Final Reflections/Family and Friends

My time in Senegal is coming to an end and there are questions which I am asking myself to try to conceptualize what this three and half month experience has meant for me. What have I learned? How have I changed? What will I take away from this experience? How will this experience impact my actions in the future?

Before coming to Senegal I hadn't ever been to a country in Africa. I thought studying abroad Senegal would be an invaluable opportunity which would open my eyes to the realities faced by those in developing countries. I believed viewing first hand and learning about these realities would allow for more development and growth in my own character, rather than time in a first world country like France. I was also interested in improving my French, although this only happened on a small scale due to the fact that most of the time people in Senegal speak Wolof. However, I am not disappointed by how much my French has improved, because I have found that my experiences in this country have not only been extremely informative, but also very self-reflective.

Another motivation for coming to Senegal was the fact that I was ready to be in a country where I was the norm. I explained to my mom that my experience in Senegal was fundamentally different than all of the other students because I am black and I am a male. She appropriately said this was the the only time in my life where that was case because it is black males such as myself who often victims of the many forms of systematic oppression ingrained into our American society. However, in Senegal, the color of my skin and my gender made my transition into Senegalese culture and society much smoother than that of the other students in the program. Some of them deemed the fact that I had an easier time in Senegal as my "Black Privilege". The dichotomy of being the only African-American in an American program, while being in an African country was also truly an experience in itself for me.

My black identity meant that I didn't know how it felt to the be the only "Toubab" in my village/city or how it felt to be called "Toubab" by all of the children. This was something which many of the students found to be problematic and it lent to the feelings of resentment towards the Senegalese understandably. The students were not only being singled out by the color of their skin, but they were also being grouped into one conglomerate under the label of "Toubab", despite their differing ethnic identities. Krishna, an Indian-America , as well as Marcos, a Brazilian, Eura, a Korean-American and Jack a Caucasian-American, were all called "Toubab" at one point or another by the Senegalese. I myself did not have a direct relationship with the word "Toubab", as it was never used by the Senegalese to identify me, at least as far as I know. Although there were some instances in which some of the students would inquire from the Senegalese if I, as an African-American, was a "Toubab" as well. We received mixed answers to this question as  majority of the time they said that I wasn't because of the color of my skin, however I remember one person saying I was because I was American.

My male identity meant that I was never proposed to men on the street or asked about my marriage status by anyone. Sometimes people asked me if I had a Senegalese girlfriend, but that question was always in my interest and not purposed towards the interests of the other person. In contrast, for the girls in our program, the men who asked them about their marriage status usually did so because they were interested in having them as wives. I am sure that many of these situations on the streets, in their homes and in their work places would have been categorized as sexual harassment. The girls in our program also dealt with other situations in their homes such as when one student was once asked to move from her place at dinner with the men of the family one night to go eat with the women and another was asked to cook her father eggs, who asserted that all women can cook. These are just a few of the experiences of the other female students that as a male in Senegal I did not have to deal with. While I benefited from my male identity in Senegal, I realized that it was because of the patriarchal Senegalese society which is entirely founded on a definition of Senegalese women as subservient.

Senegalese society is entirely dependent on the very women whom its culture oppresses. The women are the ones who are required to do all of the household work, cook for the family and provide for the children. It is always the women who serve as maids in the households and it is the young Senegalese girls who are given away by their fathers for marriage. Senegalese women consistently are shorted by a society that they support and uphold. The belief in the inherently subservient nature of women was even supported by one of our "Professors" at the Western African Research Center. He defended with his life the belief that it is the women's responsibility to prepare meals for the family and do the housework. He asked us if we had spoken with any Senegalese women who were unhappy with their position. He then asserted that because we had not had such conversations with Senegalese women about their unhappiness, then there was no reason to change the culture. Disappointingly he was our Economics "Professor" and he failed to acknowledge the fact that the oppressive nature of Senegalese culture in regards to Senegalese women was also a hindrance to the struggling economy. We explained that it was unrealistic and unfair to expect the women to have a job which was equally as demanding as that of a man and also have the full responsibility of taking care of the family. Although the same professor was replaced after the fourth week.

In Senegal there is a clear duty to ones family and community, which at all times comes first before the interests of the individual. I think many students witnessed this emphasis on the community before the invidual to be a premise on which women accepted their position in society. This was also the justification that our Economics Professor used as he explained that each member of the family has a role they play in that family unit. For the women, that role is often one of subservience. I had an interesting conversation with a friend about the individual versus the community, but in regards to gay marriage. My friend who I was talking with spoke of another Senegalese friend that he had who was gay. After coming out to his mother, his friend left Senegal, since homosexuality is forbidden by Senegalese culture and more that 97% percent of Senegalese don't approve of or believe in homosexuality. What I found interesting was how my friend disapproved of his friends actions because he thought that by declaring his sexuality and leaving Senegal, he let down his mother, his family and his community. He said that he had a responsibility to his community and he failed. He thought that if anything he should have repressed his sexuality and remained in Senegal for his mom, who had given so many years of her life to raise him and with his actions he had essentially abandoned her.

I recognize that this fortified sense of one's duty and one's place in the community as a staple of Senegalese culture is problematic in many respects.  However this focus on the community has also been a very refreshing break from the extreme focus on the individual that I feel in the United States. I will miss the sense of community I felt every time I sat down for a meal with either of my host families as we always shared one plate. I will miss being in households which are not not only individual family units, but who are also truly a part of the greater community. Overall there's a level happiness and satisfaction with life that I witnessed and sensed in the Senegalese people which I feel doesn't exist as universally in the United States.

While my status as a straight, black, male positioned me as the norm in Senegalese society and undoubtedly played a role in the acceptance that I felt by the Senegalese, I did feel that my relationships and interactions with some of the Senegalese were impacted by my status as an American. Many of the Senegalese would ask for things such as visas, money, articles of clothing or just anything I could physically give them. This was something that happened with all of the students in the program and we all reacted differently to it. Their requests never angered me because I realize they were only a result of their perception of America as a place of wealth, a perception for which I would not fault them for having. My sister joked that she thought no one in America was poor, which I had to refute. I understand that her point was likely that the poverty in Senegal is more serious than that in America, which I would not deny. However, I explained to her that not everyone is a beneficiary of American wealth due to the gross inequalities that we have in the country.

