Pecan Pie.

Happy belated Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving was an exciting festival for all of us North volunteers, we got to host volunteers from other regions in Senegal who come up for our Thanksgiving party! It was a lot of fun , the food was great, the company was interesting, the memories are best kept secret. It was a great break from site, and a great way to celebrate the holiday. I really appreciate the volunteers coming together for celebration, it was a lot of fun—sadly there were no leftovers though. We need to work on that in the future. Some people claimed one of the five chickens they wanted to kill, pluck, clean etc. It was a massacre. Along with the 2 turkeys. Sadly I missed out on the slaughtering because I went to the market to get my breakfast (bean sandwich.) but I was welcomed by some bloody volunteers, some a little shaken up too. Maybe next year I’ll try out my murder hands on a chicken…. Who am I kidding? I wanted to name all of them and teach them how to eat out of my hands. I tried to tell people we should save the chickens so we can have eggs…. They weren’t convinced.
The festivities are over and I’m back to work, with the luxury of staying in Ndioum to finish up my online work, i.e. fund raising for my health hut!! Check out the site and try to spread the word, my village and I would appreciate any donation (size doesn’t matter), any help would be greatly appreciated. Think of the donation as my package you haven’t sent me, or the Christmas gift you can’t give me. ;)
https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=685-159
Site is going really well the only project I currently having going on is the Cas de Sante (health hut), there are many projects that will be starting it’s just been hard finding someone to work with in village because of the lack of counterparts and motivated people. But the projects will start and be rocking so no worries.
Fast forward updates: I’ll be in Thies December 2nd-December 4th for the All Volunteer Conference we discuss appropriate projects, implementations, sustainability, etc. West Africa Volunteers come to this conference, it’s going to be really exciting and it’s in Thies. I miss Thies a lot! It’s been forever.
I had a mouse in my room, his name was Harold he stole my earring and hid it in my trunk then tried to eat it. He is now out of my room, but it was exciting hiding under my mosquito net with a 3 year old making hissing noises at the trunk – I wanted him to think we were snakes and run away…. Didn’t work. At first I tried to scare the mouse by holding my machete and tapping the trunk, my 3 year old niece just told me “…. If you’re scared mom can get it out for you she’s not scared.” My response, “I want him out now but he’s gonna jump on me! Chello (the lil girl) if you’re not scared you try.” Chello “Penda (me), hit him with your machete.” Me: “I’m scared.” Chello: “Take all of your stuff out of the trunk and he’ll run.” Me: “Chello, I’m scared, you take my stuff out and let him run.” Chello: “no…. let’s get out your room’s too hot.”
Convo Gibby (4 years old) and I: Gibby: “Penda, what’s on your legs.” Me: “hair.” Gibby: “No, it’s thorns.” –Thanks Gibby.
Tabaski (a day to ask for forgiveness. Wiki it.) The 2 previous volunteers called and greeted my family on this holiday, both volunteers talked to my older sister Miyram. First volunteer got told “Your Pulaar is horrible, Penda’s is so much better. You forgot all of your Pulaar.” Second volunteer got told “Your Pulaar is amazing; Penda’s Pulaar is horrible. She can’t say the Tabaski greeting yet.” Miyram got off the phone and I went up to her and said “I can do the Tabaski greeting, but I don’t have to.” Miyram: “But Tabaski is a day for forgiveness, you need to ask for forgiveness.” Me: “But I’m not sorry, I haven’t done anything bad.” (Mind you my father is standing right behind me and is understanding all of this. Miyram: “You have to ask God for forgiveness.” Me: “No I don’t, he knows I haven’t done anything bad. I’m a good person. I’m not sorry.” Everyone at this point is laughing hysterically, including my intimidating father. I walk away with a smile on my face, completely clueless about what the Tabaski greeting actually is, and my family convinced my Pulaar is amazing. 2 points Hadiel.
I hosted an American study abroad student whose been studying in Dakar for the semester; it was a lot of fun she got to stay at my site with me and we went on adventures around site which is always fun. I had another visit by a giant snake, she got her fortune told by our traditional healer, and she got to witness what I think was the most exciting thing that could happen at site… this leads me to a very elaborate story and if you have questions please ask because I’m horrible at telling stories.
Tostan is an American NGO that works in Senegal, they do a lot of different projects within Senegal including an alphabetization program where they teach the locals how to read and write their local language. It’s a great organization of course with it’s pros and cons like any organization, the main thing about Tostan is they get a lot of their funding through other organizations because of their work with educating people about the dangers of FGC (female genital circumcision) the organization has gotten a lot of mixed reviews from various villages about this practice, but it’s a really important thing they’re doing (don’t forget this is my opinion). Tostan has a movie of testimonies they’ve compiled from various people in the Northern region and their experiences with FGC their opinions on the practice, concerns, etc. The video is done completely in Pulaar, with Pulaars, for the Pulaars – a very important recipe. Tostan has been going to various villages/towns in the North (where FGC is more widely practiced) and showing this film, they do it in a series of films at first they show black and white silent films which brings in the younger kids, then the Senegalese music videos which brings the teenagers, then they start the movie the introduction of a women telling her story of all the difficulties she’s had during child birth because she was circumcised (she states she was bleeding like a slaughtered animal). Surprise, Tostan came to my village!! I saw the movie I was there for the debate afterwards, and the whole time all I could think was – “I hope my village doesn’t think that I brought this movie, and I hope they don’t throw rocks at the projecting screen” I wanted my village to have a new age opinion of this practice, and realize the dangers it brings, but I couldn’t talk to them about this issue, it would ruin my hard work I’ve put in for integration, I’m not at the point where I can bring up conversations like this and get real answers. But I didn’t have to bring up the conversation. My friend Ode who is an American Tostan volunteer was there at my site and I had my mini freak out with her about how nervous I was, but she put me at ease; the man who brought the video to my village is from my village and now works in Paris for the Tostan office there. The village holds him in a very high regard and wouldn’t disrespect the film or his acts of kindness so there were no major displays of hostility.
This movie and experience was a catalyst, I was able to talk to a few younger girls and my brother about their thoughts on the movie and if it still happens at site and what they took away from the movie. It was the most rewarding talking to my brother and my favorite niece. Being able to hear them say they don’t think it’s safe and it causes too many problems, it’s rewarding to hear things like that. Now if they will still practice it I can’t know, but I know now the issue has been brought up and I know I have people who are willing to speak about it; I’d like to continue the talk.

Okay so other than asking for money one more time that’s all I’ve got for ya’ll. There are always more updates, and hopefully your questions/comments will help open the discussions of such.

Don’t forget:
https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=685-159

Tell your friends.