I had a
very interesting day yesterday. I went downtown to meet some Peace Corp
volunteers for dinner at the French Cultural Center. I had my first beer
in like 10 days. Oh was it sweet. Had sangria with the Peace Corp
cultural liaison and event planner, who got me on the guest list for a
pool party at the Marine's house. I got in a fight with a taxi driver
who claimed that I gave him bad information and
he wanted more money.
He kept me in his taxi for 15 minutes or so trying
to get me to admit I had made a mistake. I realized that I was really
french with him when I said, "Sir, I believe that there has just been a
misunderstanding, but I told you exactly where to go and this does not
appear to be that place, now is it?" And he told me, "I'm not stupid,
you are saying it's no one's fault, but by your voice I can hear you are
saying it's my fault". To the taximan, I say well played sir.
I told him
if we are indeed where you say we are and that is the place that I told
you to go, then I should be able to walk home in about five minutes.
Am I five minutes from my home? No it is too far to walk, he replied.
So I said, one can only assume then, you did not take me where I asked
you to, but I will admit that there was a misunderstanding between us.
So eventually, after telling me he just wanted me to understand my
mistake, I told him, noted and it will never happen again, he took me
home. I was a little pissed, so I finally visited my rooftop terrace,
curled up in the hammock and listened to NPR while watching the stars. I
found my oasis of calm. All in all, I made some new friends, chilled in
the hammock and felt cool (Africa is still hot) for like the first time
since I arrived. Marine party is tomorrow, so here's hoping for no
drama.
jeudi 28 août 2014
Update on Life in Dakar (originally posted on facebook 10/7/2013)
Here is an
update on the last few days in Dakar. Thursday I went out to a restaurant called
Sao Brazil, hoping for some Brazilian ambience. The owner, who is part
everything but Brazilian said she named the restaurant Sao Brazil
because it sounds exotic, no? Their signature drink is Tequila based, I
mean seriously. And it's not like they don't have cachaça behind the
bar.
Friday night I went to the US embassy to hang out at the Marine house with some Peace Corps volunteers and met quite a few cool people. The marines have a pool and a grill, so I think I will maintain this relationship. Since Peace Corps are government employees they are close to the rest of Embassy and USAID staff.
Saturday I went to the US embassy's opening softball tournament/Oktoberfest day, at a baseball field right on the ocean. Hotdogs and Sam Adams, beautiful ocean views and a giant American flag tent. Peace Corp and some other development workers, all looking for friends, were in full force. Later that evening one of my colleagues invited me to a Senegalese party, which was my first. Discovered a new dance and music called Mbalax, while rubbing shoulders with some of Dakar's wealthier residents.
Sunday was a lazy day at home. At one in the morning the electricity went out, and my fans turned off, and my god did it get hot quick. I was sweating and could not sleep. I spent the next 7 hours fanning myself until at about a quarter to seven the wind whipped up and it started raining buckets and everything cooled down quick. Since there was no electricity at the house or at work, work was cancelled and now I am downtown in a cafe having lunch and using their internet. Such is life.
Work is progressing well. Working on my first quarterly budget for the donor and just received the field reports to start working on the quarterly progress report. So things have fallen into place a lot quicker than I expected. I have friends, and I love my work and have a pretty good idea of what I am doing. My Wolof classes begin tomorrow, and I am super excited to learn a new language, my first African language. Now if there were only running water and electricity everything would be perfect.
Friday night I went to the US embassy to hang out at the Marine house with some Peace Corps volunteers and met quite a few cool people. The marines have a pool and a grill, so I think I will maintain this relationship. Since Peace Corps are government employees they are close to the rest of Embassy and USAID staff.
Saturday I went to the US embassy's opening softball tournament/Oktoberfest day, at a baseball field right on the ocean. Hotdogs and Sam Adams, beautiful ocean views and a giant American flag tent. Peace Corp and some other development workers, all looking for friends, were in full force. Later that evening one of my colleagues invited me to a Senegalese party, which was my first. Discovered a new dance and music called Mbalax, while rubbing shoulders with some of Dakar's wealthier residents.
