Long time, no post!

Wow, I've become that bad blogger who never posts already! I must remedy that!

Since my last post, I have returned home to Fatick and have really gotten to settle in. I have been teaching for two weeks already and I am really starting to learn the "homeschooling ropes." It's quite different from a high school classroom full of teenagers! I'm really enjoying it too. The classroom is in my house, so I can work on stuff for school while baking my breakfast for the next day or late at night!

I am really starting to feel at home. I have learned how to find my way around Fatick and even went to the market Saturday morning all by myself! I was quite proud. I am meeting people around town and am looking forward to building relationships with some of the local women. There is a beauty salon that I'm planning to visit later on this week and really get to know some more women. Pray for me as I seek out friends and someone I can practice my Wolof with.

The Definition of Language Learning

The definition of language learning from the dictionary of Holly: 1) contorting your mouth in foreign shapes in the hopes of producing sounds that you have never heard in your life; 2) making a fool of yourself as you completely and absolutely butcher a language; 3) smiling through it all as the locals laugh at you as you try to make these weird sounds; 4) enjoying making them laugh because you know they enjoy hearing you speak their language.

Despite the trials of language learning, I love knowing how happy I make the people by speaking their language. Their faces just light up when they hear this white girl speak Wolof. It's really quite fun.

My week here in Dakar has been quite an adventure. I climbed a mountain (literally), looked out upon Dakar (I'll post pictures once I have steady internet access), have ridden in many taxis, have learned how to bargain for taxis, and I am ready to brave the Saturday market. Dakar is a busy, bustling city with many fun and interesting people. I have eaten so much good food and I am ready to try some more local dishes.

I walk about a mile from where I'm staying here in Dakar to my language classes around 2:30 in the afternoon. At that time, men all over Dakar and Senegal are praying towards Mecca. As I walk to class, I pass many people on their prayer mats, praying to the east. As I walk, I pray for the people that I pass. Please pray with me for these men and women. Pray that God would open their eyes and change their lives.

2 weeks in Senegal

I have decided to sum up my time here so far in as few words as possible - but it might take a while!

Crazy Dakar taxi drivers, fruit sellers directing traffic (and really not doing a good job - I mean, they're fruit sellers), nearly running over people walking and moto drivers, nearly running me over, dirt in the Chacos all the time, wind so strong it'll knock you over, Harmattan dust haze, lizards pooping on my kitchen counter, loosing electricity three days in a row, mosquito nets, trying to light my gas oven, successfully lighting my gas oven and baking my first banana bread, "Dema jang Wolof.", "No, I can't marry you. You'll have to talk to my father in America and he'll say no." "Yes, I know you have a house and a good job as a mechanic, but I still can't marry you.", riding on horse carts to the market, looking at fish in the market, cleaning fish after the market, turning down another marriage proposal in the fish market, walking 2 miles to pay my electric bill, listening to my washing machine dance around for two hours, wishing they would put the goat next door out of it's misery, ... oh the list goes on and on.

In all, I have really been enjoying being here. I survived culture shock and now feel at home. I'm heading to Dakar for two weeks to begin my Wolof language learning. I can't wait to be able to really communicate with the people. Please pray for Liz and I as we begin.

Home sweet home

Now that I'm settled in and finally have some down time, I'm able to write and catch you up on everything! Liz and I arrived in our village Thursday. It really is such a nice little village; we even have paved roads! Actually, the road all the way from Dakar to here was paved! The big difference is the amount and type of traffic on the roads. When I cross the street, I don't look both ways to dodge a bus or car, but a horse-cart or donkey-cart. And if I decide that it is too hot for me to walk to the market, I can just hop on one of these carts and pay next to nothing for the ride!

It is very dry and dusty here. When I got into my house, a layer of dust about 1/2 inch thick was on everything! We finally got it all lifted, only, to my dismay, to find another layer on everything this morning. Housecleaning is a full-time job here! Here is a picture of the outside of my house:

And no, there really is no grass. If you find grass, you have found a treasure! The sand is everywhere, and of course, walking without getting sand all over you is impossible. I don't have a dryer, so I let the hot, African sun do it's job. It is really dry, so everything dries really quickly.

Life here can be tough, but the people are so friendly. They love to greet you and have you greet them. I have learned how to say "I'm learning Wolof" in Wolof, so now, when I go to buy my bread and the sweet young lady who barely speaks any French tries to speak Wolof, I can tell her that! She can get quite a laugh out of me butchering her language!

