So, my girlfriend is in Senegal and she sends her correspondence by e-mail. Because she is a far better writer than me, I think you'll find her musings and observations interesting...
From: Elizabeth, the girlfriend To: Andrew, the boyfriend Re: Bathroom Buddy
Hello!
I'm having a "hostility" day, so I am greeting you all in English. (Those of you have have participated in, or are participating in study abroad may understand. For those of you who don't, study abroad students often go through cultural orientations that include a diagram of culture shock and adjustment. The phase in which one is feeling resentful towards the new culture is called "hostility". I don't think the model applies well to me, but more on that later when I am sure.) The "hostility" is due to the tendency for people to be late or absent in Senegalese culture. Today I went in for my first day of real work at my internship, and found out that my supervisor would be out until late afternoon. This was particularly frustrating because I had carried my laptop with me into the city, not something very safe to do, because my supervisor wanted me to use it in the office. On the plus side, I treated myself to a double-chocolate ice cream bar and a new pair of sun glasses. I have the honor of having a cultural experience new even to my program directors. I am sharing a bathroom with an old man (whom I fondly refer to as "the old guy") who does not speak or otherwise interact with women, for religious reasons. It is notable that this is new to my program directors, as they are pretty much experts on Senegalese culture. I don't know how he is related to my family, as they have not told me. The old guy is in the bathroom a lot. In the amount of time he takes for a regular bathroom trip, I could shower, dress, brush my teeth, comb my hair and put in my contacts. Those of you who know my shower habits know that that is no little accomplishment. Anyway, it is proving to be quite inconvenient. Yesterday I really needed to use the bathroom before leaving class. At 4:00, I went to use the bathroom, and found that the old guy was going in. At 4:15 I went to ask my family if I could use another bathroom, which was problematic, since the water was off in the rest of the house. When I left at 4:30, he was still in the bathroom. I don't know if he is just that slow or if he is doing cleansing rituals for all those times I said "Asalaam maleekum" to him before I was told not to speak to him. I went out dancing the other night with my brother. It was fun, but a little odd because I was the only white woman in the club. There were a lot of white men, mostly flirting with younger Senegalese women. I was a bit embarrassed by how some of them seemed to take advantage of their status as foreigners, and I hope they were French, not American. Anyway, I didn't have any problems because people assumed I was with my brother. Next time I am hoping to go out with some of my friends in the program. I was dismayed to learn that clubs don't even open until midnight, and I didn't get home until 5 am. Of course, the old guy was in the bathroom. At 5:15 I knocked on the door to make sure A) there was someone in there, and B) if there was, he/she didn't need help. I got a testy grunt for a reply. At 5:30, the old guy left the bathroom. It is really a bit disturbing to me to share a bathroom with a man who refuses to speak to women, especially one who takes obnoxiously long in the bathroom. I am trying to have a sense of humor about it. It helps that the rest of my family is great. I am getting used to their routines, and I get the feeling that the period of doting over me is coming to an end, alxumdulilah (thank God). My brother is going to help me and my swimming buddy, Zodiac, rent surfboards some time. It helps that my brother thinks Zodiac is pretty. My sister is going to take me to the market one of these days, and I have been watching X-Men with my little brother on my computer. Translating for him is good for my French. Well, I better send this email before another electricity outage deletes it, as happened to my last one. Miss you all! Elizabeth
Websites (my contribution)
- Red Cross- Donate to the Red Cross to help victims of Hurricane Katrina
- Bethel Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Pomona, CA- I went to this church as part of my American Religious History class. Great experience.
- I love Frontline. I think I've said this couple of times already. Here's their piece on Who Was Shakespeare?