This newsletter is the first introduction to my daily life here in Senegal. There is a lot to say so I broke it up into questions. Each section answers a question you may have for me or be interested in. I hope all together it paints a picture of what life is like for me this year!
Where I live…
Yeumbuel, Senegal
Yeumbeul is a technically a neighborhood of Dakar, but there is nothing suburban about it. It is a city in of itself with a endless boutiques (small stores that carry daily necessities), a large market (clothes, vegetables, shoes, everything and probably even a kitchen sink), carpenter shops, metal working shops, furniture making shops, barbers, fabric stores, gas stations, and more. The streets are filled with cars, buses, cargo trucks, motorcycles, and horse carts. There are also a ton of ‘car rapides’ which I take every day to work that are vans turned into public transportation. Every trip is a very tight squeeze with twenty people or more stuffed into a small space, but it gets me to work in half the time of walking so its worth it! Yeumbeul also has some nature get-aways. The best is that I live only a twenty-minute walk from the beach. Mostly though, my everyday is city life full of people and things everywhere Iook.
What people call me…
Ramatoulaye Manga
In Senegal, hospitality is everything. This includes giving foreigners a Senegalese name to welcome and integrate them into the community. My host mom gave me my name the first day we met. Immediately, I loved it. Ramatoulaye is always shortened by my family and kids in my neighborhood to Rama, a nickname that I equate with my close relationships here. Manga is my family name. It is used as a signifier of who I live with but also identifies that my family is Diola/Jola and from the Cassamance, the southern part of Senegal.
Who’s in my family…
The Manga Family
My family I live with is small, especially by Senegalese standards! I live with two women and a toddler. My host mom, Pascalina Manga, is the matriarch of a large family whom I have the pleasure of interacting with often. Pascalina is calm and patient, which is helpful when dealing with countless communication errors with me. The other woman I live with, Ami, is also a part of that family. She keeps me on my toes, calling me out on my mistakes, or urging me to get out of my comfort zone. Her daughter, Astou, rules the roost with her toddler charm and toddler terror. Yet in spite of my endless lack of sleep from her cries each night, Astou is indeed the best family member I could have ever asked for.
My household is small but outside my house I keep meeting more and more family members. I work with one of my host uncles and one of my host mom’s daughters. I also have met so many host cousins I’ve lost count. In addition, anyone else who is Diola claims me as an extended family member.
What do I speak…
Wolof and French
There are many languages in Senegal. The national native language is Wolof and French is used in business, government, and education. I speak both languages everyday. I still have a long way to go with both but within the last few months I have improved understanding. I take Wolof lessons every week and many people at work like to teach me new words everyday. I speak French with my host mom and any time my limited Wolof vocabulary just won’t cut it. Everyone has been gracious with my limited Wolof understanding and my choppy French speaking. However, people are still very intentional about keeping accountable in practicing and speaking even when I am unsure if I am even saying anything that makes sense. The language barrier is the biggest challenge here, but with persistence and aid of everyone here improvement is inevitable.
What I keep busy with…
Working at a preschool and bank
In the mornings, I am a part of the school program of Senegalese Lutheran Development Services (SLDS), a nonprofit organization with the mission to build capacity of individuals and communities through health, sustainably development, and economic empowerment through various programs. I help out at the preschool with the petit section (3-year old class). Needless to say, my mornings are fun but leave me pretty exhausted! The kiddos hate saying bye to their moms, but love dancing to the drum, playing in the sand, and drawing on their chalkboards. I have learned many words in Wolof to keep them in line, like toogal (sit down) or noppi (silence). Although they leave me tired, their cute faces, hilarious personalities, and endless energy keep me smiling throughout the morning.
In the afternoons, I go to the Centre Galle Nanondiral, a community center that includes many services of SLDS. One of the services is a bank where I work. The focus of the bank is the micro-credit program. The objectives of program are to promote economic empowerment, facilitate access to credit, and create a stepping-stone for social mobilization for the community, especially women and disadvantaged persons. Receiving a loan also requires opening up a savings account and committing to monthly payments into both the reimbursement and savings account. I have enjoyed watching the program at work and the bank operate. I have learned a lot of financial words in French and financial concepts I did not know before. Working at the bank and with the program allows for interaction with the community with visits to community groups who have loans to promote their businesses.
