Its Thanksgiving

Writing  this blog from my regional house where I just had  a awesome thanksgiving lunch. So what's a regional house?  Each region has its own house were volunteers can go and hangout with each other, you know get away from our work site for a while, relax, etc, its little America. My regional house is in Kolda


The volunteers in my region got together and prepared a delicious thanksgiving feast Senegalese style. We got a turkey, killed it cleaned it and deep fried it. We had stuffing, green bean casarole, mashed potatoes, candied yams, grilled chickens, cranberry sauce, garlic bread corn, gravy and salad  with cheese (trust me it's a luxury here). AND YUMMY deserts, we had pumpkin pie made out of squash, apple crisp carrot cake and eggnog (i made the last two). With Sam's help.. A new bff here


This was a very awesome thanksgiving. It was a first for most of us, preparing an actual feast without the help of parents and family members. We went to the market got everything and made it ourselves.. and the best part ALL OF IT WAS FROM SCRATCH.. 


We all went around saying what we were most thankful of.. and I am just thankful to have such a awesome Peace Corps family in this region. And it was nice getting to see other volunteers and people we had not seen in while.


SO friends back home.. I hope you guys had a awesome and bless-filled thanksgiving like I did


LOVE
 

My carrot cake

It's Festive Season

So it’s around 10:30 p.m here and I’m just coming from the market. I guess shopping. Just ate dinner. I guess no matter where we come from, no matter how different our backgrounds and cultures, we are all still human beings. Girls will be girls. I just came from the market with the women in my compound. We were, well they were out shopping for shoes and the last necessities for the big fete tomorrow. November, 16 (tomorrow) would be Tabaski but must just call it julide, which means pray day in fulla.

We had went earlier in the day, spent about four hours in the market, and most still did not get what they wanted, hence our  return in the evening. The market was crowed like free things were been handed out. Everyone was touching, stepping on each other trying to get around. The food market, which is usually the liveliest was the dullest, as most women were concerned with getting jewelry, shoes, est. Lunch was later than usual as we came back from the market super late and someone had to prepare it. They have been asking me for money to buy this and that. I ended up buying some food, so they could include it in the meal  tomorrow, a jewelry set for one, gave one some money for shoes and bought materials so all the girls in the family could do henna, which we have still not done yet. I guess that would be one of the morning activities.

For days now women and children have been getting their hair done, braids, weaves, etc. Tailors are working into the wee-hours to finish their client clothes. I think they’ve only been getting a couple of hours rest during this week and this past week. My brothers whom are tailors I only see briefly at night when they come home for dinner (they don’t even bother coming home for lunch) and a quick bath.

So after lunch the women got started again on doing hair, which is still going on now. Right outside my room door. It’s like the Grammy’s as one of the other volunteer’s put it. EVERYONE is in high spirits getting ready.

Then around seven we went back to the market, and it is STILL CROWDED… the market usually is closed by this hour. Around five everyone is starting to close their shops and go home NOT TODAY…. It is still lively at ten O’clock at night. Everyone is trying to sell off their reaming goods; people are still trying to find the perfect shoes, perfume and even some, extensions and weaves.

Needless to say this was a fun evening getting to see the women in action. Although it’s not my scene, (as you all know, I’m not into the shopping and finding a “good barging”) it made me realized women all around the world ARE ALL THE SAME… They welcome the opportunity to go shopping, to buy/make new outfits and to get dulled up for the day. Splurging and spending money, which could come in handy later. I had fun joking around with the women as it seems the only thing on their mind is looking pretty and also making sure their kids are up to par.

Therefore,  I can’t wait to see everyone tomorrow all dulled and ready to eat their sheep or goats. However, apparently for this great pray day, only men, young children, and old ladies would go praying in public tomorrow at the grand park and the mosques. One of the women was explaining if they go they would get their period (menstrual) for a year. Did not quite understand that.

However, I am going just to take pictures and see what the fuss is about.. PRAY FOR ME.. that I don’t getting  a yearlong menstrual.

I can’t wait for tomorrow… I will update on how the day went.

