Last week and end

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Dear family and friends

Ahhh the last couple of weeks in Senegal have been a hell of an experience. Alas this is the last blog of mine. It is rather anti-climatic in a way. So for those of you who have not heard that is pretty much robbed blind..

So here is the blow by blow of the theft goes like this:

Tuesday, March 22nd, at 8:30pm I went to my favourite bar for dinner with friends, I thought about bringing my laptop with me but thought better of it. When I returned night I went to sleep, thought to charge my cell phone. Alas my cell phone charger was missing.... fuck... So I looked for my other possession. I than noticed that my clothes were EVERYWHERE and was missing all my valuable possessions including:
1 Laptop: Acer netbook
1 Canadian passport
1 Cannon digital camera
1 Backpack
1 Laptop bag
1 Journal filled with all my thoughts, insecurieties and thoughts from the last six months
1 Ipod
1 USB key

For my poor roommates
1 Trumpet
200 Euros in cash

etc
Inaddition
our mayonaise, power bar, and nutella were stolen. Who the fuck steals somone's mayonaise? Honestly?

So the next morning I woke up with no phone credit, almost dead phone, no money, only my keys with my USB key. Made my report with the police, met the inspector who asked some questions than wanted to come to the scene of the crime, with the detective and crime investigator guy, who would look for fingure prints.

Upon entering my abode they found amongst the disturbed evidence, which rendered their fingure prints gear useless, however two smoked roaches thickened the plot... Thus what immediately ensued was a long converstation that yes i am aware that marijuana is illegal in senegal, and that i am deeply sincerely sorry officer, things are already bad as they are please do not imprison me.

Things got smoothed over, i got a delcaration from the police, i began to peice my life back together slowly. eg borwing money and finishing off all the lose ends.

Since all my identification and source of withdrawing money was gone i had to go to Dakar to get a new passport... Joy, so i had been incessently calling the emergency line in Dakar which persistently kept giving me their voice mail. I finally called the normal line and was informed yes they got my messages and that the women who takes care of the emergency line was apparently on vacation.... I am glad the Canadian embassy puts priority and emphasis on maintaining an emergency line in Senegal Africa, i am impressed by their dedication to such a worthy endeavor.

Off to dakar I went, I arrived monday afternoon, the normal 4 hour taxi trip, took 7 hours instead with a flat tire and heavy traffic getting into Dakar. So by the time i got to Dakar, at 16:30 i was not able to get to the Embassy as it closes at 17:00.... Sigh.

Fortunately some friends of friends gave me a contact to stay with who i called and got a free place to stay at. Rose nice an early to get to the embassy, arrived at 8:30, I talked to several unhelpful officials through plexiglass, slept in uncomfortable chairs, got passport photos, waited for hours, chated with other disgruntled canadians about the poor service at our embassy, i finally got to talk to someone in their office! paper work was filled out, signed, strings pulled and i was finally on my way to getting a passport!


So causing as much as fucking hell and headaches to my consular which has been the main source of amusement for all the pain and hell of lossing the passport etc. Despite it all i am got a passport and leaving Senegal in one piece alive.

Dakar on the second round i have to say was much nicer. having no money to spend meant that i did not spend alot of money and saw some neat beaches and some what interesting parts of town.

So I am now back in Canada, very jaded and cynical. feel free to ask me any questions about Senegal or Africa for that matter, however if they are broad, vague epherial questions like how was your trip and what did you do, my response will be equally banal, eg It was good, I volunteered. So please for the love of god, do not ask me to recite my entire trip... I just do not have it in me.


Thus this me signing out, there will not be another blog anytime soon. Alas i wish things did not have to end this way, loosing the laptop and journal really took out the zeal i had for writing this blog. I hope everyone enjoyed my, long, at often times meandering blog.

Hope every thing is well and going well.

Cheers
Jan

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Comments

[Mør]

Hmm
Interesting how via the phone calls and texts I got the edited version- re: police finding incriminating evidence! Good call, as I think I would have gone completely over the edge.

[Wolfgang Hofmeier]

Sympathy
Sorry about your bad experience. I am going to visit Senegal in January and February. What town were you staying in when you had your stuff stolen?

[Jan Jones]

Now that you are in Senegal
I had my stuff stolen in Saint Louis, but I was living there which is quite different from travelling. I personally recommend the South of Senegal, by the Cap, which I found to be beautiful, also if you get a chance, let one of the locals take you to Touba, it was one place that I regret not going too. Anyways sorry for the horribly late reply, enjoy your trip and the Taranga!