Oklahoma, boubous, and cheesecake!

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Ever since I met her three months ago, my dear friend Sarah has been reminding me that her beloved state, Oklahoma, would be celebrating its centennial during our stay here in Dakar. While my pride in being an Ohioan is slowly growing, I can most certainly assure you that I did not celebrate its bicentennial four years ago, nor do I know of anyone else who did. Sarah, on the other hand, has had a countdown going and planned a celebration for us to attend. The official Oklahoma Centennial website recommended a pork barbecue, but since it's nearly impossible to find pork in Muslim countries, we settled for a little potluck celebration at Sarah's house.

Since I live in a house without a stove, oven, or microwave, I decided to bring my imported Swedish Fish (thanks, Mom!) and giant bottles of Fanta and Coke. Others who were in a similar situation brought packaged cookies and soda, but two of my friends truly went above and beyond. There are few things that Sarah talks about more than the Oklahoma centennial, and one would be cheesecake. Another Sarah and Andrew decided that nothing was more fitting that two cheesecakes for this celebration, so they made cheesecake à la Senegal. Since you can't find any of the actual ingredients (cream cheese, graham crackers, etc.) here, the cheesecakes were made with imported Moroccan cheese spread, Brazilian faux-Oreos, crème fraîche, and God only knows what else. They baked them in improvised Dutch-ovens over propane tanks, and while they looked terrible, they tasted amazing. After not having eaten anything so rich in three months, we felt so sick after trying both the faux-Oreo and caramel cheesecakes....but it was worth it!

Here in Dakar, looking your best is of the utmost importance. I always feel so under-dressed around young Senegalese women. My Old Navy tank tops, knee-length skirts, and flip flops look so shabby next to the girls at Suffolk University. I decided that there was no better time than the Oklahoma celebration to get a boubou (traditional Senegalese outfit) made. I'm not old enough for a grand boubou (they're reserved for older women), I got the younger, modified version made out of the fabric I bought at the market in HLM. I asked my tailors (my older brother and aunt) to finish it in time for our fête, and they finished all the fittings and alterations in remarkable time. I slipped into my boubou, tied my foulard around my head, and went to eat lunch with my family in the courtyard.

Had I know how positively my family would react to my new Senegalese attire, I would have had an entire wardrobe made starting Day 1 and thrown out all of my American clothes. All of the women kept saying "rafat na! rafat na!" (I like it! I like it!) and they kept telling me how pretty it was. My mama broke out into a HUGE smile and starting chattering away in Wolof (the language barrier between us is still pretty great...but I got the general idea that she is very pleased with my outfit). Even my older sister (who is not the nicest person) told me that I'm "truly Senegalese now." On my way to Sarah's house, the women selling food outside of our park laughed and applauded me. I felt like quite the neighborhood toubab celebrity!

In other news, l'hivernage (the Senegalese equivalent of winter) is starting to set in. It is no longer 33 degrees C (about 91.5 degrees F), instead it is a cool 28-30 (82-86 degrees F). The humidity is nearly gone, and the combination of the two makes it surprisingly chilly. We pull on cardigans in the evenings, the air conditioned auditorium is far too cold for us, and I've had to start sleeping with a wrap skirt as a blanket. I am pretty sure I'm going to die upon my return to Ohio!

Also, my littlest brother, Pape, is back from his long, mysterious absence. One day, he was gone, and when I asked where he was, all they would tell me was "Mungi tukki" (he is traveling) and that he would be back "bientôt" (soon). I still don't know how a 3-year-old travels by himself, and I still haven't figured out the Senegalese concept of time. "Bientôt" ended up being two whole months, but Pape is now home and cuter than ever. I've taught him how to use my iPod, and we spend our afternoons hanging out, chewing gum, and practicing my Wolof while I teach him English. I told his mother that I was going to steal him and take him back to the US with me, and she asked me when I was leaving! haha

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Photos

Maalekum salaam...ça va?
this is probably the reason why my travel alarm clock is broken...Pape thinks it's his "cell phone"

Pape and "his" iPod
he especially likes Sean Paul and Savage Garden, with some Simon and Garfunkel thrown in there!

Comments

[Katie]

Aww. I love the clothing! It does suit you! I have a feeling you're going to be wearing a lot of fun clothes this spring...