Back in NYC! I love living in Senegal, but I must say it does feel good to be home! I arrived on Monday morning and am still pretty jet-lagged so I haven't gotten around to calling and visiting folks yet...but I will! I will be here for a month spending time with family and friends, attending a prep course for the GMAT exam I will take (along with the GRE) before I return, and meeting with grad students, professors and professionals to collect as much information and advice about the grad school as possible. I have a very full month ahead.


When I came into the city in an airport shuttle from JFK, I was overwhelmed by what felt like an onslaught of ruthless advertising: eat this, but don't gain weight, look like this, buy me to loose weight and look like this, wear this, drive this, buy me to make your life shinier, happier, sexier.....believe me, you NEED this.


The other day I was walking back home from a jog in riverside park (glorious! so green and fresh) when I saw a man on a bench dressed up as a twelve year old girl. He was wearing candy striped leggings, a tight top with a Van Gogh print, and a pink scrunchie held back his stringy, gray ponytail. He sat there casually flipping through a newspaper, impervious to my curious gaze. New York City - you gotta love it.

******

On another note, a couple of weeks ago Duma and I went to visit a well known Senegalese artist named Kansi. He and his wife, Musahna Ali (from Philly), are living about 3 hours outside of Dakar in a warehouse turned studio/gallery/living space. They are working with a team of masons and the local community to build a holistic art center using ancient mud brick and sacred arch construction techniques. It is a very ambitious, but necessary project that will not only promote and preserve the traditional arts of the region but will restore a sense of pride and productivity to the local population.


It was really fun to be able to spend time out in the open country side (nothing but baobab trees and shrubs for miles with a few cows thrown into the mix) with Kansi, Musahna and their beautiful kids. Duma and I made our own little mosquito net tent among the tents that the family and their guest friend/architect, Coleman, sleep in. Now looking back, it's incredible to think about how different life is and the world looks from the other side. Air smells different. Stars look farther away. Time has a different rhythm.


Recently one of my students sent me an email describing her transition back to life in America after spending a semester in Senegal. She said she is giving presentations about Senegal to her cousin's 5th grade class as part of her plan to promote cross cultural exploration. She included a list of questions she is frequently asked by adults (relatives, professors, acquaintances) and another list from children (the 5th graders). The questions from adults are proof that there is such thing as a stupid question (e.g. do they eat people?). The questions from the kids are sincere and genuinely curious (e.g. what does the language sound like? what kind of games do they play?).


I found this somewhat comforting. In spite of the ubiquitous ignorance about 'Africa,' there is some hope that in the future Senegal won't seem so far away.