A Reflection

The other week I wrote a "reflection" for a sort of memory album my French professor from Linfield is working on for past students and future students participating in the French program. From what I understand, it will be an album to share experiences and help encourage students to participate in Francophone studies and trips abroad. I am not sure if what I wrote will be in the album because I was late in my response but below was my potential contribution.

Studying abroad is one of the most valuable life experiences a person can have. Youth and traveling are a perfect combination; the moments of true self are had and the memories follow you through the years providing you strength when you least expect it.

Perhaps living abroad for an extended period of time is not for everyone, but studying abroad is indescribable. Take a leap, take a chance, do something different to expand your mind and horizons. I found that though studying abroad is for YOU, in the end, it is an opportunity for you to help, educate, share or spread your learned knowledge. Bilingualism is an incredible tool in life. Personally you begin to understand yourself, others, and the world more clearly as other contexts or ways of thinking and speaking are opened up to you.  Professionally, time abroad can lead to professions you had never thought of doing in life or it can take you one step closer to your future aspirations. Seemingly a cliché, your options DO become endless. The struggles you experience or the struggles you see in the lives of others push you to aspire, lead you through your chosen paths, and teach you the realities of life. Items such as ignorance and patience become different concepts to you. You change. You also hold onto what is important to you. As you mold your life, you shape yourself, you build your consciousness.  Pastimes spent with food, art, and music are invaluable; dance moves will never be the same in your eyes. Relationships spark, families expand, love sprouts, and connections fill your soul.

I am about to embark on my second year living in Senegal. For me, studying abroad was not just academic or cultural learning combined with playing and traveling, but it was my time for scoping out a future life in Senegal which essentially meant networking to find opportunities that fit my passions and desires. I teach English and geography at a private French school while interning at two NGO’s concentrated on health, sexuality, and gender issues, volunteering when capable, and as we say here in Senegal, I am simply living Senegalaisement. I still struggle balancing three languages and I still cry after a long day when exhausted and missing family and friends in the United States. I have crummy days. I have excellent days. It’s life. Sometimes I am Lacey Dean. Sometimes I am Khadija Sangaré. Sometimes I am Lacey Sangaré. Blessedly, my life is rich, especially because of my opportunity to live abroad. I am a teacher to make a living, an intern to gain experience for future work and graduate school as well as to empower marginalized groups and educate to lessen ignorance, and then I am simply me… a young, wandering adult of different languages, beliefs, experiences, aspirations, weaknesses, strengths, and love.

Lacey Dean

July 24, 2012

Modeling Fily and Instruments to Sell

One of our cousins has a little clothing shop for men and women where she sells shoes, African tailored clothing, jewelry, bags, etc. She is wanting to make new publicity fliers for her new stock so she asked me to take pictures of some of the different styles of clothing and bags. Fily, a cousin of mine, kindly stepped forward to be the model. Fily is naturally gorgeous and though she was exhausted that day and simply being nice to do the favor, she looked great. The problem during the whole "photo shoot" was that we did not have a place to take the photos. In my opinion next to a door with a large freezer in the background was not the greatest spot. However, they said it did not matter and so we went ahead with it. The second obstacle was that Fily is fairly long and slim but the clothes were HUGE! Sometimes two or three of us girls could have fit into one skirt together. Each outfit she wore was pinned up in the back or held by her hands in her poses. We were cracking up the whole time, sweating in the heat of the afternoon and exhaustion of Ramadan fasting. Thankfully I had Yaye and Ndambo (two cousins) helping us in the room picking out bags and necklaces to go with different outfits as well as pining up Fily. It was a random, fun experience. I just thought I would share some of the pictures to show people some of the clothing styles here. 

Oh, and then after our "photo shoot" someone in the house brought in different African instruments they are selling so they asked me to take pictures for their fliers as well. Moussa and cousins Chiekh and Mamadou posed for the photos. It was a hoot!

Asmao's Birthday Party

Last month I helped with the birthday party for one of my little cousins, Asmao. She turned 10. Here is a glimpse of her party:

Birthday suit! Party hats and.....