Sunday was a lazy day at home. At one in the morning the electricity went out, and my fans turned off, and my god did it get hot quick. I was sweating and could not sleep. I spent the next 7 hours fanning myself until at about a quarter to seven the wind whipped up and it started raining buckets and everything cooled down quick. Since there was no electricity at the house or at work, work was cancelled and now I am downtown in a cafe having lunch and using their internet. Such is life.
Work is progressing well. Working on my first quarterly budget for the donor and just received the field reports to start working on the quarterly progress report. So things have fallen into place a lot quicker than I expected. I have friends, and I love my work and have a pretty good idea of what I am doing. My Wolof classes begin tomorrow, and I am super excited to learn a new language, my first African language. Now if there were only running water and electricity everything would be perfect.
Why I No Longer Celebrate Columbus Day (originally posted on facebook 10/16/2013)
Here is why I cannot in good conscience celebrate
Columbus day. I have always believed that no one has to feel guilty for
what their ancestors did, or for who their ancestors were. But you
should feel shame if you try to hide the reality of who they
were and what they did or if you remain willfully ignorant and believe
idealized versions of history.
I also wholeheartedly disagree that we cannot judge historical figures by modern standards, because it is our own hubris that makes us think we are more moral and knowledgeable than those who came before us and that we invented these standards. What surprises me whenever I look back at history is that there were always, and I mean always, voices that protested oppression, enslavement, genocide and all manner of inequality. But, as is the case in modern times, power does as it pleases, and privilege will always try to perpetuate itself.
Unspeakable horrors always live side by side with acts of profound humanity. That is why this article speaks to me, because it illustrates how one man's greed caused him to commit barbaric acts and how another man had a come to Jesus moment and found his humanity. Whether it was, or is, slavery, homophobia, sexism, xenophobia or racism, in every time there were people who knew it was wrong.
There will always be voices who are speaking truths that power and privilege do not want to hear, but that is not the same as ignorance and not knowing better. When people are confronted by their ignorance they either react with disbelief or curiosity. However, when people are confronted by their power or privilege, especially that they feel is legitimate, they respond with anger and violence. I believe that the people who have made the most meaningful changes in the world are those who have recognized their privilege, and its power, and used it in service of humanity.
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/columbus_day
I also wholeheartedly disagree that we cannot judge historical figures by modern standards, because it is our own hubris that makes us think we are more moral and knowledgeable than those who came before us and that we invented these standards. What surprises me whenever I look back at history is that there were always, and I mean always, voices that protested oppression, enslavement, genocide and all manner of inequality. But, as is the case in modern times, power does as it pleases, and privilege will always try to perpetuate itself.
Unspeakable horrors always live side by side with acts of profound humanity. That is why this article speaks to me, because it illustrates how one man's greed caused him to commit barbaric acts and how another man had a come to Jesus moment and found his humanity. Whether it was, or is, slavery, homophobia, sexism, xenophobia or racism, in every time there were people who knew it was wrong.
There will always be voices who are speaking truths that power and privilege do not want to hear, but that is not the same as ignorance and not knowing better. When people are confronted by their ignorance they either react with disbelief or curiosity. However, when people are confronted by their power or privilege, especially that they feel is legitimate, they respond with anger and violence. I believe that the people who have made the most meaningful changes in the world are those who have recognized their privilege, and its power, and used it in service of humanity.
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/columbus_day
Privilege, Power and Oppression (originally posted on facebook 10/28/2013)
I love this article my friend Tina posted. I recently posted my
thoughts on privilege vs ignorance. And I love how this article so
expertly touched on all the points of privilege, social norms, and defensive
reactions to having privilege pointed out. You can substitute
any word for fat, or for thin, and you would be looking at exactly the
same phenomenon. I love the part about "real women have curves", it
reminds me of the "black is beautiful", or "our families are just every
bit as loving as yours".
Someone, very close to me, once asked me why "the black is beautiful" phrase is not racist, but that "white is beautiful" is. And just like this article explains "These types of phrases and attitudes were born of a need to say “I’m beautiful, too!” They’re responses to societal norms." White being beautiful, and more beautiful than anything else is the societal norm, it's the status quo. It's what everyone has grown up knowing, white, black, brown or otherwise. It's the reason black children prefer the white doll. In other words, it's not revolutionary.
