Setteling In and Visting Gorée Island

Mermoz Beach

Week One: Setting in Dakar, Sénégal

I was so nervous when arriving to Sénégal, but everything seems to be going as planned. I have 39 other students joining me on the journey. I've also met a young lady, who is Ivorian and whom also speaks my native language. This makes me super excited because I kind of feel like I have a piece of home with me. We had orientation this week and it was super interesting. Time is not of the essence in Senegal. Everyone takes their time and its kind of annoying. I kind of feel paranoid because all the orientation leader kept saying was "watch out for your belonging" and "stay together" because there are pick-pocketers. The orientation leader joked about pick-pocketing being the "best profession" Senegal have and if we don’t watch out for our things they be gone without notice. I honestly thought that I was "African" enough to blend in, I guess they can tell that I am a bit more American than African. On the other hand one thing that I started doing was greeting people around my neighborhood. We were advise to do so, because it creates a good security network. So far the people have shown me so much hospitality and I am so happy. The transportation and crossing the streets on the other had is so crazy and not reliable. The Car Rapide (quick car) are not living up to their name at all, they are not rapide at all.

Living with my host family has been good. My host family a so welcoming and I love that. I live my host parent, their daughter, her two sons , an uncle and two house help. By the way one of the house help and I share the same name. I literally came from a country that could not pronounce my name correctly to everyone being named Djeneba. My host sister's two sons are more like the little brothers that I never had. My host brothers are super funny. They touch all my stuff and they want to play with everything. I brought them all gifts and they loved it. My host brothers just asked me if I could buy them a Nerf Gun. They absolutely think that I am rich. Lol. The food is so far great. It was really good. I had their rice (Thiéboudienne ) and it was amazing. It has been super interesting seeing the other students adjust to the cultural shock. I want to ask them more questions about how they feel?, how they are adjusting with eating together with their families? , and having to share everything?. However, I don't think that it's the right time to ask them, I'll just have to wait and get to know them.

Thiéboudienne

Week 2: Gorée Island

I got a chance to go to Gorée Island and it was one of the most beautiful place I've ever been too. It's just hard to believe that this was one of the largest slave ports in the world. I still cannot fathom the idea that many people were taken away from their families and their were villages destroyed, all for the sake of money making. I myself take so much pride in where I come from and if all that was taken away from me; I honestly would not know what to do.

As the tour went on and I got to see the different holding cells for women, children, infants, and men; I began to question morals. Were there no sense of sympathy or humility when ripping families apart? Then having to take into consideration the psychological factor that the people enslaved had endured, just makes me so frustrated. But, the blame can not only be put on the Europeans, it also has to be put on the native Africans.

What I also did not realize is how much France and outside private orginzastion have so much control of the island, even after independence. Our tour guide told us that Senegalese people wanted to add more exhibits that were knocked down when French colony took over the island. However, they can not because the private organization and the French stated that they could not add anything. This not only hinder the learning of outsider but it shuts a chapter of history from the native generation.

All in all, the experience was great experience and vendors were super persistent.

Be sure to check out the pictures and videos please.