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Quick Update

October was terrible. Every negative adjective applies. I cried almost everyday and spent close to $100 on phone credit calling my family in the US trying to find some comfort in the fact that I wouldn’t be home until April. The only days I felt slightly like myself were Sundays where I would a few of the other Fellows in my area. I spend a lot of time reading in my room, finding it easier to isolate myself from the discomfort I felt when I went out into my community. I love to talk and joke and laugh, and with zero language skills I was trapped and didn’t know how to escape.

November came and I found life outside of my compound. I discovered my older brother, Dioulde, who explained things in a way that I could actually understand. My cousin Issa moved in. He introduced me to his friends who slowly became my friends. I met my first dozen of what turned in to hundreds of marriage proposals. Hugs once again became apart of my life.

December and January flew by. I remember being utterly amazed on the first of both months, wondering how time was going so fast. I was a happily steady 2 months, but it has all blurred together. It got very cold at night, which yes I realize probably wasn’t that cold, but was significantly colder that I ever thought it would get. The evening were filled with terrible Pulaar DVDs. I dropped my cell phone down the toilet. I got sick for the first time. I also began to realize how emotionally attached I was becoming to this family.

February there was a dip. With 2 months left, I strongly considered disconnecting then. I thought it would make leaving in April easier. But instead, I became a daughter. Boussoura started telling me how soon I was leaving. The women’s’ criticism of my love life became more friendly than judgmental. I discovered that while my heart loves it here, my body (internal and external) HATES Senegal. There was a massive wild fire that was incredibly close to burning down a lot of houses in my village but I got to be apart of the organized chaos putting it out.

Now March has some and I am more comfortable and happy than I ever thought possible. The mangos are finally getting ripe. I have the trust of my family and my community. Three weeks left and serious talk of goodbyes and tears have already started. My friend asked me what I want before I leave, and all I want is for time to stop for a while.

Caroline Blanchard

About Caroline Blanchard


Caroline is an elected member of the Peer Helpers group at her school. She is passionate about spending time with children, and helped put together the Christmas pageant at her church. She has traveled around the country and is extremely excited to be seeing more of the world for the first time as a Global Citizen.

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