Sunday afternoon......

It is Sunday afternoon here, about 2pm. I am sitting in the computer room in the back of the house with the tin roof. Usually, it is too hot to sit back here. However, the storm started about an hour ago so it is nice and cool. They don't really have down pours in the States like they do here. The locals say that there are normally about four big rains a year. This year is different though. This is the third or fourth already and the rainy season started early. I actually like it quite a lot. It cools things off and gives quite a different ambiance then the normal hot and sticky here in Dakar. When the rain started I had to go around the house and close all the windows because it rains so hard here that the water comes into the house if you don't. Also, there are of course no drainage systems here so the water gets pretty deep outside.

So my lovely roomie and new found buddy, Bronwen left for New York last night. It was actually quite sad. You see, Bronwen grew up here in Senegal. She has so many friends here and they are all amazing, fun, and nice. It's been wonderful to see what it is like to be young here living in Dakar. It truly amazing that this place is in West Africa. There are clubs (or discotheques), billards, beaches to chillax on-ya know? the normal things kids do. People in the States tend to think how bizzare it must be to live over here. It's really not all that different in someways and in fact quite cool as your world becomes inmeshed with all different cultures. You learn franglais, different music from all over the world, different slang, different food, and to chillax in a whole different way. So, back to Bronwen. She left for the States as I said, but this time for good. Her family is moving back to the States next year so this was her final goodbye. I couldn't imagine what she was feeling! Imagine leaving the place you grew up behind and it being so, so far away. Now I am here for another three weeks house-sitting. It's so nice to have this place to stay but I really do miss her already. I am glad it is raining though. It fits the vibe and mood I feel today. I have a good feeling about continuing to see her friends though. As short as the time has been that I have spent with some of them and attempting to speak my intermediate French with an American accent, I will miss them. One of the amazing things is I never feel left out as they always include me.

Well until next time-

Inshallah

Gabrielle

Ponderings

Ok-so I haven't written in awhile. I have been quite sick for while. You see I got parasites somehow. Alas-I went to see the doctor but the medicine he put me on for a week was not strong enough. I remembered Friday that my supervisor is an MD and used to work in the field as one. I asked him what I should do. He was kind enough to pick up the drugs for me and bring them to my neighborhood. After taking them I don't think I've ever been so nauseous in my entire life! Alas, I am feeling a bit better today but we shall see.

Somedays, such as last Thursday, I have started to think of the things I will miss when I get back to the States. I honestly cannot believe that my time here is almost up. However, I feel like I have been here for an eternity at times. One of the main things I will miss is the baguettes. I will miss everyone speaking French around me and my learning of the launguage continually growing. I will also truely miss the boabab trees that are truely magnificent not only in their beauty but in the coolness and shade they provide. In some ways I will miss the lack of stress here. If I'm in a mess or in a jam, there is not a whole lot I can do to get myself out of it. In a weird way that takes the pressure off. I will not miss the electricity or water cuts, however it creates an atmosphere once again of there not being a whole lot you can do. It forces you to learn to cook in candlelight, to read by candlelight, to play boardgames like you were kids as Bromwen and I did last Friday with Monopoly. We laughed as we remembered tournaments our families used to have that would go on for days and even weeks sometimes. Here there isn't the pressure as there is in NYC and at school to always be on top and pressure to succeed beyond measure. The sheer frustration of the mindset here where no one thinks beyond today tends to lend itself towards a whole lot less stress and anxiety. I can now see the immense appeal to this. Imagine a world where you never stressed about tomorrow. Unfortunately, for me this is not quite possible. I was able to get into the mindset for a bit when I didn't feel I was ever leaving here. However, now as I start to feel my time coming to an end, my identity of being American creeps back slowly but surely, starting to worry about finances, school, what will I do when I graduate in a year, etc, etc.

