Alyssa does Senegal and other headlines...

Yep. I'm still here. I know it's been awhile since my last update so let me catch you all up to speed.

The coolest news by far is my unexpected visit from a super cool American. As in, Alyssa left the comfy old U.S. of A. to come catch the last of hot season here (mwaahaha)! From the time I caught a glimpse of her in the airport to the time I dropped her back off every minute was spent with a smile on my face.

Alyssa got to see and experience it all. Public transportation, dehydration to the point of slight insanity, corn mush meals, pooping in a hole, dancing Pulaar, rotting animals, countless marriage proposals, the first rain, riot threats and so much more. She's kind of a big deal.

We started out painting the town in Dakar. We went to visit a beautiful seaside mosque and climbed up to the top of a lighthouse for the best view of the city. The best part though, was catching up on the last 6 months of each others lives.

The next day we went to the garage (a big "parking lot" full of cars going to other towns) and waited several hours to leave for "Sweet Home Tambacounda." This was the day that Alyssa started mentioning that this was the hottest she had ever been. In Tamba we checked the market scene and ate petrone (rich people) Senegalese food.

Village. I really can't think of anyone from 'the outside' who could embrace my village better than Alyssa. She fit right in with my Senegalese family and before you knew it there was a marriage announcement between my brother Mamadian and her...I always knew we were meant to be sisters! Our first day in village was the end of the school year party so all kinds of village festivities were taking place and we were able to dance to our hearts desire, hang out with my girls group, meet the teachers and watch my brothers soccer game. The following days were full of greeting, helping my sisters pound corn, dancing and usual village stuff with one extra toubab. We went to my church in a village along the road where we spent a day painting the stations of the cross and spending time with my adopted out of village family.

It meant so much to me to share the people I love most here with a friend I am so close to back home. I can't explain how special it is to have someone I love bridge my two lives. Someone I've been friends with since grade school, who knows my family, my strengths, my weaknesses and now my whole other life that no one from back home knows. You're the best chica and Senegal and I miss you greatly!

Since Alyssa has parted with Senegal things have been flowing along as usual.

* We had our annual Peace Corps Senegal debaucherous 4th of July party. Americans abroad KNOW how to celebrate the birth of the greatest nation on Earth! Fireworks? Done. Underground roasted pig? Several. American flags? Present in abundance. Beer? One or two. Dancing? Duh. Joyeux Anniversaire Amerik!

* Rainy season has begun. I LIVE for the thunderstorms. I forgot how every sunset during rainy season is magical...and seeing the rains come gets me all giddy. My village has gone from brown death to lush rebirth! With the rains come the mosquitos and other buggies that I hate but I guess that the trade off. The other downer is that rainy season is farming season, which is wonderful, buuuut it makes it really hard for me to be productive work wise because everyone else is preoccupied in their fields. Taking everything into account I still thank sweet baby Jesus for rainy season.

* Two of my sisters Hawa and Issa, and my second mom, Penda, are all pregnant. I made a joke about not drinking the water and apparently that does not transcend languages/culture. They thought I misunderstood what causes pregnancy. It's been clarified. All this reproduction is frustrating as people already cannot afford to feed their families or send the kids to school. Also I am worried because my village's maternal and infant mortality is incredibly high and women are my family. I don't know how I would handle something happening to any of them. On the positive side my sisters are preggers and that's kinda fun. They are radiantly beautiful and as big as can be. It is insane how different it is to be pregnant here. Still cooking three meals a day over an open fire, chopping wood, carrying buckets of rocks back from the wood on their heads, farming, sweeping, hand washing laundry, etc. They are bullet proof, these african goddesses! (Sidenote: I've been out of village for a week and writing this I realized I miss it. That's smile worthy.)

* NEWS FLASH!!! My parental unit is coming to Senegal in September. I cannot wait to share my life here with them. I can talk all day and night but until they have experienced it firsthand it's just not enough. The thought that my American and Senegalese families will finally know one another brings tear inducing excitement!

So that's the big stuff. I am missing Amerik. 9 months left. A peace corps pregnancy. Minus the baby. Thanks to the corn I still get the weight gain. Oh Senegal, you beast. Thanks for reading yo! Miss and love you all!