fadiouth

It’s been just over two weeks since we arrived in Senegal. With six full days of survey under our belts, we went to Fadiouth yesterday. A man-made island of shell, houses crowd together in a maze of alleys and white-washed walls. The sun was setting and we watched residents play soccer on the expansive sand bars between the mainland and the island. We had plans to go dancing that night, but work and strong sun had drained us and we sat on mats outside and drank Coca-Cola and Fanta instead.

The electricity is only ever on for a few hours a day so my ability to update may be inconsistent. I'm hoping the next town we stay in will have slightly better internet reception so I can upload some pictures of things so far. Stay tuned.

beginnings

We arrived in Nguéniène yesterday afternoon and life is starting to follow a loose but pleasant pattern. We'll begin fieldwork tomorrow, a welcome change from the lazy ways we've fallen into. The village is relaxed and life is slow. We befriended a neighbor yesterday and convinced him to climb a baobab tree and retrieve some of its fruit so Julia could try it. The flesh is chalky and dry but just the right amount of tart and sweet. Meals are eaten from very large plates, three or four of us crowded around one, eating the portion directly in front of you and working your way from the rim to the center. We sit on straw mats on the front porches of houses, the meal is as communal as possible. In the afternoon, the Senegalese students make an impossibly sweet tea, something akin to thin honey with a frothy head to it. We're looking forward to learning the town and getting down to work in the next few weeks.