I slept in again today as it is Sunday and you dread the heat you will feel from the intense African sun. As I was drinking my Lipton, I turned to BBC World. They were showing a documentary called "Escape from Luanda". Watching this documentary was just what I needed. You see I have not left the house in two and a half days due to my illness. I was writing in my journal last night how I feel I have lost my passion, my inspiration. I have been on the journey since August of 2000 to make an impact, to help others, to serve. Here I do not feel I have been able to do this at all. Perhaps something I have learned while working here is that I desire and thrive more in a hands-on basis atmosphere. This documentary is about a music school in the capital of Angola. Angola is a country ravaged my war for many years. A woman in the community decided to start this school and has given hope and opportunity to many.

I find myself now at a point I feel I have never been at. I am almost 28 and halfway through my graduate school career. I am now not sure that I have chosen the right field, the right degree to get. You see, I have always been the person who knew what she wanted and went after it with nothing stopping her. Now, I am not sure what that is anymore.

Gabrielle

Things I am most thankful for today.

• aircon in the office
• the good doctor I saw yesterday
• clean water and running water
• the ground beef I had for dinner last night-protein! yay
• electricity
• friends
• Bromwen
• opportunities

La Plage

Today I am loving Senegal. Just chillin' with my cool new roomie and her hot friends at the beach. It is not so humid or hot today. We are going over to watch the new Sex and the City movie! It's kinda like having a beach house today :)

Things you can buy from a taxi in Dakar....

• Cookies
• Shoes
• radio
• phone credit
• flashlight
• batteries
• mangoes
• banannas
• water
• underwear
• cornflakes
• shoe holder that hangs over your door
• jewlrey
• face cream
• soap
• kleenex
• fans
• cd's
• cassettes
• dvd's

Taxis in Dakar....

Taxis in Dakar a sense of wonder for me. Never in your wildest dreams would you think a car in this bad of condition could run! Seats with holes, only one door works, (the one on the right), gears that don't shift properly, ... ah yes-and the sense of amazment when you notice the key has fallen out but it is still running "just fine".

There also seems to be someone who comes around late at night with a hammer and bangs on the windows of the cabs so that each and every cab has a window that looks as if someone has failed to break in. Hmm.... the Dakar Taxi Hammer Man!!!

The taxi's are either a toyota corolla from 1982, or a lovely old and ancient french Peugot. Some of the Peugot's are actually stationwagons that are commonly referred to as a sept-plus. Needless to say, when my brother mentioned up hoping in to the back of one the these dark and scary sept-pluses for a 6 hour journey to St. Louis-call me high-maintenance but I politely declined. Ok-not so politely! The thought of being crammed in the back of one of these with about 9 other people, no aircon, tough roads, unbelievable smells-didn't even think twice! Oddly enough, this is the way many people do it here. We opted for the mini-bus and payed for it by waiting for 4 hours :(

Hailing a taxi in Dakar....quite perfectly put.

How to Hail a Taxi in Dakar, Senegal By: marianneouioui - 16 Feb 2006

Hailing the cab...
Casually and nonchalantly stroll to the curb, distancing yourself from any people you may be with, so as to appear alone. Slowly and again, in no hurry, raise your arm, make eye contact with a cab driver, and make the "pppsssstttttt" noise.

Approaching the driver....
Approach the cab, as if in no hurry and not desperate to find one. Come to the passenger side window, or lean against the door to address the cabbie. Your goal is to bargain for a fair price for the ride, but first things first: small talk.

Small talk....
Shoot the breeze with the driver, most preferably in Wolof. Even if your Wolof is not strong, even being able to say “Hi, How are you?” in Wolof will give you much more credibility. Only stop shooting the breeze when the cabbie gets down to business.

Down to business...
“Fo Djem?” He wants to know where you’re headed. “Mangi dem chi marche bi.” You’re going to the market. He will state a price, in French francs, making the first bid. You are NEVER to start the bidding. You will hardly ever accept his first offer.

Declining an offer....
After considering his first offer, or at least pretending to, show your disapproval. Shock/surprise work if he proposes an abnormally high price (suspecting you're a tourist). Tell him you go there everyday and the price is never more than ______.

The counteroffer...
If the price is only a bit higher than the correct price, politely decline. You can now propose a price. Propose either the actual price you plan on paying, or even lower, so that if you make a compromise, the price agreed upon will be the right one.

