Day 5- Meeting New Friends

Today started with nothing planned on the agenda. I was going to use the time to get some pictures and power points together, but something spontaneous came across our way that I am very excited about. During breakfast, Rich met a young guy, about 24 years old named Noussa Ba. He lives in a nearby village called Yenne Kelle. He was very interested in speaking with us and making friends. We have to come to learn that some of the young people here look at us as Americans and Europeans as hope to get to the developed world. Many of them have said that their dream is to get to the United States or Europe. Unemployment here in Senegal is very high, and many of them do not see a future here for themselves. Therefore, they ask us for our email and telephone numbers in hopes that we can help them come to the US or help them if and when they get here.

So this young man and his friend Achbay sat at our breakfast table and we talked about his life in Senegal. Noussa will be finishing his schooling in a year or two, and would like to come to the U.S. after that. We told him that we were teachers and would like to connect with a school here. I was very happy to hear him offer to bring us to the Director of the school in Yenne Kelle. He also offered to bring us to his home and meet his family.

We decided to go, as it was about a 15 minute walk to Yenne Kelle from Toubab Dialaw. We walked along the beach, which was good, because the beach here in Toubab is beautiful, and if we got lost or ran into any problems, we could easily find our way back to the hotel.

It took us about 15 minutes to walk to this village, and the first stop was Noussa’s home. We walked into the open courtyard which was occupied by Noussa’s father, sister and two little brothers. In total, Noussa told us there were 6 children and parents living there. Also occupying the courtyard were a couple of hens, a horse, and a few goats that looked at us very cautiously.
Noussa introduced us to his family, and invited us to sit down in a shaded area in front of his room. He asked us if we wanted any tea. Rich asked for a Coke, which Noussa didn’t have, but said that if we gave him money, he would go buy some down the road. While Rich said that this would not be necessary, Noussa insisted, and was on his way. We sat and chatted with two of Noussa’s friends and the goats. J I was impressed with one of them, Achbay, who was 30 and lived in an even further village. His English was very good, and he seemed like a well-intentioned, sincere person.

I discovered that he was a soldier at one point for the Senegalese army, and now worked part time at the national park. His father died of some illness when he was 7 years old, and he lived with his mother and siblings.

Noussa returned with two bottles of coke, sugar, and tea. We drank some of the Coke, and watched as Noussa prepared some tea. Rich and I glanced at each other, knowing that we were thinking the same thing. We have been told since Day 1 not to drink water here, and tea is definitely made from water.

Noussa brought over a propane tank with a burner on top if it to boil a pot of water for tea. Rich and I both sighed in relief since boiling the water would take away the impurities in it. We could have refused our friends hospitality and turned down the tea, but ultimately we decided we did not want to be ungrateful to our host. Once the water was boiled, Noussa added the tea and sugar into the pot. He mixed it back and forth, and served us each a small cup. I was still nervous about drinking it, but I did. It was very sweet but tasty. Noussa told us it was Chinese green tea.

After tea, we prepared for departure. The next stop would be the home of the school director. We thanked Noussa’s father, gave each of his brother’s some toys and T-shirts from our school.

We walked a few minutes on the dirt paths to get to the directors home. It was a relatively nice home. The director of the school is a very respected person in the village and is paid nicely. Education is not free in Senegal. He had a television that some of the men sat around and watched.

Noussa and Achbay escorted us out of the house and to another home. On our way we saw a lot of kids playing and yelling “Toubab” which means “white man” in Wolof. They were laughing and running around, so we knew they were just excited to have white visitors. I passed out candy, which they absolutely loved. The kids swarm around you because none of them want to be left out.

Back inside we sat in the bedroom of the director and told him, through Noussa and Achbay, that we were from an American school and wanted to share gifts. Rich gave him two packages of pencils, pens and sharpeners. I gave him a package of white paper, notebooks and 4 or 5 T-shirts from Ludlowe. We promised more materials and T-shirts that we had back at the hotel if we could come back later in the week when school was in session. He was happy to invite us back.

I was very happy to make this connection. I feel like it was the beginning of the relationship I wished to establish here in Senegal. We said our goodbyes and thank yous, but I was excited that I would see my friends again soon.

Noussa and Achbay walked us back to the hotel and we said “See you later”.

To make the day even better, Rich and I met a girl at lunch from Washington D.C. who is currently fulfilling her Peace Corps assignment in Senegal. Her name was Erin, and she will be in Senegal until 2007. She has currently been serving for 10 months. We told her how involved our school is with the Peace Corps in Africa and she was excited about the potential of working with us.

Today was so amazing. Sometimes you feel like there are larger forces working in the universe and that occassionaly they all line up in your favor. Today, through nothing but chance, we met a school director to establish a school relationship with Ludlowe, and a Peace Corps volunteer to work with as part of our service project. My two major goals, which at one point seemed might go unfulfilled, are starting to look like a real possibility.