Getting out of the ville has been fun... nutella fights, dancing with Trever and Amber, singing rap-ballads with Jarred, watching lightening over the ocean from Jen's roof, making reeces-banana pancakes with Allie, and Kédougou's famous 4th of July party complete with canaries of palm wine, frozen gin-bisaps, a pinata, water balloons, fireworks (that still made me miss VT), river-swimming, and homemade ice cream. I tried not to let the fun be spoiled by the fact that most of it was made possible by cancer. Not to mention that nothing even came out of the trip on that end. Anyway, good times.
The best part might have actually been that after the tourist city bustle of Dakar, the bratty white kids at the American club pool, and needing a moment to remember where I am every time I wake up, I was actually excited to return to the village. Corn mush and all.
What made the homecoming even better was that Annicka joined me. OK, so the bike ride was rough, she got sunburned, had a fever and upset stomach, we got caught in a thunderous downpour on the way to a waterfall we never found, and ever single person she met made the same lame joke about her being a theif because of her last name (oh senegalese humor)... but I still think it was a good visit!
My favorite part was probably the first night when it started raining. We were talking in my hut and in come all my little brothers and sister. I started to feel a little annoyed since they didn't knock and just made themselves comfortable on mats and all. I'd been planning on setting some privacy buondaries. But then they just looked so cute, all excited to be in my room and scared of the thunder.
When they started covering their ears and putting their heads on the floor because of the thunder, it occurred to me. I am Maria von Trapp.
"Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens!" I sang to a room of confused faces.
"Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens!" Annicka gamely chimed in.
Once we finished "My Favorite Things," Annicka suggested they sing a song. Shyly, they said they didn't know any. "Oh my god, they are the von Trapp children!" This started off more reenactment ("Let's start at the very beginning...") which of course didn't work since they don't speak any english. This minute detail in not way diminished our efforts. After much prompting and bossing, we finally got a few of them to sing, "Do- a deer, a female deer," and one kid to sing, "Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do" -- though all in the same note.
At this point they remembered they were not von Trapps and did in fact know songs. So they all sang a different one at once. It was pretty adorable. But as Annicka and I were not done with the spotlight, we answered with at least 10 disney songs until the rain stopped and the kids politely excused themselves.
Good times. Next, ALLISON is visiting! Hopefully, she'll fare better than Annicka. At least we have one less huge thing to worry about...
PELLEL KENDESSA HAS WATER!
Alhumdulilai! I can take on anything now.
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