Wow. I feel like I haven't posted in awhile, but then I also feel like I don't really have much to say.

In Wolof, anytime you want someone to stay for awhile longer, you ask, "Doo toog?", meaning "You won't stay?", literally meaning, "You won't sit?" That kinda sums up what I've been doing lately: sitting. :D The location and the company vary, but basically, I sit and chat. And it's great.

I suppose I should talk about Christmas... and how I didn't really do much. Haha. Everyone was asking me what I was going to do (because I'm white and obviously Christian. I stopped by Anna's house and had some pasta, and then I went to the Ndiaye family to have a pea and beef casserole-ish meal. Then I went to video chat with my family, and that's about it. Went to sleep pretty early and woke up the next morning without doing much special either. Video-chatted again with my family and hung out. Went to Ngallele to spend some time with Adjou (girl talk, etc), and then went to hang out with the host fam. I wasn't feeling well, so I fell asleep at 21h30(!!!) and woke up around 10h00 the next morning, still feeling exhausted.

It's weird that I really did miss Christmas. The food, the family, the lights, but really... most of all... the music. I was singing Christmas carols to myself near the river that night... and everyone thought I was the crazy toubab. Haha. Muslims recognize Jesus as a prophet, just not the son of God, so they recognize Christmas but don't celebrate it. Very interesting. In any case, I did spend Christmas with people who love and care about me and who would do anything for me. And that's the most important part. So, yes. I had a very nice Christmas.

Yesterday, I had lunch with Anta and Pape Lèye, they are of some relation to Bouba's family (I'm not exactly sure what it is). After lunch, I was talking with Pape Lèye and Bas for quite some time... about religion. They couldn't really believe that I didn't believe anything. That's not even on their grid. And then we got to talking a lot about how religion is transmitted (through religious education = my project) and through the parents will to educate their children (= my project). It was really interesting.

Later last night, I was hanging out (standing this time) with Lamine, Ben, Kader, etc... and then someone asked me again about my religious convictions. "You don't believe anything?!" There was one guy (that I didn't know) who was just absolutely astounded. Couldn't even comprehend. "So you don't believe in Islam." No. "Or Christianity." No. "But you do believe in God right?" No. "But you have to." No. He was getting really agitated. "But you have to. You can't just deny the existence of God." It's not because I'm lazy, it's not because I haven't been informed of the beliefs of others, and it's not because I don't respect or appreciate the beliefs of others. I made a choice, and I believe what I believe... just as you believe what you believe. I told them that I'd had the same conversation with some talibés that I'm sure I wrote about earlier. "You're not Muslim?" No. "You're not Catholic?" No. "You're not human?" Haha. Everyone got a big kick out of that, but then there were still some that don't get it.

So, as much as they don't understand how I could possibly think that and as aggravating as the whole conversation was, it was nearly entirely in Wolof. Well, they spoke in Wolof and I responded in French. It felt really good, though, to even be able to have half of a real conversation in Wolof. I still definitely don't understand even most of what's going on, but I'm making progress... and people are starting to recognize that. At least there's that.

Lots to think about here. Lots of new ideas that are coming in at all times, and that's what makes life so exciting. Even though I don't do anything, I learn so much everyday.

Hope the holiday found you happy, healthy, and full of joy.