Hande Ko Julde

My korite outfit

SO it’s almost 10 pm here and the fete is still going on. All the women are out; the kids are out playing and dancing with each other. They are all dolled up. They spend all that energy, time and money only to wear their outfits at night, when it’s dark and people can to see them properly in the light. Men are in front of their houses playing loud music with their stereo sets (which was only brought out for the fete) or watching T.V.

This morning I woke up around 7. I sooo did not want to get up, because I was tired and my bed is comfy but I had to if I wanted to go praying with the kids at nine in the park.  So I got up took a shower and went with the kids to the park for prayers. The men had already left. The men wore their outfits they got made but the kids and women who went wore others clothes (the outfits sown for the day were worn later). When I arrived the place was soo crowed and people were still coming, so I just took some pictures and left.

On my way home I stopped at my parent’s house to say hi. The girls were still getting their hair did. Came home and started getting ready to put henna on my hand (which should have happened the night before, but I did not want to sleep with my hands tied up or early this morning). BUT I had to leave because I wanted to watch my dad kill the sheep for the fete. So I went for that.. poor sheep, they have so much blood and it was just pouring out.  I saw two other sheep get killed at two other different houses.

Then I came back home and my cousin/sister did henna on my hands. Which is done my warping gauze tape around my fingers for the design. After, she tied both hands in a plastic bag. I then went back to my dad’s house to chat with women and help them cook. I was not much help as my hands were tied up. People were bringing meat to the compound I live in. I guess those that are more fortunate and can afford to kill a sheep share the meat with those that are not so fortunate. At my dad’s house they kept moving me around, as where I could sit, due to the sun and the smoke from the fire. They roasted/grilled some of the sheep and ate it with sautéed onions and I think mashed potatoes, I can’t say for sure. I only had a couple of bits as it was mostly fat.

Then the women got to cooking, which was just an onion sauce, which had fried potatoes and the meat. This is then eaten with bread. I think most families make a variation of the same thing; this is based on what I saw from the various houses I ate today. Times like this the people just like to focus on the meet as it is not something they eat every day, this is luxury.

So l left them and came back to my house so I could finish doing my henna. After that was done I went back to my dad’s house and ate lunch. The best food those people have made based on what I’ve eaten from them. After that lunch I came back to my house, and they had not eaten yet… OOOPPPS, so I had to eat AGAIN. It was mostly the same thing I had at the other house but their sauce had peas.

After both lunches I got dressed to start my journey of greeting people and do more eating off course (It’s pre-thanksgiving). It’s hard to refuse food if it’s been offered. First, I went to the house of my site mate’s counterpart (work partner) (by the way he has made it a tradition, my site mate and I have to eat lunch at his house every Sunday) and off course they “saved” me lunch so I had to eat some. Their sauce had noodles. We even took a photo because, a photographer was passing by. I sat and chilled with them for a while, and then I was off. Next I went to the house of the president of one of the women’s group I would like to work with. SHE IS SOO SWEET. And she too save me a plate, more like a big bow.... but I told her I would take it to go. Again I sat and chilled with them. I did some dancing (they had their stereo out in the street), drank some kosam, which is yoghurt. Her daughters invited me to a party happening tomorrow night. Kids are working around greeting families and in return they are giving some money, just some loose coins.

So I stopped by my house and dropped of the food she gave me, then I was off to my work partners house. There I just drank some juice and chilled, watched some T.V. Then I was off to one of my many mothers relatives house. This mother her name is Hawa, she works for Peace Corps and is responsible for finding us families during training, she is sooo AWESOME, hence I made her my mom. She has relatives in the town I’m leaving (her husband’s family); this house I’m speaking of right now is of the man that is now the head of her husband’s mom’s household, since her husband is dead. (I hope that was clear).. Again I sat there for a while; I told them I already ate so I could not eat anymore. Then next I went to my mom (Hawa’s) mother-in-law’s house.  

So everyone kept saying I was expecting you earlier to eat with us, you were suppose to spend the fete with us (hmm I already have two households to juggle). Then you MUST stay for dinner. Hawa’s mother-in-law was EXTRA, SUPER mad at me. She said she had been expecting me way before now. I was supposed to spend the day with them and eat and be there till I was ready for bed. Yea I guess she has the right as she is my grandmother, lol.