 

dancing for hours!

 

Uncle Bakary, in the blue striped shirt, was quite consistent on the dance area with all of the older cousins AND of course Aunty Fataye, Asmao's mom.

I was cracking up at their facial expressions and silly movements.

The terrace filled up with people and MANY children throughout the evening.

Dancing circles with....

.... many dance moves to share....

... each were a little different ...

... with their own spice! It was hilarious.

Me, Cousin Adja, Sister Mamy, Cousin/Aunt Diakhabo

Preparing the dinner in the hallway corridor because the small kitchen is two stories up and ....

 ... there were MANY plates to fix!

Panda! One of the spunky house maids graciously helping us serve all of the guests. We ate tasty sandwiches and  brochettes/shishkebobs after snacks of popcorn and chips.

Birthday song and two cakes! She was surrounded by a lot of people.

One cake had her picture on it. One cake said Happy Birthday. They were absolutely delicious.

Nicholas Kristof and two good films.

GREETINGS! I have been meaning to post this for quite some time but some how it got lost in my drafts... ahem... not that it is normal or an often occurrence for me. Ha.

Anyhooo, take a look at this article written by the very accomplished and well-known writer (journalist, author, and columnist) Nicholas Kristof, who of all places grew up in Yamhill, Oregon. I saw him speak in McMinnville a couple of years ago and it was interesting to hear his voice and responses to questions after having read his works for some time. Though we all have faults, in general I tend to enjoy, or agree with what he writes. Sometimes his statements are strong and he points out ridiculous/unnecessary/backward situations that have major effects, mostly negative, on people. His topics are usually very interesting.

I hope you enjoy his article because even if it is a few months old, it is still extremely relevant.

http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/14/bosco-2012-while-we-hunt-kony-another-indicted-war-criminal-lives-a-life-of-leisure/


NOW FOR THE TWO FILMS:

The Devil's Double - very intense. good. brutal. interesting view to learn.

The Intouchables - good. touching. great laughs.

Enjoy!

Cheers,

Lacey

waxhale ak man (barter with me)

How I get to my internship:

Me - Assalamalekum.
Taxi Man - Malekumsalam.
Me - Ca va? Nga def?
Taxi Man - Mangiy fi.
Me - Mangiy dem le Route de Wahkam. acote de l'estation Elton.
Taxi Man - Chi Mermoze.
Me - Waw. Mermoze
Taxi Man - Chi Mermoze, estation Elton chi kanem
Me - Waw. Nata?
Taxi Man - Mil trois cent
Me - Baxul, dafa cher. Sept cent bax na
Taxi Man - Baxul. essence dafa cher. 1mil franc bax na.
Me - 8 cent bax na.
Taxi Man - (reflection) Waw. Monter.
Me - Merci, ca va?
Taxi Man - Ca va. Naka mo?
Me - Sante yalla.

Anyways... I have a cubicle.

I never thought I would find myself working in a cubicle of blurred windows. Needless to say, the office life is not exactly what I am searching for. However, for the moment I am quite satisfied with my blank, white, one desk cubicle with a cool stand up calendar sharing "12 magical places you need to know about before they disappear!"
 

I have started an internship with the Senegal Regional Office FHI 360 - The Science of Improving Lives, an international American NGO of over 60 offices worldwide. Essentially the NGO works with local governments and local civil societies in health, environmental, and structural support, meaning that they create teams within FHI 360 and with other organizations to build self-sufficiency among local communities as well as provide clinical/physical resources. They have research programs, too.

ME, I am at the bottom of the totem pole... which is just fine considering I stumbled upon this job through difficult networking/ tricky communication access AND I only have a bachelor's degree which does not necessarily help one to work in an NGO when positions in most offices require at least a master's degree. So, at the moment I am an intern with the Health Program of FHI 360 Senegal here in Dakar. My task is to create the website for the three FHI 360 sectors in Senegal. I am constructing the structure of our website (our including the three sectors of FHI 360 Senegal) and then after I create that base for the three I will write and create all of the material for the Health sector. This means that I am making the entire FHI 360 Senegal website and then all that the two sectors aside from the health have to do is write their material to put in the template.

