Pluggin In!

Life, anywhere, is worth living, when it's fun! I'm starting to make those connections that give life so much meaning, and make it enjoyable. Of course, for me, that means spending a lot of time with others. So, a bird's eye view into the last few days: Wednesday early evening I went to softball practice at Ebbet's Field, which is where the U.S. Embassy team practices, of which I am a member. Our first game is Saturday, October 18. I joined with Tom, one of the other Fulbright teachers, and invited my friend Abdoulaye to come, learn the great American pastime and play with us. That night, Johanna and Mariah, two American students from Suffolk University, came over with some of their Senegalese friends and we all hung out until about 1 a.m. Thursday and Friday were workdays, but I stopped by the Elton shop across the street for my daily visit with my friend Ibou (short for Ibrahim) who works security there. Friday night I went with Abdoulaye and Mariah to the French Cultural Center for a concert by Wasis Diop, a famous Senegalese acoustic/world music musician. It was amazing!!! The setting was intimate and his sounds were so authentic and warm. Check him out on YouTube! After the concert, we went to Al-Andalus Cafe to have Lebanese ice cream and smoke the argelah. What a great night! Saturday I went with the Suffolk crowd and my friend Eliman to the National Stadium for the Africa Cup and World Cup qualifying game between Senegal and The Gambia (a neighboring country). The game was not that exciting, for it ended in a 1-1 tie, but there was so much action...Throughout the game was the continuous sound of the African drum, as it reverberated from groups of drummers in several sections around the stadium; it was electric! A gigantic Senegalese flag was passed around the whole stadium in the stands, so everyone could touch it and display it pridefully for the masses watching on television. There had to be about 50,000 excited, screaming fans; it was a sight to see. More on the game in another posting... Saturday night I went out with Zacheria, another newer friend who is the security guard for my building. We went to his house first to meet his friends and family. We hung out there from about 11 p.m. until 12:30 a.m., then we headed out to the club. We were going out to dance "mbalakh" the dance of Senegal. It is a mixture of slow salsa/merengue with spontaneous free expression. There are definite steps and movements, but sometimes it's reminiscent of the Elaine dance from Seinfeld! It too, is a sight to behold. Anyway, we went in a group of five, and danced from 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. before calling it a night. What a blast! I felt badly for Zacheria though, because he had to work at 7 a.m., so he came back to the building with me, grabbed a foam mattress that the guards have in storage, and lay down in the hallway until his shift started. I offered him the couch in my apartment, but he declined. Needless to say, I did not delay in finding my way to my bed. Today, once I got up, I readied myself for lunch at Ibou's house at 1 p.m. Inge, the other Fulbright teacher, and I were picked up by Ibou at 1 p.m., and proceeded to spend the whole afternoon at his house with his family. Ibou is 23 years old and has many borthers and sisters. His father is in the Senegalese army, and is currently serving in the African Union mission in Darfur, Sudan. Ibou's family was wonderful, their hospitality so warm, the conversation stimulating, and the Ceebu Jen (Fish with Rice and Vegetables) exquisite!

There are so many stories embedded in this account that I hope to share soon. What I wanted to express here was that I am developing great relationships with real people who continue to teach me so much and have made my time here so wonderful.
Stay tuned for the black outs, the political crisis, the street riots that I survived, and the heart-wrencher from Zacheria's reality...