3 Nov: Your World by Georgia Douglas Johnson

Your world is as big as you make it.

I know, for I used to abide

In the narrowest nest in a corner,

My wings pressing close to my side.

 

But I sighted the distant horizon

Where the skyline encircled the sea

And I throbbed with a burning desire

To travel this immensity.

 

I battered the cordons around me

And cradled my wings on the breeze,

Then soared to the uttermost reaches

With rapture, with power, with ease!

2 Nov: “First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, and then you win.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

As I look at my opponent, I see a glint in her eye from the African sun. She pushes back her gold mane before presenting her deadly claws. She is ready to attack. Like a lion, she pounces towards me and like a tiger, I pounce back. I can just about hear the crowd screaming my African name under the voice in my head repeating 'You have to win. You have to win.' It causes my angry glare to transform into an awkward smirk. But no, I smiled too soon; the crowd's roars were slowly transforming from the beautiful 'Ramatoulaye' to the repugnant 'Aisatou'.

'No', I growl, shaking my head at the crowd.

Now, I have to do this. I have to win. To lose would be to give in. To lose would be to admit that she is the dominant one. To lose would be to say that she is leader of the jungle. But we all know that is not true. This is my territory.   

1 Nov: Pinch Punch First of the Month

The watermelons in Senegal are larger, juicer and sweeter than the ones in England. 

So November is the National Blog Posting Month. Who knows what that means? Yes, it means I will attempting to make a blog every day of the month. I couldn't be more excited. I'm sure you're also excited to have 30 days of non stop blog posting from yours truly. 

As watermelons are in season, and soon juicy mangoes, I couldn't be happier at the moment. My love for fruit will be fed during this season. I'm sure the family members have realised how much I love Senegal's mouth watering watermelons as I always make sure to consume every last sweet drop of the stuff when we have it after dinner. To them it's just a watermelon, to me it's a piece of heaven. My saving grace when things get tough. 

"The language of friendship is not words but meanings." Henry David Thoreau

Fatou Ba, my Senegalese Sister.

When I came across this quote, I had to use it in a blog post. It is probably the most appropriate quote to represent my Gap Year. Fatou Ba's English is small and my French is absolutely horrendous, but somehow we manage to meet in the middle. To some, it may seem difficult or tedious that a five minute conversation may take us half an hour, however, to me, it adds a new dynamic to our relationship. We are able to gossip, laugh and joke without actually understanding the words that are being spoken. It is teaching me something very valuable about friendship: friendship is not about what you say to each other nor about having "so much in common", but about the special bond you share, one that is irreplaceable.  

"Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face." - Victor Hugo

A pirouge, used as traditional fishing boats in West Africa. 

This boy used a bottle to catch fish for his Ceebu Jen. 

The beautiful tree in Foundiougne.

Susanna and I with out new french buddies. 

The family we stayed with. 

As I brush my toes against the water and let the waves crash again my feet to cool myself down from the sweltering heat, I find myself thinking about the wonders of life. Two months ago, I was strolling across Embankment, forgetting to take in the view, as people who are brought up in London do. I forgot to wave goodbye the my bestfriend, Big Ben. I forgot to watch the London Eye do it's final rotation for the day. I  generally just forgot to absorb all that London has to offer. Now, I watch the goats drag their feet along the dusty roads as the extravagantly dressed ladies sit idly by their stands filled to the brim with watermelons, bananas, lemons, nuts. They smile as you walk by as if to say "I've been waiting for you all day", making you feel guilty for being too full to have a watermelon today. 

As much as I love where I am volunteering in Senegal, getting away was a blessing. To not have to think about all the work that had to be done for a day was liberating, especially when getting away was to the 'joli'  Foundiougne. As I arrived on what looked like a boat dragging along some sort of hovercraft, I watched the people play along the beach. I was excited.  We were welcomed by the Jeremy, who had come from France to Senegal for 4 months to volunteer with his association, and spent the evening playing in the water then drying off at his friends house before getting ready for the next day. A day full of  exploring Foundiougne and absorbing the heat on a pirouge. 

“Dance is the hidden language of the soul” ― Martha Graham

In Senegal, there are two types of people, those who can dance very well and those who can dance extremely well. As I sit at the closing ceremony of the summer project at the local school, I realise that I am probably the worst dancer here today. Group by group the kids come up to expose what they have been learning and, every time dancers come up, I am bewildered. The kids are too young to know how to dance with such passion and elegance. Every move is in time with the music and their peers. They are young, they are naive and I, well I'm jealous. 

"To get lost is to learn the way." ~ African proverb

Talking to Thierno
Thieno is one of the first friends I made when I arrived in Kaolack. He lives with and is a relative of our host. 

Precious: What is your name?

Thierno: Thierno, you know my name!

P: How old are you?

T: I am 19 years old.

P: Really? La blague (joke)?

T: Yes, la blague, but you can write that.

P: What do you  like to do when there is no school?

T: Play football, talking with my friend.

P: So it is your favourite sport? You like it?

T: Yes, a lot.

P: Tell me about your bestfriend.

T: My bestfriend? I have two bestfriends. Moustapha and Mohammed. Moustapha is a very good person. He all the time call me to say he is fine. It's my friend who is in Dakar. Mohammed is my first bestfriend. We were together when we are 5 years old. I lived with him for two years until I came here. 

P: The guy we met yesterday was he your brother?

T: No, but I call him my brother. I have one brother, his name is Abou. [The interview] it's finished?

P: No, where is the best place to go in Kaolack?

T: The best place to go in Kaolack [thinks] Kasaville.

P: What is it?

T: It's a corner (neighbourhood) where I was born. I like this corner very well. Every Friday, I go there to pray.

P: Can you dance?

T: I don't like to dance, but I like listening to music [pause] and Koranic music.