He Has Trouble Making Connections

I have decided that all Senegalese men have taken a class in the Art of Persuasion. Given that they all aced it, they have decided it is appropriate to practice their skills on innocent foreigners no matter the time, place, person, or appropriateness of doing so. Yesterday, I went for a run along the Atlantic and as the sun was setting, it was absolutely spectacular. This bliss was shattered when I ran by a man who had also been running but was taking a break. As I ran by him, he starts to run again and then miracously, it seems we are running the exact same pace! Aka new running partners. He seemed nice enough, chatting with me how good sports are for the "sante" (health) and isn't it nice out. We reached a beautiful mosque where there are many steps down to the ocean that I try to run up and down once (many of the soccer players in Dakar come here and run the steps) each time I come. He runs down them with me and asks me where I am from. Unable to come up with the French word for Norway, I decided to be honest. By the time we had gone back up the steps, he had complemented my French saying I didn't sound American at all and could he have my number. "email perhaps? it is so hard to make connections here. he has a friend in the U.S. who is married with a child and is happy. he can show me all of Senegal and be my tour guide." i should have known.

I was straight with him and said I didn't know him and I wasn't going to give out my number (all of this is happening in French while we are jogging along the water and I am wondering how I will get rid of him before he sees where I live and camps out in my front yard for eternity). He said he understood BUT and then another 20 minutes of every argument he could come up with. He said if he was in the U.S. and in my position and needed help he would give me his number. and you would also move into my house at the drop of a hat and marry me if you could sir. the answer is NO. ridiculous encounter but managed to get rid of him before i got home. the good news is: it was fun to use my french a little bit and i was happy i could carry a conversation and run at the same time.

monday morning at school now. have my first oral exam in wolof on wednesday. it is on the 89873498473 ways to say how are you. this weekend was nice between some beach time, going out (included being at a club with overly-sexual french military men who grind with each other and then try to dance with you and more senegalese woman dancing at themselves in the mirror- now wondering whether these women are prostitutes? it is legal here), and eating at the wonderful institute francaise where you can get away from the noise of the city and oily fish for one night. spent yesterday at home doing work and reading. i feel more and more comfortable here which is nice. and it is equally nice to know I can operate in a 3rd world country. off to read a little french article on negotiation. something all senegalese vendors know like the back of their hand.