Out and about

Although I typically don't like talking about myself in these things (too bad that's what blogging usually entails) I feel like I should let all of you know what's been keeping me away from the glow of the (janky Senegalese internet cafe) computer screen. Here you go, another bulleted list because I love them:

• Mon-Thurs/Friday: classes, lots and lots of hours of classes. I'm taking African music and dance, Continuity and change in Senegal, History of Islam in Senegal, French lit, and Wolof. We typically have class from 9-12 and then again from 3-6. I am also volunteer once a week in a class of 5yr olds at an orphanage. I would love to be able to talk about how wonderful the volunteering has been but, unfortunately, it has been the exact opposite. It makes me realize how screwed up an education system can get. Ask me about it some other time.
• Toubab Dialaw: We spent a weekend at a pretty well-known dance school/hotel playing the jimbes, dancing, and eating delicious food. It was amazing. Check it: http://www.jantbi.org/
• Mboumba: We went here with our kooky music/dance professor to be in a music festival he helped organize. There was very little actual organization. It was somewhat like Reggae on the River in that it was along a river in a tiny village with tons of stars and mosquitoes but there was no booze or weed or dancing. There was, however, a big name star with fire dancers (Baaba Maal). Word that white people were in town spread fast and we were followed around by a herd of children the entire weekend, regardless of whether we were eating, walking, driving, sitting, sleeping, etc; it didn't matter. It was kind of like being a celebrity except we were just a silly spectacle the entire time, they even dressed us up like the locals. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for multiple reasons...
• Sin-Saloum: MANGROVE FOREST. Nuff said. This was amazing/beautiful/breathtaking. We stayed in an ecovillage which was pretty touristy but very cool regardless. Did some exploring on kayaks and on foot. Saw one of the most magical events of my life. Took hot showers. Swam. Learned pottery from lovely village ladies who dig out the clay themselves. It was supposed to be preparation for our individual village stays in two weeks but I'm not sure who they're kidding.

• All of Dakar's islands: Goree (you know about this one already), N'Gore (touristy but beachy and relaxing also only 300m off the main land resulting in a group of us swimming to the island.) Madeline (The Senegalese think this island is filled with bad spirits because there are mini baobabs and other strange wonders on the island/nature preserve, we had a left-handed redhead with us so things worked out okay. It was a nice break being somewhere that was the opposite of chaotic Dakar.)
  Love you all, enjoy the photos!!