Wedding Reception

The party was very anti-climactic. It wasn't so much a party as a big luncheon, which made the days events only boring and not painful. The morning started out pretty slowly as all of my sisters pulled water, we haven't had water from the tap in several days, and I cleaned the front of the bungalow so I didn't look like a slob to our guests. I had been neglecting cleaning the outside which was covered in dirt since I returned from the States. Women started to arrive and began cooking while I was cleaning so after I finished I installed myself among their ranks in a very successful attempt not to socialize with other guests.

Not that I'm completely anti-social, but living in a large town has its disadvantages and parties are definitely one of them. Since there are always guests who haven't met me and don't know about me I have to play "The Toubab Speaks Wolof Game." While wildly entertaining for the guest, I have to answer the same questions over and over again as they try and decide if I really do speak Wolof. Even my family seemed annoyed at the game today and I heard severally people reassure a guest that yes, in fact I do speak Wolof. Sitting with the women who were cooking cut down on these interrogations. My aunt, Numbe, was one of the people cooking and I love her so that was another bonus. I was also kept occupied with baby Abdou who I played with for most of the day. Jeenaba kept trying to give him to his dad who would promptly come and find me. That's not to say that baby daddy isn't a good dad because is here every day to see Abdou; he just wanted to hang out with the boys today.

Per usual, I had no idea what today was going to be like so I had been preparing myself for the worst. I also thought it was going to be an all day event, but we only had lunch at our house. When the bride arrived there was a lot of screaming, but then everything quieted down, everyone ate, and then most people left. Guests have been coming in and out all day to congratulate the bride, if the groom is here I don't know who he is, but last night was definitely much more raucous. I didn't even have to dress up Senegalese style today which was probably good since I was covered in baby drool.