Blogs from Fatick Region, Senegal, Africa - page 4

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Africa » Senegal » Fatick Region » Foundiougne September 26th 2006

An Introduction To Teaching It wasn’t a good start. A weekend in Dakar to try and find some music and dancing turned into a 5 hour journey in a stress position crammed into an “Alham”, exhaustion, headache, fever, chills and an early night. Decided to see a doctor in Dakar as I had some classic malaria symptoms (and my legs had been completely perforated by mosquitoes in my first week). Dakar on a Sunday morning on the first day of Ramadan was eerily quiet - none of the hassle I had expected and no real need for the padlocks on my pockets. Fortunately I had a bout of flu and a chest infection. Unfortunately I felt like crap and saw almost nothing of Dakar other than my hotel room. The eve of the training and I ... read more

Africa » Senegal » Fatick Region » Foundiougne September 22nd 2006

Life with the goats I’ve been in Foundiougne for 5 full days, 3 of them with no electricity, which is ironic since I’m here to teach a group of youngsters how to build, market and sell small solar panels for powering radios, charging mobile phones and charging small LED lamps. Funny, but the first thing people worried about when the power went off was how they would charge their phones if the power cut lasted longer the 1 day “advertised” by Senelec one day before pulling out the fuse. I told Jean-Pierre to take note - big market there for the group once we get started. A big advantage of total power cuts is the night sky. I’ve never seen anything quite like it, not even in the mountains of Italy or California. As Ramadan approaches ... read more

Africa » Senegal » Fatick Region » Foundiougne September 20th 2006

Humidity If you could see this intense humidity the way you can see a dense freezing fog solidify the air on a cold January morning, you wouldn’t be able to see past your elbows. The air has a density that seems to block your pores, fills your nostrils, your lungs, your eyes, your ears and your mouth. Your eyes, if they could penetrate the hot fog, would see a thick cloud of chocking black smoke streaming from the trees, bushes and turgid grass. The flowers belch out their chocking dampness all around you, cleverly disguised with gentle perfumes. There is water everywhere. From my face to the horizon in all directions, from my feet to the tops of the anvil clouds towering above me, pressing down on the saturated air until curtains of dark rain wrap ... read more

Africa » Senegal » Fatick Region » Foundiougne September 17th 2006

The Ginger Starts to Wilt I knew that it was going to be humid. I knew that it was going to be very hot. And I knew that there would be mosquitoes - lots of them. But I really hadn't quite prepared myself for Foundiougne in the rainy season. I remember sitting in the solarcentury office in London back in July as the temperature hit 34.9°C and everyone wilted. I remember trying not to complain, knowing only too well that it was just a gentle introduction to what I’d be facing in West Africa. I probably came across a little smug as my face betrayed thoughts of the adventures that lay ahead for me. Well, to all on the first and second floors of solarcentury in London, I apologise. Foundiougne is my atonement ! It's barely ... read more
The last ferry of the day
Another Storm Brewing

Africa » Senegal » Fatick Region » Ndangane October 21st 2005

We took a sept-place most of the way to the Sine Saloum delta. Me, Luke, and a Senegalese man were shoved into the back row, where the windows don’t open. The men in front of us didn’t open theirs, so there was no airflow. About an hour into the trip we started noticing a really strong exhaust smell, and it felt like hot air was blowing onto us. We asked the middle-row men to open their windows, and we were able to breathe a little better. For the next hour or so, we leaned forward and tried to sit as close to the windows as possible. About half-way to our stopping point, the driver pulled off the road into the Senegalese version of a car repair shop. These shops are all outdoors and consist of piles ... read more
Our guide with a stingray
Luke the fish salesman
Preparing the fish for drying

Africa » Senegal » Fatick Region » Foundiougne January 20th 2003

We visited Foundiougne Senegal to see our son, Aaron, a volunteer in the Peace Corps. This was our first trip to West Africa and what an experience! We stayed in the Billboa campamount and had a private bath with a shower. The beds were hard but we slept well. The food they provided was great. It is truly amazing what they can do with such little resources. We took trips to Kaolack, the only ATM in the area and this is a cash society. We also took a piroque trip down the Foundgioune river to where it empties into the Atlantic. The mouth of the river is approximately 3 to 4 miles wide and reminded us of the Columbia River. This was a very memorable trip, especially when we think back about the lack of safety ... read more
Aaronchild
African Sunset
Greeting the Ferry




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