My host mom in Kaolack, Binta Sarr, has a son who lives in New York right now on a visa. My brother Amadou explained to me that he, the brother in New York and Khadim had entered the visa lottery together and the brother won, so he went to New York.  I spoke with numerous people about the difficulties of obtaining an American visa and how the process is not only expensive but largely based on luck. Each time I have these conversations about visas I think about how my American privilege has allowed me to enter this country with ease and how I have the liberty to return to America when I want. If anything being in Senegal made me aware of the extreme privileges of my middle class American status. I recognize that as an American I have more of a liberty to travel and see different parts of the world than many of the Senegalese who I met. Additionally I recognize that this liberty is often a matter of whether or not one has the financial means to be able to travel. This is why I understand and I am not angered by the Senegalese who ask for things based on the assumption that Americans who come to Senegal have money, because often times it is indicative of some level of disposable income.

Studying abroad in Senegal I have had the unique opportunity to visit this new country and witness realities of other people from a position of privilege and the knowledge that it is not my own reality. I had a conversation with my friend Khadim about the significance of my time in Senegal. Something he said to me which really stuck was the importance of being dropped into this new society and have the ability to be able to adapt to an entirely new culture. In America I realize that I exist in certain places like California and New York. In those places there are of course changes which happen everyday, but there is certainly a pattern to my day to day life. My time in Senegal has provided me with a temporary departure from that pattern of life to experience different realities of the Senegalese people. I have seen the places that they call home, the places where they go for entertainment, how they pass time, how they interact with one another, the things that they give value to and overall just another way of life. Witnessing the culture of the Senegalese and adopting their manner of living as my own over the course of the last three months has given me a new perspective on my own life and how I live it in America. This is especially important to consider in the conversation of development because not everyone in has had access to the type of education or travel experiences which have been fundamental in helping me understand and broaden my perspective of the world around me.

During my time in Senegal I have had the unique opportunity to visit and spend time in so many cities throughout the country including Dakar, Toubacouta, Saly, Mbour, Kaolack, Touba and Fatick. I have experienced the vibrant night life dance scene of Dakar as well as the traditional dance scene in the villages and in the city, both essential aspects of Senegalese music culture. I have been to beautiful beaches of Dakar, Saly and Mbour, which have all been incredible. I will always remember the sights of the bustling market places of HLM, Soubedioume, the Fois as well as the Village Artisinal and the Grand Market in Kaolack. I am very appreciated of the Ataya tea making lessons from my brother Amadou, which I will surely be making use of in the states. I am most thankful for my two amazing host families who welcomed me with open arms and they took me in as a member of their family. I know that I have two families in Senegal with whom I can stay if I come back.

Overall I am happy I came to Senegal because for a semester I got to explore an entirely new country and myself in the process. Being a student at any college, it's easy to get lost in the stress of student life. I often got so caught up with the lists of things to do, assignments to finish, tests to study for and clubs meetings to attend and taking a break from that pace of life was a good decision. In retrospect I can definitely say that it was one of my greatest life experiences.

My host mom and host dad in Kaolack

Raki, Me, Khadim, Amadou (My family in Kaolack)

My little sister Nogaye

My mom and my host mom in Dakar

Women's Rights and Education

I asked my mom about going into the village with her one time before I left Kaolack and she recommended that I go to one of the theater that happen every Friday in the village. Some of the students from Belgium who intern for APROFES went last Friday, although I had missed them because by the time I got back from my internship they had already left. This Friday I asked my supervisor if I could leave after lunch so that I could attend the performance in the village. I left the Chamber of Commerce for lunch around 13:00 and walked through the grand market on my way home where I bought a Senegal soccer jersey for 2000 CFA. When I got back to the house I ate lunch with Louise and my host mom then we departed for APROFES where we were to meet the rest of the people who were going to the performance at 15:30.

When we got there we waited about an hour for the bus to depart. During that time I just spoke with Krishna, a girl from my program who lives in Kaolack and who works at APROFES. I hadn't seen her in a few weeks because I opted out of the trip to Saint Louis that she went on the weekend before. In retrospect I'm glad I didn't go because she said it took her 10 hours total to get there and the same amount of time to get back and she only got to be there fore 12 hours. She said it was worth it though and I'm sure Saint Louis was a beautiful city. She told me about her experiences at the micro-credit firm of APROFES where she is working now instead of the main office. She talked primarily about her issues with the Senegalese men who would come in and constantly harass her at the micro-credit firm about whether or not she was married. She said they would often say things in Wolof to her then in French when she didn't respond and pester her consistently. She could only remember two occasions when one of the women stepped in and did something about the men. This has been a common experience with the girls in our MSID group, as many of them, if not all, have been approached by Senegalese men in regards to their marriage status. Many of them have even proposed to by men on the spot.  

We spoke about their experiences in our Cultural Analysis class and our professor explained that he thought this was the case because of the way American women are portrayed on television and in movies. In American movies he said, two people always fall in love very quickly, then they are in bed together and then they get married. So because of this media portrayal Senegalese men think that American women are more likely to sleep with men and get married than Senegalese women. He brought up how sexual scenes are shown much more on American television shows and American movies than their Senegalese counterparts. From my personal experiences here I would agree with that because I have yet to see a scene depicting sex a Senegalese television show or movie. I've only seen it in an American movie (Get Rich or Die Tryin') and my siblings turned the volume all the way down when it came on. The explanation by our professor was undoubtedly met with backfire by our class about the variety of American movies that are shown in Senegal. I could understand his reasoning, because I understand that power of media and the impact that it has on people's perceptions. Especially when one group only has media to form their opinions of the other group since many Senegalese do not interact with Americans on a daily basis. This is the case I think at least in Kaolack, Dakar may be another situation since there are many Americans who study abroad and work there. Although this is not an excuse for their actions and they should take their interactions with American students, like Krishna, who ask to be left alone and are in no way interested in marriage, to be a clear sign of the faultiness of their perceptions based on television and movies.  

