Bonjour from Paris!

Yesterday afternoon I bid my hometown and family goodbye, and left for the first leg of my journey. 

I am writing this post from Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, and I've met up with the other MSID students. I can already tell it's going to be a good group!

I had to reset the time on my laptop – jumped forward a couple hours. I haven’t slept (sorry Mom, I still don’t sleep very well on planes) but the coffee should help. I know jet-lag can’t be completely beaten with a mind-over-matter attitude and caffeine, but I’m doing my best. I've spent the day kicking around the airport.

Overall, CDG is definitely a little more upscale that O’Hare – the seating & architecture are much more open and friendly. It may be a question of mood, as well – right now I’m relaxed and had to go through only a very short line through security, whereas in Chicago I spent a horrendously long time waiting to go through the body-scanner. But additionally, the kiosks here serve macarons (even more flavors than they sell at Pekara, the bakery I worked at this summer) and the vending machines have orangina – both of which I bought and enjoyed.

I found the newsstand and stood for several minutes looking at all of the books, because it had been a very long time since I saw so many French novels in one place. I’m sure I will be rejoicing for English bookshelves in no time, but the novelty hasn’t worn off yet! I had to convince myself that really, I already had enough books and should save my money for other things, but they are rather tempting – particularly the first up-to-date travel guide on Senegal I’ve found yet! I should never be left unaccompanied in bookstores.

T-Minus 26 Days

Asalaamaalekeum! (Peace be upon you, Wolof greeting borrowed from Arabic)

I set up this blog to keep my family and friends updated on the months I'll be spending in Senegal over the coming academic year. I leave August 30, which means I have less than four weeks left in my hometown.

I've been preparing for this for a long time - I've taken two semesters of Wolof (the language spoken by 80% of the population of Senegal), read what I can find of Senegalese literature (which, though I love the Champaign library, is not much), and spoken to other students about their experiences with the MSID Program. MSID (Minnesota Studies In Development) is one of the most well-ranked study abroad programs in the Big 10, and I am honored to be participating.

I received my first-semester host family assignment this week, and I'll be living in the Mermoz-Sacre-Coeur arrondissement (district) of Dakar.

I still don't know much about my internship(s), but I'll find out more once I arrive and classes start. I'll be taking classes in Wolof, development studies, community engagement, and cultures of Senegal.
I've begun hitting the books for French and Wolof again - I worry already that I've been a little too lazy with my languages this summer. While Wolof is the day-to-day language of Dakar, most of my classes will be in French.

If you're curious about the Wolof language, sadly there aren't many internet resources (it's not even included on Google Translate). Boston University's 200 Words Project does have some helpful vocabulary and phrases, however.

Currently, I'm reading Aimee Molloy's However Long the Night, about Molly Melching, the founder of the Senegalese education program Tostan. Melching, who also hails from Champaign County and graduated from the University of Illinois, has worked in several areas including women's empowerment and education. I had the privilege of meeting her this May, and she is an amazing woman. I may have the opportunity to do work with her organization in the coming year (fingers crossed!). I've also been dipping into the Lonely Planet Guide to the Gambia and Senegal, by Katharina Kane. I may have to buy my own copy soon.

Ba beneen (Until next time)!