Dakar – Page 2 – GW Blogs from Abroad

Une semaine à Dakar

AdminFebruary 13, 2017December 14, 2018

Things haven’t been particularly easy in this third week, but overall I’m really and truly enjoying myself and loving it here in Dakar. There is definitely a more relaxed vibe here, and no one is ever too rushed to stop and ask how you're doing. Now that I’ve started my internship and found myself in a routine of sorts, I thought I’d outline what a typical week looks like for anyone who may be curious, or interested in this program. (note: details vary for everyone. Except for the part about not having toilet paper. That's definitely a constant.)

Mondays and Wednesdays are for classes. I wake up around 6:45, shower, get ready, eat breakfast (which is always a giant piece of baguette with chocopain and tea), and catch the bus around 8:00 with some other students who live in my neighborhood. The bus stop is only a five-minute walk from my house and the stop where we get off is about ten minutes from the CIEE study center.

We normally arrive at the study center somewhere between 8:30 and 8:45. Classes start at 9 (however I have the first time slot free so I try to get some homework done during that time), and each one is an hour and fifteen minutes. After my free space I have beginner’s Wolof, public health, lunch, democracy and governance, and advanced French for development studies, all of which are in French. For lunch, we can leave to buy food, go home, or even ask our families to pack us a lunch, but normally we eat on the roof terrace where there is a small kitchen with a kind woman named Marie who sells spectacular food. There’s a menu consisting of massive sandwiches on entire baguettes or you can by the “plat du jour”. Each of those cost 1,000 CFA francs which is equivalent to about $1.60. Last week I had the plat du jour, which was a plate of couscous and beef, and it was absolutely fantastic.

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Student?? Guest??? TOURIST???? AMERICAN!!

AdminFebruary 6, 2017December 14, 2018

By lrich522

It has now been two full weeks since I arrived in Dakar, and my self perception has evolved only in the sense that my “identity” abroad has become much more complex and difficult to reconcile.

In almost everything I do I wonder how Senegalese nationals perceive me and my actions, as well as how that may reflect on the United States. Given the current political climate in the US, it is extremely common to hear something along the lines of, “Hey, what does Donald Trump think he’s doing??” as soon as people learn I am American. Living with a Muslim family in a country where 95% of people practice Islam, it’s difficult to discuss Trump’s policies, specifically his executive order barring travel from 7 predominantly Muslim countries.

When I was eating lunch with a friend at the study center last week, a local student approached us and asked us why Americans have the right to travel wherever they want then ban people on the basis of religion. As an American fortunate enough to go abroad to a country where I have been accepted and welcomed with open arms, I had no answer for him. Since the executive order was put in place, I have noticed that I am asked about who I voted for much more frequently.

My homestay family has the news on everyday, and we had a very in depth conversation about their feelings on the ban. I have always known that America’s actions affect the world, but I don’t think I was as cognizant of just how influential these policies are beyond the affected countries, even if just in changing the course of day to day conversation.

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So why Senegal??

AdminJanuary 31, 2017December 14, 2018

By lrich522

This is a question I have received A LOT since making the decision to study abroad in Dakar, especially within the last couple of weeks as I prepared for my departure. I have noticed that the answer I give to this question varies depending on who is asking. My close friends and family tended to ask why I chose to study abroad in Senegal with genuine curiosity. They wanted to learn more about what went into making this decision, and to hear about the kind of experiences that I could have.

HOWEVER, the majority of reactions I received usually followed the same predictable dialogue consisting of, “Where is that?” to which I would say “West Africa,” which usually produced a contemptuous tone when they would proceed to ask, “why??” coupled with a face that bordered somewhere between confusion, judgment, shock, and distaste, along with the occasional offensive comment.

While most reactions were not that extreme, a common thread and I think the worst part of these interactions has been seeing the immediate reactionary facial expressions to the word, “Africa”. My friends at GW were pretty much all so supportive and inquisitive, that when I came home for winter break the blatant racism that I sometimes saw from my coworkers and complete strangers directed towards an entire continent was shocking. I hope to be able to know how to react better to these comments upon my return.