When it was about 17:00, we loaded the bus which reminded me a lot of the bus we took to Pikine. They said that we were supposed to be there by 18:00 so the fact that we were still leaving early on Senegalese time meant that it was pretty far away. The first half of the ride to the village was smooth as we were on a paved road, which was probably the best I've been on since being in Kaolack. We also saw some construction workers fixing up a part of the road that had a lot of pot holes in it, which surprised me because I rarely saw construction in process in Kaolack and Senegal in general. Halfway there we veered off the main paved road and onto a dirt road as we made our way to the village. At many points during our journey off road I felt like the bus was going to tip over but luckily it never did. As we passed through a number of villages on our way to the destination people would stop what they were doing and stare at the bus. It's always an interesting feeling for me passing through villages and seeing the life there. I think about how dramatically different my life is the states from the lives of many of the people in the village. I saw young men collecting large sticks to make walls for their compounds and roofs for their houses as well as a group of young people huddled around a well drawing water from it. Two activities which have never been necessary for me. 

When we got to our destination a group of young boys ran towards us and greeted us as we got off of the bus. They brought Krishna and I chairs to sit in as the men who we came with began taking down drums, speakers and other equipment down from the roof. It was then that I realized that we brought the performance with us and that the people in the bus were the ones who were going to be acting, singing and playing music. As we waited for them to set everything up a couple of the men began playing their drums for the children who quickly gathered around them. Before I knew it there was a group of about 30 kids listening intently to the music of the drummers. I was in awe by how much the children were in awe of the drummers. You could tell how much happiness and excitement the kids got just from listening to the beat of the drums. They were all completely zoned into the drummers and whenever the drummers did something funny or tried a new beat, all of the kids broke into laughter. I just really enjoyed seeing how content all of those children were just from the sound of the drums.  

When they finished playing the drums Krishna's host mom asked us to move our chairs to the circle of chairs where the performance would be. We were actually on the grounds of the school of the village. A lot of the young students had helped set up the chairs and the benches that we would all be using later on. After we moved our chairs I saw that the door was open to the classroom and I really wanted to check the school out since working at the Chamber of Commerce most of my activities and opportunities for learning have been in the areas of economics, business and agriculture. So I wanted to use this opportunity to learn more about the school system/situation with schools as my only experience with education and schools was in the village of Toubacouta when we visited the Koranic school. We walked into the school and the director/principal was sitting down with a few of the other performers. Then Krishna and I began asking him a variety of questions in regards to the school. 

He explained that it is a French secondary school for kids who are 10 and 11, and it was established in 2009. The Senegalese schools go by the French system since they were colonized by the French. The school had 106 students, 50 boys and 56 girls. I was surprised initially by these numbers because in Senegal the ratio of female to male secondary enrollment has historically been very low as it was .4 in 1970. Although this ratio has improved dramatically over the years and was at .918 in 2011. He showed us the schedule for the students and all the subjects that they study. Since it was a French school they took a variety of different subjects like in American schools; history, mathematics, sciences, writing, oral comprehension, French. This is in stark contrast to the Koranic schools where they only study the Qu'ran.

Koranic School (Toubacouta)

Koranic School (Toubacouta)

Although the director of the French also mentioned that they will be studying Arabic soon which I thought was a great thing. I asked him if he thought the people in the village felt that the French system with a variety of subjects showed respect for Senegalese culture. He thought the solution was the combine the French and traditional Senegalese Koranic school systems. So here at this French school the students are not only studying Arabic but they also have a class dedicated to religious studies since 95% of Senegalese are Muslims. I think this was a good because it was a way for including important subjects like mathematics and the sciences while also having  a school system which reflect realities that are historically and culturally important to the Senegalese. 

After we spoke with him about the class structure and the curriculum he showed us the other two classrooms which were outside. At first we were looking at them before I didn't quite know what they were then he said that they were in fact two classrooms. The "classrooms" were completely made of tree branches and grass, just like the walls around the homes in the village. He said that in each classroom they could fit 25 kids which meant there would be about three kids at each of the 8 desks.There was a blackboard put up on the wall in each classroom and they had different basic french words on pieces of paper that were stuck in the walls. I say walls but the entire classroom was actually made of branches. I couldn't believe the conditions that these kids had to study and learn in because so much of my learning is about  my environment. If you're physically uncomfortable I know how hard it is to mentally concentrate on the subject at hand. However, if you're out in one of these classrooms with the heat of Senegal and all of the insects and mosquitoes, I don't know how you can concentrate day to day. Although, they likely are used to the conditions because it's all they have, I think it still takes a lot of mental and physical strength from the kids which I admire. He explained that the reason that these two classrooms were necessary is because they were still waiting on the other building to be completed, which is going to serve as the other two classrooms in the future hopefully. Although the construction is dependent on an Italian man who has apparently been on vacation for the last three weeks. He showed us the bathroom which he said was exclusively for the students and that if the parents need to use the restroom they had to go to the village to their own homes. 

The outdoor classrooms

Interior of the classroom  and the director

Classroom under construction

We then ask him about some of the primary problems he's had with running the school. He said that sometimes getting the support of the parents is difficult because they say that their kids don't know anything so there's no point in putting them in school. This is why continuous participation and attendance is a common problem for the students. He said that all children have the ability to learn and that he always encourages the parents to put their kids in the school. I asked if he has any trouble providing for all the students who need an education since there are so many children in the village and he said that he has space in the school for any child who wants to learn. I thought his perspective was inspiring and from first impression he seemed like the type of person I would want to run a school. At least in terms of his positive outlook and complete faith in children. He said that he often has meetings with parents from the community to try to convey to them the importance of education. 