After spending some time with them, and it was also EXTRA hard to leave that house, harder than normal, I went to my predecessor’s supervisor’s house (she could have been mine too, but she retried this year.). My “brother” (Hawa’s so, he down here for school) and his friend dropped me off. There I ate again. Their sauce had fries in it. It was YUMMY… again I hung out for a while and her son told me he would take me out to town to see how it was at night during the fete.

So I came home and the son picked me up from my house. Hmmm the whole time, since I agreed to us going out, I was scared, it was just sketchy. I’m not sure if he’s sketchy, as I don’t know what, or who to trust here, what are his alternative motives, etc, and that was what I kept thinking the whole time out with him. I kept thinking to myself Pam you should not be doing this I hear the voice of our security officer asking, are you crazy?

Then we went to the hotel in town, which is like the hangout spot/bar and we got drinks (coke). AGAIN the whole time I was just thinking what these guy’s motives are. I’m not sure if he is really sketchy or not BUT based on how the conversation went, I was just thinking he is soo sketchy, I hope he is not expecting anything out of this. Or maybe I’m just pre-judging; hence anything he said would seem sketchy.  After the hotel I thought we were going home but them we drove around and  I was like, where the heck is he taking me. But he was just showing me around the town. Needless to say he dropped me home without a scratch.


This is how I spent my first Tabaski/pray day in Senegal. I still have the food from that lady; I hope it does not go bad by morning, without any fridge. That would be my breakfast. I plan on resting tomorrow. 

My henna

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Reconnecting with the past.

Here in Veligera, I’m not sure if its throughout Senegal, there is fete that the community has, which is called fete de tostan (SP). It is a celebration in reconnecting with the past and teaching the current generation about the past and the culture. The elders of the community think their culture is been lost and the kids have no true idea about their culture. So for a weekend there is a big fete (celebration) for the community to earn the cultures of the past. There is a grand celebration and each tribe does their own thing. It starts Friday and ends Sunday, each day it starts around 9 till the morning. They cook a big lunch each day. The event is organized by the various women’s group all coming together for a common interest. I would be working with these women groups, so they invited me and they did a mini presentation of who I am. They have plays, skits, comedy, dances, etc, all in the name of education and teaching the young people about their culture.

I love this fete. It something exciting, learning about what life use to be like, back in the days and teaching the kids how to hold on to their culture while moving with the times and best of all its done in a non-condensing way. It’s done in a fun way that both generations can enjoy. I was part of the fete, I watched as much as the bugs would permit. Because at night I just get spooked about by the bugs and just get under my mosquito net.

They have these women called the pulo rewbe (fulla women)(. They are fulla dancers. They beat on calabash as drums with metal rings and they sing dance and stuff, while saying prayers for whatever event. People can give them money and they dance; it’s like slow motion music. When someone goes to dance they beat the drums really fast. They offered to come play for me and they did it was fun. They came to my house, but they could not play in the compound as it was not 40days after the death of my grandmother, so we did it outside under a big tree. I have a video and if the internet ever allows I will upload it. People in the area came out and watched and dance. Even I did and apparently I’m a good dancer. It was sooo fun..They prayed for me and my boyfriend (husband here), which here at the time. I am getting soo much special treatment here, when people finally believe I am American. 

I am now EATING. YAYAYAY

The food is good. SOOO much better than what I had during training. BUT that was a long fight too.

Let me explain…….SO the guy before me, ate at our mom’s and dad’s house. AND THERE FOOD well lets just say it’s not up to par and I would have been doing all my cooking or just starve if I had continued that tradition. That was the original plan, make all my meals. BUT my dad was NO you have to eat with us, Amhed did (the guy I replaced). They do that here a lot do comparisons between the previous volunteer and the current one. This did that and that you should do the same. NOOOOOOO we are two different people and that was after two years of living here. Okay, so I made up my mind that I would just take a couple of bites and then eat in my room.

THEN one day, I tasted the food at the compound I am living and it was AMAZING, compared to what I’ve been having, so I was like why don’t I just eat at this house. This BECAME A BIG ISSUE….. I spoke to my dad, he was like talk to your mom, that family cannot afford to take care of you, I take care of them and I am thinking of cutting them off since my mother-in-law is deceased.

