Shoes

Shoes seemed to be the theme of the day. I was walking around today when a little girl started screaming toubab, toubab, toubab! It sounded like she was really excited to see me and she was sitting with her family and they were all smiling and I came up to her to shake her hand... and then she threw her shoe at me. I really don't think it was malicious because she didn't sound mean and I've never seen Senegalese parents act the way this mom did. The little girl was probably close to two and the mom swept her up and gave her a huge spanking. I appreciated that the mom took action, but I would have rather she sat the little girl and explained to her that toubabs aren't bad people. Oh well, I guess I have to take what I can get.

Ahmed is also having big problems at home with shoes. For some reason he hates his shoes - flip flops are obviously very constricting - and refuses to wear them much to the chagrin of my mom and Khady. They are constantly yelling at him to find and put on his shoes. Today Ahmed's creativity with the whole situation peaked. When they told him to put on his shoes he put them on every place except his feet. He wore them on his ears, tucked into his pants, and for most of the day on his hands. I only noticed this when I heard a strange tapping on the door and opened it to find Ahmed pawing at the door with flipflop clad hands.

Also, Mami probably has 50 pairs of shoes that she displays around the perimeter of her room.