I asked if he felt that the cultural disconnect between Senegalese the French school system poses a problem for some of the parents. He said that there is still a large percentage of students who are enrolled in the Koranic schools, but he encourages collaboration between the two schools and that lately more and more are coming to the French school. Although overall he said his biggest problem was finding funding because he could not depend on the state for help and assistance. Speaking with the director and seeing these conditions was extremely informing, because I understand that he is not the only one, but one of many who is facing these problems with education. He helped me really understand the problems that these schools in the villages are facing and they how they make do with so little at times. The public school system in Senegal is struggling, even at the university level, and it is having trouble accommodating the growing young population of Senegal. The percent of the total population enrolled in private schools has been on a steady decline due to this growth. 

Then Krishna's mom called us over because the performance was about to start. It began with the drums playing music while the other women, whom we came with in the bus, sang and danced. At one point girls from the crowd would run into the circle and join the women dancing for a few minutes, then run back to their seats. It reminded me of middle school when people would form circles at dances and people would go into the middle of the circle to dance when they felt inclined. Everyone in the crowd loved when the girls did it and you could here people clap louder and cheer whenever a girl would go into the circle. I thought it was interesting though how the girls were the only ones to run and go dance. There was a group of guys standing to the right of the performers from where I was sitting and none of them went into the circle to dance.

 

The director of the school whom we had spoken with earlier thanked everyone for coming and said a few words about the event. Then Krishna's mom got up and spoke on behalf of APROFES since she is of the heads for the Kaolack branch and she came as a representative since this was an APROFES event. She introduced Krishna to everyone which was nice although I could only understand when she said our names and that we were American.

Then the act began. The act consisted of 3 story lines which all were purposed towards shedding light on women's rights in Senegal. The first story line was about a man who was attempting to sell off his 13 year old daughter for marriage. He had attempted to give her to a family friend who rejected his proposal. Then the father went to the village chief to ask for his help with finding a man for his daughter.The village chief declined to help the father with his search and ended up calling the police on him because it was illegal since his daughter was so young. The second story line was about a polygamist family with a man who had two wives. He treated the second wife better than the first wife as he gave her chickens and supported her financially more so than with the first. So the two wives went to the village chief to resolve the problem and he called the husband to change his ways. After we departed the village for Kaolack, on the bus one of the actresses explained to me that she thought these situations were the reason for the domestic violence in Senegal. She said that when polygamist households begin to face financial hardships, the man stops supporting one of the women. This is problematic because often the wives are financially dependent on the man, so argument and frustration ensues which leads to violence. The third story line was about a teacher and a student with whom the teacher wanted to begin relation. The student explained that this was not okay because she was the student and he was the teacher, and he was not supposed to abuse that relationship. So she went to the village chief who contacted the teacher to explain that was he was doing was wrong.





 I noticed that although the themes of all of stories were in support of woman's right, it was always the chief of the village, a man, who made the final decision and fixed the situation. I thought that although his decisions and opinions empowered Senegalese women, the fact that he was making these decisions on behalf of the women supported the patriarchal structure of Senegalese society, which the act was purposed to combat in the first place. However at the same time the village chief is a figure who is established in Senegalese culture and tradition as the one who makes the decisions for the village. So even though he is a man, it says a lot this figure who everyone in the village recognizes as a leader is working on behalf of Senegalese women in the skit.

I had an interesting conversation about education for girls in Senegal with my host mom, Binta Sarr, who is the director of APROFES in Kaolack. I asked her whether she thought the people in the village valued education, because I had talked with a friend about this subject. I asked specifically about the people in the village because I knew that the people in the larger cities valued education. I have lived in two major cities of Senegal, Dakar and Kaolack, and almost all of the young people who come from families with the financial ability to send them to school, attend a school or university. My mom explained that over the years the people in the village have come to value education more and more, however there is still a grand problem with parents taking their children out of school to work. When the boys are taken out of school it is usually to do agricultural work for the family, which is very important for Senegal. However, they take the girls out of school is to send the girls to work and be maids for families. She said that even one of our maids, Adama, was taken out of school to work for her family and she hasn't returned ever since. She wanted to go to school however her father made her become a maid to help provide support the family financially in the short term. My mother explained that it's the father who makes the decisions for his children and often the women in the family because he is viewed as the person who knows what's best for everyone. She thought that for this reason it is important to address the beliefs of the parents, who choose to send their kids to school or keep them at home.

Adama and her baby

Amadou/Mosque/Boubou

Thursday was the day after the Tamxarit holiday and it was very relaxing. Breakfast that morning was tea, french bread and brie cheese. I enjoy mornings when I get to eat breakfast at home because I get to spend time time with my family. During the week I always eat breakfast at my job when I get to the breakfast sandwiches. I've also become a really big tea drinker since being here, and not just with ataya. I have tea whenever I have breakfast at home because the rest of my family drinks coffee, which I do not drink.  After breakfast we just lounged around the house and around 1:30pm Amadou said that he would be heading to the Mosque for prayer. I asked to go with him because I understand how important Islam is to the Senegalese and how it plays such a huge part in the culture here. I also had not yet been to the mosque with one of my family members. 

Before I spoke with my host dad about the possibility of me going with him one time to the mosque but I knew that going this time with Amadou was probably a better bet since spend the most time with him. During our conversation I also asked my host dad about a picture that I took of a man on the front of Sandou's motorcycle. Sandou was the Jakarta I met who gave me a ride home one day from my internship and was wearing the Sacramento Kings jersey. After I asked to take a picture with him, he insisted that I also take a picture of the man that he had on his scooter. At the time I didn't know who it was exactly, but I knew he was some type of religious leader. I had seen pictures like that everywhere I had been in Senegal such as in taxis, restaurants, stores, barbershops and basically anywhere you could put up a picture for a lot of people to see. He pointed at the man and tried to explain to me who he was, but I couldn't understand exactly what he was saying, although it was evident that the man was of much importance to him. 

