First Impressions

Naka nga def?
Wow! What an experience! So far, Senegal is wonderful. I got here on Monday and it's been overwhelming to say the least.. but in a good way.
The first night, I stayed in an apartment just around the corner from the Baobab Center, where I'm taking classes. They started us out slow with some general orientations and neighborhood visits. I got a phone which was exciting. Then we got dropped off with our families. My host mom's name is Daba Diallo (mama for me) and she's really welcoming. Her and her husband are retired, so all they do is sit around all day... like most people here. She has a maid named Awa and a guardian who both live with us.. I think. Her two grandson's live with us and they're both referred to as "Moostaf." Then there are tons of people who move in and out of the house to sometimes eat dinner with us and sometimes not. One of them is my Prof at the Baobab Center, so that's kind of intimidating. Anyways, it was Ramadan so we ate dinner late and we all sat around a bowl on the living room floor.
My room is small by American standards, but quaint nonetheless. I have a closet and a mosquito net, with a key to my room. So, all in all, things are going well.
I've been able to find myself around the neighborhood and find some American chocolate... which is always an essential. Today is the end of Ramadan, so I have no school. There's actually a law in Senegal that states no one can work on Korite (today). So, everyone is out in the streets celebrating and chanting. Everyone is sharing food and gifts, it's just a wonderful aura to be around. Tonight I walked around with the children to ask for money and to say hi to everyone in the neighborhood. It's kinda like Halloween where the children dress up and go from house to house. We saw this wonderful a cappella group, as Americans would say, who were going from house to house and they made us dance with them. I also got dressed up in my Senegalese attire... which is purple of course. Mama made me model it for everyone and took some pictures and laughed at my inability to wrap a scarf around my head.
Anyways, tonight there are tons of people in the house and we're going to celebrate in the streets.
Time for dinner!
Bon Korite!