volunteer) from Saare Mahdi ... they are
about 15 km away and getting to my
village is pretty tough right now because
of the rainy season. So here comes Tom
and his kids in a tractor with a kind of
wagon in the back. It was the first game
for his kids and his girls were kind of scared
as they were concerned about how big our
girls are. But I have to say that the kids from
Tom's village are just really nice kids and the
girls went out there for the first time and were
so tight and scared for the first 5 minutes but
after that they were great. Tom was like one
of the college football coaches and just getting
animated (it was the first time for him too).
But the games went well and in the end the
girls and boys from both villages walked out to
meet the tractor holding hands and there was
just a real nice feeling. At times like that I
think ... here I am in Africa on a Saturday
afternoon watching this happening.
But ... in 2 weeks we are off to Saare
Mahdi to play Tom's team. Also there was
another Volunteer (Hillary) visiting Tom from
a section of Senegal called Kategou. About
8 hours from here. She was excited and is
going to try and start a team in that region also.
Hopefully it works and the movement can
continue ... it is great to see the change
in the kids.
Well ... I know this wasn't an out of
control donkey story or healing the masses
story ... maybe next time it will be more
exciting.
En on tuma (till next time)
Paul
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
From Le Senegal - May 18, 2003
How are you doing and what's new in New Bedford?
We have 2 weeks left in our training and then it is out to our
villages. I have been to my village for 3 days to get to see what
it is like. It is called Goundaga and it is south of The Gambia
( The Gambia is within Senegal ), it has 301 people with me and it
is very hot. But it is different than El Salvador in that it is setup in the
classical African style. A compound with multiple huts, mine has 9
and it is large so it isn't like everyone is on top of one another. We
are also situated 1 km from The Gambia River and there is supposed
to be hippos in it. Also the village has one boat called a pirogue and
it looks kind of old.
As far as work in the village goes, well, it looks interesting. There
are Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) working there. The ones
I know of are World Vision and the Catholic Relief Services. But it
doesn't seem like very much has been done so far. I think I know why,
so that is where I will start to ask questions to figure what's up. This
village already has a school and there are 170 students (it supports
other small villages), of course there isn't much in it. Again, another
thing to work on.
But, the people so far have been really nice and there are a few
characters there so that should be a lot of fun. Seeing as the afternoons
are spent hanging out under the shade structure. It has gotten to about
104 ° ( more like the average ) during the 2 hottest months (right now).
So it is impossible to work in that heat, also unlike the village in El Sal
this village doesn't have irrigation. It is interesting to see the economic
impact that it has. In El Sal the people were poor but they had income
pretty steadily throughout the year. Here it looks like either you have a
good year or your suffering till the next one. Last year was a
semi-drought year and the people are in though shape financially.
What they do plant are peanuts, corn and rice. The trick is to try
and figure out some dry weather crops/gardens/income ... but
irrigation is the way to go. World Vision is working with an irrigation
project up the river a little ways so we'll have to see if we can get
something going.
Well, I guess I have rapped on for a while and I am out of here
... it is Sunday morning and I am going to hangout with the host
family I am living with ... so ...
Adios
Paul
Description - Retro Peace Corps Senegal blog
I am compiling this blog after completion of my Peace Corps tour in the Francophone, West African country of Senegal. I served from March 2003 until November 2005.
The entries are copies of emails that I sent to my sister during my tour. The emails ended
before 2005 and there aren't any for the final year. Also, some of the emails were written
in a blog manner. It was written that way as she was sharing them with a few friends. It
was before I was even aware that blogs existed.
Despite the time that has passed since the Senegal experience, when reading these emails
they have had the ability to take me back to the village where I lived for two and
a half years named, Goundaga. In the local Pulaar language Goundaga means - secret
From a personal perspective, it is really a gift to able to re-read these emails.
I am trending towards copying the emails verbatim ( but correcting any spelling or grammatical errors) and adding notes or explanations at the end to add further details. Some of the emails cover multiple topics. Pictures are from 2005 when my sister did visit and had a digital camera with her.
At the time of no cell or smart phones and having to use cyber-cafes about 103 km (about 60 miles) away, it made access to the internet a bit of a challenge.
Paul
RPCV
Senegal 2003-2005
The entries are copies of emails that I sent to my sister during my tour. The emails ended
before 2005 and there aren't any for the final year. Also, some of the emails were written
in a blog manner. It was written that way as she was sharing them with a few friends. It
was before I was even aware that blogs existed.
Despite the time that has passed since the Senegal experience, when reading these emails
they have had the ability to take me back to the village where I lived for two and
a half years named, Goundaga. In the local Pulaar language Goundaga means - secret
From a personal perspective, it is really a gift to able to re-read these emails.
I am trending towards copying the emails verbatim ( but correcting any spelling or grammatical errors) and adding notes or explanations at the end to add further details. Some of the emails cover multiple topics. Pictures are from 2005 when my sister did visit and had a digital camera with her.
At the time of no cell or smart phones and having to use cyber-cafes about 103 km (about 60 miles) away, it made access to the internet a bit of a challenge.
Paul
RPCV
Senegal 2003-2005
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