My host dad explained to me that the picture was of Marabout Baye Niasse, the marabout of Kaolack who died in 1975. There is a different marabout for each city which is why the pictures that I saw so often in Dakar and throughout the other cities in Senegal that I've been to, have been of different marabouts. The marabout is a Muslim religious leader and teacher. As a scholar of the Qu'ran he is the one who was first responsible for translating it for the people. I asked Amadou's friend Khadim why the marabout had to translate the Qu'ran if Khadim, Amadou and the other Senegalese could read Arabic. He explained with a description of the Marabout, "il est don est plus venere". Essentially he is viewed as a gift from god who is very revered by the people, so his translation of the Qu'ran is most respected. This is why the Jakarta had so much respect for him and wanted me to know who he was. 

Sandou (the Jakarta) and I 

Marabout Baye Niasse (Kaolack)

When we left the house for the mosque I initially thought that we were going to the mosque near the APROFES hotel. I knew of it because I would walk by the mosque before when I stayed at the hotel and I saw many men praying outside of it all the time. We actually went to a different larger mosque, Diakae Mouride, which Amadou usually goes to for prayer. When we got near the mosque Amadou set up his prayer rug outside of a house next to about five other men who were getting ready for prayer as well. Closer to the mosque under the shade of a tree there was a group of Senegalese men setting up their rugs for prayer as well. As it approached 2pm I observed as more and more men arrived for prayer, some entering the mosque and many others setting up their rugs in the surrounding area. I saw two boys, who were probably no older than 4 or 5, walking together to the mosque with their mat which they placed on the ground and shared. 

We didn't go inside or walk up any closer to the mosque because I was not allowed to go in the mosque since I was not Muslim. Later when we returned to the house I told Djelia that I had gone to the mosque with Amadou and she gasped stating that it was forbidden for me to do so. However I explained that I did not go inside and I just went to view the praying and she understood. She explained that to enter the mosque one must first undergo some form of ritual purification. I later looked up the validity of this and it seems like one's ability to enter a mosque if they are not Muslim really depends on the culture and the mosque.

Diakae Mouride (Kaolack Mosque) 

Throughout my time at the mosque observing the prayer I could not help but notice the true sense of brotherhood among all of the Senegalese men. Everyone greeted and acknowledged each other as I could really feel the sense of community. I was unsure whether this sentiment was due more to religious connection between this group of men or just because of the sense of community that is staple of the Senegalese culture. Although, these two things, Senegalese culture and the Islamic religion, are so closely intertwined that it is likely unnecessary to make this distinction between the two. After the prayer ended everyone shook hands with each other and left. However, no one acknowledged me or came to shake my hand, which I understood because I was not Muslim. Also it was probably quite obvious that I was not from Senegal because I had a camera with me.

I also thought about how this sentiment of brotherhood alongside a true sense of community pervades Senegalese culture in every way. I've noticed that the younger Senegalese men, like Amadou, Xadim, Yousou and Galo, are very open and friendly with one another. Sometimes on the streets I see two men holding hands and while in the states many would think that this means the two men are gay, here in Senegal that is not the case. Senegal outlaws same-sex sexual acts and, in the past, has prosecuted men accused of homosexuality. Additionally 97% of Senegal residents believe that homosexuality is a way of life that society should not accept. I say this because in the United States where most recognize homosexuality, you don't usually see two heterosexual men who are friends holding hands on the street, at least I don't. In the states usually the action of holding another's hand in public is associated with their being a relationship between the two people. However here in Senegal that perception is not a possibility because they don't acknowledge the existence of homosexuality as a sexual orientation like heterosexuality. 

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Saturday morning Amadou agreed to go with me to the Grand Market to get my boubou (the traditional Senegalese garb for men) because I had been waiting to get one. I bought one for Tabaski in Dakar however that one was relatively cheap and it was not actually custom made. I had purchased the shirt and the pants already made and I just took that one to the tailor so that he could make the necessary adjustments to it. With this new boubou I would be buying the cloth for the tailor who would then make the entire boubou based on my measurements. I've been pretty excited about getting one because I needed one for work and I wanted to bring it back with me to the states. I told Amadou that I also wanted to go to the Village Artisinal to look for some gifts for my friends back home and he said he would accompany me there as well. 

My sister Djelia and Louise were also going to the market that day to pick up a dress for Louise. Amadou and I went separately as Djelia and Louis took a taxi into town while Amadou likes to walk everywhere that we go. He asked if I walked around Kaolack often and I told him I usually take the Jakarta to work, but I walk home at the end of the day when I'm not pressed for time and because the weather is cooler at the end of the day. He thought that this was good because although the Jakarta is fun, he thinks walking lets you really see and experience Kaolack and I agreed with him. I really enjoy walking back home after work and I try to take a different route each time, or at least pass through streets I haven't seen before. 

We first went to the one of the larger banks, BCEAO, which is very close to the market, although on our way we ran into a few of Amadou's friends who are policemen. Amadou said that they had just finished their shifts and they were leaving their post, as neither of them was dressed in their uniforms. I introduced myself and explained where I was from and what I was doing in Kaolack. They were both very friendly and they seemed very concerned with if I was having a good time in Senegal. Pretty much all of the Senegalese I have met have asked to make sure I was enjoying their country, which I think is the most natural question for a native to ask a visitor. I assured them that I have had nothing but positive experiences in this country. Then one of them asked me if I was enjoying the nightlife here in Senegal as well as the Senegalese women. I told them that I had a great time in Dakar with the nightlife because of the clubs, but here in Kaolack I had yet to check any out yet. They said that we could go out together one of my nights here and them one of them joked that he could provide me a Senegalese woman, or multiple women. 

