A Year of Attaya (Tea)
The first time I tasted attaya I couldn’t finish it. My host brother in Dakar had made it, and even a sip out of the small shot glass was almost overpoweringly bitter and sweet. The first time I finished a glass of attaya was in the house of the woman who is like my father’s…
29 May, 2015
A Society of Women
I approached my community in Joal knowing that I would be faced with gender roles that I didn’t agree with, and I told myself that I would need to stay open minded and respect the culture in place. That’s easier said than done. I found that I could respect people’s way of life, but I…
17 May, 2015
Falou
The first time I saw Falou was on the wrapper of a candy that my father pulled out of his pocket the first day in my home stay, pointing to the picture and saying, This man is a national champion in wrestling and he lives in our town.”
30 April, 2015
Yallah Bakh Na
Since I was about 10, I have been uneasy with calling myself a religious believer because I couldn’t believe that people could be all evil; surely everyone has at least one small beautiful spot in their hearts, and because I grew up with the idea that people always do the best they know how. Therefore…
20 April, 2015
Tis the Season to be a Good Muslim, Christian, or Whatever You Are
The following is a run-down of the holidays I have so far witnessed in my time here. Tabaski Tabaski is a Muslim holiday, which the Senegalese celebrate with enthusiasm.It is the day of forgiveness; each family kills a goat or sheep and friends, family, and neighbors go out to greet each other with an exchange…
31 January, 2015
Our Community
The other day I ran into a guy who I had briefly seen twice before, once in the first week of my homestay, and again about a month ago. He is a student at the University of Dakar, but he spends his vacations in Joal, his hometown. This time when I saw him, he told…
07 January, 2015
In Dependence
The following is an excerpt from my college essay, finalized on October 30th: “When I arrived, I could barely speak, and I still cannot cook or tie my wrap-skirt without help. Nothing has been harder than loneliness and helplessness as I struggle to communicate in French or Wolof or when my mom’s friends laugh after…
12 December, 2014
Joal
I have now been in country for two months and I have made the switch to my final host stay. Although I am going to miss my family in Dakar, I definitely feel like I left off in the best possible way. My two older brother had become some of my best friends, my uncles…
02 December, 2014
Learning to Drink Coffee
It has been a week since I moved in with my Dakar host family. I came home Sunday afternoon to a room full of suitcases, soon to be packed and sent off to France with half of the family. When my grandmother first brought me home, most of the adults were preoccupied with packing so…
11 September, 2014
