A few things I know for sure...

These two months in Senegal were a rollercoaster of emotions, new experiences, and highs and lows. Throughout my fellowship I have become increasingly appreciative of what can be considered amenities in the US, the power of religion and religious institutions,

My experience in Senegal would not have been as rich without the kindness and hospitality that the Senegalese have shown us. My host family embraced me on the first day and I knew that I could nurture the feeling of home in Kaolack. We spent many evenings talking about the day's work, the rainy season, food, and the differences between the US, Peru and Senegal. In particular, I will always remember a conversation that my host sisters and I had during one evening. After we ate dinner at 21hr, we hung around the shared space of the home. Awa and I took out some mats and laid down to look at the stars and moon. We were chuckling about another bout of gastrointestinal problems when Awa swiftly sat up and asked me, "sheyla, what are your dreams, your hopes?" As I began to reflect on her question my younger sisters gathered around us and began explaining their ambitions and their current interests. This intimate conversation transformed into an interactive exchange among us and neighboring youth. Our discussion was not about the 'potential' of these children and teens. That was a given. Our exchange informed all of us about transnational pressures, structural forces and personal strengths that we have.

Glimpse

"Entre el Ying y el Yang ¿Cuántos eones? Del sí al no ¿Cuántos quizá? Todo es escritura, es decir fábula. ¿Pero de qué nos sirve la verdad que tranquiliza al propietario honesto? Nuestra verdad posible tiene que ser invención es decir escritura, literatura, pintura, escultura, agricultura, piscicultura, todas las turas de este mundo. Los valores, turas, la santidad, una tura, la sociedad, una tura, el amor, pura tura, la belleza, tura de turas." (Rayuela - Cortazar)

Esta vida es una aventura. An adventure that transforms simple moments into complex discussions with staff members at the clinic or family members at the Thiam home.

This is a glimpse into our work at the clinic. Wednesdays are the busy days in which the nurses register mothers and babies for vaccinations, pregnant women await prenatal checkups, and nurses clean patients' wounds (usually burns, absess, and cuts).

School's Out

Most children and youth in the neighborhood have finished their studies for the academic year. It has been about a month since my host sisters and brother have been prancing around our block, doing house chores and resting at home. The midday meal is an event in itself. At the Thiam home, one of my sisters is assigned to prepare the meal and this task can take up to four hours. My family uses a gas stove and a coal stove to make food for 10 people and a couple of visitors that come in and out of the house. These meals are quite elaborate and I had the opportunity to help prepare mafeyep (meat and peanut sauce) yesterday. It was a delicacy at our home because meat is very expensive. After we eat the meal, everyone usually takes a nap or sits neat the TV to watch a dubbed telenovela.

Although I enjoy these peaceful hours after our meal, the volunteers and I get together and reflect on our experiences. We had the opportunity to visit a school in Kaolack and help with their fundraiser. This event involved outdoor games, choreographed dancing, and L'Guana, the summer's popular tune. The children were so proud to show off their dancing skills and the team was happy to cheer them on!



Coming soon...a video and instructions on how to dance L'guana!

Necessities

Have you ever thought about water and soap before you step into a hospital? Every morning, I think about this combination, the foamy lather that cleanses our hands. Depending on the day, our clinic may have a power outage, a water shortage, and/or absence of the #1 disease prevention weapon: soap. I cherish a hand-washing experience and this appreciation has grown throughout the weeks.

Last week was an adventure of sorts in Kaolack and its neighboring city, Medina-Baye. The rain and storms turned the sandy roads into slush and large puddles of still water. Our trek to the clinic took longer because we avoided certain flooded roads. We experienced a water shortage in the neighborhood of Samm (Kaolack) and in Medina-Baye. This problem persisted for three days. Although this meant a tight distribution of water at the Thiam house, I did not expect a complete lack of water at the clinic. The clinic did not have a water reserve on site and its medical personnel had to purchase water from other vendors. Like usual, soap was nowhere to be found. These conditions brought up some questions: where is the infrastructure for a functional clinic? To what extent is the lack of water and soap exacerbating the spread of infections? These pressures are often experienced by NGO-sponsored clinics or public hospitals.