Community: week 1

Dancing at a baptism

Community is a big and heavy word, so I didn't know what to quite expect when our "community based training" began, but after a week I have grown to appreciate my new Senegalese community in its many forms.

Lunching with my fellow language trainees

A big piece of my new community is adopted host family.  I was dropped off at a house and introduced to my adopted mom, dad, 2 grandmas, 2 aunts and many new siblings last Wednesday, along with me new name, Nene, pronounced 'naynay'.  There is about 20 of us in my compound and I think I finally have everyone's name down - although I still mix up our set of twins occasionally. My family has been a great place to practice my very basic Wolof language skills and also understand more about living in Senegal.  For example, a younger sister has to continually remind me to not lean on my left hand when we are eating around our communal lunch bowl or to always let my elders know when I'm going to class or heading to bed.  Besides correcting my faux pas, the kids have also been great to entertain and take a break from all those pronoun memorizations that I have to do for language training. We made shadow puppets for hours one night and I don't know if I have ever played so much Uno or laughed so much while trying to learn to tie up my hair in a headscarf like my younger sister.  When I am not playing with my new siblings or asking basic questions of my new parents, I am stumbling through Wolof with a few fellow trainers and our wonderfully patient instructor.

This second family, my volunteer family, has been indispensable.  It is amazing to be able to speak to someone without requiring a great deal of gesturing or compare photos for cutest little host sibling.  They are a wonderful group to come back to after an exhausting week of language and cross cultural training and I am so thankful we have a family calling plan here in Senegal, so that even when we are off in our different sites, we can still  support one another.  And sorry, mom, actual family can't be added to our plan.

Made it!

I'm In Senegal safe and sound. After a lengthy flight I couldn't sleep on, we got a bit of rest. Currently we are getting to know our training facility, one another, and instructors for training - all are amazing. We've already started cultural integration with a dancing set alongside drums tonight I'm a bit tired (as you can see in the picture to the left we are ALL tired) and French is rusty but overall a great start :)

Getting ready for the Safari

The Riggs' clan is planning a safari in Africa and I haven't even left the States yet :)

I'll be en route in just a little under 36 hours and in true last minute Lisa form I have a few things left to do. First on the list is a test on Wolof, the language I will most likely be using in addition to French. I've been hoping that listening to basic conversations over and over will just make the language clear to me - not much luck yet. When I'm not repeating "Asalaam Maalekum" (peace be with you, the equivalent of 'hello') I'm out buying those American snacks I know I'm going to miss, ignoring the fact I promised myself I wouldn't overpack.

The excitement of finally going is tempered slightly by all the goodbyes I have had to make these past few weeks as well as the realization that I don't have a Mary Poppins bag.

But while I'm going to desperately miss people and food, I am excited for my journey as a volunteer in Senegal.

Ba beneen yoon - see you next time!