My Observations

So this would be a page of where I put my  observations of the people and the culture of Senegal. I will be adding as time goes one

You can buy anything how much you want. Just tell the seller how much you have.

Anything that can be broken down, you can buy the amount you want. For example tomato paste, potatoes, cabbage, carrot hair gel, etc. you can just tell the seller, I want $.25, $.50, .$75, etc and they would sell it to you.  

    When cutting onions if you put some on your, hair or forehead the gas won’t affect you

When people say I like this, it means they want it

Lending means borrowing. If someone says lend them this, loan me this DON’T EXPECT BACK

This means don’t borrow anything you would like to see again. This goes for money as well

Privacy does not exist, OH and so goes the name for personal space

Time is mostly marked by the rising and setting of the sun. 

This mean no one is ever on time, than can be more than 5 hours late and they still expect something to go on. When they want to have a meeting they would just say in the morning, before the sun comes up, at night, after lunch and you can interpret this however you would like

People ask you the same thing over and over again. Even if your answer does not change they keep asking.

For example: are you in peace, did you sleep, have you spoken to this person. Whatever it make be they ask it more than 2 times in the same conversation

People like stating the obvious

For example: you came back, its warm, its cold, there are a lot mosquitoes, you are singing, you are reading… whatever the case maybe they just say what you are doing

Having rats and cockroaches around your house/room is OK.. BUT they are soo terrified of lizards

Cooking, eating and God know what else can be done in your room. Hence the rats and cockroaches

Don’t drink while eating, but if you must you have to get  up and do so

Using your left hand for anything in public is forbidden

It’s only supposed to be used for the toilet, so left-handed people don’t exist in this culture.

The knees are quite scandalous and forbidden from been shown.. BUT the boobs are ok

Your wraps/skirts should be tied half way up your belly

The television is portable. It can be moved from one place to another

At night people bring the T.V out in their compounds or in the streets so them and their neighbors can watch.

Sugar MUST be the make ingredient in any drink requiring sugar

Their tea, coffee, juice, etc are sooo sugary. Things are just too extra sweet. A kilo sugar, which is over 2lbs last less than 4 days

Maggie/jumbo (MSG) is a must in all their cooking

No matter what going on always answer your phone

     Even in a meeting a funeral, no matter what. No one whats to use their credit

Women keep their maiden name when they get married and the kids take their father's name

When you enter a room you must shake hands with everyone, no matter how many people are there

When you are called to eat you must come, or you would be consider rude.


Vegetables are a sign of wealth. It is not meant to be eaten people don't like it


Please and thank you are non-existent 
     There is not even a real translations for these words in the local language
     People always laugh when I use it


Women were there best clothes to the market
   Sometimes when dress you are not quite sure where they are going, the club or what


Lines mean nothing, they are not meant to be respected people can just cut in-front of you


Costumer service is non-existent. You have to carter to the needs of the vender's and find your on change amongst other things
  Something we take for granted so dearly


Oil is like water and its unhealthy oil too..


You can drive on any side of the road


People will usually talk about you right in front of you, like you are not there
   They would ask other people questions about yourself that you can better answer than anyone else


These people only have two tones. Hot or cold, sad or happy. There is no middle ground


Don't cross Senegalese people, they are extremely sweet, BUT when they get mad all hell breaks loose, all comes tumbling down.

Tea making is a past time here. This is how people  hang out and chill. It takes hours to make and its done a couple of time throughout the day


Events are an all day affair from dawn to dusk. All events like weddings, naming ceremony, baptism, you name it


dd

Be careful not to seat in the sun..its too hot

Hmmmm I don’t notice the difference no matter where I seat it’s still hot, the sun is still burning me