The club, the market

Bonjour mes amis et ma famille

THE CLUB!!!! After two + weeks in Dakar, the group finally got around to going out. There is a nice little jazz/ambient "toubab" bar called "Just 4 U" that features so-called 'hoppin' music right in the same neighborhood as SIT. (Toubab = non-Senegalese/non-African, not necessarily white.) While it was nice to go out to the club and socialize with my classmates and other Anglophones, I was sort of hoping that the music would be a little more lively. Everyone keeps reassuring us that after Ramadan the city will become much more vibrant and lively. I certainly hope this is true, because if I ever have to hear four songs in a row at a 60bpm maximum tempo again in my life, I might fall into a narcoleptic coma. 

Some students from the other organizations here in Dakar (CIEE, Minnesota, etc.) have been visiting karaoke bars, dance clubs and other night spots. They all say the same thing, which is that everything will be different while Ramadan is over. I am definitely glad part of our time here was during this month of submission and devotion. Living with devout muslims during Ramadan, we are all learning so much about the Islamic faith; however, I will be SO excited when the month is over and Dakar returns to its normal cosmopolitan self. 

Korite - the party to mark the end of Ramadan. This is a very exciting party (particularly for those non-muslims among us who enjoy the nightlife and vitality associated with a metropolitan area). For Korite, everyone makes huge amounts of Senegalese couscous, among other things, and many streets are closed for public gatherings. It is tradition to purchase a new outfit as well. So, to follow tradition, I went to the market yesterday with the sister of a another student, and purchased some fashionable fabrics. She then took us to her favorite tailor, who, since she was once his employee, agreed to make two boubous (the top/bottom combination worn by men) and a pair of shorts for the standard price of one boubou. This was great news! Her sister also saved us a lot of money when we were in the fabric market. For Americans who don't know the prices of materials and prints, it was nice to have someone who not only knows what each fabric should cost, but who is assertive enough to fight the vendors for a competitively low price. For the fabric AND the tailor's fees for two outfits and a pair of shorts, I payed roughly $40 (American dollars). I have never had clothes tailor made, so I am very excited to wear them at Korite.

The crew is off to lunch, but it is Sunday so I would like to come back later and tell you all about the bus. Yes, we got on the bus. Woo.

Ba beenen yoon! A la prochaine fois!

-Ryan