I hear jokes like these very often here and the inherent objectification/commodification of Senegalese women always makes me uncomfortable. I laughed saying that wasn't necessary, since I never know how to respond to these jokes and laughing is usually my first instinct in those situations. I often feel guilty by the fact that I respond with a laugh rather than correcting them or explaining why the joke is problematic. I spoke up one time after I telling my family about the demographics of the MSID group 3 guys 11 girls. They joked that if I gave Amadou one of the female students then they would give me pretty Senegalese women. I laughed awkwardly initially, not answering the question hoping we would just continue with the conversation. Then they asked what the problem was and I explained that in the states "giving" any of my friends to anyone was not something I could do and it was a concept that I had only encountered here in Senegal. The most that you can do in the states is match two people, but what happens next is up to the both of them. It's never a matter of anyone being given to anyone, because that's treating a person like an object, with no concern for their own desires. 

Here I understand that these are jokes, but they are a sign of the mentality of the men and their perceptions of women that further contribute to the inequality here. I think there is likely due to the prevalence of the Islamic religion here (95% Islam). I say this because it is acceptable for Muslim men in Senegal to have multiple wives and for them to give away their daughters as wives. The male figure is considered the guide for his wife and daughters so he is thought to know what is best for them. There societal value for the ability of the father to give their daughters away and so I believe that is why it has become joke among the younger Senegalese men. Additionally young Senegalese men are also known for having multiple girlfriends (not surprisingly). So there is always the possibility of "acquiring" another girlfriend, an idea which further contributes to the objectification of women. 

After we parted ways with Amadou's friends we continued to the bank to withdraw money. He then went with me to get my haircut at one of the barbershops which was nearby in the grand market. He waited outside while the barber cut my hair and he did a very good job. I gave the barber 2000CFA and he gave me back 1000CFA. I looked at him waiting to give me the other 500 CFA, but he never did. So Amadou and I left because I thought about it and in reality I still got very nice haircut for a little over $2. Afterwards I asked Amadou why I paid 1000 CFA because I thought the price for a haircut was always 500 CFA. That's the way it was in Dakar and that's the way that Amadou initially said it was in Kaolack too. Amadou often comes to this barber, which is the reason we came here, and he knew a lot of people at the shop when we arrived so I trusted his judgement. I told him that I thought that the barber had increased the price just because he knew I was American and he agreed that was probably the case, which is something that upset me.

I understand the perception that many Senegalese have of Americans as wealthy, understandably, because of the difference in our economies and the overall standards of living. Additionally the Americans who come to Senegal are the ones who get the better end of the economic prosperity in America because they have the money to travel. I feel that it is important to note that there are surely though who are struggling financially in America. Despite the fact that am an American, I didn't feel comfortable with just accepting an augmented price. I remembered being in a similar situation before with a Jakarta before who increased the price he wanted once we arrived at the destination. With the Jakarta it wasn't ever the amount which was the problem because it reality it was no more than an extra $1. It was only a matter of my desire for the Jakarta to keep his word to the amount we agreed upon before I got on the motorcycle. I didn't like how the Jakarta felt like he could increase the price just because I wasn't Senegalese, and I felt like the same thing was happening here with the barber. So Amadou and I went to ask the barber if he increased the price because I was American, because really I just wanted to know. He said that he didn't and that he normally charges 1000 CFA and although I didn't quite believe him I accepted it and left. 

Afterwards we proceeded to the interior of the grand market to get my boubou. The Grand Market in Kaolack is the second largest "covered market" in West Africa. Some of the market is in two story buildings and the shops are each the size of a storage rooms or one car garage with a metallic door that pulls down, much like a garage door.The rest of the market, the part which is like a maze, just has covering over the entire thing. Sometimes after my internship I'll walk through the market, since it's on my way home from the Chamber of Commerce, and wonder through it looking at all of the shops as you can easily get lost in it. The grand market is basically like a mall and you can find practically anything there if you look hard enough. 

An interesting thing is that many of the items which are being sold in the Grand Market are from China, and the Senegalese know this very well. I bought a pair of authentic "Beats by Dre" headphones for 1000 CFA ($2) (The "b" came off of the headphones after a week).When my brother Amadou saw them he immediately said "China". The same thing happened a few days ago at my internship when one of the employees was showing the other employees his new laptop. I could hear all of them commenting dismissively and disapprovingly about how it was from China. There is a general impression among the Senegalese that products from China are not of good quality, however there are a lot of them. This is the same case for the US as many of our products are "Made in China", however here in Senegal the large amount of importation can often be viewed as a hindrance to economic growth. Micro-finance firms are often more comfortable with funding vendors of already made products than they are with artisans or creators of products because there is less risk in those investments, especially in an economy such as Senegal's. 

As we walked through the market there were shops on both sides of us, as the walkways were pretty tight. I usually would step to the side to let someone who was walking my way pass by. All of the shops were either selling cloth for Senegalese garments or products that I could guess had probably come from China. When we arrived at the shop that I would be purchasing my cloth from we ran into my sisters Djelia and Xadit sitting inside the shop. Djelia was looking around and Xadit was eating lunch. I picked out the color of the boubou I wanted, black with white stitching, and Djelia and Amadou basically did all of the bargaining for me. I really didn't know how much a boubou should cost so I trusted their judgement with that. It ended up being 3000 ($6) per meter, which I remember from my Wolof class was a pretty fair price. Then the tailor took my measurements so he could create the boubou. Overall I think the purchase went really smoothly and I was glad to have finally purchased a boubou. 

After purchasing the boubou we walked to the village artisinal which wasn't too far from the Grand Market. We spent about an hour there as I went around searching for gifts for friends and family back home. The village artisinal is a small area which sells products which are actually made by the Senegalese, and not just sent over from China like the ones in the Grand Market. They make much better gifts in my opinion because they're hand crafted and are truly from Senegal. The type of products there reminded me a lot of the Soubedioume market that I went to in during my last weekend in Dakar. As we walked from shop to shop I bargained with each of the vendors that I bought something from, which I enjoy doing. When we went to HLM, which is the large market in Dakar, some of the other students said that they don't like always having to bargain with the guys because it's exhausting and takes a lot a time. I agree with them that it takes a lot of time but I think of it as a game. You end up talking with the vendors and getting to know them a little which I like as well. We went to the back of one of the shops and ran into another one of Amadou's friends who was carving wood sculptures. He explained that he carves a lot of the wooden sculptures that are sold at the village artisinal. He carves them and then sells them to the interested vendors. This made sense because a lot of the vendors there had similar products that looked like they had been made by the same person. Two of the things which I showed him that I bought he actually carved, so it was nice to meet the man who actually produced them. We left the village artisinal and returned back to the house. 

