Things That Spray

Help!  I'm totally confused by the appliances in our master bathroom.  Beside the sink there is a low porcelain bowl, potty height, with a faucet attached.  Were I eighteen inches tall, the basin would be a very convenient place to wash my hands, but what purpose it serves in our bathroom is a complete mystery.  

Here's another one:  Just beside our toilet (I hope the photo doesn't challenge your sensibilities;  I closed the lid for modesty's sake), there is yet another sprayer thingy, for what purpose I have no clue.  I think it would be perfect for watering potted plants while sitting on the toilet, but why would someone want to garden while pooing?

Any insights regarding these matters are much appreciated.

Call to Prayers

We were up early this AM, early enough to hear and record the morning Call to Prayers, emanating simultaneously from several directions and sources.  It's quite special, particularly at sunrise.  You'll find a link to the audio files on BOT:  www.becauseoftime.org/ISD/ScenesDakar.html (Gallery 3).

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.

Walk to Soumbedioune

We expanded our horizon significantly today by walking south along the coastal road, the Corniche, down to the fish market at Soumbedioune.  The Corniche, from the French word meaning road on a ledge, is here broad and lined with estate-sized homes.  The day was overcast and breezy, moderating the temperature and the effects of the oft-oppressively high humidity.  True to it's name, the Corniche runs along the bluffs overlooking the sea.  The shore here is largely rocky, with open beaches in protected coves.

We picked our way along the bluffs, taking advantage of the on-shore breeze as much as possible.  Along one section we discovered a pile of abalone-like shells, glistening with mother-of-pearl interior.  Abalone in Senegal?  Who would have guessed:  http://www.alibaba.com/catalog/101439535/Abalone.html.

I had read that the Senegalese were beautiful:  lean, strongly, and stately.  Based upon the individuals we passed this morning, the description is absolutely accurate.  Admittedly, many we encountered were athletic -- playing soccer, jogging, etc.  We passed a little area reserved for doing sit-ups, with a horizontal post in place for hooking your feet, and cardboard cushions for your backside.  There was even a sign depicting someone doing sit-ups.

The geology of the coast is puzzling, certainly a subject we'll investigate this fall.  How do you explain all the volcanic rock, much of which is rounded, boulder-like, perfect catapult ammo?  Is this pillow lava?  I know the rock is not terribly old, in geological terms.  It's seems more likely that it was formed underwater, from a sea vent, than a terrestrial volcano.  That would explain the roundedness.  Are we seeing magma that blooped out of a vent.  Details to be determined.

As we approached Soumbedioune, the Corniche became gradually more congested with people and traffic, smells and noise.  In our travels around our neighborhood, there are no tourists, and we experience few solicitations.  There are no husslers or pirates.  But immediately upon reaching the Soumbedioune area, and the marche aux poissons (fish market), we were immediately and constantly harangued, and so stayed only a short time.

I wondered at dinner, how might we respond to an insistent, annoying hussler, while remaining respectful.  How about:  S'il vous plait, monsieur, mais j'habit ici, j'habit du Dakar.  Translated, buzz off, I'm a local.  

Our first day here, I noticed something zip through the tall grass along a sidewalk, and I flashed on one of the velociraptor scenes from Jurassic Park.  The lizards are large here;  well, larger than the blue bellies out beside our garage in Carmel Valley.  I don't know the type of lizard yet, save that they're big enough to take down a small horse.

Morning Sounds

Having enjoyed two solid nights' sleeps, I was up with the sunrise this morning, and collected several audio/video files from our balcony.  

See http://www.becauseoftime.org/ISD/ScenesDakar.html.

The bird song is intense.  

Heard the buzzing of a first mosquito, and responded by strategically placing a bottle of DEET on a patio table, as if to say, I dare you!

In the afternoon, Randi and I walked down to la plage de Ouakam, the nearest easy beach access for swimming/snorkeling, about a 20 minute walk from our home.  The Mosque de la Divinite is located there, with it's tall white minarets.  The beach is classic Senegal:  fishing pirogues (West African narrow flat-bottom boats) line the beach;  goats are dragged by the forelegs into the water for a wash-up;  kids play, while adults mend nets in the shade.  

