Mango Flies & Catered Curry

There are mango flies here (alias tumbu or putzi flies).  Apparently the little buggers will lay their eggs on laundry hung outside to dry.  When you put the clothes back on, the fly larvae will burrow into your skin and grow there.  Do you really want to know the rest?  Google tumbu fly.  It'll make your day!  The cure?  Iron your clothes, or bring them in and just not wear them for 48 hours.  That'll kill the larvae.

I can't tell you how good it makes me feel to be wearing a t-shirt fresh off the line.  I itch. Is that a bad thing?

The newbies met for dinner tonight at Wayne's (the Director).  Wayne and his family live close to the sea, and have a spectacular view of the coast, south toward Ille de la Madeline (a national park), and north toward the high volcanic bluffs of des Mamelles.  Quite the house, quite the view, and quite the dinner -- catered Indian food.  Very cordial company in a very pleasant milieu.

We are quickly becoming a tight group, after several days of settling-in, shopping, and getting oriented.  Speaking for myself, I'm ready to get on with the school year.  I've had summer holiday enough, and am ready to meet my new students.  I met with the director and principal this afternoon, and had a chance to run through my inquiry units and general plan for the year.  All looks good.  I can expect 18-22 students, about a third new to ISD, no details as yet regarding where they're from, or any academic information.  The overall enrollment is growing rapidly, and the specific numbers are subject to significant change.  Apparently Dakar is increasingly seen as a stable West Africa hub for all sorts of things, particularly NGOs.

I've begun firing up the class website, and will be uploading content daily now.  See http://www.becauseoftime.org. 

Yesterday, the newbies went shopping at THE (meaning not THE-as-in-the-exclusive, but THE-as-in-the-ONLY) department store-like store in Dakar, called Orca.  We also stopped at City Sports, a well-stocked sports' store, carrying a nice line of dive gear, bikes, etc.  

I learned several important lessons from this trip.  

First, in our time here in Senegal, I will head downtown only on rare occasions.  Downtown Dakar is as much a reflection of Senegal as Tijuana is of Mexico, or Amsterdam Holland.  I will spend my time in and around the sea and, hopefully, in and around the interior of Senegal.  Downtown Dakar is, I suppose, something someone needs to do once or twice, or to contact a particular person in a particular place, as perhaps an artisan, or an antiques' shop.

Second, Randi and I agreed that there will be no need for a car while we're here.  Taxi's are everywhere, and easily affordable.  A five dollar/2000 CFA fare (requiring bartering to get there) will get you just about anywhere on the peninsula.  And walking is a pleasure, particularly coming from the automobile-dependent culture of California.

Lastly, Randi and I are well-stocked with the various household items we need to settle-in.  It was a good move to purchase all of the former teacher-resident's belongings.  It has much simplified the transition.

Mike and Devon are due back tomorrow, and are participating in a first year panel discussion for the newbies.  It will good to finally see them here in Dakar.