First trick....
If he declines or makes a counter offer that is still not right, thank him kindly and start to walk away to allow him time to call you back. Usually he will, to accept your offer or continue bargaining.

Last ditch effort....
If he still will not accept any of your offers, tell him you only have a certain amount of money with you, but in this case make sure you do have this exact change, and that it is separate from any other money you are carrying.

Get in!!!
"Monte" means an agreed apon price, so get in. Sit in the front seat with him, for it is what locals do. I do not, however, recommend putting your seatbelt on, especailly if you're wearing white.

Get out, ride's over!
"Fii baax na.” (Here is good) Pay him, thank him, exit taxi. Tipping is ridiculous, especially after having spent so much effort bargaining for a cheaper price. Finally, say “Alhumdililah” to thank God for arriving in one piece. (After exiting taxi.)

The thing about Senegal is...

You never know what the day, or rather the next hour holds. After spending a day at home due to extreme frustration with my situation at work, I arrived this morning only to find that everyone had been given the day off. Ah- I smiled at my colleague as this just seems to be the way things go around here. However, a minute later I found out that the director would be in, of whom I have been desperately trying to meet with. I decided to go downstairs to the "library" and read some interesting materials while I waited for her. I was determined and would wait all day if I had to. To my surprise, she arrived shortly after and asked me to go have a cafe with her! I was so nervous but alas, my chance had come :)

She was shocked to hear I had never had much work at all and given no instructions or education on the UNAIDS system. She said that each time I came into the office I looked like I was working on something. (Ah, yes you see this is the American way, eh?) She then began to give me a breif history of the organization as she was a co-founder! Hello! She explained the different levels, etc. I was able to ask her questions about what is too be done when bottlenecking is found between funding and implementation. I was also able to chat with her about certain things I am completely puzzled by here in Senegal, such as the sanitation.

Later, I was able to hear ask her a bit about her country, Ethiopia. It was so wonderful to get to hear a perspective on different areas, regions, and issues from such a powerful woman in this work and also a native. I certainly hope to learn more, though know that things hardly ever go as planned here.

Since moving to my new place last Sunday, I have yet to find a market close by to buy food at. THis is quite a strain you see. So I finally found one on my walk home from the bus today. WOw-it is brand new, super clean, and even has toiletries! One of the guys working there noticed that I was browsing for quite awhile eh? He smiled and asked me if it was my first time there. I laughed as I responded, "Oui! C'est une grande supermarche!" As we were conversing for a few moments, it turns out he works for a local ngo nearby who works with HIV/AIDS prevention and education and especially works to assist women in vulnerable contexts. He is going to introduce me to the director and president next Friday. I am excited as this might be an opportunity to do some groundwork.

So, alas, a good day in Senegal with many possible opportunities at hand.

Inshallah-

Gabrielle

Saint Louis

This is a picture my brother and I took in front of one of the buildings in St. Louis. The city of St. Louis is the former capital of West Africa. It has a very old colonial feel to it, with palms and pastel colored houses that have shutters on them with chipping paint. Honestly, I found it quite beautiful here. It would definatley depend on your own point of view however. Some might find it decayed and neglected, but to me it was inviting and historical. It also one of the stops of the famous aviator, Jean Mermoz. I went to the museum that gave all the history of l'Aeropostale, in which Mermoz was instrumental. We also visited the beautiful hotel that he used to stay in called l'Hotel de la Poste. I really enjoyed this because I dream of the day I will have my pilot's license and have a great admiration for the guys who flew in these old planes!

Saint Louis was shockingly inviting. The people were very welcoming and even the taxi driver said "Bienvenue!" to us. So refreshing to feel welcomed after living in Dakar. There were barely any people who hassled us in the streets. We also enjoyed delicious shrimp. However, the two best parts might have been aircon in our room and la piscine!!!!!!!!!!

