Naka ngoon gi? (How is your late-afternoon/night?) You respond with Ngoon gaangi nii rekk. (My late afternoon/night is here only. aka its fine. have yet to understand what the "here only" really means but just going with it) I have spent the last few weeks learning all the various forms of greetings in my wolof classes. the senegalese are all about the greetings. there are like 10-15 questions people rattle off about people's families, friends, your health, etc within like 7 seconds of greeting each other. as an american, when learning about them in class im like no one really says all this right? i feel like id be a totally annoying person saying all of it. especially because it doesn't matter if you are on your death bed in the hospital, you say "im fine" to everything. or "il fait chaud" (its hot). but just something you get used to- i leave half an hour before school starts even though it is about a 10 minute walk because you are expected to exchange greetings with everyone u see along your walk to school.

Had another week of classes. Interesting to see how the teach here. A lot of writing on the board (which is a constant issue because the white board markers work for about 12 minutes before running out- its weird) and every class has assigned presentations to all the students. kind of like students teach the class past week 4. have finalized my schedule and am taking, french, wolof, senegalese culture and society, economic development en francais, and international crisis en francais. should hopefully find out about an internship in microfinance somewhere on dakar on monday. so things are shaping up. i like having classes (always have) and its nice to have things to do everyday but i am definitely so american in the sense that im like how can i do homework if the light in my room doesnt even work and i cant access a computer.

took a west african dance class this week - wow i have never sweated like that in my whole life. everyone was just dripping but the instructor had some drummers come in and the whole bit, was pretty sweet. the class was after i spent 3 hours, no joke, going to the post office and back. it was quite a day. for all of u who were just about the mail me a package, please don't haha. my mom sent me some cereal and milk which has just been incredible to have in the morning but it was a the quintesential 3rd world expierence getting the package. i went to one post-office where they made me sign a bunch of stuff only to go to a 2nd one by taking a bus and walking forever. there, i literally talked to 15 different people about my package and had a piece of paper stamped by each of those people. when i had finally paid for my package and am about to pick it up to take it home a man takes it from my hands and makes me walk around to another desk where a 2nd man hands me the package haha. just like i dont think u need 15 people to help me get my package but whatever- it was one of those, glad i expierenced it but never need to again. interesting- i was with one of the directors of the program who is senegalese and he was so inpatient about the whole thing- more than me, the american. i have found some of the intellectuals here are very critical of senegal and i find it isnt just to impress we americans, but because they get very annoyed with their country. seems wrong in a way. guess that is the issue of the brain drain with all the intellectuals leaving africa....

this morning went with hanna and my two senegalese host sisters to HLM, a fabric market and bought some cloth to have a tailor make me clothes!! ahh. its like 10 bucks for the fabric and then not much more to have a tailor custom-make something for you- apparently this is quite common in 3rd world countries and i am psyched about it :)

tonight karoke at "le mex" in downtown dakar. mmm we are hoping for guacamole...