this is the picture of the back door that got us detained. i was trying to copy the mauritanian emblem with my head and arms...i actually wanted to take this picture for my mom because i thought she'd think the door was pretty. oops.
lundi 17 mars 2008
17.03.08
this is the picture of the back door that got us detained. i was trying to copy the mauritanian emblem with my head and arms...i actually wanted to take this picture for my mom because i thought she'd think the door was pretty. oops.
17.03.08
hello.
i know, i've taken forever to write. a lot has happened since the last time i wrote. i guess i will make a list of things i've done...
1. the first weekend in february i went to the capital of mauritania called nouakchott. we had a really hard time getting a visa and sat at the border crossing for quite a few hours before getting a transit visa for 48 hours. we spent saturday walking around the city which included buying junk in an underground artisan market, nearly getting run over by the many female drivers there, visited a mosque (only outside, no women allowed inside), got detained for taking a picture of the banque nationale's back door (we were unaware it was the BN, it was unmarked, it is apparently illegal to take pictures of government buildings but thanks to maren's charm we got out of trouble and the policeman ended up giving me his number...), getting "wrappers" aka malaffa- a big cloth that you wrap around your body and head that moor women wear, ate at a lebanese restaurant where we ordered banana milkshakes and tuna/egg sandwiches (they were good), squished into a sept-place (a station wagon meant to seat 7 people) that actually carried 10 of us back through the desert to the border (tight squeeze, but everyone kept a good attitude about it and we spent a lot of time giggling at one passengers attempt to close the door), got ripped off from the man collecting money for the pirogue on the rosso, senegal side (the other side of the river is called rosso, mauritania but i got in an argument on the senegalese side which was hell on earth), hopped on a "mini-bus" that was twice it's original height because there was so much stuff strapped to the roof and then got stopped twice and completely unloaded to check for illegal substances (funny though, there were two guys who were in the mini-bus with a briefcase freaking out about where the key to lock it was...very suspicious but they didn't get caught, i guess cocaine is a problem), and finally made it back in time to eat some "nice burger" (a saucy burger with a fried egg) and drink a real espresso.
2. still in early february (not entirely sure what date) i went to park-djoudj (a bird park) with natalie and her parents. we saw pelicans, water snakes, crocodiles, a python, warthogs, a varan (that's the french word for it, it is a large lizard) and some other species of birds i don't know the names of. it was interesting but an uncomfortable drive- the road wasn't good and we got dusty.
3. this weekend...well actually wednesday morning at 3am (simon & garfunkel) [*sigh] we started driving and drove...and drove...and drove...
...and finally, after 18 bumpy-dusty-sweaty hours in a bus, made it to the tambacounda region (south-eastern corner of the country) where 19 of us toubab ladies (students from hamline university, Upenn, haverford, wisconsin-madison, and barnard) packed into the back of a 4x4 in a national park called Niokolo Koba looking for lions but only seeing water buck (strange-looking animals, deer-like heads with stumpy, strong legs and bodies), hippos, crocodiles, baboons, monkeys with yellow-tipped tails, cool birds that looked like hunchbacks, antelope, and warthogs...i think that's it. we did a land and a water safari on the fleuve gambie. that was thursday. then friday we drove to kedougou (another 4 or 5 hours) where we stayed for two nights. friday morning we got up at 7am and went to a waterfall in the mountains...it was beautiful, i felt like a mermaid jumping in with little senegalese boys. once back we went to the market and i bought some indigo-dyed fabric. saturday we climbed a mountain and visited an old village where women have tons of rings in their ears and sticks in their noses- kind of like the pictures you see in national geographic. there was an amazing baobab tree up there that was so old. in fact, all the trees were so big i felt like an elf walking around there. we also saw a dead panther that had apparently wandered into the village the night before and they killed it with poisoned meat. that was really neat. there was a "dame du village" who was 118 years old there too. the trip was excellent but i have never, EVER been so dirty in my life...i think my skin was about 5 shades lighter after my shower yesterday! it was an adventure...that is for sure. we got very little sleep but good food and mangoes and there was hardly any drama or trouble. lucky us, only sandra ended up getting diarrhea. one out of 19 is not a bad ratio.