Ok now. The trip there and back....was just not so inviting! My brother and I took a mini bus. We went 150 km and it took....10 hours!!!!!! We had to sit and wait for the bus to fill up. THis I had done before in other areas of Africa. However, this time we waited for 4 hours and the entire time we were being sold stuff. Oh man! If you can imagine sitting in the hottest heat you have ever felt, and having all different people coming up to the door screaming at you in Wolof to buy stuff. Anything...cookies, banannas, batteries, underwear, radios, etc. And needless to say, they dont take no for an answer. After a while Micah and I just started cracking up. Til next time-

Gabrielle

Desperately Seeking

I am desperately seeking my purpose in being here. I thought it was so clear that this was the place I was supposed to be this summer. I´ve had the flu for two days now, but will go back to work tomorrow. Unfortunately, today was the first day of a big regional conference we are having where I might have actually learned something. Why did I have to get sick?

Work is so incredibly strange. There is still practically nothing for me do to. However, my supervisor gave me some stats to invesigate for him and they do not even exist. Then I could not finish as I was leaving the office at 7pm and have been in bed ever since. So now I wonder if he thinks poorly of me. Honestly, not sure why I even care though. He does not communicate ANYTHING at all with me. It´s hard because I dont want to complain but why in the heck did they ask for an intern?!!!

I came to make a difference in people´s lives. I came to learn about UNAIDS. None of this is happening and it is so incredibly disappointing and frusterating.

The Storms

Oh man. The storms have started. Crazy winds! Palm trees swaying furiously. They say that the rain comes up to your waist sometimes because they do not have drainage systems here. I am glad it will cool things off a bit however. Yesterday the heat was unbearable, mostly due to the humidity. I have a bad cold and had no idea someone could get a cold in this kind of heat!

Sink or Swim

Well, this is my fourth week here at UNAIDS in Dakar, Senegal. As you might have noticed, I have not written about my work here. You see, things are very different here. There is this somewhat undefinable tension in the air between the Anglophones and Francophones. Each has a different work ethic and a different way of doing things. My office has people from all over the world working in it. We have people from Rwanda, Senegal, Spain, Belgium, and more. Each has something different to contribute, but figuring out how to do that is close to impossible.

I titled this entry "Sink or Swim" because that is what it is here. My British colleague just dropped thos note of courtesy to me. "You either sink or swim here. No one tells you what to do." She is actually the second person to speak of this to me. My other colleague had been here for five months when he finally figured this out. There are subtle hints given to you, but almost never a direct response, invitation, or explanation. You can only imagine the frusteration.

My fellow colleague was absolutely in shock when she heard I got a computer after the first week I had been here. Her colleague has been waiting since last fall to get one. When she asked me how I got one I told her that I went to the tech guy's office at least three times each day. Well, I seem to be sinking at this point so it is time to attempt to start swimming.

She is Igbo (Nigerian) and finds Dakar very difficult. It's funny. I literally have not met one person here who likes living here. When I told her this she laughed and said that is why they are all so mean. Now this would be understandable for people who just think it is dirty and poverty stricken. The strange thing is that is not the things that bother you here. Those only add to the frusteration. It is so incredibly difficult to put one's finger on what it is here. She said that one of her friends here has been quite depressed. Indeed one of my friends has been too. She let me know that it is very common in Dakar for people to struggle with depression. This is quite a struggle for me as I also realize how much I have to be thankful for.

Dakar does not have street signs, zip codes, or addresses. When you take a taxi you must give them some reference point to go to and then you direct them from there. I have not met one single person who takes the bus. No one knows where they go! The only reason I can take one to work is because a friend of the family showed me the bus to take the first day I got here.

There is somewhat of a circle in Dakar that one must break into, socially speaking. This is even true for other Africans. One of my colleagues husbands who is from Uganda said that it took their family six months to make any kind of friends here. He said that it is strange in Dakar. The private sector does not get along with the public sector, the ngo's do not like the government organizations, etc. Hmm.....

Gabrielle

La plage....

My brother arrived on Friday night and I was so happy to see him. We picked him up from the airport and immediately took him to see some live music at a cafe around the corner from where I lived. This was also my first time hearing live music.

