19 Nov: "perhaps the most famous singer alive." - Rolling Stones (2004)

In England, you have probably not heard of Youssou N'dour, but here in Africa, that is like saying you've never heard of Beyonce. Youssou N'dour, or as Rolling Stones likes to call him, 'perhaps the most famous singer alive', is the most popular musician in Senegal. His name rolls off the tongues of the Senegalese people at least a few times a day. His style varies from traditional Senegalese music to pop, but the reason for his popularity does not stop there; Not only is he a musician, but he is a political figure. Youssou N'dour is the Minister of Tourism and Culture in Senegal. 

How does man do such thing? To win awards such as Best Contemporary World Music Album at the Gammy and also be a prized political figure. It takes skill. 

15 Nov: "A simple life is good with me. I don't need a whole lot. For me, a T-shirt, a pair of shorts, barefoot on a beach and I'm happy." Yanni

When we first same to Senegal, we used to spend our days with the trainees at the local school. They live all around Senegal and worked on a summer project that leaves them with a new qualification. Now, they're all gone and all we have are the pictures, videos and memories they left with us. They welcomed us to Senegal like we were long lost friends. It's a shame they won't all be in Kaolack to see us make it to the very end. The pictures are of the day they took us to the salt beach in Kaolack. 

14 Nov: "If I were a boy... Even just for a day" - Beyonce Knowles

Couscous and milk. Susanna and I can't get enough.

Going for a new look today.

Nice figure for three kids.

Two 'brothers'

The pattern on my boubou

Maguette

Taking long to decide on an outfit the like a true girl

Mountaga our host brother 

with the guys

What we earned for the night - biscuits, rice, couscous and some money. 

Maguette looking like a girl again

"Are you excited for Tamkharit?" I ask, receiving a shrug and and a mumble. I'm immediately sad. Tamkharit is meant to be the Senegalese equivalent of Halloween, but everyone is so calm in the morning with little mention of the night that I begin to think it may just be like any other day. Well, I was wrong. I was very wrong. 

Arriving at the house for dinner, I'm given my favourite Senegalese dish, couscous and milk. Although we have it often, every bite is like the first, the day I fell in love with this simple yet scrumptious meal.

My friend Maguette arrives with her sister. I almost don't recognize her in her Tamakharit costume, which is to dress up as the opposite sex. Everyone screams and shouts. When I finally look away,  Master P is leaving his room in a floral dress that looks almost too good on him. The screaming and shouting gets louder. Now it's my turn. 

I run away looking through the amazing selection of men's boubou's in Mountaga's bedroom. Fatou Ba hands me a blue boubou and immediately regrets it when she realises how beautiful it is. I put it on anyway.

When all the girls in the house are ready, we walk out. Fatou Ba gets an idea, pulls us to the side and slaps us with grey powder used for cooking. Looking like 'true Senegalese men', we walk out, presenting our masculine selves to the family and friends.  I'm gifted with "c'est tres jolie", "It's nice" and 'rafet nga' before been whisked into the night, out into the street, to collect our treats of rice, biscuits, couscous and money. 

12 Nov: "You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I'm not hungry enough to eat six." Yogi Berra

Drinks at Blue Bar, our first trip to a fast food restaurant in Senegal

Margarita pizza at Blue Bar 

EDK, our second trip to a fast food restaurant

Chips and a wrap with loads of chips and meat in it.... I asked for a veggie! The tomatoes make it veggie right?

Our pizza to celebrate our special day. We chose to celebrate it  at EDK.

Who are you smiling at?

As the Senegalese believe in loads of sugar, loads of oil, loads of salt, loads of everything in everything, you can only imagine what the junk food is like here.  A simple burger usually has a burger, chips, cheese, egg, fried onions, loads of sauce and probably more meat in it – think of a McDonald’s breakfast muffin with extra everything.

Although I enjoy healthy eating (which I have been forced abandon in Senegal), I find myself spending my weekends at the local fast food restaurant stuffing my face with food that could probably feed a family of ten. No, it is not gluttony, but the large portions combined with it being rude to not finish a meal in Senegal. 

Today, I have an excuse as to why I’m on a motorbike-taxi on my way to one of the local fast food restaurants after dinner. Today is ‘National Pizza With the Works Except Anchovies Day’. Yes, this is a real day.

As my partner and I stare at the menu we discuss the ‘viande hachée’, which we think is 'minced meat', but decide to go for ‘Reine’, mistaking it for ‘king’ when it is actually ’queen’. Excited, we wait for what we expect to be some sort of meat feast, but receive what appears to be a margarita with olives. My partner hates olives. Great.

Despite the misunderstanding, and having to pick the olives and put them on my side of the pizza, we both thought the pizza was delicious. Since it was just my partner and I, something that rarely every happens, It came with a chance to relax, chat and laugh the way the English do. A small reward for our 10 hour shifts and very little sleep.   

11 Nov: "Live like it's heaven on earth'

To live in Senegal is to sing and dance every day. Every moment is a new opportunity to get up and start dancing. I hope this video will help you understand what exactly I mean.

Post by Precious Adesina.

10 Nov: "As kids, our experiences shape our opinions of ourselves and the world around us, and that's who we become as adults." - Chris Hemsworth

My exciting lesson on shapes.

 A star

because it decorates the night sky.

A square

because every side of me equally makes up who I am.

A moon

because it’s the sun of every evening.

A triangle

because there’s three sides to every story.

A circle

because I wish some moments were never ending.

A rectangle

because it’s those tediously long days that make great days seem so short.

An oval

because it’s the smooth rock you take home from the beach on a summer afternoon.

How did I become the person I am today? Isn’t it weird to think that every moment in your life, every person you have ever spoken to, every place you have been to, every book you have ever read, every friend you have ever made, has shaped you into the person you are in one way or another. You wouldn't be exactly the same person who were today if you had decided to stay home that one day or if you had decided to go out that other day.

What about the other way around? What sort of dent to you leave in the lives of the people you meet each day? As I think of all the eager students I have before me each day, I can't help, but wonder who I will be to them. Will I be the girl who taught them a bit of English many years ago or will I be something more? Something special.

5 Nov: DANCE v. 'move rhythmically to music' - Oxford Dictionaries

Families watching the drummers perform

The lovely Maguette invited us to an exciting drumming session next to her house. Many locals gathered around to watch the array of drummers perform to the best of their ability. Before we knew it, people were jumping up to flaunt their dancing skills to the crowd. How I ended up being one of then, I do not know.