Let's go Swimming!

2 days after Tabaski and people are still on holiday...Cassie and I were going stir crazy and biked 9 km through a very sandy road to visit a nearby town which has access to some local mangrove and delta channels.

So we spent the day swimming, hanging out with some of our friends, and the family we visited killed a chicken in honor of our visit. That's Senegalese hospitality at its best and truest. The day was relaxing and wonderful, which made the 100 degree plus bike ride back, the mini mosquitoes, biting flies, and dehydration totally worth it.

--

Byron Yee

Peace Corps Volunteer - Senegal, 2009

Tabaski 2010

"Baal ma aq. Yalla na Yalla boole baal" (Forgive all my sins. May Allah pardon us through the next year).

Tabaski: Just a lil reminder, the Islamic holiday when God provides a ram for Abraham to sacrifice, thus sparing his son's life.

The holiday was same as last year, the whole community praying out our mosque, fun shiny clothing, delicious and freshly slaughtered sheep, parties. This time, since being in country and service for about 1 year now, I've become more integrated and therefore enjoyed the cultural celebrations and festivities a lot more with my friends and family.

Negative Side Effects: After eating about 80% of my year's consumption of meat in about 48 hours, this is a bad time to have constipation issues. Although I'm not sure if this is worse to suffer or, as we say in Wolof, having a "stomach that runs"

--

Byron Yee

Peace Corps Volunteer - Senegal, 2009

Sheep on the Loose!

I realize it’s not nearly as catchy as “caboose on the loose!” but this is what was shouted as I spent the morning full out sprinting after a runaway Tabaski sheep. This sheep, being washed and fattened for our upcoming Tabaski, accidently got untied and ran very fast about a quarter km from our house before being caught and dragged back home.

I’m guessing it understood its inevitable fate in 48 hours, hence the frantic sprint. Perhaps it also foresaw that I would be fat and lazy for the next couple days after eating its juicy meat and therefore needed some preemptive exercise. But that implies this animal has some intelligence, which is far from the truth…Either way, I will and should be thanking it….

--

Byron Yee

Peace Corps Volunteer - Senegal, 2009

Shopping!

Dakar recently opened a brand new, fully equipped shopping mall! It's beautiful, shiny, classy, expensive, and complete with an international food market. In fact its so nice, you forget you're in a developing country...

However, one can't complain too much, as this provides a great opportunity for a break from work, which consisted of sipping ice coffees on a fake grass picnic terrace overlooking the ocean waves.

--

Byron Yee

Peace Corps Volunteer - Senegal, 2009

Community Gardens

Karang just had a 2nd 3 day training for our community garden/farm project Cassie and I are working on.

Who all was involved:

- 40 group members,

- 2 Peace Corps staff members

- 4 Peace Corps Volunteers

- 1 NGO

Lots of trees, dirt, manure, and food (not all at the same time). The formation was both fun, successful, and a very effecting training event. Now all that's left is to spend the next few days recovering from the fatigue, dehydration, and bloody fingers...

--

Byron Yee

Peace Corps Volunteer - Senegal, 2009