You see, here in Dakar, the electricity goes out a whole lot lately. In fact, it is off more than it is on. They say it is not usually this bad. I have been informed it will continue to be this way until after I leave. We use a lot of candles in the evening.

On Saturday I took my brother to the Marche Sandaga, one of the main open markets here. Whew! Crazy! However, it was so different this time as the people could now tell I lived here and they knew not to try and treat me as a tourist to be scammed and ripped off. Therefore, I was able to get my brother a nice deal for some sandals he wanted. I now it may sound funny but this is a very big accomplishment. My bro thought it was quite amusing as he referenced the hackling to the paparazzi! I guess that is a bit what it is like.

Later that evening we went to a wedding reception. The women were dressed in extravagant boubous. All different colors and embroideries. The little girl of the family I am living with, Adja, was in the wedding. It was in the public street and everyone just sat in chairs for hours to see the bride and bridesmaids. Then everyone sits and watches as the bride and groom recieve a gift from each person and then have their photos taken. Must be exhausting!

Yesterday the family, my brother and I , and some other young people at the house all went to the beach. This was the best day yet by far. The water is so nice. I jumped the waves and swam for a long time. Then we sat under the tiki umbrellas and read, ate, and chatted. Last night we went for dinner and a drink at the cafe around the corner again.

Life in Dakar is hard. It is lonely. It is dirty. The internship is very disappointing but having my brother here makes such a huge difference. We will go to St. Louis this weekend to get away and see the former capital of West Africa.

Gabrielle

C'est Vendredi!

Ah...it's friday. Fridays are great because they are half days in Dakar due to the Muslim holy day. Today a woman from work has invited me to her little kids birthday party. Normally that would not be so appealing but...alas-it is a pool party! I am hoping they have some kind of cake too. It is amazing how much the little things mean in a place like this.

Last night the two little kids at my house put on a show for myself and the mom of the house. It was so freaking adorable. The little girl sang and the little boy danced. Adja, the little girl, made me this drawing with flowers that says "I love you". Wow-it made me feel so nice.

This morning I decided to treat myself to a taxi ride instead of the bus. It was really nice and I am getting pretty darn good at the bargaining for the price I want.

Best of all though is that my bro is coming in tonight. I cannot wait for that! Mon jumeau!!!!!!

Gabrielle

A different way of life

Here you never know when the electricity will go out and when it does, how long it will stay off. Same thing goes for the water except it does not happen nearly as much. Have you ever heard of not being able to get cold water? Interesting , eh? So that happens here in Dakar because the pipes get so heated in the ground.

So tonight I went to the store determined to get some protein in my diet. Alas, I found a can of lentils and some swiss cheese. I came home and decided to brave the way they cook here. It is a little can on the ground that you turn the gas on and light it. Somewhat like a gas stove but different indeed. So the electricity blew out just as I found the can opener. Ah! I cooked by candle light.

On the bus ride home I had tears in my eyes because of the immense poverty here. The thing is that there are all these people on the street that haggle you to buy, buy, buy. The taxis beep at you every two seconds because there is way more supply than demand. When you tell the people no thank you , etc. they are often quite nasty and rude and literally have no concept of the word no, no matter what language you say it in. When you get to take a breath sometimes it is hard because you realize that is their way of living. They just haggle people on the street for hours on end in the baking heat. Then you feel bad for being so aggravated. The wierd thing is that you would buy a heck of a lot more stuff if you could just look but there is no concept for that either.

On the bus today this woman offered me a seat next to her. I cannot tell you the joy that brought to my face. It was such a gift.

My favorite thing of each day is coming home to the little boy and girl that live at my house. They always make me smile no matter how bad my day is. I brought them a couple of movies and they just watch them over and over and over because there is not any children´s tv here. Tonight we watched Curious George in French-again! LOL I do not know what I will do when I am at my next place and they are not there. I am sure something else will come about however.

So mosquito season has started! It was nice and overcast today.

