i'm coming home...

im a terrible blogger. i blog inconsistently. i barely write anything ever. but i guess that's ok. words are boring to read. the pictures and videos capture it all. winding down my last 3 months in senegal... oh but i forgot to say! i have officially confirmed my last day of service, which is ::drumroll:: april 30th! which means may 1st (or 2nd), i will be finally home. oh home sweet home... how i miss you...

WAIST! i dont know if you remember my waist blog post last year but it's an annual all volunteer softball tournament. it's fun. lots of dancing and partying. and you get to dress up as a region! our theme was SUIT UP! yes, i am literally wearing a velvet / silk suit. awesome.

i think taking part in the garden project was the best idea ive had in senegal. it's just a feel good project. i dont have to do anything and the women are still completely motivated! look at all the semi shade protection as well as protection from aerial pests aka those stupid birds that eat everything you grow.

and theyve managed to grow lettuce! i seriously suck. i should never be allowed to garden ever. i fail at life - or just successfully growing lettuce...

carrots!

granted yes the child is totally stepping on the soil which isnt so great because it's packing down the soil when we want airy soil but hey, baby steps. they manured! and mixed the soil! and added neem leaves and ash as natural pesticides! and there was charcoal for water absorption! pretty much, +1000 for senegal. they actually listened to our lovely agriculture volunteer's advice!

the freshest air in all of senegal. what a beautiful cliff/island...

is this... america?! i thought senegal was considered a third world developing country. and yet you find these glamorous hotels that charge $300-600 US dollars a night smack in the middle of dakar. excuse me. your carpet is too soft. i may just sleep in the corner of your elevator if you dont mind.

it was kinda like paradise. unreal. 200 miles away, you have children in dirty rags eating plain rice, some salt and a few beans. and here, it's royal treatment. i really dont think dakar is a part of senegal.

ahh the senegalese presidential elections! coming in february. things are heating up and looking exciting. riots, protests, demonstrations. granted it's also not so good. destruction of property. deaths. it's getting dangerous... but we'll be ok.

i kinda fail at life again. 23 months in senegal and i finally discover the hip hop underground dancing scene?! shame on me. where have i been the last 2 years?! where have you guys been the last 2 years?! i wish i found this earlier. im starting to really fall in love with dakar...

we're always taught that senegal is very conservative, very religious. boys cant have long hair. boys cant wear earrings. girls cant wear shorts. boys and girls cant touch... and yet... this is everything that is opposite of conservative or religious. it feels so... (sorry for not being pc) normal.

the graffiti at this place was beautiful. the dancers, all talented. i felt at ease. i felt at home. i miss dancing...

senegal has been having some weird weather lately. global warming? perhaps. just super windy, super sandy. it's like a permanent sand storm. my eyes hurt. my nose hurts. i dont want to go outside. im just drugged up on antihistamines. 

cha ching! BANK! each of those stacks are 100,000 cfa. or about $200. multiply this by... many stacks. and all of this is only half of what i had in my bank account... i wonder what final project im trying to finish up in the next month... stay tuned.

oh and lastly, my friend goza got "married". well it was a fake wedding but it was super fun! her village will never be the same ever again!