Rambling Thoughts

Today was amazing. I had nothing to do and I didn't do anything.

My day consisted of:

1. Sleeping in until I got hot
2. Doing laundry for an ungodly amount of time
3. Going into town for lunch

Going into town for lunch was nice although the heat index was 107 degrees with 85% humidity. Gross. I went with two other girls and we decided to try a new place. It's called Les Delicious and is pretty much a toubab restaurant. We usually go to Big Faim and we really never see any Africans eating there. The entire staff is African, but the cliental is mainly French, Lebanese, and PCs. Les Delicious had a very mixed cliental and it was very interesting to me. There were tables of just white people, tables of just Africans, and then a mix. It was interesting because I haven't really interacted with Africans in a restaurant setting. In the village we sit on mats eating around a communal bowl and the same thing happened in the center with our work partners, so it was a little bit strange seeing Africans eating at a table with a knife and fork. I have yet to see a fork in my home stay village and we only use knives to cook, not to eat. In the US I wouldn't even notice the racial mix of a restaurant and in Africa I'm usually the only white person. I will definitely get used

It was just kind of an interesting experience. The restaurant itself was really funny. It smelled like an American diner, but looked fairly French, and had the most ridiculous menu. They had a section entitled "Asiatique" which was all Asian food like fried rice and "shrimp asian style." While I'm currently craving Asian, I went safe and just got a sandwich although the three of us did split some falafel.

4. Back at the center I got to talk to Leigh on Skype! Yay! She's my frist friend I've talked to on Skype and I have to give her a shout out for calling my Africa phone a couple weeks ago. It was amazing. I'm hoping that I will be able to talk to people more once I move into my site and have internet.

5. I spent most of the afternoon wandering around on the internet and attempting to download Gmail offline, but the center's internet is incredibly slow and it wont download.

Yeah, pretty boring, but still amazing day. I absolutely reek so I'm planing on taking a shower and going to bed. I still haven't gotten used to how bad I smell most of the time and I hope I never do because that would be really gross.

Additionally, some of you have been asking for some other and perhaps less cynical perspectives about what's going on here in Senegal. I've added some of my friend's blogs to the side of my blog so feel free to check them out.

Hope you're enjoying the start of fall in the US. I want to do back to school shopping (although not go back to school) and wear jeans. Oh jeans. Some people actually wear jeans here. I can't imagine it. Mine have been sequestered at the bottom of my suitcase since I learned that Senegal is actually located on the surface of the sun.

Ok, I'm rambling. Time for a shower and bed!

Goodnight.