The good thing about rain...

... is it causes rainbows!:)

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Checklist

Wow!  There is so much to do!  This exchange is teaching me so very much about organization and planning!  The thought of being gone for a year is quite daunting, and thinking of all of the things that need to be taken care of is a bit overwhelming.   I'm thinking about... -UK visa -car insurance -driver's license -home insurance -bank accounts  -transferring money -cell phones -ways to stay in contact -home repairs -finding ways to ship items -places to visit -what I'll be teaching -what to pack!! There's so much to do and plan for!  I know that things will still through me for a loop, no matter the amount of planning I do, but I hope to be as on top of things as I can be.  I'm also very thankful for the communication and comradery from the other Fulbrighters as we share thoughts and tips to help each other through this checklist (and all the things I'm forgetting about!).
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Importance of Religion

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Senegal has been settled and heavily influenced by the Arabic nation coming from East Africa. As in many cultures, religious beliefs strongly impact the everyday lives of the people here, and so you see the Islamic faith deeply rooted in the people and in the culture. Ideas of non-violence, peace and hospitality are at the heart of the people in Sénégal. A sense of community and sharing amongst each other is a way of life here. These ideas are all emphasized in the Quran. As an outsider, not only of nationality, but of religion, I have been welcomed with open arms, and absolutely no judgment nor trace of hopes to convert me. I am so impressed by the people of Senegal. When you have the privilege of traveling to a Muslim country, you have the privilege of hearing the call to prayer multiple times throughout the day. Sometimes it awakens me at 5 AM, but it is a calming, gentle way to awaken. His voice, speaking a language, unknown to myself, calls the people of faith to take time to turn...
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Eating is for Eating

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Our host on our beach day (hoping to get that blog written soon) kept saying, every time we told him we were full, "Eating is for eating."  And so, what better way to start off a blog about the food in Senegal than with his wise, wise words. I had heard that the food in Senegal was delicious and that it might even be reminiscent of some of my favorite southern dishes, for heartbreakingly obvious reasons of who cooked much of the southern food for generations.  I will admit that my first few meals at restaurants in Dakar were good, but nothing that made my mouth water.  Fish is very popular, as Dakar is on the coast, but much of the fish I ate was a bit fishy, and that is just not my favorite flavor.  We actually had pizza a couple of nights with it's own Senegalese flair.  I will also admit that for several days, with a stomach that had trouble with the long bus rides and traffic in Dakar, I went with some safe, simple options.   Chicken and Rice Beef ...
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