As Salaam Alaykum, friends and family! My previous newsletter followed a question format and it seemed to be a big hit so here we are again with questions about my life in Senegal! These questions were a bit harder to figure out since all the simple ones were answered last newsletter, but hopefully these new ones will give you a deeper understanding of life here beyond my day-to-day actions.
How did I spend my Christmas…
To be honest, I had prepared myself for the Christmas season with no expectations. I knew the holiday season would just be inherently different being away from home but also different given the fact most people in my community don’t celebrate Christmas. However, my Christmas was much more spirited than I had anticipated! My host mom, Pascalina, set out decorations throughout the month of December and the weekend of Christmas put up a small tree. The morning and afternoon of Christmas were very busy with cooking a holiday meal for the neighborhood. It was a big job because Pascalina and I are the only Christians in the neighborhood and it is customary for Christians and Muslims to share a meal with each other on their respective holidays. After we finished cooking, many family members came to the house to visit and celebrate together. We sat around outside for rest of the day drinking attayah (tea), taking part in the festivities of the day, and enjoying each other’s company. Although the day was different from my celebrations back home, I went to bed full of Christmas spirit and a new memory of how to share the holiday that I will always cherish.
**All holiday meals at my house include chicken (special from normal protein source of fish). This holiday meal the chicken was the chicken that has been living in our courtyard since I moved here… definitely getting a close looker at the reality of food systems here!
What started fresh in the New Year…
After returning from the end of the year school break, I was nervous to go back to the school I work at. Before the break, the kids easily forgot my name or even forgot that I in fact had authority in the classroom and the teachers would sometimes be too rapped up in neighborhood gossip to include me in their conversations. Yet, I was pleasantly surprised to walk into the schoolyard on my first day back after the start of the New Year. I was greeted with warm smiles from the school staff, greetings from each student (successfully remembering my name as Maîtresse Ramatoulaye), and run-and-jump hugs from my favorite preschool students. Maybe it is all chalked up to the thought that absence makes the heart grow fonder, but I’ll take this new fresh start in the new year and run with it!
**The idea that absence makes the heart grow fonder is very much present in my community here. You don’t see someone for a few days and they say, “Nama nala (Wolof)/I missed you!” I’m totally into it.
What have I been pondering…
I spend a lot of time pondering things here. I have a lot more time to be in my head. It took awhile to get use to because I am a naturally talkative extrovert who previously liked to avoid any alone time. Yet with the communication barrier and calmer lifestyle, I have learned when to sit back and enjoy my own thoughts. Now I cherish these moments of quiet where I can sit and just think. Life in a new environment and culture, time to read thought-provoking books, and meaningful discussion with friends has its endless supply of contemplations that I am truly grateful to experience during my time here in Senegal.
**Don’t doubt that I will talk everyone’s ear off about these contemplations once I back in the States…once an external processor and extroverted talker, always a external processor and extroverted talker!
What makes me feel at home…
I felt comfortable in my home here pretty quickly. All in thanks to my extremely patient host mom, Pascalina, and loving host big sister, Ami (technically she is my host cousin but she acts way more like a sister with her friendly teasing and guidance). However, I’ve been pleased to experience more and more things each day to increase my sense of home and belonging here. Some things happen every day, like when I get home from work Astou (my toddler bestie) runs from the back to the front of the house with her arms up ready for a hug. After the hug, I go to greet Ami who responds with a big smile when she sees me and greet Pascalina who always has questions about how my day went. Other things that make me feel at home are conversations while sitting around the bowl at meals that turn into heartwarming memories. At a recent Sunday lunch, I mentioned to Ami (who had cooked the meal that day), “Lunch here is much better than at work. I miss eating here for lunch. I eat a lot more here than there.” It got a huge laugh from both Ami and Pascalina and then Ami lovingly responded, “Food is better here because this is your house.” The same way I prefer and love meals made by my mom back home in the States, I have come to prefer and love meals at my home here. As a foodie, I can’t think of a better way to realize that a house in Yeumbeul, Senegal has truly become my home.
**All quotes are actually translations from French/Wolof to English. Figured it would be nice to take the guesswork out of it for y’all!
Where have I visited…
The last few months have been pretty busy with travel. Since my last newsletter, I have made taken three trips outside of the Dakar region. The first was to Ngayoheme, a village in the Fatick region. It was my first time being out of the city so provided me insight into how life in Senegal can vary a lot depending on urban versus rural settings. I enjoyed the time away from hustle and bustle of Yeumbeul as well as the endless hospitality showed by the families who hosted me and others in my cohort. My second trip was to St. Louis on the northern coast of Senegal. This was the first retreat for my entire cohort to come together and share our experiences so far. It was a great mix of thoughtful discussion, fun on the beach, and visiting the charming town of St. Louis. My third trip was to Linguère over New Years weekend. Linguere is located in the northern desert of Senegal. It was nice to see desert vegetation that reminded me of home, feel the intense sun (I’ve actually been pretty cold in Yeumbeul for the last two months), and celebrate the holiday with friends. Last weekend, my cohort met up in Thies to celebrate Christmas together. We got to explore Senegal’s second biggest city, enjoy each others company, and create our own holiday festivities. Clearly, I’ve had a lot of my weekends full in the last few months! It has all been a blast but I am ready to take a bit of a break and enjoy the weekends at home in Yeumbeul.
What is one of the lessons I’ve learned…
I can’t transcend perceptions of foreigners, the United States, or Americans. These perceptions follow me as walk through Yeumbeul and other parts of Senegal. Some perceptions I inherently perpetuate (both positive and negative), others have no hold on who I am or what my life is like here or even back in the States. However, I must accept the burden of these perceptions and continue to learn their origins. These perceptions have motivated positive and negative experience here. Sometimes I might make it through to people and change someone’s views, other times it just isn’t in the cards. Either way, it has been a truly humbling experience to be here learning to live with these perceptions that are tied to my identity has a foreigner/American.
**This only one of MANY lessons I’ve learned here so far. People aren’t joking when they say experiences like these are full of life lessons!
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!
Jamm rekk! Peace only! Xx
Berkley
ps. Shout out to all who sent me sunset photos after my request in October. You’re the best!
Sojourn in Senegal 