Who are my coworkers…
Lots of coworkers with two different workplaces
At the preschool, I work closely with the petit section teacher, Maitress Mariama. She is great with the kids and also patient with me when I don’t quite understand what she is asking me to do. There are also four other teachers who teach preschool and elementary levels. In addition to teachers, there are people to help out with administration and upkeep of the school. One of the men is particularly keen on me learning Wolof and quizzes me each day on what I know.
At the bank, I have three coworkers. Thiam is in charge of giving me tasks and also enjoys practicing English/Wolof/French with me. There are also two cashiers, Virginie and Penda. Virginie loves to tease me and insists I talk and eat more. I tease her right back and we both laugh with each other, our relationship is the epitome of a Senegalese friendship which base is usually friendly teasing.
I also interact with the rest of the people at the Center daily. Greetings are very important to Senegalese culture so I make it a point when I arrive to the Center in the afternoon that I greet everyone. I also visit with Casey, my fellow YAGM who lives in Yuembuel, who works at the Center as well. In addition to coworkers, there are the students who go to school at the Center and use the other services. Ultimately, there is never a lack of people to hangout with!
How I spend my free time…
Lots of Astou-time and some me-time
Gradually my free time has reduced as I have more things to do at my jobs, more people to visit with after work, and more weekend adventures. However, I treasure the downtime when I have it. Most of my downtime I play with Astou who loves to run around the house, take my laundry out of the bucket before I am done washing it, play with her doll, or take all my possessions and place them in random places around the house.
I have also grown to appreciate alone time filling it with reading books, keeping up with recording my life here in my journal, and singing in my room (even though I know everyone can hear me). I also like to go up to the roof in the evenings to watch the sunset and listen to call to prayer coming from the several mosques located near my house.
What do I eat…
Mostly rice and fish
Every morning, I eat half a baguette with butter and a small wedge of Vache Qui Rit (soft Laughing Cow cheese). I also drink a mug of what I affectionately call a “Senegalese latte” that has more powered milk and sugar than Nescafe (instant coffee) in it. I thought I would get tired of this same meal each day but I have grown to love the routine of it. Plus, who doesn’t love butter, bread, and sugar!
It is common for lunch that people go home to eat and rest until work starts back up at 3pm. I sometimes eat at the school after class, but I like to go home because the meals are always so good! Lunch is usually a base of rice and fish and changed up with different vegetables and sauce each day. My favorite Senegalese dishes include ingredients like caramelized onions, bissap (condiment made of bitter leaves of the bissap plant), carrots, olives, cassava, and a lot of hot pepper. Lunch is eaten ‘around the bowl’ with everyone eating from a communal dish with the fish, vegetables, and sauce in the center to share.
Lunch is the main meal of the day leaving dinner to be a smaller meal with less prep time. Sometimes dinner is leftovers from lunch or pasta with a simple onion sauce. Other days it is sweet oatmeal-like dish served with something that resembles goat cheese or a bean dish with potatoes. All are served with a section of baguette. I often heat up some water after dinner and drink hot milk with sugar with the rest of my baguette section for dessert.
What are my plans…
Busy November and December
There is a lot to look forward to coming up! First, my first visitor is coming in the upcoming weeks. Mercedes, a fellow YAGM, will be in Yuembuel for two weeks with work at the seminary. I am excited to show her around Yuembuel and catch up on our new lives here in Senegal. We will also be attending a youth weekend through the Lutheran church of Senegal in the Fatick region with two other YAGMs. After Mercedes’ visit is our first retreat where all the Senegal YAGM will come together somewhere in Senegal. It will be the first time all of us will be together since September so I am really looking forward to it!
Feel free to catch up with me and ask more questions by contacting me through iMessage, Facebook Messenger, or email. I enjoy keeping up with everyone back home!
Love to you all! Xx
Berkley
Sojourn in Senegal 