Gabrielle

Wow-today was really tough. Work is not what I had expected. However, you never know what the next day will bring. Today I was able to help a colleague out and she was extremely grateful. That was so nice to actually accomplish something and help someone out. She also sat down with me for a bit and discussed the difficulties of Dakar with me. She is from Belgium but has been working all over Africa since 1994. She says this place is different than any other country she has worked in in Africa. You see, it really is. I thought I was prepared because I had been to Africa three other times. I was prepared for the dirt, the electricity and water going out, etc. What I was not prepared for was the attitude here and the unwelcoming that you feel in this city. It is not just Europeans and Americans that feel this way either. Evidently, other Africans feel this too when they come here. You are constantly bombarded by people, always have to be on your gaurd. I do not mean to be negative but just telling a bit of how tough some days are.

My brother asked me for some books to read on the country. I started searching for some and realized there are some books that people have written on this. It is just really comforting to know I am not crazy for feeling the way I do. I came here to impact lives and I hope I get a chance. Maybe I will but in ways I will never see.

Thanks for reading and all your support! Here is to another day and a possibility of making a difference for someone-Inshallah

Gabrielle

Futbol et la mer!

Today I went to watch the football game of Senegal vs. Algeria! That is me and Cedat, the little boy who is part of the family I am living with. Senegal won :) It was so much fun and I never thought I would get to go to a match like that. It was the first round of games that determines who will go to the world cup, of which I hope to make it to in my favorite place-South Africa.

I also got to put my feet in the ocean today. The sea is really beautiful here but I must admit ´the beach´is not. It smells with the open fish markets. Of course that was the first one I had been to however. Anyhow, just being at the ocean was amazing.

Tomorrow I will go to Ile de Goree´with a colleague from Columbia. It is a famous island for (unfortunately) where much of the slave trading was done. There are supposed to be beautiful homes there and it will be so nice to get out of the noisy city for a little bit.

I will write more about my work this week. Thanks for reading!

Gabrielle

Inshallah

This morning I am peaceful and was so thankful for the little bit of cold water to wash my face with. Honestly, just trying to adjust to life here. You begin to truly appreciate the small things like a bananna or a mango! Perhaps I am a bit too peaceful as I am in dire need of a decent coffee!

Work is going quite well since yesterday. I got a computer yesterday and you can imagine how happy I was!!!!! So I am working on creating a report of the West and Central Africa regions Global Fund progress that will be presented at the regional meeting here in mid July. I have been able to talk a bit more to my colleagues here to get an idea of how things work here.

When people hear I am from NY they think that is quite cool. So it turns out my supervisor is quite an amazing person. He lived in Rwanda during the genocide, after the genocide and in Darfur during some of the war there. He told me about being lost for a month after running from the rebels and he ate mangoes and drank palm wine from the trees. Wow!

Well I will write more later as I must get back to work.

Gabrielle

Week two Dakar

Well, well my friends. Dakar is a strange place indeed. So many feelings, emotions, thoughts....Currently there is no water. ´Its Africa` they say. `Can you tell me when we might have some?`....who knows. Unfortunately, it has come at a very inopportunistic time you see. My stomach problems have begun.

I knew I had been to Africa before but nothing is like Dakar. The heat is already very intense and they say it is nothing compared to what it will be like. The mindset here is one that seems impossible to get your mind around-even for people who have lived here for years and years.

There are so many con-artists- and I mean professionals. I havent fallen prey yet but have heard from others. I am learning that many foreigners do not have a circle of friends here. The truth is that it is very hard to trust people. On the other hand I was happy when a local woman in her boubou (traditional African woman´s dress and hat) came up to me on my walk home and smiled. She said she sees me walking all the time. She wanted to say hello and welcome me I think because some of it was in Wolof. Anyway-it made me feel so nice.

Well-I will write more later as I just want to go sit under the fan.

Inshallah-

Gabrielle

Sticky!

Ok Peeps! No matter how much you bathe or wash your hands, you are always sticky! Eww.. On another note, I took the bus for the first time by myself today. Let me tell you that was an accomplishment. jái un peur! I was afraid. I could not get off quickly enough so i got off the next time the bus stopped. i burnt in the sun but I wear a wrap and 45 sunblock. uh- could someone have told me to chop my hair off? shame

Anyway- so today is holy day and each friday the peeps across the street have a sing along type thing. the men gather and sing along to a big huge loud machine that spurts out muslim chants like the ones from the mosques. However, it actually sounds really awesome. The men wear beautifully colored robes with matching hats and the women get all dressed up. Elles tres jolies! They are very pretty.