besides those adventures i had exams and papers to write which all went pretty well i think. second semester is starting but spring break is coming up too. tom comes on sunday so i think we'll go visit the rain forest. and maybe walk down the beach to guinea bissau or interview a prostitute or two. it's quite hot here, about 38 degrees celcius which is about 103 degrees farenheight. that is an average, some days are hotter. well i have a wolof class in 8 minutes so good luck. i got 20/20 on my last exam.
i know, i've taken forever to write. a lot has happened since the last time i wrote. i guess i will make a list of things i've done...
1. the first weekend in february i went to the capital of mauritania called nouakchott. we had a really hard time getting a visa and sat at the border crossing for quite a few hours before getting a transit visa for 48 hours. we spent saturday walking around the city which included buying junk in an underground artisan market, nearly getting run over by the many female drivers there, visited a mosque (only outside, no women allowed inside), got detained for taking a picture of the banque nationale's back door (we were unaware it was the BN, it was unmarked, it is apparently illegal to take pictures of government buildings but thanks to maren's charm we got out of trouble and the policeman ended up giving me his number...), getting "wrappers" aka malaffa- a big cloth that you wrap around your body and head that moor women wear, ate at a lebanese restaurant where we ordered banana milkshakes and tuna/egg sandwiches (they were good), squished into a sept-place (a station wagon meant to seat 7 people) that actually carried 10 of us back through the desert to the border (tight squeeze, but everyone kept a good attitude about it and we spent a lot of time giggling at one passengers attempt to close the door), got ripped off from the man collecting money for the pirogue on the rosso, senegal side (the other side of the river is called rosso, mauritania but i got in an argument on the senegalese side which was hell on earth), hopped on a "mini-bus" that was twice it's original height because there was so much stuff strapped to the roof and then got stopped twice and completely unloaded to check for illegal substances (funny though, there were two guys who were in the mini-bus with a briefcase freaking out about where the key to lock it was...very suspicious but they didn't get caught, i guess cocaine is a problem), and finally made it back in time to eat some "nice burger" (a saucy burger with a fried egg) and drink a real espresso.
2. still in early february (not entirely sure what date) i went to park-djoudj (a bird park) with natalie and her parents. we saw pelicans, water snakes, crocodiles, a python, warthogs, a varan (that's the french word for it, it is a large lizard) and some other species of birds i don't know the names of. it was interesting but an uncomfortable drive- the road wasn't good and we got dusty.
3. this weekend...well actually wednesday morning at 3am (simon & garfunkel) [*sigh] we started driving and drove...and drove...and drove...
...and finally, after 18 bumpy-dusty-sweaty hours in a bus, made it to the tambacounda region (south-eastern corner of the country) where 19 of us toubab ladies (students from hamline university, Upenn, haverford, wisconsin-madison, and barnard) packed into the back of a 4x4 in a national park called Niokolo Koba looking for lions but only seeing water buck (strange-looking animals, deer-like heads with stumpy, strong legs and bodies), hippos, crocodiles, baboons, monkeys with yellow-tipped tails, cool birds that looked like hunchbacks, antelope, and warthogs...i think that's it. we did a land and a water safari on the fleuve gambie. that was thursday. then friday we drove to kedougou (another 4 or 5 hours) where we stayed for two nights. friday morning we got up at 7am and went to a waterfall in the mountains...it was beautiful, i felt like a mermaid jumping in with little senegalese boys. once back we went to the market and i bought some indigo-dyed fabric. saturday we climbed a mountain and visited an old village where women have tons of rings in their ears and sticks in their noses- kind of like the pictures you see in national geographic. there was an amazing baobab tree up there that was so old. in fact, all the trees were so big i felt like an elf walking around there. we also saw a dead panther that had apparently wandered into the village the night before and they killed it with poisoned meat. that was really neat. there was a "dame du village" who was 118 years old there too. the trip was excellent but i have never, EVER been so dirty in my life...i think my skin was about 5 shades lighter after my shower yesterday! it was an adventure...that is for sure. we got very little sleep but good food and mangoes and there was hardly any drama or trouble. lucky us, only sandra ended up getting diarrhea. one out of 19 is not a bad ratio.