I've learned to be happy with what I have. Yes, my washing machine is a bigger spaz than I am (and a better dancer, I might add), but at least I have a washing machine that works. No, I don't have a shower curtain or the capabilities to put one up, but at least I have running water and a shower that works. Yes, dust gets EVERYWHERE, but that is easily cleaned up. I have enjoyed getting to know people so far and I am really enjoying the hospitality of the village. The Sereer are very loving and welcoming people. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for me here!

Hello from Dakar!

After a long, but smooth flight from New Orleans - Atlanta - then on to Dakar, I am sitting in the living room of the guest house here. I honestly did not sleep from the 5 am monday morning Louisiana time until 9 pm Tuesday evening Dakar time (Senegal is five hours ahead of central standard time). I slept the whole night through last night, until about 6 am. I feel pretty rested, but the jet-lag is catching up with me. I'll be good as new after a few days. Liz made it here safely too. Oh, and I almost forgot, we all arrived with every piece of our luggage! I do believe that is quite an accomplishment!

We did some shopping at a really nice grocery store named "Casino." They have a few American products (or at least the French version of them) and lots of French products. I can pretty much get everything that I need there. So when I say I'm going to the "Casino," I'm not going to play poker ...

Now that Liz is here, we're going to do quite a bit of shopping today. We are stocking up on the things we can't find in our village. We'll be leaving Dakar on Thursday, possibly Friday, to head to our home! The city is so different from the village, and to be honest, I think I might prefer the slow-paced village life ... Dakar is a busy place!

I'll post pictures soon! Also, please be praying about our language learning situations. We have lots of possibilities, it's just deciding which one would be best that's tough. Pray for God's guidance and discernment.

Airports ...

As I sit here, my last day in the US for at least two years, I look out the window at a foggy New Orleans. I got up early this morning, made sure that I had everything packed (and of course, I still forgot somethings!), kissed my kitty babies goodbye (and my mom of course!), and loaded up my car with my three suitcases. My dad and I, after some re-shuffling of items, managed to get both my suitcases right at 50 lbs! I just saved myself $150!!!! Yay for my awesome packing skills! I even still managed to fit all six of my Bath and Body Works hand soaps!

Pray that all my flights go smoothly and that all my stuff makes it safely to Dakar. Also, Liz and the girlies I'll be working with are flying today as well, so please pray for them also. And, in the wise words of Forrest Gump, "Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get." So, we'll see what Delta airlines and Dakar has in it's box of chocolates for me when I arrive!

Getting ready to head home!

As my time here

in Virginia draws to a close, I really cannot believe I have been here for almost eight weeks! I am pretty ready to head back to Louisiana for some good southern cooking before I head to Senegal. Mainly, I'm ready for some of my Mom's chicken and dumplins, my Dad's jambalaya, my grandfather's turkey and ham, and my grandmother's dressin'! I really missed spending Thanksgiving with them, but I am very excited about Christmas.

We had a good Thanksgiving here. The cafeteria fixed us a really good meal (with stuffing instead of the southern style cornbread dressing I'm used to) and then that evening some of us West Africa people went to Cracker Barrel. I got breakfast food instead of their special Thanksgiving stuff, though. It was a special day of games and fun.

Then, that Friday, all 250+ of us piled into charter buses and went to Washington D.C. for an evangelization trip. It was a fun time of sightseeing and telling others the Good News. I had a really exciting moment. We were taking the subway to the National Mall area, when we met up with another group (we all split up into groups of about 5). One of the guys began talking with a woman and I heard him say, rather loudly, "She speaks French." I made my way over there, introduced myself in French, and began talking with this lady from Cameroon. She has been in DC for about 8 years and was so excited to get to speak French with someone. I asked her if I could pray for her and her face just lit up! She told me that she was also a believer and was so excited that someone was not ashamed to be a bold witness. She told me her testimony and I shared a little of mine with her. She told me that I was a great encouragement to her and I told her that I would pray for her. So please pray for Alice* (name changed). Pray that she would live out her faith boldly and that she would find encouraging, believing friends.

In all, I am excited to get to spend three weeks at home. I am going to stuff myself with red velvet cake, fudge, Martha Washington balls, and home-cooked southern dressin'. I cannot wait! Enjoy my DC pictures!