I remember when I lived in Brazil, a girl asked me at a party if I thought Brazilians were pretty. And I said you are definitely known for being some of the most attractive people on Earth. Which she responded, well the white people. I was shocked, the white people? And she said, yeah the white people are more beautiful, it's obvious when you watch TV.
Now she said some other troubling racial things, but I tried to explain to her that the fact that there were only attractive white people on Brazilian TV is a decision a society makes and is in no way an indication of which groups are attractive. It just shows you where power lies in a society.
So let me close, before I ramble on any further. This is one of the best articles I have read that succinctly describes the social force behind privilege, prejudice and power. And how, for whatever reason we are oppressed, oppression as compared to simple hurt feelings feel very different. And whatever oppression we may be subject to, does not negate our privileges. The two go hand in hand. I always appreciate having my eyes opened to different realities so thank you for sharing this article.
Let's Talk About Thin Privilege
Someone, very close to me, once asked me why "the black is beautiful" phrase is not racist, but that "white is beautiful" is. And just like this article explains "These types of phrases and attitudes were born of a need to say “I’m beautiful, too!” They’re responses to societal norms." White being beautiful, and more beautiful than anything else is the societal norm, it's the status quo. It's what everyone has grown up knowing, white, black, brown or otherwise. It's the reason black children prefer the white doll. In other words, it's not revolutionary.
I remember when I lived in Brazil, a girl asked me at a party if I thought Brazilians were pretty. And I said you are definitely known for being some of the most attractive people on Earth. Which she responded, well the white people. I was shocked, the white people? And she said, yeah the white people are more beautiful, it's obvious when you watch TV.
Now she said some other troubling racial things, but I tried to explain to her that the fact that there were only attractive white people on Brazilian TV is a decision a society makes and is in no way an indication of which groups are attractive. It just shows you where power lies in a society.
So let me close, before I ramble on any further. This is one of the best articles I have read that succinctly describes the social force behind privilege, prejudice and power. And how, for whatever reason we are oppressed, oppression as compared to simple hurt feelings feel very different. And whatever oppression we may be subject to, does not negate our privileges. The two go hand in hand. I always appreciate having my eyes opened to different realities so thank you for sharing this article.
Let's Talk About Thin Privilege
A Quick Thought on Anniversaries: Good and Bad (originally posted on facebook 10/30/2013)
It
amazes me how anniversaries, good or bad, can snap us out of our daily
lives and routines and make us just sit back in stunned silence. Well, I am
definitely having one of those moments right now.
I lost a good friend 15 years ago and today would have been his 31st birthday. Time does heal all wounds, to a point, because there are times when you feel like its the day after and an intense grief and bewilderment overcomes you. Those times when it feels like not a single day has gone by.
So I guess not all wounds heal, or at least they do not heal completely, and maybe that is not such a bad thing. So today I will be thinking about my best friend and the good times we shared, especially on his birthday.
I lost a good friend 15 years ago and today would have been his 31st birthday. Time does heal all wounds, to a point, because there are times when you feel like its the day after and an intense grief and bewilderment overcomes you. Those times when it feels like not a single day has gone by.
So I guess not all wounds heal, or at least they do not heal completely, and maybe that is not such a bad thing. So today I will be thinking about my best friend and the good times we shared, especially on his birthday.
Articles I wrote for Tostan
I thought I would post some links to articles I have written for Tostan. They are about the project I am working on. A project to reform the Senegalese educational system and also put an end to forced child begging.
Learning About Child Protection in Senegal
Communities, Religious leaders, NGOs, and the Government of Senegal Discuss Children’s Rights
Doctors from International Medical Relief treat talibé students in Thiès, Senegal
Learning About Child Protection in Senegal
Communities, Religious leaders, NGOs, and the Government of Senegal Discuss Children’s Rights
Doctors from International Medical Relief treat talibé students in Thiès, Senegal
Crazy Weekend in Dakar (originally posted on facebook 12/13/2013)
I
can’t believe it’s already Wednesday and I haven’t given an update on
the last week. So last Thursday was a bittersweet affair. Went
downtown for my roommate Jeremy's
farewell evening. First dinner ate Chez Loutcha. I did not eat as I preferred to drink
my money at the French Institute, where we met up with some friends afterwards.
