African at Heart, Partying with Muslims

Think dinner is soon and since it may just be mystery meat, anxious to get home. Ended up having a splendid birthday. Highlights included: lots of great birthday wishes and letters (thank to you as well Teddy), buying and eating (correction: devouring) pasteries with my family from a place that was air conditioned and smelled like Paris, getting sung happy birthday in multiple languages multiple times, and hitting up a local restaurant/bar at night where not only had the other students bought me a cake but old senegalese men sung me happy birthday and told me I was an American, but African at heart... like i said, going to be a good decade.

yesterday was korite and all of the americans were super excited. some families gave their students bou-bous to wear (gorgeous dresses that are very colorful and apparently quite warm)and lots of food was made- it marks the end of ramadan. of course, as with everything unclear what was going on generally throughout the day. just basically sat and greeted six billion people who came to wish good tidings etc. had a big lunch and delicious baobob juice (baobob trees are the huge trees that are everywhere in senegal). turns out that no one really has dinner then (so not really our american idea of eating all day and stuffing your face- even lunch it was like i mean i could eat more...) and while i was fortunate enough to get some leftovers from lunch for dinner, some students were a little starved this morning. funny different concepts of holidays. we americans are like so where is the buffet? and we have to give food to every single person who comes over? who wasn't even invited and just showed up?

today had a european day. went to the center of town which was nice and quiet, ate at the institute francaise, went to probably the biggest grocery store in senegal (aka little smaller than average american one) to buy snacks for fall break, and then topped if off with some "nice cream"- delicious ice cream store. off to south eastern senegal tomorrow. someone's mom's friend is driving us in his station wagon...

sure to be many good stories upon my return :)