Trip to Touba/Grand Mosque

This past weekend a group of us planned to meet up in the city of Touba, which is the most religious city in all of Senegal as it is the holy city of Mouridism.  From the south it was Amanda (Fatick), Marcos (Sokone), Krishna (Kaolack) and I (Kaolack) who were planning to take the trip. However the night before Amanda and Marcos came to Kaolack to meet up with me because I am closer to Touba and it was easier for them to come to Kaolack the night before so that we could take the trip to Touba together in the morning. They arrived in Kaolack Saturday night and they initially they were not going to come have dinner with me and my family as they met up at a restaurant in the city. However, I told them that my sisters were preparing a grand feast for them and they would be sad if they didn't come. Then when I told my mom and my sister Xadit that that my friends may be eating at a restaurant instead of coming to have dinner with us, they insisted that I tell Amanda and Marcos to come eat with us. They eventually came, although I think they still ate dinner at the restaurant, they also ate again with me and my family so I was pleased. I probably would have done the same.

Everyone at the table outside

Poulet (Chicken) et Frites and my host dad getting ready to jump in

It was a delicious meal and I could tell that my sister put a lot of preparation into the meal so I was glad that Amanda and Marcos came for dinner and that my family was able to host them. We had glasses of soda afterwards as well as watermelon with bananas and apples, which I also enjoyed. It was definitely one of the best meals I've had in Kaolack and I knew that it was because my sisters, Raki, Djelia and Xadit, wanted to make a good impression on my friends. The Senegalese are very hospitable and they always very warm and welcoming to new guests, at least those have been my experiences. I could tell that my family really enjoyed having Marcos and Amanda over and I was happy that they got to meet some other students from the program, as they know Krishna and really like already. I also think Amanda and Marcos enjoyed the meal as I remember Amanda saying it was better than what they had at the restaurant. 

My beautiful sister Djelia!

After dinner we went up to the roof with my brother Amadou and his friends to have tea. He always makes amazing tea and I still want to learn how to make it but I think the lessons are coming soon. We talked on the roof and Marcos and Amadou connected over music that they overheard being played really loudly at the house next-door to us. Amanda asked if it was a party and joked that she wanted to go check it out but Amadou explained that it was probably just someone playing loud music. Connecting over music happens often with me and the Senegalese because they listen to a lot of American music. However this time the music was in Portuguese, but Amadou still knew some of the words, he just didn't know what they meant. So Amadou asked Marcos what the song was saying, as he does with me often, but in regards to American music (such as the lyrics to Drake songs). Marcos didn't know how to explain in French that the song was about sex so Amadou asked me. Marcos and Amanda acted surprised because they doubted my abilities to explain something in French better than Marcos. I used an anecdote that Amadou used before when he was trying to explain the same thing to me in English and he knew got it immediately, and we laughed about that. 

After tea Amanda, Marcos and I went to a bar, The Blue Bird, to have a few drinks before meeting Amadou and his friends at a nightclub close to our house. I had yet to go to a nightclub in Kaolack and I was pretty excited to check it out but I was probably more excited to go out with my siblings because I hadn't had the opportunity to do that yet either. We ended up not making it to the nightclub that night because we stayed at the bar having a conversation about the development of Senegal and Africa in general. The conversation mostly revolved around the magnitude of the impact of slavery and colonization on the Senegalese and larger African economies, and how much one can take that history into consideration when discussing the current state of Senegal. It was an interesting conversation, and I am definitely planning on looking more into for one of the research papers that we have to complete for MSID.

The next morning we planned to wake up and leave by 8 for Touba, but we ended up leaving around 9:30. We called Krishna to walk over to my house so that we could depart together and when she arrived we were off. We took a taxi to the garage where we all bought breakfast sandwiches before boarding the sept-place for Touba. Krishna was the only one who didn't get a sandwich, understandably because she was nervous about her stomach being able to handle it. She had been sick in Kaolack a few times just as I had been. I was nervous a bit too but my hunger trumped my fear of what could happen from the street sandwich, and I ended up being fine. When we were getting our sandwiches a group of young Senegalese boys surrounded Krishna and I asking for money, which usually happens when we're all together in a group, because they know we're Americans. Usually I don't give them money and I justify my rationality (or rather comfort myself) with the idea that no amount of money I give them will help their economic situation. However lately I have found myself feeling guilty about my American privilege and how I likely have more opportunity and financial stability than many of them will have in their lifetime (makes me just as uncomfortable to type that). So I gave them 2 of them 50 CFA which is no more than 10 cents together in retrospect. It wasn't really anything but it was the only change I had on me at the time other than larger bills. 

We boarded the sept-place which cost each of us 2500 CFA, about $5. We waited in the car for a while though because we had to wait for the sept-place to fill up, as they don't leave until they have 7 confirmed passengers. Once the car was full we began the journey to Touba. The ride on the sept-place was a little rough and at many points during the journey the road reminded me of the road between Fatick and Kaolack. The road between Fatick and Kaolack is known to be one of the worst roads in Senegal, which is unfortunate because it is used by many since they are two of the main cities in the country. Additionally Kaolack is a major city for shipping and transportation (there a are a lot of large trucks always passing through the city) so this makes the poor state of the road an even bigger problem for the country. The road to Touba had a lot of pot-holes at the beginning although it wasn't nearly as severe as Fatick-Kaolack. The drive overall was about two hours. 

