He who watches over all of Senegal. No, not God--Cheikh Amidou Bamba:
So with the summer officially started, Senegal officially over, I wanted to share some final thoughts about what I learned (in no particular order) this Spring from my little African adventure:Peanuts. So good. My favorite is the sugar-coated ones. In Senegal, peanuts pretty much = life . It is their number 1 production, and they are the 3rd largest producers of peanuts in the world (#1-USA, #2-India). Ask anyone. Oh, also there is a very large amount of gratitude in my heart for the fact that my livelihood does not depend on peanuts.
Education. Sadly, not something that is very important in Senegal, especially for little girls. The biggest problem facing women in Senegal, and dare I say in Africa in general, is the lack of education available. Only 15% of the girls that actually start school will continue after elementary school. We were able to visit several primary schools, high schools, and universities, and were happy to see all these little girls there :)
I'm so grateful for the opportunities that we have to learn here in America, and it's definitely something that we take for granted. The literacy rate among men in Senegal is 50%, women 30%. That means that 70% of women in Senegal cannot read or write. Can you even imagine? Next time you read a book, or a street sign, or anything, think about that.
Poverty. Obviously, this is a big problem in Senegal. The saddest thing is seeing all the little boys, the "talibés," who have to go out and beg every day. These little boys wander around the streets of the city, dressed in little more than rags, carrying around little buckets to collect donations throughout the day. It's heartbreaking. And that's not to mention the adults who are forced to beg because of their disabilities or other random social obligations (for example, women who have twins have to beg afterward, because it's seen as some kind of bad omen to have twins).
One thing that was often on my mind was how much I have been blessed with, none of which I really deserve. I am so grateful for my parents and their hard work, the opportunity I have to work and make money and be able to afford all that I can. I am also unbelievably grateful for a religion whose goal is to rid the world of poverty. Pay your fast offerings people!
Cleanliness. I'd say that Senegal is about 50% cleaner than Kenya, but still (see all the garbage in the background?). I'm also grateful for showers with hot AND cold water (how awful are we, that there were literally several days where we complained about not being able to have cold showers... ugly americans), clean cars and houses, and just the option of being away from dirt (I know, I know, Samba Diallo would be disappointed in my aversion to dirt and being close to the ground. Sorry, Samba).
Isn't nature beautiful? Even with us living around it, it's still unbelievable. One sensation that always makes me laugh at myself is when I get home and see the mountains and beautiful sunsets in Utah and I think, Wow, nature is still pretty, even when you're not in some foreign country. Those are the works of the Lord, folks. Appreciate it.
The importance of family. Like I didn't already know. But one thing I noticed was how much the people in Senegal value their families; it's something so important to them. Like this picture shows, I think we're never as happy as when we're with our family.
Another cool thing that maybe you didn't know about Senegal is that everyone has to memorize their genealogy. They have their family lines memorized up to several generations. Incredible! That will sure come in handy during the millennium :)
Life is simple and you really don't need much to be happy. Hard work, family, basic needs. Why do we have to complicate things?
Faith. Granted, you don't have to pray in the streets to show your faith, but one thing I love about Senegalese people is how much they trust in God.
"Teranga," which means hospitality. We saw so many examples of this wonderful way of welcoming people: Aminata Sow Fall and her generosity in inviting us into her home; the students in the school at the village who stood to greet us when we walked in with, "Bonjour Madame. Soyez la bienvenue"; students from the university who came with us to the markets and showed us all around, etc. Despite being sometimes a little aggressive and shouting "toubab" at us all the time, the people were so great and welcoming. There is definitely a lot of warmth in Senegal, and it doesn't all come from the sun.
Senegal, you were great. I'll see you again someday... Insha'Alla.
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