besides those adventures i had exams and papers to write which all went pretty well i think. second semester is starting but spring break is coming up too. tom comes on sunday so i think we'll go visit the rain forest. and maybe walk down the beach to guinea bissau or interview a prostitute or two. it's quite hot here, about 38 degrees celcius which is about 103 degrees farenheight. that is an average, some days are hotter. well i have a wolof class in 8 minutes so good luck. i got 20/20 on my last exam.
dimanche 27 janvier 2008
27.01.08
gëj naa la gis! (it's been a while since i've seen you)
so things here have started picking up pace and i can honestly say that it hasn't been laziness that's been holding me back from writing these blogs...i might actually be able to say i am busy. a week ago on friday, natalie and this english kid dave and i rented bikes and set out to find a dam on the boarder with mauritania. it is called la barrage diama. we had a map and a pretty good idea of where we were going but NO idea how long it was actually going to take to get there. originally someone told us it was only 40km round trip (about 25 miles) but it ended up being 65km (a little over 40 miles). haha. and my bike seat looked like someone took a bite out of it. my bike was also stuck between gears the whole time and i think i pedalled twice as much (if not more than that) than dave and natalie. no matter how hard i tried i couldn't keep up (or catch up) with them. my legs weren't the problem though it was my butt cheeks who couldn't handle it. i felt like i was walking around like a penguin. anyways, about the bike ride itself...the road was good, not too many potholes and quite flat. there was only one small hill that we hit during the whole time. geographically the region we biked through is called sahel. it is the very outer edge of the sahara desert. there are some low bushes and trees with alot of spikes on them (if you ever have to sleep outside you're supposed to use the spiky branches to keep animals out of your shelter). we crossed over a stream or two on our way too. there were some cow herds here and there that look prehistoric. they have some massive horns and skin that hangs off them in layers. we stopped at one point and waited for this herd of cows to pass us on the road. they were all walking towards us and we wanted to take some pictures. they walk really slowly too. the coolest part was the noise their hooves made on the cement. kind of like tap dancing or something. but softer. we just stood there quietly listening to them clop on by. after the cows we biked past a village where a bunch of little kids came running after us asking us for pens "donne moi un bic!" "donne moi le cadeau!" (probably the only thing they know how to say in french). we wanted to pull over for a water break but this group of kids yelling seemed like a bad idea to get stuck in the middle of. after that we ran into a herd of camels. some were old and branded but there were babies too. apparently there isn't enough vegetation in mauritania to feed them so people bring them down into sénégal where there are more trees. they are so cool looking. like a mix between a horse and a goat. or a giraffe or something. they have long necks and they move so smoothly. finally we made it to the dam (which was beyond anti-climactic) but we ate some ceebu-jën with a brother and sister in a boutique. then some crazy 60 year old french people showed up and hid my bike thinking it would be funny if i came back and thought it was stolen. honestly i was more relieved that maybe that way i'd HAVE to hitch hike into town with them and not bike all the way back but in then end i caught the ladies peeking out the window watching for our reaction when my bike was gone and knew they'd taken it. silly french people. the ride back was the same as the ride there except we saw a warthog running near the road. he was so ugly! like a little dirty grey tank with short legs and a tail sticking up in the air. that same day was a muslim fête called tam xarit but needless to say natalie and i stayed horizontal the whole night and i slept in her room. which leads me to anothing subject...my roommate. SHE. IS. CRAZY. and pregnant. yesterday i was sleeping in because the maurides were praying with their big marabout until at least 6am and so i didn't sleep too much. it was loud. my roommate left for breakfast or something and when she got back she started whacking my butt with her purse saying "annie! lêve-toi!" later i saw her with a large stone throwing it up in the air trying to knock these sour, yellow cherries out of a tree outside our dorm. normally i don't care what she eats but these particular cherries make her produce nasty nasty gas. my room stunk alot yesterday when i got back. then this morning she ripped the sheet off me and dipped water on my head and pulled my legs to get me up. i swear she's losing it. is this normal for a pregnant person? anyways...i am going to scoot. cheers!