When we arrived we called Courtney and she told us to meet her and the rest of the group at the Grand Mosque. So I asked someone on the street to point us in the direction of the Grand Mosque. Asking for directions from the Senegalese always works for me and they're always very willing to help out and oftentimes they'll go out of their way to take you all the way to the place. He pointed straight down to street to a large mosque which you could see from and distant but it didn't look like it was walking distance. So he stopped one of the truck taxis on the street and helped us board it. He asked for some money after for his help so I gave him 50 CFA. The ride to the Grand Mosque was also only 50 CFA for each of us, but they cramped a lot of people into the back of that small pickup truck. I ended up stepping over a lot of people when I exited.

The view of the Grand Mosque from the taxi truck

Amanda, Krishna, Marcos in the back of the taxi truck

When we arrived at the Grand Mosque we walked around a little and waited for the rest of the group who were coming back from a restaurant, as they had arrived earlier. We were to meet up with Courtney (who lives in Saint Louis), Eura (Louga), Jack (Louga) and Katie (Diourbel). Courtney, Jack and Eura live up north so they took a bus together after meeting in Louga. Katie and her sister Sadaga came together from Diourbel and Jack's brother also came with him from Louga. It was really good seeing everyone since I hadn't seen any other than Amanda and Krishna since being in Kaolack, as everyone else lives pretty far up north. We exchanged stories and updates about how we were all doing in our internships and with our locations around the country.

The group outside of the Grand Mosque
(Krishna, Katie, Sadaga, Marcos, Amanda, Jack, Eura, Courtney)
*left to right*

Afterwards Katie, Sadaga, Krishna, Marcos, Amanda and I went on a tour of the Mosque. Everyone who came from up north had already gone and they said it was very beautiful and Eura strongly recommended going inside to check things out. Initially I thought this wasn't allowed because when I went with my brother to 2pm prayer in Kaolack he prayed outside because I wasn't allowed to go in the mosque. On the street there was a guy who kept trying to talk with us when we first arrived because he was the the "Deputy" of the Mosque. Basically he kept explaining that he had the authority to give us tours of the Mosque, but at the time I thought he was lying due to my experience with my brother, apparently not though. So we walked up to the entrance gates of the Mosque grounds and Sadaga instructed us all to take off our shoes because you're not supposed to wear them on the premise. We all did so and then entered the gates. As we were taking pictures one guy saw Amanda and Marcos about to take a picture together and he yelled at them to stop because men and women are not allowed to take pictures together. Little did I know this guy would be my personal tour guide at the Grand Mosque. Although I never actually asked him to be my tour guide, he turned out to be helpful. Another guy, who seemed more official also emerged and he guided Katie, her host sister Sadaga and Krishna throughout the Grand Mosque. 

Grand Mosque Grounds

Culturally acceptable photo

Hi Mom!

Interior of the Grand Mosque

Our little tour group

Cool view (thanks to my tour guide)

My tour guide

My tour guide and I

I don't really know how the guy ended up being my personal tour guide. I kind of was just really friendly to him from the start and he was following me answering different questions for me so I kind of just accepted that he was my tour guide in the end. He explained to me the origins of the different parts of the Grand Mosque and what countries were responsible for the influence. He explained that the door he stood in front of was made of wood from Pakistan and that the architecture was mainly French. The original model of the tile was Moroccan however it currently being replaced by a new Italian design. Additionally there is a lot of Belgium tapestry hanging all over the Grand Mosque.

 I ended up paying him 500 CFA, which by his face, he was not satisfied with. Although the other tour guide said that they weren't doing these tours for money and that if we wanted to give them 0 CFA, that was an option. However the way that they treated us in the end after we each gave them 500 CFA, was not reflective of their initial statement. It reflected more of an expectation that we would pay them a lot since we were Americans. Sadaga explained to me afterwards though that none of the money we gave them actually goes to the Mosque or the people who run it because they are not allowed to accept money from the public. So perhaps they were an independent group of designated tour guides? I really don't know and now that I think about it and I don't know if any of the things my personal tour guide told me regarding the Grand Mosque are true, but that they sounded legitimate  But oh well, it was an absolutely beautiful Mosque regardless of the information I learned from the tour guide and I am glad I had the opportunity to see it.

After the tour finished we met back up with Eura, Jack and Courtney thinking we would be going to somewhere to spend some more time with them, however unfortunately their bus back to Louga was leaving early than expected so they had to leave us. We said our goodbyes although we would be seeing them all next weekend since we are all going to meet up in Saint Louis. 

The five of us who went on the tour decided to get some food at a nearby restaurant, the same one Eura, Jack and Courtney had been to earlier. The food was very good and very affordable  I got a burger for 1500 CFA. I hadn't had a burger since being in Dakar and I was really craving some American food of some sort. After dinner we went downstairs to pay for our meal. While we were paying Amanda went outside of the restaurant to go smoke a cigarette. As soon as she lit the cigarette their were a whole host of Senegalese men yelling at her to stop. She put out the cigarette in a hurry and the restaurant manager asked her to give it to him, but she just put it away somewhere in the cigarette box. Afterwards Sadaga spent some time talking to one of the Senegalese men about the situation, while about seven or eight people stood watching, but it was in Wolof so I couldn't quite understand. I walked up and asked her what was going on and she said that the man recommended that Amanda go to prison because smoking cigarettes was illegal in Touba. I wasn't surprised by this fact since alcohol is also prohibited in the city as well and the only way to get a drink is to leave Touba and go to a neighboring town. I laughed at first because I thought there was no way that going to prison was a possibility. I talked to the guy and apologized and said that we were clearly Americans and didn't know the rules here in Touba, but it didn't seem like that was a viable excuse for him. He said that each cigarette that the person is carrying merits a fine of 6000 CFA ($12) and reiterated his point she should go to the prison. At this point the only thing for us to do was to leave the area because so much attention was on us and quickly walked away to catch a taxi truck back to the garage to return to our respective cities... And with that our time in the holy city of Touba was over. It seems oddly appropriate that our time there as Americans nearly ended with a trip prison.