So I’ve been in village for almost three weeks now and along with trying to learn Pular I’ve found all sorts of things to fill my time. I’ve been to a wedding and a baptism, both of which showed no resemblance to typical American or Christian customs. I attended Mass in a furno of a hut in languages I don’t comprehend. I have started three garden beds and made soil from scratch because guess what??? It doesn’t exist here.
Last week, I helped with baby weighings and Polio vaccinations, which opened my eyes to how differently the health system of Senegal works. Instead of everyone taking their children to the health post, health workers literally go hut to hut giving vaccinations and handing out anti-parasitic medication. To keep track of who has been vaccinated they mark the fingernails of the children with sharpie and write on the huts in chalk. It seems ridiculous for a health system to be running like this in 2010 but it is honestly more practical in a village setting where otherwise children would never see a health worker.
Most recently I went to a nearby village to do baby weighings. The community was Fulbe, a different kind of Pular. They have different braids, tattooing, dancing and customs. While I was there a wedding for a 14 year old girl took place. It's overwhelming how different people live here. I just thought of my baby sister back home being put into that situation and it made my stomach turn, but here it is an every day reality. I feel so blessed to grow up with education and the freedom to choose my own path in life.
Most of the rest of my time has co-insisted of meeting and greeting people...the school directors, health workers, neighbors, prominent community members, the ladies that sell mangoes, my counterparts, etc. I have ventured out to both Spence and Mika’s sites to see my new Peace Corps brothers and meet their families. This has been a fun insight into their lives and situations while also giving me a chance to practice Pular in new settings, try out public transport and give me a break from my village.
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