So what now?

Do you ever have the sudden realization that life really is as scary as all the cynical adults made it out to be?
Is the worst part of a break-up speech the other's "It's not like we'd get married" ramble?
Do you suddenly worry that the dog is going to get in the chocolate or that your eating too much bread?
Do you worry that you've only changed for the worse?
That your childhood is over?
Do you know how pretty your babies would have been?
Do you worry that you're not going to get that apartment,or pay for those bills, or those loans, or those rental fees?
Do you ever have the realization that things suddenly got a lot harder along time ago, and only now are you losing the energy to run down completely, and now you need help?

Well, go ask for it. I'll give you a hug.

My first cigarette in 7 months

So, a pack of cigarettes are about $1.50 (for the fancy ones), which makes it oddly tempting to buy them. So I did. Hypocritical, I know, but the cigarettes just taste better here. like...cheaper and earthier... :D

And now, more photos that I like:

This being the 'homesick week'

As I was told would happen, this week, the Wednesday of my stay in Dakar, was one of the longest of my life, and Aunt Flow will be visiting soon. TMI, I know, but it just sucks.
I've realized, in the last few weeks of being generally sickly, exhausted and overly medicated, I've realized that I really love Dakar. I really love being relatively competent in a city in which I barely speak either of the two main languages.
Hell, I love being in Africa.
...I don't love not living by myself.
That;s just how I am. Even back home with my own family, I'm generally less satisfied with life when I can't run around naked and stream videos at 4 am and eat nothing but peanut butter for days on end. It makes me feel like I actually have to behave myself, living with a family. And my goodness, it is exhausting. It doesn't help that all of my host siblings are older than me, work all day, and just seem generally annoyed with my presence. It's not much fun there.
But Dakar, as a place, my house, my street, even my family, when they don't seem to hate me, I love.
But at this moment in time, I'm anticipating going home on the previously scheduled time, in 7 weeks time. I half-heartedly look forward to the cold weather and schedule-less January.
Most of all, I look forward to seeing your lovely faces :)

Match du football! Gooaaalll!

Went to my first Senegalese soccer match au stade. It was everything you a imagine an African soccer match to be like. The pep band consisted of djembe drums and shakers, I shit you not, and they played almost constantly throughout the whole game, making it that much more fun and exciting. People also danced much of the time, and I think 4 people were carried to an ambulance for passing out, either from excitement or dancing or both!
There were several guards in full on riot gear, shields and helmets included, though most wore their berets. THis is due to riots ensueing after games in the past, I'm told. Fecking awesome.
I can see how this would happen. Many arm gestures and angry yells in Wolof, surely to be cursing the refs or the players or life.
My group was the only one that consists of Toubabs or more than one woman, but nobody takes obvious mind, and we eat amazing baobob juice in a bag

to be continued with more time

Land of the sun, the sweat, the mousquite

First blog from the land of Senegal, and here is what I've done so far!
-Lightning storm over atlantic! At night! It was amazing
-Found hotel in suburbs of Dakar, got lost in suburbs of Dakar, found that downtown Dakar has nicer sidewalks, but are overcrowded.
- Ate meat...what looked like parahna and tasted like chicken
-Fallen in love with instant coffee, surprisingly
- Mistook the mosque calling people to prayer at 5 am for coyotes, proving that I'm SUPER American.
- Realized that my french isn't all that great
-Haggled for fabric
-Got the nickname 'ZZ' from my host Papa, which apparently means "Little Dick" (thanks for letting me know, Fifi)
-only 5 bug bites and no sunburn! (kaar, which means 'knock on wood')
-Has a little baby named Seda following me around :D
- Watched much One Tree Hill and CSI dubbed in french
-Ate Obama ice cream, which is, of course, chocolate.
-Went to a Senegalese wedding reception and realized that I, in fact, cannot dance (the toddlers had more natural rhythme than me, lol)
-Realized that my natural time keeping is with the Senegalese
-Realized that I will live as a Toubab ('whitey', not at all derogatory too) in a strange land for four months....I'm not scared. :)
- Missed everyone
- Going to Goree island tomorrow!
-Going dancing later!

will have a better blog in the coming weeks when I spend more time at the center and can use the wifi more :)

Still miss everyone..I hate to say it, but I already can't wait to be back home just so I can see everyone. But I can't miss you without being gone!
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Going to a land just over...the ocean, that is.

Alright, so here I am, first leg of my semester long journey in a new place with new faces. Stay informed, I'll do my best to help.
<3

I have high standards....

-People that misspell 'taking', 'making' etc, to a point where it is just confusing...

-People that use the wrong their, they're, there, which, witch, here, hear, your, you're, to, too and even two, waste, waist, (oh yeah, you better believe that this happens) and so on and so forth.

...fourth and forth....oye

-People who are convinced that they are right despite the fact that they haven't done any research for whatever it is that they are arguing about, or the only sources that they researched are from unreliable sources, a.k.a the community of other people who haven't done their research...a.k.a the community of Angry Stupid Liberals/Conservatives (there's no difference between the two ends once they're Angry).

- People that are self-proclaimed 'eccentric', 'unique' and of course, "too smart to 'get'". Generally, they fit with those listed above, grammar mistakes and all.

to be continued....