http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Africa , Senegal en-us Sat, 30 Aug 2008 13:59:02 BST Sat, 30 Aug 2008 13:59:02 BST Tomorrow Im leaving for Saint Louis. Which means getting out of bed at 5.30 to get a car and probably travel about 6 hours for a distance of 200km. Yeah right without airco of course and in a car where we would get in with 5 people only that here there are 8 people if there are children even more travelling like this. Seems like funI will join the holiday camp and stay with them and com http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/blog-316876.html Humdeedum... I feel like I should update this thing pretty regularly so I shall cover the past few days. And I just realized that only one day has passed since I last posted so it just goes to show how much I'm doing hereI cannot believe its only been 3 daysToday we had our first Survival Wolof class in the morning which was interesting. Its definitely unlike any language I've ever tried to s http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/Cape-Verde-Peninsula/Dakar/blog-316616.html Alright Now that I've been here for a day I am ready to blog I've been in Senegal since 5 am on Sunday and it feels like I've been here a week... its hard to even know where to start The actual plane ride here was pretty uneventful although leading up to it was fairly stressful. I forgot my proof of vaccination packet at home I know predictable and realized it half way to New York... FREA http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/Cape-Verde-Peninsula/Dakar/blog-316425.html Enjoy http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/blog-316383.html Yeah I really start to get the rythm now. Have made plans and I am now experiencing what you can really do being a single white woman in Dakar. Seems that you can get out of your appartment actually if not by night... and that you're not that handicapped that I thought. Ok thursday it rained that much that I actually spent the day home reading but yesterday I got really active and went to http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/blog-315365.html Yeah right went to a game yesterday. Nothing special you think Well.... Dont forget Im in SenegalSo I went to the big stade here in Medina. To watch the game of one of the neighbourhoods of Dakar where I have many friends. Cause here in Dakar every hood has its own sports commission and those guys are really busy especially during summer they organize a lot of activities. As a competition http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/blog-314662.html Here I am again. This time from a Cyber in Guediawaye where I spend the night tonight. Cause at Medina theres no electricity since yesterday evening...Spent the weekend at Khady's my best friend here in Senegal. So far I hadnt even found the time to see her just to tell you how busy I was... But now I realize that I finally get some peace and quiet. Spent the whole weekend being lazy sleeping http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/blog-313626.html I am officially workless. Feels strange. In fact a lot feels strange here I must say. To be honest I quite missed some really typical EuropeanLuxembourgish things those last days. Dont know why. But really coming home in the evening realizing that there is no water and no electricity for the 3rd day in a row and being forced to go to bed early as it is too dangerous to leave the appartment on http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/blog-312425.html Last week I left the city again for 3 days. This time the journey wasnt that long went only to the Petite Cote to the village of Toubab Dialaw. Not much to see there but I had an amazing lodge where I stayed. Built by an old Frenchman artist poet and really really special. House made out of shells and mosaics. I enjoyed the huge garden and the great food. And of course being next to the s http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/blog-310793.html ... from the trip we made to the Iles du Saloum. Reallyreallyreally supergreat Only nature fabulous campement quiet and no stress. And I saw flamingos and other birds unbelievable Now I am back I finished working with the women today. Feels strange... Was a great last session I liked it and I will miss them. Now I have to see how to continue. Whether write my thesis or travel or see some http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/blog-309019.html Hey guysMy African adventure is coming to an end. My last month here I have been feverishly trying to see as much as I can of the country before I return to the good ol' U. S. of A Last weekend I took a trip to Bandia animal reserve which is a bit more than an hour's drive outside of the city. I had such a good time and took literally hundreds of pictures I don't have room to post them all here http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/Cape-Verde-Peninsula/Dakar/blog-308786.html Hoihoigreetings from Senegal where it has rained for the last 18 hours without any stop.I have been out of order for quite some time. It all started saturday in Ngor where I felt dizzy and tired and weak and where I had to get out of the bus immediately and lie on the pathway as my bloodpressure was nearly none existant. I felt shit that evening had 392 fever and a friend whos a doctor told http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/blog-306334.html Ils Du Goree 305s located just off the coast of Dakar though 305t feels l305ke a m305ll305on miles away from the c305ty. Its peaceful and qu305te fresh and surrounded by clean crystal water. The colon305al strustures that have been destroyed around the ma305nland st305ll stand on Goree and make for beaut305ful scenery. The 305sland 305s unfortuntaly famous http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/Cape-Verde-Peninsula/Gor-e-Island/blog-305654.html and from there we hired a pirogue to a town composed of 4 or 5 families one of which called djendollar cause they were rich had a hostel. in two days I knew the whole tow it was as quiet as it gets the stars where everywhere and the river would show r sink the towns tiny beach... I mean you have should see it. really though. I will go back there one day and stay for a month cause it was http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/Lower-Casamance/Cap-Skirring/blog-305592.html and in karabane I stayed one day and if you see the pictures you will know what I mean for paradise cause I was getting close to it. still it was a bit too busy some too many whites too many hostels about 4 too much of a stoner feel to the area... there was a colonial church desolated among the trees to