My supervisor wasn't in the office the last two times I was there and then last week I took the day for grading for Mariste so the direction of my project has been lacking. However, this Wednesday I had a great meeting with my supervisor which included me printing and presenting what I have created so far and him tearing it to pieces for edits. It was a great meeting though because it finally gave me a concrete direction, he validated my solid work, and essentially realized that I can do no more until he connects me with the information I need. It is incredible the amount of knowledge I am going to have to consume... well.... not necessarily knowledge but almost every detail of FHI 360 Senegal from 1990 when it started to now.

In the end, I am hoping this leads into or at least links me to a job within FHI 360 or another organization. You know networking... it is the golden ticket.
 

Here is the current link to the Senegal homepage of FHI 360 to show what the current website looks like. If you have time it could be interesting to fish around a bit to see what is there and how the structure of the sites work and then once I am finished with the websites I will give you the links so then we will be able to what I created/ changed/ replaced.

 http://www.fhi360.org/en/CountryProfiles/Senegal/index.htm

Cheers,
Lacey

8 months

I have been in Senegal for 8 months. Time passes incredibly quickly. For me, when I feel I need a recap of what I have been doing with my life for the past few months I look through my photos. Not only do I enjoy seeing the beautiful colors and faces of life around me, but each moment we snap in the pictures holds feelings that transfer through your body each time you look at them. Here is a glance at a piece of my life in Senegal.

Family

 Cousin Fily

Cousin Bebe - amazing cook.

Brother Papi and Sister Souho

Cousin Ousmane, Brother Cheikh, Me, and Friend/Cousin Serigne Thiam

Suma Yaye - Host mom Ndeye Coumba

Sister Ndeye and Niece Mousu Diarra
 

Senegalese News Reporter and cousin Mamadou Awa


Senior Year English Class Field Trip

One of the most difficult classes I have in terms of behavior and discipline - but there is a lot of diversity and attitude among them which can be refreshing outside of class.

Trip to Touba for the Magal Touba Holiday

One of the biggest mosques is Senegal. It was PACKED during the holiday.

Me, Mamadou, and Mamy just before we visit the mosque.

Moussa and I after the mosque experience.

A bunch of little boys who wanted to take pictures with us gathered around a friend of ours outside of the house we stayed at in Touba.

While driving in the roads full of hundreds of people we randomly spotted a house maid of Tanty Fataye that dreamed of leaving to join the army so she left Dakar one day to try to follow her passion. It had been months since they had heard from her and they had always wondered what happened to her so when they saw her the car exploded with joy. We all jumped out quickly to snap hugs and photos - it was very emotional and a beautiful moment. Everyone was smiles.

Cousin Ma Bintu Visiting From France

Cousin Ma Bintoou

She's a hoot!

We went to the beach for late night calamari and clam sandwiches!

Trip to Toubab Diallo

Lovely weather - not too hot, but warm and sunny with a breeze and lovely sunsets.

Lots of card games...

 ... and rock climbing...

... and eating!

Happy Easter! 

Cousin/brother Mamadouuuuuuuuu! (sama vrai xarite!/my true friend)..... and neighbor Alassane popping in for a hello.

Brother Cheikh - great humor. Fun and philosophical all in one!

Usual praying on the terrace.

Pretty cousin Yaye, cousin Mamadou and cousin Ousmae - we were all visiting before dinner watching Senegalese traditional wrestling on the TV.

Brothers eating Ngalla (delicious peanut-buttery dessert) thanks to the Christians who are known for the best Ngalla in Senegal and who happened to give a few generous buckets.

Late night of cards and tea... our standard for a good night.

Mariane's Birthday Party

From right to left - me, sister Mariane and then little cousins Fatima, Papi, Khadijatou

They all (about 12 children) danced for a long time!

 VERY excited for some cake!

Her own birthday cake with her name on it too!

... and of course there are the many hours spent on Skype

An uncle gave us a gourd lamp. Love it.

I now have a bike. Alhumdoulilah.

Biking tales in Dakar are to come in the near future...