I suspect that Randi and I were a bit of an oddity, given the looks we attracted, perhaps perceived as misplaced tourists.  There were no vendors hawking wares, or begging kids here, just people at work and play.  We were engaged by only one person, a boat owner who offered his name and telephone number should we like to hire his pirogue for diving or fishing.  As is now common in our interactions, he presented himself as gentle and respectful.

The water was WARM, clear, and inviting.  I did jump in, if only for a few minutes.  Delightful. Here, too, several were out snorkeling, wearing extra long free diving fins, not something I expected to find here.  I'm extremely curious to discover what they're after.  Lobster (wishful thinking)?  

Sunset

Randi and I walked down to our local grocery tonight to check out their inventory.  The street was busy with locals (Senegalese), as if the neighborhood had awoken after a refreshing afternoon nap.  After successfully negotiating the market, we wandered over to peruse the fruits/vegetables being sold by a group of vendors.  Our approach drew their immediate attention, and in quiet, respectful tones our patronage was courted by the competing sellers.  We chose one at random.  Perhaps the seller knew it was an advantage to be at the middle of the pack, just as all liquids are drawn to the center of a funnel.  We came to her, no solicitation required.  With her guidance and many suggestions, Randi purchased some potatoes, onions, a bell pepper, and zucchini.  I played the dumb spouse, and deflected the guy pushing avocados toward the real customer.  Once the transaction was completed, the seller asked Randi for her name, spoken in clear English.  It was a nice touch, personal, prompting relationship, suggesting a sense of felt connection/obligation, an implied contract (you-will-buy-exclusively-from-me-now-because-you-are-Randi), good for future business.

The above photos were taken from the patio a floor above us, the home of ISD Principal, Eric K. Later in the evening, clouds to the south were dramatically illuminated by bursts of lightening, weather cells heading west toward warm waters. 

Arrival

We arrived in Dakar early this AM after fifteen hours of travel.  I entertained a number of overlapping contradictory emotions/voices en route, from elation, to relief, to panic (why am I doing this?!), to counseling (you'll be fine).  Moving through customs and baggage claim was no problem, despite the few pirates (guys who insist on helping you collect and transport your baggage).  We took it all in stride, remained patient, handled one detail at a time.  Only a few passengers deplaned in Dakar, the flight continuing on to Capetown, another eight hours down the continent.  As a Delta steward remarked to Randi:  Oh sweetie, you don't want to get off in Dakar.  That's REAL Africa!

ISD Director, Wayne R, met us at the airport, and drove us to our new flat.  We're on the third floor of a four-story building on a poorly maintained side street, about a 15 minute walk from school.  The flat is large:  three bedrooms, three baths (the master bath has an adult-sized bathtub and a bidet), a large kitchen and living room, high ceilings, and good-enough furnishings.  All residencies in the neighborhood are set behind gates or high walls, each guarded by a Senegalese guy, some in uniform, others in t-shirts and jeans.  There is clearly a lively social exchange among the neighborhood so-called guards, as they congregate in the shade of trees.

It's the rainy season here (through October), and though we had no rain today, the clouds felt very tropical, big and billowy.  This shouldn't be surprising being that Atlantic hurricanes are often spawned in north Africa, departing the continent by way of Dakar and the Cape Verde Peninsula, headed for the Caribbean.

It's very humid, though we've had a pleasant breeze throughout the day.  In the moment we're cloistered in the air conditioned living room.

We toured the school with the Director this afternoon.  The school is relatively small, serving about 300 students K-12.  Classrooms border a central grassy field, a unique feature in this part of Africa.  The school is adjacent to Club Atlantique, which has a 25 yard-ish lap pool, weigh room, snack bar, etc.

My classroom is a nice size for a smaller group, no frills, certainly will need to be transformed in advance of the school year.  Or, better, the kids and I might take on the setting up of the classroom as an opening project:  how to turn it into an efficient and pleasant work environment.

Many things to do:  shop for groceries (there's a Casino chain grocery market just down the street);  jump into the Atlantic;  get Randi a bike;  look for a photo printer;  jump into the Atlantic;  get a little notepad for recording the names of the many new people we're meeting;  jump into the Atlantic.