What it's like here

Ok, I'm going to do my best to sum up what it is like here in Senegal. For starters I am now in my homestay, which is a very busy and often confusing environment. They mainly speak Wolof in the home, and some people only speak Wolof and no french. The transition has been rough, but they have hosted students before so I am hoping that it all turns out well. It's an interesting lifestyle here, and one that requires adjustments. For example they don't use toilet paper here (its complicated and I dont get how they do it, but it involves your left hand and a bucket of water). This means that you have to carry toilet paper with you everywhere and you pray that things flush and that they have a toilet seat. It is a very big deal here that all transactions occur with the right hand because your left hand is supposed to be reserved for use only in the bathroom. It also has ties with Islam (as I learned in my class today), since you have a good angel on your right shoulder and a bad angel on your left. Everyone shakes hands here with their right hand and greetings take a very long time. It is a long process done mainly in Wolof, and is very script-like. One person welcomes and another responds, using what translates roughly to, may God be with you. The conversation continues as people ask if you have peace with you and you respond with 'peace only'. Here even if you are not in the best of spirits you respond with Jamm Rekk, in the hopes that peace will come your way. People also ask if you spent the night in peace, of if your day was full of peace, and how your family is doing. Its not as casual and without form as we do in the US. I often find myself very flustered as I forget what to say. People appreciate the effort though and applaud you when you've found the correct words.
I started Wolof class today and they teach us (in my small class of four people) important Wolof things, like how to take a taxi and how to bargain for items (more on that later). We will eventually get deeper into the grammer, but it is interesting because the language is the most spoken one in Senegal, but it only began to be written down in the 1980's. It is a very new language, full of different spellings. I think that it is wonderful that they are writing in Wolof because it allows them to ensure that their language will endure and continue on through generations. French is still the main language of instruction, but Wolof is also being taught.
As for the bargaining, anything can be bargained for here, and it is expected that you should do so. It is seen as a good thing because you are talking with the vendor. No transaction takes a short amount of time, and people will bargain on just about anything. You have to bargain to take a taxi even, and decide on a price before you get in (for example you tell them where you are going, and they start at 3,000 CFA's and you offer 500, eventually ending up at 800 CFA's). Its an easy way that people get taken advantage of here, but it is part of the culture that those who are from here know very well. When I went to get my cell phone my host sister helped me and we bargained the price of the phone down. Very little here isn't bargained for, so it makes for an interesting situation, particularly as an American. As soon as they see white skin their price goes up drastically and it is hard to know how low to start your price. For example I bought a bag for 8,000 CFA's (take an number, remove the last 3 digits and then double it, so 8,000 is $16). My host sister helped me to bargain for it and their starting price was 10,000, but if I had gone on my own they would have started at 20,000. It will take some effort to figure it out, but I'm hopeful.
Something that I am really looking forward to here is getting dresses made. There is a great market here to get fabrics. You go and pick out a fabric and then take it to a tailor where you pick a style, get measured and have it made to fit you exactly. If you get a good, proper price, it can end up costing about $15. The dresses here are beautiful and look so comfortable. I really can't wait to get a few made, and often they are made as seperate pieces, so you can mix them with western clothes if you want to. Another fun thing here is the fruit stands. They are everywhere so it is easy to pick up a tasty orange for just 200CFAs to eat on your walk to school. I've never been much of a fruit-lover, but I think that I will get to be here, in order to supplement my diet!
Speaking of my diet, the food here is very interesting. I ended up in a relatively traditional homestay, so I do what is called 'eating around the bowl'. Everyone shares from one large bowl and eats with their (right) hand. You have what is considered your territory and you stick to the food that is there. If you are eating and there is a large carrot in your territory, you take a bit off and then put it in the middle for others to pick off of. For the meat, the host will split it up and put pieces in front of you to eat, sort of portioning things out for everyone. They try to provide well for the guests and will give good pieces to them. This means that I get a lot of food sent my way. Depending on what kind of food it is you either use bread with it, or if it is rice you roll it into a ball. This requires some strong wrists and allows for a good sense of accomplishment for when you manage to make a ball that does not fall apart. Thus far the food that I have had in my homestay has been very good, and I haven't had any bad reactions to anything. I fear the day that I do (see above about bathrooms) and am hoping for an iron stomach. I'll just cross my fingers! Another note about meals is how LATE they happen! I have breakfast rather early because of my classes, but lunch typically doesnt take place until 2.30 or 3 (sometimes later) and I've had dinner around 9pm regularly. I dont know how or why they manage that, but it's just sort of how things are done here.
That's about all that I can think of to write for right now. The people in my program are great, and we all really have a sense of what each other is going through so we are all supportive of one another. No one feels like they're floundering or alone, so far as I can tell, and the school is a nice haven to come to. Oddly enough we were all excited to start classes today (I'll write about them next time once I've had all of them) because we all need something to do, especially since we're not totally comfortable in our homes and need a reason to sit alone and do some work (myself included). I'll post more later, and hope that you're all doing well!
-Flannery- (or Mamsay- my Senegalese name, everyone gets them, people give them out randomly on the street. Its a friendly place here and everyone stops to chat with everyone, including the fruit vendor on the corner, the guys at the gas station etc).