so things here have started picking up pace and i can honestly say that it hasn't been laziness that's been holding me back from writing these blogs...i might actually be able to say i am busy. a week ago on friday, natalie and this english kid dave and i rented bikes and set out to find a dam on the boarder with mauritania. it is called la barrage diama. we had a map and a pretty good idea of where we were going but NO idea how long it was actually going to take to get there. originally someone told us it was only 40km round trip (about 25 miles) but it ended up being 65km (a little over 40 miles). haha. and my bike seat looked like someone took a bite out of it. my bike was also stuck between gears the whole time and i think i pedalled twice as much (if not more than that) than dave and natalie. no matter how hard i tried i couldn't keep up (or catch up) with them. my legs weren't the problem though it was my butt cheeks who couldn't handle it. i felt like i was walking around like a penguin. anyways, about the bike ride itself...the road was good, not too many potholes and quite flat. there was only one small hill that we hit during the whole time. geographically the region we biked through is called sahel. it is the very outer edge of the sahara desert. there are some low bushes and trees with alot of spikes on them (if you ever have to sleep outside you're supposed to use the spiky branches to keep animals out of your shelter). we crossed over a stream or two on our way too. there were some cow herds here and there that look prehistoric. they have some massive horns and skin that hangs off them in layers. we stopped at one point and waited for this herd of cows to pass us on the road. they were all walking towards us and we wanted to take some pictures. they walk really slowly too. the coolest part was the noise their hooves made on the cement. kind of like tap dancing or something. but softer. we just stood there quietly listening to them clop on by. after the cows we biked past a village where a bunch of little kids came running after us asking us for pens "donne moi un bic!" "donne moi le cadeau!" (probably the only thing they know how to say in french). we wanted to pull over for a water break but this group of kids yelling seemed like a bad idea to get stuck in the middle of. after that we ran into a herd of camels. some were old and branded but there were babies too. apparently there isn't enough vegetation in mauritania to feed them so people bring them down into sénégal where there are more trees. they are so cool looking. like a mix between a horse and a goat. or a giraffe or something. they have long necks and they move so smoothly. finally we made it to the dam (which was beyond anti-climactic) but we ate some ceebu-jën with a brother and sister in a boutique. then some crazy 60 year old french people showed up and hid my bike thinking it would be funny if i came back and thought it was stolen. honestly i was more relieved that maybe that way i'd HAVE to hitch hike into town with them and not bike all the way back but in then end i caught the ladies peeking out the window watching for our reaction when my bike was gone and knew they'd taken it. silly french people. the ride back was the same as the ride there except we saw a warthog running near the road. he was so ugly! like a little dirty grey tank with short legs and a tail sticking up in the air. that same day was a muslim fête called tam xarit but needless to say natalie and i stayed horizontal the whole night and i slept in her room. which leads me to anothing subject...my roommate. SHE. IS. CRAZY. and pregnant. yesterday i was sleeping in because the maurides were praying with their big marabout until at least 6am and so i didn't sleep too much. it was loud. my roommate left for breakfast or something and when she got back she started whacking my butt with her purse saying "annie! lêve-toi!" later i saw her with a large stone throwing it up in the air trying to knock these sour, yellow cherries out of a tree outside our dorm. normally i don't care what she eats but these particular cherries make her produce nasty nasty gas. my room stunk alot yesterday when i got back. then this morning she ripped the sheet off me and dipped water on my head and pulled my legs to get me up. i swear she's losing it. is this normal for a pregnant person? anyways...i am going to scoot. cheers!
mardi 1 janvier 2008
1.1.08
i know it has been a really long time since the last time i wrote anything...
