Hello Friends,
Wow! We are really back in Africa! It feels funny in some ways; we wanted it for so long, it is hard to believe that we are actually here. Well, first off, we did not receive DJ’s passport in time for the family to travel together, so I left with Keagan and Kaijah on the 26th of March, and Djibril stayed behind with Leila and DJ. They arrived on Easter morning so we were able to hold Easter Bunny festivities together.
Kaijah’s first comment at the airport was that Dakar was very busy and noisy. If you have ever been to an airport in Africa you can see the truth in that statement…people jamming articles in your face with the hope that you will start shopping at 4 a.m. after a 28 hour journey (layovers included), and people trying to change money, carry your baggage and find you a taxi; not to mention those who are just there to beg and not offer any service at all. Keagan’s first comment was that Africa has a lot of sand! It was sad to not have Djibril around for so many of the first comments and discoveries.
Fortunately, my friends Sam and Monica Adeleke along with their daughter Grace moved to Senegal six years ago and have started a church. They are Nigerians but we met in Niger when I started Peace Corps over ten years ago! This gave us a place to go and someone to call to help us get to know the city a little bit. Kaijah and Grace hit it off and the week we arrived was spring vacation so Grace spent many days sleeping over with us. I think this helped Kaijah’s adjustment greatly but Keagan felt somewhat left out until he met Maurice. Even though Maurice does not speak English like Grace does, Keagan proudly announced, “We’re wrestling mom, we’re learning how to communicate!” Boys will be boys…in any language get two of them into a pile of dirt and you’ve got friends for life!
The second day here we hired a taxi and toured the city. Neither of them had ever been in a car without car seats and seat belts so what a grand adventure that was! I spent the majority of the tour praying as there seem to be no actual rules or traffic laws. They operate on what seems to be a ‘pray and gun it’ sort of driving technique; with the occasional hand gesture enthusiastically offered. We saw the ocean front, the horse riding club and the American Club. The next fun adventure was the first trip to the market. Both of them were amazed at the noise, the sheer number of people shoving stuff in your face, the foul smells, and the massive colonies of flies!
Apparently the office here did not know that I was coming, so there is nothing prepared for me. Thus far, I have no computer, no email address, no office, no house and no car. But, on the upside, the first two weeks were largely holidays so little was expected of me. The head of the HR dept was traveling, but returned today so I hope that things will begin to move along. In spite of all that, the people at the office have been very nice and accommodating.
Djibril and I will look at some houses today; housing is a bit of a challenge in Dakar. The prices are very high and the housing is very limited around the schools. The children started last week in Dakar Academy and they seem to be doing well and enjoying it. It is a private Christian school. In chapel the first day Kaijah volunteered for the drama and DJ came home eating his lunch and said he talked too much at lunch time and didn’t have time to eat. Keagan sleeps with his picture of Miss Chlapowski and is having quite an adjustment, but seems to like Ms. Barnes and is not too traumatized over being in the same class as Kaijah. There are a set of twin boys in their class as well.
We are staying in a furnished apt with a very aggressive mouse and a lot of other critters as well. The first day Leila arrived, she came into my room with big tears in her eyes and a pouty lip exclaiming, “Mommy, I’m scared; there is a mouse in our house.” She was the first one to see him, poor baby. Easter morning, I was cooking breakfast, and the mouse mounted the cabinet beside where I was cooking and looked at me as if to say, “I’m fighting you for this bread!” Of course, I lost it, and Djibril was called, but instead of jumping into action to hunt down and kill the mouse, he picked up screaming Leila instead. We have put out all kinds of traps but I guess African mice are not only aggressive, but clever as well; since he has yet to be caught.
This weekend we spent shampooing and spraying beds, linens and furniture as we are all full of bed bug bites!
You ready to come and visit? Ha! Africa isn’t for sissies!
Djibril is completely cracking me up. Everyone here says I am more African that he is. He is making comments about the world around him with a very American perspective. Kind of like when I was first I PC and everything was strange. He is the one who doesn’t want to get in a taxi, go to the market or eat the food. I think it will take him a while to adjust again!
Well, once we have a vehicle and a house, I am sure things will be better. Djibril and I will be house hunting a bit this afternoon, and we hope to be settled by the first of May. I am due to go to a meeting in Niger mid May, so I hope our life here has settled some before I have to travel.
Blessings to all,
Danielle, Djibril, DJ, Keagan, Kaijah and Leila (and mouse)
http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/Dakar/blog-149204.html
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