Things are goin well. I feel like I’ve got some routines, know how some things work and other logical advancements after the one month mark. We’re in Dakar for two weeks before the next village stay so it’s to and from school everyday, a run, shower, dinner and maybe some homework. 

The cool part is we’re doing art this week! everyday after lunch we go to le Village des Arts where I’m taking Sous-Verre painting (under glass) and am loving it. Not only is it like 2 hours of relaxing creative therapy but I have been praised for my work, what?! Hey Mom and Dad, apparently I’m good at Senegalese art! The artist said “wow that is very nice!” first to mine :) never before or again will my art skills be approved. I think it worked cause I stayed away from all complicated shapes…like humans. I will post the final results soon!

Thursday we all do Batik, which is their traditional art of dying clothes still used and really cool looking. Like…African tie-dye I dare say.

My baby sister has had a cold for a few days now and Mom caught it too. Luckily I’m not around too much and I feel fine! While mom was cooking dinner last night, Amina started fussing so I picked her up and fanned her a bit saying sweet nothings in gibberish. (Side note, it’s really hard to hold her with one arm and fan. As I’ve mentioned she’s a big baby. Wears 9mo clothes at 4mo.) Anyway we stood on the balcony for a few minutes and the poor thing struggling to breathe through congestion fell asleep for all of 1 min on my chest and it was my favorite moment. Here is Amina on my mom’s (Adama) lap with her friend in the background. Note: this friend is deaf and it fascinates me that they sit and talk for hours with no formal sign language. 

Mouhamed started school yesterday and apparently loves it! I know it’s Koranic school but I don’t know if it’s other academics yet, he’s only 3. He put on his new school gear Sat and wore it around the house all night.

I also am stoked about my recent decision for my ISP (the independent project we do that last month here)! I’m looking into NGO’s and the catholic organizations here that work with abandoned and malnourished children as well mothers to teach and help with nutrition, health and sanitation needs. I’m hoping to basically work with them for the last month here conducting research through participation. This is thrilling to me. I might make a trip back to the sisters in Saint Louis to get more details/help with their Goût de Lait (taste of milk) dispensaire. Originally I had thought of researching the spirituality behind music which would still be cool, but this new idea gets me pumped.

A group of us went to l’Institut Français downtown last night to see their showing of Midnight in Paris, a recent American film apparently. The movie was naturally a sub par romantic comedy but it was fun to escape for 90minutes into a world of paved roads, Parisian sights and it was in English so required no language brain power! There were lots of French people there, it was like a Toubab reunion. We got ice cream right before at N’ice Cream(Ha!) which I did not complain about. We were kinda funny walking around with our backpacks and ice cream, total “hey look at me I’m a Toubab!” moment, but I embraced it. Plus they had sweet ice cream trashcans.