make up for it... http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/Lower-Casamance/Ziguinchor/blog-305591.html then I went to elinkin in a yaganyae a small truck filled and I mean FILLED with people pictures are available of the trip where I had to sit in the roof of it while two french guys were hanging in its back. I got hit by a few branches and one gave me a bruise in the arm that still lasts but thank god it wasnt in the head. elinkine is a nice town by the coast from where I left with the two fre http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/Lower-Casamance/Ziguinchor/blog-305587.html first I went to oussye a city in the middle of the jungle. its suppoused to be the capital of the department and the sorcerer of the region lives here a dude called atabo whose son I met cause wazs a good friend of pablo my friend in dakar got it everythign is green full of baobabs and fromagers huuuuge trees amazing ones. and therere mosquitos with malaria everywhere and you can breathe http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/Lower-Casamance/Ziguinchor/blog-305573.html few of you may know that I have a good friend living in dakar and even fewer that his name is also pablo. only a few will understand if I say that my visit to dakar wazs very pablo a mix of cigarretes stress and confusion wirlwind of headaches and cool chats ov er beer. I only stayed there one day no pics it was too fast for that... but someone took one that I just received on my mailbox.this http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/Cape-Verde-Peninsula/Dakar/blog-305556.html so it must be about ten days I havent updated but black africa is too intense for stoping and posting. also internet speed blows so its pain...well saint louis was fun and relaxd I got there with a spanish guy that I met up again by chance in the boat to casamance from dakar. we got there from nouakchott with two french dudes one of which was crazy and scary enough for me to smile and nod at http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/Saint-Louis-Region/Saint-Louis/blog-305551.html ... since I last wrote. Heike and Door friends from school arrived. Theyll be here for 3 weeks and together with them I went to see the Lac Rose. Well he wasnt actually pink that day but it was really impressive to see how hard people have to work to get the salt out of the water. Of course we floated on the lake a special experience.Yesterday it rained again. This time water entered my be http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/blog-302814.html Travel is so easy in South East Asia. Generally you arrive at the bus station buy a ticket and have a cushy air conditioned drive to where ever. Not in Africa. There is little to no public transport in many African countries so most travel is done using 4WD vehicles or septplace taxis French for 7 seats. That's 7 people crowd into a little wagon that seats 7 5.5 people. On first glance http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/Saint-Louis-Region/Saint-Louis/blog-302248.html I know as soon as you read that title you thought I got married LOL. Not quite But I did finally get the chance to check out a traditional Senegalese wedding. Social events like weddings and baptisms are HUGE here. Weddings typically last all day long and well into the night with festivities being held at several houses or even entire neighborhoods Muslim couples generally have a brief ceremo http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/Cape-Verde-Peninsula/Dakar/blog-300023.html We're quite far behind on our blog entries. If we have had internet it's been painfully slow so pictures have been pretty much out of the question until now.It's hard to know where to begin describing Senegal. I regret not taking a tape recorder and as much as I don't want to smell many of the scents of Dakar ever again it would be an effective way to convey some of the chaos that is Senegal. A http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/Cape-Verde-Peninsula/Dakar/blog-298408.html Here are some small movies so you get an impression about whats going on here. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/blog-298371.html Ok now I finally have a plan for work. Today I am seeing the children of Daara Hamo for the 3rd time. In total well be together 8 times with a big party at the end.Monday I will start with Enda Sante and the prostitutes too. I will work with 2 groups seeing each of them twice a week for 2 hours. We will sing dance play the djembes. Group leaders and leaders of the organisation will particip http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/blog-297033.html You should know thatthe suburbs of Dakar the capital of one of the more developped African countries was without any water supplies for 3 daysI was at 2 weddings but I never saw the groom. In fact I assisted two huge parties for the bride. Great isnt it girlsAt the 2nd wedding the lights went out when the bride finally came. No electricity. After having waited for her for hours. You think http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/blog-297032.html Here they are. Not so easy to get them online... http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/blog-297025.html ...they will suprise you with yet another thing you didnt expect. I had to stop my project in one of the Daaras as parents came all way down from the villages to the capital to take their children back home. With my instruments I did something which is not good for a Muslim although I had the Ok from the responsible of the school. It broke my heart but I had to remove the instruments... Apparent http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/blog-296065.html Monday and yesterday were my first days with the kids. Sorry that I cant put any pics online but this computer just is toooo old... next time then 039cause I already took more than 200 pictures... I have to find a solution for that the harddisc of my laptop just doesnt take it...Finally I039ll work in 2 schools. Monday and wednesday from 16 to 19 and tuesday and thursday from 17 to 19 http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/blog-294370.html We had originally planned to return to Dakar on Wednesday but it was so relaxing in Saly Niakhniakhal we ended up staying until Friday. I was scheduled to fly to Malawi on Sunday morning so by Friday we had no choice but to head back. I spent most of the last day swimming in the fabulous Petit Jura pool then around 4pm we caught a septplace from Mbour to Dakar. The city was ringed by its us http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Senegal/Thies-Region/Saly-Niakhniakhal/blog-293889.html