I am sure that by posting so rarely I have alienated the few people that actually read this but at least I can post some pictures for those who periodically check!
Time is rapidly winding down in my West African adventure and I feel a bit at a loss. The thought of being home around Christmas time to delicious cookies and warmth by the fireplace surrounded by friends and family is certainly appealing. But leaving behind my beloved mouton that roam the streets and the noisy colourful car rapides that almost run me over on a daily basis… is a little hard to take.
Well, “you are where you are meant to be” are the words of wisdom I will try to hang on to as this last month wraps up.
Life in Dakar has been really great! I can’t say that Dakar is my favorite city in the world – loud, dirty, aggressive, chaotic – but I know it could be much more difficult and it is a place where some of the greatest people I know in Senegal live! So… that makes it all okay.
Every morning I get around 6:15 to get ready for the trek to work. I live in a neighbourhood called Ouakam and I work on the plateau in the heart of downtown Dakar. In distance it probably isn’t that far but in reality, traffic reality, it can be quite the journey.
I used to be able to take a car rapide (colourful van-like public transport) or one of the city busses around 7:30 and be at work considerably before 8:30. Since school started up again that just doesn’t work. Essentially now, if I don’t get a public transport option by 7 with traffic…it isn’t even worth it!!
I also used to only take the city bus. Great big blue busses! And at the time I took the bus it was usually full but not squished full. Also with the start of school that has totally changed! Doesn’t seem to matter what time I catch a bus it is always packed. So – now I take the smaller car rapides which have the benefit of seats for everyone (unless you are really unlucky and get on last, then you might have to stand but only for a little bit because for sure someone will get off soon).
So usually I catch a car rapide around 6:50-7:00 which means I get downtown at 7:30… 5 minute walk to the office and my day starts off nice and early! If I am feeling a little lazy I sleep in until 7 am and cab it to work! Which isn’t crazy expensive when you do it as a special treat :)
The afternoons are a bit more of a pain! The busses are ALWAYS full and the traffic horrendous. The bus usually sits in traffic downtown for 45 minutes and the bumbles along for a total travel time of anywhere between 1.5 hours to 2 hours. The other form of transport is called an Ndiagga Ndiaye (not sure who that is named after). Bigger white van-like transport. More seats but still nice because there are seats. The big busses often are standing room only! Downside to a Ndiagga Ndiaye…you wait for it to fill up at the main bus station… a process that can be quite lengthy. I have decided though that I prefer to wait sitting for 30 minutes than to wait standing in traffic in a HOT bus with 100 other bodies pressed up against me on the public bus!!
All the people at work think I am crazy (especially the Senegalese) for always taking public transport but really, it isn’t that bad and I love riding around town watching the life going on outside. I love the interactions between the ‘apprenti’ (the boy who collects the fares from everyone and tells the driver when to stop and let passengers off) and the passengers. I love sitting on one of the benches with 3 big men with CLEARLY no room for more people and then being shoved over as a big Senegalese grandmother nestles her cushy butt beside me and one of the others (the bench is unofficial 5 places, although I firmly believe that that is grossly exaggerating the number that should fit in that space)!!
The only part that is less fun is when you get an old car rapide (well, they are all old so I guess I should say supremely, unbelievable old) and you are stuck in traffic with its fumes wafting up into the small space and burning the inside of your lungs. That I could live without!
Other things I have been up to since the last post, couple of trips to Saint Louis…a weekend in Kaolack (a HOT town towards central Senegal) and a wonderful weekend at the beach in Mbour. Always very nice to get away from the city!
What is left for the month coming up? Another trip to Saint Louis (really just can’t get enough of that town!) and a wedding of a Congolese friend of a friend!
Oh and packing! Hmm…knowing me that is a process I should start soon :(
Here are some pictures from the trip to Kaolack and Mbour! The ones from Kaolack might leave you wondering…why did you go there? Good question!! Well, actually a friend of mine was working there that weekend and asked me to keep her company so we made it an excursion with myself, one of the new OttawaU exchange students this year and Jacques my housemate in Dakar! It is also good to discover right?
Once again they are posted backwards so start at the bottom and scroll up!
Shrimp omelete...that's right!! MMM
An AMAZING dinner at an AMAZING restaurant! Nothing like a weekend away at the beach with good food and drinks to relax.
People selling fish, clothes, peanuts, juice, electronics, belts, necklaces...everything under the sun! Oh and stingrays, sharks, shells, big fish, red fish, yellow fish, blue fish...
These guys work hard all day out on the open ocean and come in around 6 pm to a crazy mass of people wanting to buy their wares!
Such an amazing scene... so much life!
The fish market at sunset as the boats come in!
The auberge we stayed in. Run by a Swiss woman who depressed us on our last day by telling us how Senegal had no future and was only going downhill! Yikes...not something idealistic young students who love this country want to hear :(
Fishing!
The beach we had ALL to ourselves. Except around 4:00 when all the young guys in town come to play soccer or run on the beach. And the young kids come to play in the water.
Pretending to be a world class goalie! In the safety of the water :)
Horses are fairly well treated around here. Although, depends a little on the town you visit. They are impressive creatures though. The calm they keep as cars, motos, people go rushing by!
This lovely lady wanted to pose!
Holes and... cows on the road! Always some kind of obstacle.
So big they topple trucks! No one was hurt this time around.
This hole on the road is a little one...they can be bigger... MUCH bigger
An old mosque in the distance...very modern style... perhaps that is why it isn't used too much, too modern for the conservative tastes of this region.
From the rooftop of the auberge we stayed in. Actually looks kind of green...it's an illusion!
Another street shot
A typical street in Kaolack - well, actually a typical street is probably more sandy.
