transportation

A lot has happened since the last time I updated the blog. Its hard to know where to start, so Ill start with yesterday since it was a very eventful day! I took the car rapide, a taxi, and the bus (Dakar Dem Dikk or DDD)all for the first time yesterday. Let me fully explain what a car rapide is, it is the size of a large van that is painted very colorfully and is the cheapest way to get around Dakar besides walking. Although its called car rapide it is not that rapid but it is definitely lively and almost always full, with people sitting in every seat and people hanging out the back holding on to the outside of the van. During my adventures yesterday using public transportation I really got to practice my French and Wolof that I have learned. I especially got to practice my French on the DDD coming back to campus around 6:30 pm when I got lost and had to ask for directions to get back to the Suffolk University. I would love to say that I wasnt scared and spoke clear and understandable french to the lady next to me when I realized I had no idea where I was but that would be a lie. I asked her how to get to the Université and she explained to me that it was a little further up, expect when we got to the stop she told me to get off I realized I was in front of the wrong university and was totally lost. Thank God this lady was extremely nice and came off the bus with me to help me find my way, we had to take a car rapide in the opposite direction to get back to Mermoz and get off there to walk to my hotel. Mary, the lady who helped me get back home, was so nice to me I wanted to give her a huge hug, but hugging is not common here so I had to opt for a firm hand shake and merci beaucoup! So I guess you are wondering why I was out by myself, huh? Well here’s the story I went to one of the staff members house who was born and raised in Senegal to get my hair braided (by the way it looks amazing!) and on the way there I was with her but on the way back I was by myself, supposedly it was pretty simple to get back but everything still looks new to me so I easily got turned around. But no worries everything is fine, I made it back safe and made some friends in the process.

We just started orientation Monday and I had my first Wolof lesson today. Even though French is the national language of Senegal, one will hear Wolof spoken more often than French especially on public transportation and since I have to take a taxi or car rapide to school everyday I need to know some Wolof. It is a really fun language.
Salaamaalekum!-peace be with you
Maalekum Salaam!-and with you
Nanga def?-how are you
Manngi fi rekk. - I am fine

But even before our official first Wolof lesson we had one last weekend on the beach! And our teachers....little boys about 7 to 13 years old. A much of the students went to the beach the first day that everyone arrived and there were a lot of little kids playing in the water. While we were sitting on the beach a little boy walked up to me and said give me your water and I just looked at him and he repeated give me a drink of water and his friends laughed with him. I just wasnt sure if he was being rude or if he didnt know too much english. So I gave him my water bottle and then they ended up pasting it among themselves so I decided they could just keep it. They sat down with us and started asking us questions in french and wolof, we told them we didnt speak Wolof so they started teaching us words. And drawing pictures in the sand of what they were explaining to us. They were so cute and had a kick out of Americans trying to learn Wolof. I had a little boy tell me he loved me and ask me if I know Obama. So now I cant wait to go back to the beach so I can practice the Wolof phrases Ive learned in class.

Oh, I experienced my first power outrage two days ago! And it may seem weird but I was actually excited, since Ive heard it happens so much I wanted to remember when and where I was when it happened to me first. I was on campus sitting outside in front the ping pong table( by the way ping pong is a very serious sport on this campus) and all the lights went out but only for about 2 mins and then all was well again.

Now off to Wolof class, a beneen yoon! (until next time)