So a couple days ago we got our language placements and I found out that I will be learning Fulakunda, a version of Pulaar. Wolof is the most prevalent language in Senegal but Pulaar is second and is also a popular minority language all around West Africa. So the day after (or the day of, I can't even remember) we got our study groups and our language coaches and piled in a van to head off to Community Based Training (CBT). I'm placed in a town called Samba Loude with two other trainees. We were one of the only sites without electricity, which really is not a big deal. I felt like people freaked out a lot when I told them I was moving to Africa because they don't have electricity or plumbing or paved roads etc but those are some of the easiest things to adjust to. I used my flashlight at night and was totally fine.
In my village (and most of Senegal) people live in compounds and who lives there depends on how big the family is. My family has one dad and one mom (polygamy is common) and that's where I get confused. Before we left we did a quick run down of greetings (which are super important here, as are names), but other than that I was completely in the dark on language, and people speak so fast I couldn't really understand anyway. I smiled and nodded a lot. There are a bunch of kids in the compound (I think around 15) and I can't tell who is a child or if they're nieces/nephews or aunts or anything. Aside from the main house, which has a small gathering room about the size of an average living room, three bedrooms, a "kitchen" and a "bathroom." The kitchen has no electricity or windows so they cook by flashlight at night. I have my own room as required by the PC.
I love my family. They are so great and welcoming and wonderful. Here there is a thing called a "tokrah" which basically means namesake. When placed in homes volunteers are usually named after someone in the family. At CBT site my name is Tulaay Djahanka (sp!). I didn't understand this at first, and once I understood I wasn't saying it right. For some reason I was saying Tu-la instead of Tu-lye. So my tokrah is one of the daughters of my father, also named Tulaay and she is currently my best friend in the whole world. We pretty much did everything together. The first day and a half her and her brother Moussa (my second best friend) tried to teach me how to say things. I drew a body in my notebook and they told me the terms, and I learned to count (kind of), and I would try to say phrases from my textbook and I would never be sure they understood. The kids, especially Tulaay 1 and Moussa, have a fascination with notebooks and writing. They'll take my notebook and write in it and draw pictures and be so proud of themselves. I did notice, however, that they did not always comprehend what they were doing. For example Tulaay wrote some letters once and showed me only to discover she had copied them upside down. She also must have gone to school at one point because she had a notebook with some French in it (all Senegalese schools are taught in French) but she wouldn't always say the right word at he right time. For example she had a bunch of words written down and would go down the list, but she would miss "bonjour." I guess in school they more memorize things than actually learn them. She is very clever and really likes to learn but I honestly don't think the school properly taught her.
Tulaay also taught me how to do chores. This is part of integration since I will be living here for two years. I learned how to wash dishes in the Senegalese way and wash the floor, and next time I hope one of my sisters will teach my how to do laundry. Tulaay and I washed the floor with a bucket and an old sweater that served as a rag. It did the job and my father was very impressed. Now, the dishes. What a complicated spot for a health volunteer. Food is served in large bowls and mostly the family eats communally with their hands, but some use spoons. A problem a lot of volunteers face is a lack of hand washing before eating, but my family has had volunteers before and they provide me at least with a hand washing station and soap. I only eat with Tulaay; I'm not sure why. The Pulaar are know for having the men and women eat seperately, but in my house there are three bowls, with Tulaay and I at the last one. I think it's because I'm a "guest" but I cant't be sure. Tulaay does wash her hands. I saw Babaa eat with a spoon once or twice, and several other family members, but again, I'm not really sure what's going on. So we eat communally, and then after lunch the dishes are put outside to dry in the sun. The problem is that animals are free range here and come right up to the bowl and eat the leftovers. That (to me) is distasteful enough, but while I was washing the dishes I noticed I was sitting in a field of animal feces. We also did not change the water while we were washing the dishes, and it was pretty filthy by the end. To their credit they did not dump the dirty water in the compound, they made me take it outside. I think my family is health concious they just aren't sure what is considered healthy.
Another lovely anecdote that displays how dub I am: Not wanting to put anyone out, I told everyone I could put up my mosquito net by myself. Well, bedtime rolled around and I still hadn't done it so I attempted to do it by flashlight by myself. FORESHADOWING: I was unsuccessful. I slept without a net. I'm on malaria medication, one night won't kill me. However, I woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of some sort of critter in my room. I couldn't sleep for fear it'd burrow into some orafice to make its new home and kill me. The next night I had a net and felt much safer, but last night I heard my friend yet again and was convinced it was desperate to tear apart my net and kill me. I am not sure what it is; it sounds like a rodent but it could also be a lizard; worse case scenario its a snake; best case its an adorable snuggly kitten. On that note, good thing I got my rabies shot today!!!!!!!!!! Something I didn't know: They will never stop giving me shots.
Reading this over it all sounds so negative, but I really did have a great time at CBT. I wish they prepared out language a little better, but I love my family, the food was so good, I have a great Language coach, and it's been a great condition. I usually despise fish (I almost threw up the fish served at the training center) but the fish in Samba Loude was awesome. Also, on a note of how much I love my family my baaba just called to ask how I was doing. He is so thoughtful!!!!
So we're at the training center for another day and then we head back to CBT site where we will spend 10 days!
What an adventure!
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