Tomorrow I will help with the little girl´s bday party of the fam I live with. Of course it will all be in French and Dutch mais cést la vie maintenent! THen we will go to the family restaurant for dinner. Sunday I am meeting a Columbia colleague to venture to the markets and city center together.

Today I sat in on the UNAIDS staff meeting so that was quite cool. Only thing is it was all in French so I did not get all of it. LOL

So I think I will go lie down and let some more sweat drip down my face as i try and fall asleep (yeah right).

Bonne Nuit!

Gabrielle

Dakar

So I came to the computer and found the internet working a bit. It is almost one am here and you don´t sleep much because of the heat. When you do fall asleep the call to prayers wakes you up around 5am. I´m sorry but who wakes up to pray at that God-awful hour without a coffee even?! LOL

So I am trying not to be too hard on myself and realize I must give myself time to get used to it. Two words: HOT and DUST. Tomorrow is Friday which is the holy day and we only have to work half days on Fridays! YAY Then I will venture to the city center this weekend where the markets are. I will take the bus by myself tomorrow for the first time.

The women here really dress up and they even wear heels which I just don´t understand. It is impossible to wear makeup as it just melts off and to do your hair?! Yeah-the African women are smart when they wrap it up in a cloth let me tell you. I will learn this trade for sure.

The expense of life here is incredible. I learned that most get by because they just eat rice. The staple here for breakfast is nescafe (instant coffee) and a baguette. THey eat as much baguettes as the French! Unfortunately, it is not the same for wine and cheese :)

I am SO glad I am staying with a family. Im not sure how I would make it without them here. I am meeting up with a colleague from school on Sunday to explore. We haven´t met yet but were connected through the Columbia.

I am laughing as I keep hearing the sheep outside. Hmm...what else can I tell you? When I get down and feel like I can´t do this I think of the poverty these people live in and how I get to go back in three months to the greatest city in the world. I just think about how blessed I am and how amazing this experience will turn out to be even though it is truly a rough one.

Well I guess that is all for now. Thanks for reading and...

Salaam Alekum (Peace be with you.)

Gabrielle

Oh man. As I sit here and try to work on this next research project I have due in a few days, I realize the anxiety around leaving that is fast approaching. I new this would come to be but it's not fun. I just have to remember that it is not about me, but about those in need. I am sure that it will be a wonderful and exciting adventure!

Just a quick reminder this am that I am traveling to sub-Saharan Africa and not some luxuriously exotic destination. I received an email that the person who is supposed to pick me up probably got fired because he is so awful! Oh-and the car broke down :( These are the reasons patience is of essence there!

Dakar OutLook

Well, knock on wood but everything seems to be go so smoothing with the only real hiccup so far is having to get four shots in one day two days before I leave. You see the yellow fever vaccine is in limited quantities here in NYC my friends. So I was only able to get it just recently. Since it is a "live" virus I have to wait three weeks before getting my other four.

So I have a driver picking me up at the airport now-thank God! I hear from the locals that the airport is a nightmare. My french is also a bit rusty so the thought of having to bargain a cab price upon arrival just wasn't feeling so great.I will be renting a room in a house with a Dutch family for the first month. Then I will have a house all to myself!!!!! Crazy! Anyone want to come visit? :)

My twin bro is coming for ten days and I can't wait!!!!!Ok-more to come later but I must get back to writing my final paper that is due tomorrow.Gabrielle

Beginning

Well I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel folks! I cannot believe in nine days I will be finished with my first year of grad school and two weeks from today I will be leaving for Senegal! It's amazing to see God's thread through my life. I came to NYC with a dream and four years later am about to live it. It's been my dream to work for the UN and now I am off to do an internship with UNAIDS in Dakar, Senegal for three months. :)