(and a word to those about to read this, you may be a little grossed out by this first part, so read with caution) So I dont know if y'all knew this or not, but they definitely dont use toilet paper in Senegal, and most of the toilets definitely dont flush. Instead they have what is essentially a teakettle in every bathroom and a faucet about 2 feet off the ground and you're supposed to pour water on yourself and use your left hand to clean off. Personally I have yet to fully embrace this aspect of the culture, so Ive kinda been relegated to carrying around rolls of toilet paper everywhere I go. And then when Im in a touristy place where they have american style bathrooms, I get really excited. It's quite an occasion.
Also, I was discussing with some (american) friends the other day, and we came to the general consensus that Senegalese men are hella attractive and super fit. Until you see their legs, which are invariably super skinny chicken legs. Not cute. Obviously Im generalizing, but for the most part, this generalization has proven true. Except for at this one beach, where theres always guys working out and mad props to them because working out in the sand in 80+ degree weather, like damn, I wish I had the stamina for that. Ive decided I will attempt such an endeavor at some point in my time here, but Im not sure Im ready for all that just yet.
In addition to being hella attractive from the waist up, Senegalese men are AGGRESSIVE in hitting on you. especially if the you in question happens to be a toubab. Notable instances have been the aforementioned marriage proposal on the car rapide and some guy who saw me walking down the street, turned around and followed me for a good hour while repeating how much he loved and just absolutely had to marry me and have ten kids with me that instant, regardless of my imaginary fiance waiting for me in america. However, again props to them, because while they are verbally aggressive, Ive yet to encounter someone who was actually ever legitimately disrespectful or physically inappropriate/aggressive. Mostly its just limited to being constantly (like constantly, and i mean nonstop every second of the day, constantly) told how beautiful you are/how much so and so misses you/how much so and so thinks about you (which doesnt sound like such a bad deal, but damn it gets annoying and at a certain point becomes pretty meaningless)
If you don't know, Im usually vegetarian, but Ive given up on that here, because everything comes with meat or fish. And people, especially my host family, get really offended when I dont eat copious quatities of whatever food they've prepared (Im most likely going to be a good 100 lbs heavier when I leave here). So Im trying to be as accomodating as my stomach will allow me to be in terms of eating stuff I normally wouldnt eat. So for dinner a couple nights ago, my mom brings out the food. Normally there is one big platter, and sometimes we all just eat straight from the platter, and sometimes we get individual plates. This particular night, it was communal eating. So were sitting around a low table and in the center my mom puts the platter of food. Essentially, picture a sandy beach. But imagine that the sand was very dirty and there was algea all over the beach, so the sand was kinda a putrid gray green color. Voila, our dinner. Apparently thats what African couscous looks like. I personnally had been under the impression that couscous was a whitish yellowish grain sort of deal, kinda like quinoa or something, but evidentally I was mistaken. At any rate, it didnt taste bad, actually it didnt really taste all that much at all really.
For dinner last night, I had bonding with my brothers part two. We had rice and fish and they made me eat all the fish heads, because they thought it was hilarious because americans tend to you know, not eat fish heads and eyes etc. So they definitely expected me to be grossed out and refuse, but I dug in and ripped the lil fishies heads apart with my hands and ate it all and they were all charmed and told me I was like african at heart. Sadly my mother was not present at the time, because apparently watching tv is preferable to eating with her sons and host daughter, so she didnt get to witness this and consequently still thinks Im a snotty american who doesnt know how to chop onions without crying her heart out. but such is life.
Update on the whole cockroaches in the shower thing and introduction to psycho cat:
The hole in the shower is gone! (I cant remember if I mentioned this or not, when I moved in there was a hole in the floor of the shower instead of a drain and when I would go to take a shower, the cockroaches would crawl out and join me in showering) One day, I came home and the hole had been repaired, so now we have a real drain in the shower and no more fun friends. Score!!
On the other hand, we have a acquired a fucking psychotic cat that I hate wholeheartedly. I first saw this cat when I was chilling outside with my little bro. I noticed a little tabby cat sneaking into our house (since its built around a courtyard, theres not really anything separating outside from the actual living area...kinda hard to explain, at some point Ill put up pictures). I was all, oh cute a cat. Later that night at somewhere around 3 in the morning, I hear what sounds to me like a woman dying an excrutiatingly painful death accompanied by some intense hissing and rabid animal sounds. Turns out, tabby cat's favorite nightime occupation is chilling outside my room screaming and hissing and generally keeping me awake and annoyed. Another time, I had kept the door to my room open during the day and psycho cat snuck in and then terrified me half to death in the middle of the night. I woke up, it was completely dark, because of course there was no power and psycho was under my bed hissing and screaming like no other. Luckly I had a flashlight by my bed and the cat ran out as soon as I opened my door. But lesson learned, and now Im paranoid and check under my bed before I go to sleep to make sure theres no crazy cats there. fun times fa sho.
In terms of classes:
This is after all study abroad, so some learning is taking place too. My classes: Sante Publique (Public Health); Reglement des Crises (Crisis Management); Francais (Your basic French lit/grammar class); Wolof (Wolof); Culture et Societe Senegalaise (Senegalese Society and Culture); and this random Seminar about living in Dakar thats obnoxiously during my lunch period. All in all, the classes are pretty interesting, kinda slow paced, get cancelled randomly and the teachers know their shit. Its a good time had by all.
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