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"Don’t you speak French???"

AdminJanuary 31, 2017December 14, 2018

By lrich522

It has now been exactly one week since I arrived in Senegal, but it has been one of the longest weeks of my life. I think I was still in denial that I was studying abroad until leaving the airport in Dakar, but it has been a whirlwind since then. A few CIEE staff members were waiting for us after we got our luggage, and we took a small bus/van to immediately drop us off at our respective homestays.

The three neighborhoods in Dakar where CIEE students are placed are Ouakam (where I live), Mermoz, and Sacre-Cœur 3. Ouakam is the only neighborhood that requires using public transport to go to the study center. When I originally found this out, I was a bit apprehensive considering I still go the wrong way on the DC metro or completely miss my stop when I don’t pay enough attention. After having taken the bus for a week now, I realize that the 30 minute commute has helped me to better orient myself and get to know the other 10 students who live in Ouakam.

Originally when I got off of the bus, it seemed a little abrupt going straight to my homestay from the airport, especially since I was one of the first to be dropped off. When we arrived my host brother was waiting for me and he drove me back to the house. It was a fast drive, but on the way he asked me a couple of questions (still have no clue what he was saying) and when I gave him the deer in headlights face that my whole family is probably used to at this point, he said, “Don’t you speak French???” My comprehension has improved a good amount since then, so I think I just needed time to adjust to the Senegalese accent as well as how quickly they speak.

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Final Thoughts

AdminDecember 12, 2016December 14, 2018

By bradynevins96

The biggest challenge for me during my volunteer work was feeling like I fit in at my host organization, ImagiNation Afrika. Although it was run by an American and most of the other people who worked there spoke English, I felt like I should speak French, and most of the time I was really shy so I didn’t talk to people as much as I would have liked to looking back on it now with some 20/20 hindsight. I think I was especially self-conscious of my French-speaking abilities because many Americans are often not very nice to people who go to the US and don’t speak English very well. I doubt people here would have been equally as judgmental but I finally realized that that was the reason I felt so shy.

Things got better when I started working with the Americans at University of Michigan who are helping with the Men na Nekk multimedia project. Feeling like I had something that I was contributing to the organization (there wasn’t very much work to be done towards the beginning) and feeling like I had a reason to be there gave me a better sense of belonging.

Since the Men na Nekk project is still in its beginning stages and there aren’t any visible results yet, it’s hard to say that I feel particularly proud of any accomplishment so far. Hopefully I’ll be able to keep contact with some people at the organization and hear about how the final project turns out. Once I see ImagiNation Afrika start making a difference for real kids in the Casamance, then I’ll definitely feel proud that I was able to at least have a small part in that work.

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The End, but Not Really

AdminDecember 12, 2016December 14, 2018

By camilacarrera10

The last subject I wrote about was the challenges many countries would face now that Donald Trump is our President Elect. Developing countries especially will have a unique battle ahead as Mr. Trump has made it quite clear that his sole focus is on “Making America Great Again”. Despite this upsetting news my friends, family, and colleagues came together to fight for a great cause. Our fundraiser was very successful and the money we raised will go a long way for the refugees. The money that each individual donated will make all the difference in the life of a refugee who wants to pursue his education or even just make it another day with food on the table.

While I am proud we raised money I am even more proud of the fact that we brought something new to the table. P.A.R.I had never before held a fundraiser, which is pretty astounding considering it is a non-profit organization. P.A.R.I has always relied on private donors or the church to support its mission. While this is great, P.A.R.I is really straining to reach as many refugees as possible. By using contacts from the community, it is surprising to see how many people will come together under a great cause (even in a country that frowns upon homosexuality). Then again, compassion is something Senegal has in spades.

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A New Day

AdminNovember 29, 2016December 14, 2018

By camilacarrera10

The countdown has officially started. Three weeks left. I am completely astounded at how fast time has passed. Senegal has become my home, but in many ways I still feel like a foreigner trying to find her way. A few questions have plagued me throughout this semester concerning topics varying from cultural appropriation to wondering if my role at my internship was helping anyone.

