Tales of a Thirty-Something

Do you remember the jelly shoes we used to wear?   They were pretty impractical, and invariably left horrendous blisters on our feet, but we wore them anyway. Did you ever wonder what happened to them?   Well, they are ALL in Senegal…every last pair of them.   The funny part is, though, that here it’s men and boys who wear them.   In fact, I don’t think I’ve seen any girls wearing jelly shoes.   If anyone wants a pair, though, let me know.   I can get them for pretty cheap. Now for the good stuff— ala douche: Going to the bathroom in Senegal is a treat.    Basically, there is a hole in the ground, and you just go.   No big deal, right? The thing is, there is no wiping here.   What is the “acceptable” thing to do is to pour a bit of water down there and wipe WITH YOUR LEFT HAND.   The right hand is unacceptable.   (In that respect, it’s pretty smart.   That way, you can more easily avoid other people’s “feces-hand”) S...

If you’ve ever wanted to make a celebrity, all you need to do is put a white person on a black continent.   From the second I got off the plane, I have gotten more attention than I ever could have wanted.   The villagers truly treat me like I’m Paris Hilton-- everyone thinks I am super rich (since I’m an American), as well as stupid (probably due to the fact that I have the language proficiency of a 2 year old).   So, I’ve been in Senegal for almost a month now, and things are just as crazy as the day I arrived.   First of all, this is nothing like South Africa.   South Africa, despite its internal problems, was physically beautiful.    Mountains and vineyards were everywhere I turned (except for in the townships).    Here in Senegal, it’s trash and cinderblocks that beckon me everywhere I turn.    I’m sure it is beautiful in its own way, and I can only hope that I will soon begin to be to love Senegal as much as I will always l...