So, i would love to be able to post some photos of things I've been doing lately, but someone broke into my house and stole about $50 and my digital camera... That was about a week ago... and I've promptly moved into a new place that will hopefully be not only safer but more comfortable and a better deal. It's a completely different atmosphere: I now share a housing complex with 4 men between 28-35 right next door to the family I always spend time with in the neighborhood where everyone knows my name. Hah. And I thought I was going to be independent and have my privacy. Well, we'll see. When I get around to getting a new camera or a new phone with better photo capabilities, I'll post some pics.

This past weekend, I was part of a team of six to help run a mini-camp for a few of the local ERFs, les enfants en rupture familiale, children who have left their homes to go find something better. There were 11 boys that came along. I was pretty excited to be in the mix, but the excitement soon died when I actually realized that I would be spending the entire weekend cooking. The other female counselor and I were assigned to meals. Which doesn't really sound like anything extraordinary... but Senegalese cooking TAKES TIME. A crazy amount of time... and because we were already late getting started with the day (not surprising), we didn't get lunch finished until around 5pm and then ate dinner around 11pm. The next day, we got up and cooked some more and then finally made it home around 6pm. It was exhausting and pretty boring to be in the kitchen the whole time, but it was interesting to see just how differently things are run in a Senegalese-style camp. Also, the lifestyle focus isn't on kids. The kids aren't the important part; adults always come first. Whoever has seniority is more important. Interesting way of looking at things.

What else? Ummm, tomorrow is the biggest Muslim holiday of the year in Senegal. I had a Senegalese ensemble sewn... hopefully I'll be able to post pictures of that pretty quickly here. It's a light brownish color with pretty embroidery on the front. It's a top and a bottom wrap, so I'll be able to wear them separately on different occasions. AND it's not super awkward on me, so when I wear it all day tomorrow, I won't feel like a total tool. Only a partial tool. Hah. They're going to slaughter sheep in the morning and then cook and eat the meat all day. Don't worry, there will definitely be another update to follow.

I'm really looking forward to settling in here. I think living in a new place where I'll have more space to be more independent with a new job (teaching English) surrounded by people who make me happy, I think that I'll really be able to get into the swing of things. :D Exciting.