"Time After Time"

I think it is neat how humans can be surrounded by different languages or different cultures and yet still have a song from their own culture pop into their mind at any given moment. I am also shocked at the many "expressions" we have in English... with teaching English classes I have essentially learned that we speak in "code" and do not even realize it. Perhaps that is an exaggeration... but it is also most defintiely partially accurate.

My work is going well; sometimes it is slightly overwhelming but I am managing. This evening I have a "reunion" with all of the parents of my students in the high school level. I get to share with the parents how I run my class, what my expectations are, and how I am a good professor for thier children. I am not necessarily nervous, but at the same time, there is a lot of pressure considering French is not my first language, I look as if I am the same age as their children, and I am new to the school. All will be well.

I am moving into my apartment today and tomorrow! Alxhumdililah! This last weekend Moussa helped me buy a bed in town and then a cousin of mine (Fatou; she is very sweet and yearns to have more freedom) went with me to the market to buy cleaning supplies as well as tubs for laundry etc. Tomorrow Moussa and I will search to buy a fan because it is still quite warm here and then after that we'll find a small propane tank that I will do all of my cooking on! All is coming along; I should be getting my keys this evening, inshalla!

I am missing everyone quite a bit these days. I am ready to hang up the many photos I carted all the way here to Dakar. Also, I am ready to sleep in until 6am without hearring the goats "baaaaaaa" me "Good Morning!" at 5:30 each morning :)

The older of my younger host brothers, Dany, turned 18 on Wednesday, October 5th and then the next evenign, Thursday the 6th he left for France! He is going to finish his studies there through a program where he will start working at the same time. The house has not been the same since he left. The kids are different and well quite frankly, a little more moody. I understand the situation though; the house is still in mourning. Dany had a presence at the house that everyone, including me, misses. The family is starting to evolve as the children gow up - in the near future Mactar or Mohamed will be finishing their studies and trying to travel as well. I am enjoying observing, processing, and althouth in a different light, experiencing these evolvements of life within the family.

I found out a piece of troubling news this week: Linfield is considering, well more than considering, in the process of terminating the Senegal study abroad program as well as the Francophone African Studies curriculum and professor's position. I, as well as a fez Linfield Alum and current Linfield students and professors, are currently writing letters to the President and the Dean to express the importance of maintaing the program at Linfeld. Please keep this in your thoughts this week... there are expereinces to be had, opportunities to be granted, and human connections to be made through these programs.

I feel as if there are many more items to share but alas, I cannot. I must head off to the parent-teacher conference! Below are a few pictures and there are more to come this weekend!

Cheers,
Lacey

 

Sometimes there are small riots in the road when the power out last for long periods of times - they consist of burning brush in a throwing rock and garbage onto the road for the police to clean.

Sometimes there are small riots in the road when the power outages last for long periods of times - they consist of burning brush in throwing rocks and garbage onto the road for the police to clean.

Moussa and Me at the beach.

Sarah (lively Italian volunteer), Mary (conscientious American student), Mathias (polite and spunky neighbor-boy), Marianne (bright little sister), Mohamed (definite adolescent stage younger brother :), et Me

These next 6 pictures are of the apartment I stayed at during the first week I was in Dakar - it gives you a good sense what apartments for rent are like... my apartment pictures are coming SOON!

salon/living room

salon/living room

cuisine/kitchen

chambre/bedroom

toillette/bathroom

Miss Dean in Dakar

The room falls silent as the students see me enter the room. While I am approaching my desk sitting on the instructor's platform at the front of the classroom, they all stand up next to their desks waiting for me to address them.

"Good Morning, Class!" I say with a smile.
"Good Morning, Miss Dean," they respond politely.
"How is everyone today?" (I always check in with my students)
"We are fine thank you, and you?"
"I am quite well this morning, thank you! (short pause) Alright, you may be seated."

... and that is how I begin my classes each morning.*

 Alas, I once again begin my blogging... again. I am here in Dakar, Senegal where I am teaching English, History & Geography, and Civic Education as well as job searching and volunteering. It is a good life, a spry life.

Today makes one month from the day I left Portland. Goodness, it is incredible how fast time flows around us. During this first month I have began a new job, apartment searched, visited several families here in Dakar, and of course, visited the beach a couple of times. Life in Dakar is as it was yet, with differences here and there. Perhaps the differences aren’t so much that the ways of life or the people here have changed but the context in which I am living my life here has changed.

All is well... and HOT. I find is completely and utterly interesting how often people tell me it is hot here... well not just tell me, but tell themselves and others over and over and over and over again. The climate is extremely warm and humid, especially since we are still in the end of the rainy season so each person I chat with commiserates with me by telling me, "Woa, il fait chaud aujourd'hui!" or "Phoo, dafa tang!"


Slowly I will share with you how my work began, how it was seeing people again for the first time after 7 months, what it feels like walking down new and many-a-time-traveled roads, or how it feels beginning life after studies in a different country. However, as to not overwhelm you with loads of information, here is where I am at:

* Dakar is lovely and terrible at the same time - people, roads, smells, languages, noises - it is inevitable to experience the topsy turvy-ness of emotions but one thing is certain, I still absolutely adore the Senegalese’s culture
* It has been incredible visiting my loved ones and friends... life has blessed me with beautiful relationships in different countries.
* I am starting the 3rd week of teaching here at Cours Sainte Marie de Hann, a large, excellent, private school in Dakar. I have 6 different classes, teaching over 200 students in just 20 hours a week. I have three senior year English classes, one sophomore year English class, one 7th grade English class, and then with those I am teaching History & Geography as well as Civic Education to an 8th grade class in the bilingual program here. I am teaching in the classroom 20hours but realistically I am working between 35 to 40 hours a week. My schedule is still fluctuating, meaning the exact days and hours of my classes keep changing so I hope in the next two weeks it is altered to allow me more time for another job… or a bit of rest.

* All of my students at the high school are bigger than me and at least ¾ of the students in my middle school classes are bigger than me.
* I have found an apartment! Alxhumdililah! However, I still living with my Senegalese family because the apartment is still being built. It should be finished before the 15^th of this month (inshalla)! It is going to be beautiful, I will post pictures soon.

* I cannot post pictures on my blog because at the moment the card-reader in my laptop does not work so I cannot take the pictures off of my camera. I will post them as soon as I can!
* My internet access is unstable - for example, Sunday I was able to find the time to send out a list of emails but the internet was down so I was not able to connect with anyone. Needless to say, please be patient with my communication, or lack there of.

* I am still processing this “life-change” of mine. There are those days where I feel invincible, yet, as expected, there are those days where I feel completely conquerable. Living a life where I feel I belong in more than one place at a time is not exactly easy or simple. Though the most prominently practiced religion here is not my own, I feel the faith around me and it helps; it feels good to be surrounded by loved ones who hold such great faith. By the by, I am blessed to be where I am and thankful for the love and support I receive… it gives me strength when I am missing those in my life in the United States.

* Forgive the typing errors... these damn French keyboards are a bit tricky!

* Lastly, I didn't know it was humanly possible to sweat as much as I do these days :) 

Cheers,

Lacey