The Toubab Strikes Back

So there is an an acronym that is used in West Africa, WAWA, which stands for West Africa Wins Again. The majority of the time this is true. trains times get changed for no reason causing you to miss them and purchase a new ticket for the next train that "will surely leave at the designated time. Border officials make up new laws and regulations to feed their personal coffers. Merchants almost always have a regular price and a Toubab price for goods. However, every once I'm awhile you can beat this system. I have noticed that on my walk to work everyday I'm able to pick up wireless for a short stretch next to a military compound. So since everyone enjoys this blog from what I am told, I figure I'd get in the African spirit and borrow their Internet to re-up the blog more frequently.

The process of making tea and communally drinking it is big in Senegal. The tea more often than not is of the verge variety. Water, sugar, and mint are the other components. Whoever is making the tea goes through an elaborate process of cooling and frothing the tea for consuming. The tea is repeatedly poured into the various small glass tasses from elevated altitudes. This both allows the air to cool the tea and foam up in the glasses as well. It's very interesting and enjoyable to watch. I am slowly, but surely getting used to doing this skillfully, just like a lot of things here, without losing the majority of the tea. I enjoy the whole social aspect of it, after every evening of work all the volunteers relax on the veranda on top of work. The view is immense by the way. It's a way of bringing everyone together to just talk about the day or life in general. This generally consists of three separate cups which a distinct taste to each conveying three important aspects of the world. So I've decided the next three blog updates are gonna be conceptual surrounding these three cups of tea as the apply to yours truly. Should be a somewhat interesting look at myself, for both y'all and me. So stay tuned friends and family...

Overall was a today was a pretty good day. Went to work in the morning and when I got back I took a nap. Went back to work in the afternoon, and got some really good photos of les talibes that hang around the center most often. It's hard to get candid pictures of these little guys because as soon as you pull out the camera everyone wants a piece of the action. Of course I am more than happy to oblige. Hopefully they won't ever figure out the difference between live view and regular view mode, or else my candid chances are out the window. After work and tea this evening, I got a nice night run in. By the way, E, I can tell you this much I have yet to find any form of Gatorade here. So in turn as much water as I drink here I am never rehydrated. Thanks to the 30 minute walks to work (that's just one way mind you) and my love for running. Then again everyone knows that I never hydrated properly anyway. Oh and for all you people that said I never eat or any of that nonsense, you should see me here. I eat MORE here than I ever have at home, that information is mainly for Amanda, Rachel, and KFerg. Like I said this trip is full of irony. Speaking of food I'm about to eat dinner, so until the next time...

Song of the Moment: Disorder - Joy Division