As promised - pictures. Also a revelation

Dear readers,

The last post, though not published until this morning, was actually written and saved as a draft on Tuesday when the group returned to Dakar. To shorten a long story, its really REALLY REALLY difficult to maintain a blog that features photos (and hopefully videos) when 1. the bandwidth of the connection is slower than dial-up and 2. the power (and therefore the connection) goes out on a regular basis. But at last my patience has been rewarded by an unusually fast bandwidth and enduring electricity. 

The Senegal River at sunrise. This view is from our balcony. Below, one can see the hotel's yacht and the blue umbrellas over the suspended outdoor dining room. 

The beach, facing away from the water. This sort of grassy sand continues on for MILES and MILES without interruption. 

The beach, obviously from within the water. 

Two minarets from the mosque in Saint-Louis, completely surrounded by smog and dust from the Sahara.

Traffic in Dakar. This is a two lane road - notice folks drivin' on the sidewalk on the left? See the dump-truck full of sand on the right side of the image? Guess what's on top of it...(see next caption)

Answer: a sleeping man! I don't know if I have the balls to sleep on a pile on sand on a moving vehicle on a highway in rush-hour traffic, but this guy does! He must have had a fun night.

Khadijia - the lady of the house. She is going to eat this watermelon and no camera shall stop her!

Remember the happy photo? This is what was in the bag? BOUBOUS! Yes, at last the tailor finished out boubous. This is the more formal of the two, worn for special occasions like Korite, the end of Ramadan. 

And speaking of Korite, let me announce that my feet hurt. They really and truly hurt. Not only was I bitten by a poisonous spider on the underside of my right foot, but that same foot has open wounds from foot fungus. Three of them in fact, that congeal with sand, dirt and road-scum every time I take a step. How does this relate to Korite? Yesterday, a few of us in the group visited 7 different households (not including the housed I visited earlier in the day with my host brother, Abdou) on foot. Yes, we walked all over Dakar on our blisters and bites to salute the families and say "Bon Korite" to everyone. I will probably have more positive, culturally inquisitive, intelligent things to say about Korite at a later time, but as for now, its off to the pharmacies in search of Neosporin. But before I go, the last comment I would like to share, is that I am eternally grateful to come from such privilege that I can walk to a pharmacy and buy antibacterial ointment for my bleeding foot, or ailments for any other malady that may arise. The majority (meaning MOST people, not meaning more than 50 per cent) of Senegalese would not be able to dispense money for such creams, let alone pay for health-care or doctors. The fact that I can reach into my wallet and buy Neosporin, without having spent my last two weeks' pay, without even thinking twice about how this seemingly small sum will be replaced, without having to make a decision between feeding my children or dressing their wounds, is indeed very humbling. In the face of situations like this I can't help but feel slightly guilty for my selfishness and privilege. At the end of the day, I realize that I cannot feel guilty for what someone else's hard work (especially that of my parents and grandparents) has yielded for me, but that it is of crucial importance to be in a constant state of gratitude for seemingly small things (anti-bacterial ointment, to name one) that are easy to take for granted. Though I haven't always shown it, I have always understood and agreed with why I should be thankful. Now my eyes have been opened even wider - I have found a profoundly deeper appreciation of blessings to whom I was already beholden. Thank you all for what you have so generously shared with me!