Later we shimmied over to the Viking for beer, and then somehow ended up
dancing at Ozio with Mouhamed and Zoumana,
who was also celebrating his last night in Dakar.
Dancing, though fun, was probably a bad idea, since I had to be at work the next morning. A very unproductive half day, but I was looking forward to taking a nice nap before heading to Charly Bar. Nap was cut short however, when Nick called to remind me that I had offered to make him dinner. So I had to hurry off to the grocery store for some veggies, cheese and meat. He had the Bordeaux waiting.
We grilled the steaks and I made a cheesy vegetable melange. Then I headed off to Charly Bar where I was chastised by several groups of friends for being so late. But you can’t just bounce on dinner, and a good meal requires you to take your time. Danced at Charly and drank beers poolside before heading home at some ridiculous hour.
Saturday I was dead. Woke up super late, picked up a pizza, watched Will and Grace and played Candy Crush. Sunday, met up with Iba and Mouhamed for brunch at Taste of America, and ordered a full spread. 3 cinnamon roll buttermilk pancakes (are you kidding me?), hashbrowns, sausage, eggs and hibiscus juice. Service was slow, took an hour to get our food, but the cook told us she had been open for only three weeks, and she was cooking all the food herself. Apparently it’s hard to find chefs in Dakar who can make American cuisine. So as long as you are not in a rush to get anywhere; definitely going back, getting the grits next time and the strawberry cheesecake pancakes. If you are homesick for the US, this place will sate you.
After brunch headed to Virage beach to enjoy the sun, sand and waves and several bottles of wine and a few whiskey cokes. Very fun and relaxing weekend to prepare me for this week. Yesterday I had a meeting in Thies and got to use one of the Tostan cars and drivers. So much more comfortable than public transportation, the sept-place is no fun. Once you’ve had a taste; comfortable SUV, the latest hip hop tunes coming from the driver’s MP3 player, door to door service… air condition. It’s really the only way to travel.
Tomorrow is a holiday, Tamxarit, Muslim New Year’s. Looking forward to a short week and perhaps some more parties. Who am I kidding? Definitely some more parties.
Dancing, though fun, was probably a bad idea, since I had to be at work the next morning. A very unproductive half day, but I was looking forward to taking a nice nap before heading to Charly Bar. Nap was cut short however, when Nick called to remind me that I had offered to make him dinner. So I had to hurry off to the grocery store for some veggies, cheese and meat. He had the Bordeaux waiting.
We grilled the steaks and I made a cheesy vegetable melange. Then I headed off to Charly Bar where I was chastised by several groups of friends for being so late. But you can’t just bounce on dinner, and a good meal requires you to take your time. Danced at Charly and drank beers poolside before heading home at some ridiculous hour.
Saturday I was dead. Woke up super late, picked up a pizza, watched Will and Grace and played Candy Crush. Sunday, met up with Iba and Mouhamed for brunch at Taste of America, and ordered a full spread. 3 cinnamon roll buttermilk pancakes (are you kidding me?), hashbrowns, sausage, eggs and hibiscus juice. Service was slow, took an hour to get our food, but the cook told us she had been open for only three weeks, and she was cooking all the food herself. Apparently it’s hard to find chefs in Dakar who can make American cuisine. So as long as you are not in a rush to get anywhere; definitely going back, getting the grits next time and the strawberry cheesecake pancakes. If you are homesick for the US, this place will sate you.
After brunch headed to Virage beach to enjoy the sun, sand and waves and several bottles of wine and a few whiskey cokes. Very fun and relaxing weekend to prepare me for this week. Yesterday I had a meeting in Thies and got to use one of the Tostan cars and drivers. So much more comfortable than public transportation, the sept-place is no fun. Once you’ve had a taste; comfortable SUV, the latest hip hop tunes coming from the driver’s MP3 player, door to door service… air condition. It’s really the only way to travel.
Tomorrow is a holiday, Tamxarit, Muslim New Year’s. Looking forward to a short week and perhaps some more parties. Who am I kidding? Definitely some more parties.
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