well winter/tabaski/christmas/new years break is going on right now. that started around the 15th of december but students cleverly were on strike for at least a week or two before the break really started. my galpal madeleine ventured down here from milan to check out my little life. i think she really liked it. we went out with my friends (a group of tall, silly senegalese guys) and wandered the markets, etc. we didn't do too much travelling, we only spent one day in dakar but i think it was ok...she got a good look at senegalese life from my friends. we celebrated the muslim holiday tabaski (i don't know what it is in english) and watched sheep get killed for it. i know it seems normal that i would say this but it was surreal. i mean, we saw the life drain out of it. which makes sense but it was so natural and peaceful...it wasn't scary or nauseating or anything like that. according to islam, any sheep that is killed on the day of tabaski goes directly to heaven. one of the girls who was there was surprised that i'd never seen an animal be killed before. i said it was my first time and she said, "ah bon??" even the little 2 year old girl sat on a chair right behind the men and watched them slit the sheeps' throats. after that madeleine and i peeled potatoes and cut onions for 3 hours. our hands smelled like onions for about 5 days afterwards...i didn't mind but it drove madeleine crazy. we both got traditional senegalese outfits made for the holiday too. hers was blue and mine was red. senegalese people really enjoy seeing toubabs wear the teré wolof (traditional outfits). i think they feel like it shows a sensitivity to their culture that tourists never touch. one of my senegalese friends explained to me that the senegalese think white people have alot of money and hassle us alot because when they see white people, it is in the markets where they are buying little souvenirs or out and about buying expensive cups of coffee and food in restaurants etc. for them, money is for needs only. they see white people as living a lavish lifestyle consuming, consuming, consuming and they think we have all the money in the world. even in the other aspects of their life, they eat around a bowl where everyone is sharing and there is only one large dish to clean. and they don't really use eating utensiles because they have hands so they don't need them. it is simplistic and it makes sense. i never realized what a consumerist society was until i got here...on a different subject, the biggest religious leader here (religious leaders are known as marabouts) died on friday night. madeleine and i were at my friend paco's house waiting to go out and my other pal amadou got there and turned on the radio. at first everyone was just kind of quiet but then paco left the room and we heard him wail. it was the most gut wrenching sound i have ever heard. a huge, muscular, grown man sobbing. needless to say madeleine and i had no idea what to do and ended up getting our baggage and hopping in a sept-place to dakar. afterwards though, the government of senegal declared 3 days of mourning in respect for serigne saliou mbake. last night was new years eve but i didn't go out, i don't know if anyone did. the 3 days of mourning are over today though so i think i'll have one last dance tonight. well, it is time to find some food. damaa xiif. (i'm hungry)...ciao. happy new years.
well winter/tabaski/christmas/new years break is going on right now. that started around the 15th of december but students cleverly were on strike for at least a week or two before the break really started. my galpal madeleine ventured down here from milan to check out my little life. i think she really liked it. we went out with my friends (a group of tall, silly senegalese guys) and wandered the markets, etc. we didn't do too much travelling, we only spent one day in dakar but i think it was ok...she got a good look at senegalese life from my friends. we celebrated the muslim holiday tabaski (i don't know what it is in english) and watched sheep get killed for it. i know it seems normal that i would say this but it was surreal. i mean, we saw the life drain out of it. which makes sense but it was so natural and peaceful...it wasn't scary or nauseating or anything like that. according to islam, any sheep that is killed on the day of tabaski goes directly to heaven. one of the girls who was there was surprised that i'd never seen an animal be killed before. i said it was my first time and she said, "ah bon??" even the little 2 year old girl sat on a chair right behind the men and watched them slit the sheeps' throats. after that madeleine and i peeled potatoes and cut onions for 3 hours. our hands smelled like onions for about 5 days afterwards...i didn't mind but it drove madeleine crazy. we both got traditional senegalese outfits