One of the girl’s
I’m inviting this year is named Awa. She is an excellent student and wants to
be a cop. Last year she won my scholarship!
If
you are interested in supporting our camp, please go to the link. I’d also love
to send you pictures from last year’s camp.
Check Out:
*Parental Advisory Warning (my parents and grandparents are warned about this next section)
I was walking to my
baker and a woman asked me “How’s the something-something?”
“The what?” I asked.
“You know,” She
proceeded to walk up to me on the street and pat between my legs. Yes, there.
“Is the something-something sleeping?” To put this in perspective I was on the
street where I live. Dozens of children and neighbors were watching me as
usual.
Just because I’m
unmarried, she thinks my vagina is sleeping? How rude. This pelvic tapping by a
strange woman has happened to me twice. The first time was at a baby’s baptism.
At baptisms, women do “flashing.” They dance around and show each other their
yoo hoos. Mothers walk around topless everyday, but “flashing” means there’s a
party going down. This is by far the most conservative country I’ve been to.
With repression, people’s sexual proclivities take on a different tone than in
our hedonistic society.
Reproductive Health Talk
I invited a man from Peace
Corps talk to my middle schoolers about gender issues and family planning.
In
front of 120 kids he explained that girls have to right to refuse an arranged
marriage. We also talked about “planning.” I asked the students what they
should do if they are afraid to buy condoms. One brave boy said he’d pay a
small child to go to the store and buy the condoms. This was met with
uproarious laughter. But it’s not such a bad idea. It is common for young kids
of 4 or 5 years old to go out and buy things for other people. If the boutique
owner is your uncle, lord knows what you’d be willing to do to avoid
embarrassment.
My host brother and I
A typical romantic relationship
A preschool teacher
invited me to her house after we taught a nutrition class together. When I arrived she left to go to the market. Her male roommate immediately started
telling me that I needed a Wolof boyfriend. Frequently men tell me and other
white girls that we need Wolof husbands. I told him that I would never date a
Wolof guy because he’d see me as his income. I also explained that it’s hard
for me to imagine that Senegalese men are attracted to white women. Everyday
children scream in terror when they see my white skin, so I can’t believe that
this fear later turns into attraction.
This married man started telling me about his village girlfriend
and how he pays for all of her needs. Apparently I was wrong; Senegalese men
have to buy their girlfriends and wives. Mind you, I don’t know this man and
he’s telling me about his extramarital affair.
“Does your wife have
a boyfriend?” I asked. He said she never would because she has his two kids to
take care of. Money issues and infidelity are the reasons why I would never
date a Wolof. I explained how his economic arrangement with his “girlfriend”
illustrated this.
“Well
what should I do? My wife is in Dakar and I’m alone.” It was only logical that
he has a 20-year-old mistress while his wife slaved away at home taking care of
his two kids. I told that him if his mistress had a baby, he’d be sorry and I
doubted he’d ever marry the girlfriend.
“You’re a jealous
woman, Khady.” This man was giving me all the reasons I needed to not date a
local. Truthfully, it was a great conversation that confirmed my beliefs about
men and I’m glad he was so candid.
A few female PCVs
have found love with locals. These men are college educated, understand Western
women and are very pretty. These men are the diamonds in the rough. Senegalese
men are muscular and tall. Most should be seen and not heard.