And mom was like well I am in charge of you Peace Corps gave volunteers to me, you are my responsibility, I am your mother you have to eat here and they cannot afford another mouth to feed.

Well..(all this in my head)… you are not my responsibility I am on my own, the Peace Corps gave us to the city and not you alone, usually we eat where we sleep, the other guy only ate there because he was living in your compound before, and I do make contribution, so they can afford to feed me. Your food is not up to par. Plus that family eats better than you, they can cook, they are not as poor as you think, at least they have fish every day and meet at least once a week and with you I’m lucky if I see any fish. Yet again poverty for them is measured on a different scale. Who has the T.V. is richer. I say who can eat better and can afford vegetables and meet in their bowl is richer.

ANYWAYS, long story short after about a week of going back and forth and getting another volunteer involved all was resolved. I now eat where I sleep and the food is good. DON’T get it twisted it’s not AMAZING for American standards… but it is AWESOME and better than what I would have been getting.

My New Family/Town

I am now Kadiatu Camara. My permanent site is Velingara.  It is all the way in the south, SOO far from Dakar and closer to the Gambia. It used to be spelled Weligara, which means a good place to come. BUT apparently it was changed by the colonizers because they could not pronounce it.

I have two moms, the 1^st wife and I guess my mom is called Asatou. She has a different last name than me; as wives keep their last names and the kids take the last name of their dad’s. My dad is Saliou Camara. I have five siblings; one is in Spain, the eldest, and one younger brother. I don’t live in the same compound as this family. I live like two blocks away at my mom’s sister’s compound. Where I guess my grandmother use to be, and she died a couple of days before I moved in. (Thank God). I know that may sound cold but I don’t want to be around for family funerals, it’s kind of awkward.

So at my compound I have my aunt and her kids and I called them brothers and sisters too. It is kind of hard knowing how people are related here, as everyone calls each other, mom, sister, brother and dad, or uncle.

I have my own bathroom and a backyard next to the bathroom, which is my kitchen. I have a well and a tape in my compound. I use the well water to shower and other household needs. And I use the tape water to drink, cook and wash my face, I think the well water is making me breakout. There are fishes in my well which makes the water taste bad. The water has been contaminated and it would become worse when the fishes die in there. I guess we would cross that bridge when we get there although my family does not seem to be bothered by it. I have suggested they take the fishes out but they say no. I have huge bed. Bigger, than normal beds. Thanks to my predecessor, who left it for me. Three people can sleep on there comfortable without touch each other both ways. The foam is comfy. It is my refugee and my safety zone.

The family is cool. I like them, although people just keep barging into my room without asking or knocking. ESPECAILLY, the men. I mean even when the door is closed they would just open and come in.

Bugs, rats, rodents and everyone in that family are my new Bffs but I am getting screens put in. Which I think (know) they are over charging me for. I will get to that in a different entry.

I love my aunt she is cool. Although they keep asking me to buy stuff or give them stuff. One thing though Senegalese are SOOOOO indirect, I wish they would be more direct and come out and say what they want or what is bothering them. So instead of asking me Pam (kadiatu) can you buy me this, or I would like you to give me this they would be like, I wish I had this, I want to buy this and my response it “OK”..  Great go buy it then. And they should not know you have something they would always want to borrow it. I just want to ask them, what did you do before I was here people.

I’m having a hard time just telling them NOOOOO because I hate saying no, and I want to avoid as much confrontation as possible but, we shall see how that go.

I love the town, it’s a bit big but small enough for people to still know everything. Electricity is pretty much 24/7 minus a few times. There is pastry shop like a 10 minute walk from my house. There is some okay street food, so they town is not that bad.

Sooooooooooooo this is my new life for the next two years.

It’s been a while

Sorry guys it’s been a while. I have been kind of busy. I have just been trying to learn my new environment, fixing up my room, getting to know my family and seeing where there is potential for work. I have been at my site for about three weeks now, since becoming an official volunteer.  Well I am now situated and I have pay-as-you- go internet, which I can use anywhere. SOO here are a couple updates of what been going on.