made for the holiday too. hers was blue and mine was red. senegalese people really enjoy seeing toubabs wear the teré wolof (traditional outfits). i think they feel like it shows a sensitivity to their culture that tourists never touch. one of my senegalese friends explained to me that the senegalese think white people have alot of money and hassle us alot because when they see white people, it is in the markets where they are buying little souvenirs or out and about buying expensive cups of coffee and food in restaurants etc. for them, money is for needs only. they see white people as living a lavish lifestyle consuming, consuming, consuming and they think we have all the money in the world. even in the other aspects of their life, they eat around a bowl where everyone is sharing and there is only one large dish to clean. and they don't really use eating utensiles because they have hands so they don't need them. it is simplistic and it makes sense. i never realized what a consumerist society was until i got here...on a different subject, the biggest religious leader here (religious leaders are known as marabouts) died on friday night. madeleine and i were at my friend paco's house waiting to go out and my other pal amadou got there and turned on the radio. at first everyone was just kind of quiet but then paco left the room and we heard him wail. it was the most gut wrenching sound i have ever heard. a huge, muscular, grown man sobbing. needless to say madeleine and i had no idea what to do and ended up getting our baggage and hopping in a sept-place to dakar. afterwards though, the government of senegal declared 3 days of mourning in respect for serigne saliou mbake. last night was new years eve but i didn't go out, i don't know if anyone did. the 3 days of mourning are over today though so i think i'll have one last dance tonight. well, it is time to find some food. damaa xiif. (i'm hungry)...ciao. happy new years.
lundi 10 décembre 2007
10.12.07
well there is still a strike going on...only the students in political science have class. no one studying french/other languages, literature, geography, sociology etc has class. or at least goes to class. but we still have wolof and there is an exam on thursday! our winter break is starting this week but i wonder if it hasn't started already since everyone is on strike. my roommate is SO impatient to go home. she's funny too. this morning she claimed the room smelled like dust and sand (definately believable since it is pretty much the edge wisps of the sahara desert here) so she woke me up around 9 to apologize for waking me up from the sweeping noises she was going to make. ugh that is the second time she's done that! and she is crazy. the other day i put on a t-shirt after being rather constipated (still trying to work out rice with my intestines...) and she said "oh tu as un gros ventre maintenant" (oh you have a fat stomach now) ...thanks alot voiz. instead of saying colocataire like they do in french for roommate, we say voiz as in voisine (roommate). i think my french is getting worse. especially when you have to talk to senegalese in fr-olof and everything you say is SO simplified. oh well. i will find some french books though right now i am reading fear and loathing in las vegas. sometimes it makes me laugh out loud. hunter s. thompson is funny and a very clever writer. i should read something more senegalese. maybe some senghor. he was the first president of senegal and he was also a poet. my african theater teacher (monsieur mar) is very...anti-european. he was ranting about how senghor was a great writer and blah blah blah but then said that he failed as a senegalese because he wrote in french which isn't his language. but no one knows how to read wolof so... anyways, one time he said that the difference between senegal and the western world was that in senegal if you don't work, you eat because everyone you know is willing to share with you. but elsewhere, if you don't work you don't eat. that is why i love senegal. not sharing is about the most asshole thing you can do here. people don't just think you're a bad person but besides that, they just can't understand why you wouldn't share. i feel like most money i spend is offering to get someone a coka cola or something. but at the same time, it is nice to share. i feel like it was something that was missing in my life in the US and when i come back i hope i never stop sharing. i saw a really pretty goat this morning and i decided i need to take more pictures of these goats. i forget that the things i am getting so used to seeing are the things i need to take pictures of. tabaski is coming up soon, there are sheep everywhere for that too! well i feel like this blog is going downhill. ba beneen yoon! (until next time)
vendredi 30 novembre 2007
30.11.07
end of novemeber...
