The Play

As the sun sets, I seek the cool breeze of the terrace. A show is starting and the price of admission is only a free moment and a watchful eye. I peer over the balcony onto the street below and watch as the stage unfolds.

A Day in the Life

As I head into my second week of classes at WARC, I'm starting to settle into a Senegalese rhythm in my days. I have classes Monday through Friday generally from 9am-6pm but most days I have several hours of free time within that. So if you're interested that means my typical day looks something like this:

A Brief Tour of Dakar

So here's the low down on the city I'll call home for the next 6 weeks. Dakar is ocean on three sides which means a beach and a cool breeze are never too far away. I live in the Mermoz neighborhood and walk to the West African Resource Center (WARC) in Fann for class. I'm staying with the Sow family which includes Papa Ibrahima, Maman Coumba and my host brothers Ousmene and Moustapha.

So much more

"For better or for worse, it is so much more." Wise and resonant words from another MSID student and friend about our burgeoning relationship with Dakar.

First Impressions

I've been here for just under 48 hours and it feels like a lifetime and a millisecond. Dakar is in every way overwhelming. It's both beautiful and covered with trash, quiet with the sounds of birds and then shaking as jumbo jets pass overhead, small and personable and also impossibly vast.

We arrived very early Monday morning and were greeted by the incredibly friendly and supportive MSID staff who dropped us off at our hotel. After a quick nap we started our orientation at the house of the MSID housing coordinator. There we received a crash course in Senegalese culture and the necessary information to keep us out of trouble for the first few days.

Senegalese food is AMAZING, though I've discovered I will never be able to eat enough to make a Senegalese woman happy. C'est dommage.

Today we went on a whirlwind tour of the city that I'll write about once I've had time to digest. Suffice to say, Senegal is a truly thrilling challenge. The mosquitoes are starting to bite which is my cue to retire. À bientot!