My two fellow interns and I have had a wonderfully challenging and rewarding time at P.A.R.I without a doubt. We have perfected our interview skills, practiced our Wolof, learned about the refugee crisis in Senegal, and visited many homes of people desperate for our help. Still, we struggle with keeping our life compartmentalized. We wake up, go to our internships, listen to story after story of hardship (families who live off $1 a day), and then I return to my comparatively luxurious life as a tourist in Senegal. I struggle with guilt over the life I live even though I know that is neither productive nor necessary for me to feel. One of the lessons I have learned here is that using one’s opportunities to create impactful social change is the best way to combat any feeling of guilt.

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Jeunesses et Développement

AdminNovember 29, 2016December 14, 2018

By bradynevins96

During the second half of my time here in Senegal, I have been working with an NGO called Jeunesses et Développement (Youth and Development) to help them design a website. The NGO was founded in 1988 with the intent of improving living conditions for individuals as well as the collective in areas such as environment, health, education, and community development.

Jeunesses et Développement is similar to a scout organization like Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, and it uses this aspect to help protect at-risk youth in Dakar. Jeunesses et Développement also works along side many other NGOs and organization, including UNICEF, to promote and instill values like gender equality, social justice, human rights, human dignity, and reproductive health. When kids have nowhere else to go, they can go to Jeunesses et Développement, which also - when necessary - takes responsibility for feeding and educating their participants.

Previously Jeunesses et Développement only had a Facebook page. I hope that the addition of a website will help them get their name out to more people and organizations so that even more kids can participate in their programs. I’m looking forward to getting to know more about this cool NGO as I work with them more during my last few weeks in Dakar.

Keeping It Real In Dakar

AdminNovember 2, 2016December 14, 2018

By camilacarrera10

With only six weeks left here in Senegal, I am awestruck by how fast time has passed. Still, there are points where time seems to completely stop which I attribute to the fact that doing things quickly is not the Senegalese way. This doesn’t mean that productivity does not exist. At my internship, my colleagues take a two-hour lunch break to eat, relax, and pray. At first, I thought that we were wasting time considering how many refugees came seeking help and were waiting on us. After sitting in on interviews I saw how thorough my colleagues were. They made the refugees feel safe and comfortable while discerning to what extent we were able to help. As I signed in the refugees to the center everyone would take the time to ask me how I was doing. Even more amazing? They genuinely want to know.

As my French is progressing I am able to communicate more with my coworkers, but also with the refugees. I have heard horrendous stories of torture and abuse, but I have also witnessed the lengths people go to survive in a society that turned its back on them. During home visits, we assess the living situation. Nine times out ten the refugees are living in cramped and unsafe conditions. The buildings are badly built and as many as three people may have to share one bed. Seeing these things every week has humbled me to no end because it has reminded me that people all over the world don’t have access to basic needs. When I find myself missing home or even the simplest luxury that I may not have in Dakar, I remind myself the unbelievable fortune I have just to have the opportunity to study abroad.

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Men Na Nekk

AdminNovember 2, 2016December 14, 2018

By bradynevins96

ImagiNation Afrika recently received a grant from the Tran-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership to begin a new, year-long program, called Men Na Nekk, which I was able to help lay the groundwork for. The project is aimed at teaching multimedia skills to students in southern Senegal, an area below the Gambia called the Casamance Region. Because it is one of the poorest regions of Senegal, the area is prone to youth radicalization, which ImagiNation Afrika is trying to prevent with Men Na Nekk.

When it begins, the project will reach several hundred students in three regions of Senegal through a variety of 15-day intensive camps. One camp focuses on leadership training and the promotion of moderate and tolerant ideologies. Two other camps will teach basic photography and film production skills, and they will allow students to make short films talking about what Islam means to them. There will also be a film festival where student’s films will be showcased.

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