it is getting "cold" here. not really COLD as i'm used to but cold enough that the bucket baths are getting painful in the morning. also they've been cutting off the water lately too...i don't mind it until i am thirsty. we didn't have water for 48 hours around thanksgiving...and talk about dishes! besides that, i am meeting prostitutes. they even know my name and stop me in the street to chat! this research project is on its way! there is supposedly a soirée here on campus tonight (a dance in the cafeteria) but it doesn't start until midnight i know it would be lame to show up before 1:30am anyways. maybe i will go into town for a glass of wine. everyone was on strike yesterday so i didn't have class which was sad because thursdays are arabic days. there is this student that sends me love texts. i think i met him once and he started leaving letters in my room. which is CREEPY because i don't like it that he knows where i live. and he's even kind of creepy looking. his name is maurice. the most recent text said, "you are the most beautiful of the flowers, the 1 that embellishes my life, that fills my head with thousand of colors, even if in my heart everything is grey..."!!!!!!! i don't like that this happens. but there is no escaping it. even my roommate told him to back off! i shook his hand once! what crazies...i don't know what to say. i am going to scoot off now...feccleen! (dance!)
it is getting "cold" here. not really COLD as i'm used to but cold enough that the bucket baths are getting painful in the morning. also they've been cutting off the water lately too...i don't mind it until i am thirsty. we didn't have water for 48 hours around thanksgiving...and talk about dishes! besides that, i am meeting prostitutes. they even know my name and stop me in the street to chat! this research project is on its way! there is supposedly a soirée here on campus tonight (a dance in the cafeteria) but it doesn't start until midnight i know it would be lame to show up before 1:30am anyways. maybe i will go into town for a glass of wine. everyone was on strike yesterday so i didn't have class which was sad because thursdays are arabic days. there is this student that sends me love texts. i think i met him once and he started leaving letters in my room. which is CREEPY because i don't like it that he knows where i live. and he's even kind of creepy looking. his name is maurice. the most recent text said, "you are the most beautiful of the flowers, the 1 that embellishes my life, that fills my head with thousand of colors, even if in my heart everything is grey..."!!!!!!! i don't like that this happens. but there is no escaping it. even my roommate told him to back off! i shook his hand once! what crazies...i don't know what to say. i am going to scoot off now...feccleen! (dance!)
jeudi 22 novembre 2007
thanksgiving
everyone is writing "i am thankful for..." blogs today but i think i am going to skip doing that. i am kind of tired and unmotivated to think of things i am thankful for besides people and i don't want to forget anything/one. last night was a strange experience. i joined this club called cinéclub (you can guess what it is about) and every week we watch documentaries and comment about them afterwards. there is always a lively little discussion afterwards and it inspires some really nice brain activity (which i feel lacks in my daily life). well yesterday we watched a documentary about soldiers in mauritania who were put in prison for planning to overthrow the government. they were treated horribly in prison and it was unjust etc. the movie was called "Le Cercle des Noyés" (the circle of drowned ones) and was made in 2006 and was in black and white. part of the conflict was about ethnicities, one black and one of arab descent (aka white). this was supposed to represented by the use of black and white. there was no music in the whole movie and the only sound was the narrator speaking some language that i don't think was arabic in monotone about his experience in the fort where they kept these people and the only images were of sand blowing in the desert and the fort in all different kinds of light. when the movie was over the whole room went crazy. there were some "white" mauritanians there that were arguing with black mauritanians and a girl who's uncle had fallen victim to this almost completely unpublicized genocide who was freaking out and sobbing. people kept getting up and giving testimonies...it was so intense and so upsetting i felt like everything was spinning out of control. the scariest part is that the people that tortured these black elites that were in prison haven't been punished, this story isn't over yet and people don't really know about this happening. sometimes i wonder how this is still happening here. i can't believe in race anymore. skin color really REALLY doesn't change anything. everyone eats, poops (or in my case, hopes to poop), breathes, needs water, etc. the fact that there are STILL black slaves in mauritania, only about 5 miles north of saint-louis, is incredible to me. i can't see how anyone can treat anyone else like they're a different value. and maybe i feel this so strongly because i am a minority for once but i think it is strange that skin color matters. so what if people that look alike have different traditions? they're still people and they still need to do the same basic things as everyone else. so i guess today i am thankful for all good people and for this experience and understanding that i am gaining through being here. i hate sounding sappy but being the only toubab from the western world in a room of intellectual africans screaming and crying about reality really makes you spin off to another world. thanks for reading. JAMM REKK.
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