Senegal, SST unit

Behind the Cameras

18 Jul 2008 17:01 EST

Photographers spent a lot of time looking through their lenses in order to give people a glimpse into our experiences. It takes a lot of eyes looking from different angles to even get close to the "real picture" of an experience like SST. We were very privileged to have such a team of good eyes looking through cameras on our behalf...

Dakar

18 Jul 2008 15:33 EST

Last, but certainly not least, are the two service positions in Dakar. Leslee and Breanna remained in the nation's capitol city for Service-Term. Leslee is working at la pouponniÃ¨re (the baby doll house), where orphaned babies are taken care of. Most of the babies are under 6 months old. During our visit they were caring for 48...

Thiès

18 Jul 2008 15:10 EST

ThiÃ¨s is a great place outside of Dakar and home of the Mission Inter Senegal (MIS) office. MIS is coordinating and assisting a myriad of programs throughout Senegal that include women's ministry, food and medical aid, micro-financing, children's programs, and water well projects. Jon and Paul (and kitty) are giving a hand in the...

Ziguinchor

18 Jul 2008 15:09 EST

Andrew and Ben Ziguinchor is our most southern location and a new one for SÃ©nÃ©gal SST. With a population of about 230,000, Ziguinchor was the first European settlement in the area. It was founded by the Portuguese and one can still hear Portuguese creole spoken in the region. After a long wait in Dakar, Ben and Andrew were...

Kaolack

8 Jul 2008 16:05 EST

[www.cnn.com...] -- Chase, Emily S, and Peter "Kaolack is hot!" This was the response from every person that we told our destination to. If the Senegalese think it is hot in Kaolack, it must be, right? Let's just confirm that everyone there is "glowing." But an abundance of smiles are everywhere in Kaolack. Our students are actively...

Djilor / Diofior

8 Jul 2008 15:14 EST

Alex and Dirk We left the colonial northern setting and traveled south on a return trip to the beautiful region of Fatick to find Dirk and Alex in the remote village of Djilor, where former president and poet Senghor grew up. The prestige of this setting is no indication of its surroundings, however, and it remains one of the more...

Saint-Louis

8 Jul 2008 13:27 EST

Neil and Thomas More luscious green accompanied us along the route to Saint-Louis where we met Thomas and Neil working in the rice fields. The green fields can be deceiving, because the heat was still in the 90's (F) during our brief stay. While rice is primarily grown in the south of the country the northern area of Saint-Louis ...

Richard-Toll

8 Jul 2008 07:33 EST

Alana and Lydia The former colonial town of Richard-Toll lies at the border of Mauritania on the south bank of the SÃ©nÃ©gal river and is our farthest point north. However, driving north toward our destination the landscape becomes increasingly barren and one begins to wonder whether there will again be water. The stark contrast...

Gorom

7 Jul 2008 20:25 EST

Grant and Dara Our first service visit was about an hour and a half drive outside of Dakar into a completely remote village setting. Gorom is the location of a YWAM project that involves construction of a new medical dispensary, a micro-agriculture operation, and perpetual relationship building with the local villages. Service in...

TRANSITION TO SERVICE

7 Jul 2008 19:25 EST

Chez Goshen Our Last Day in Dakar I believe some of the best moments in life are still locked up in the unknown of what's next. Our last night in Dakar was a chance to anticipate and plan for some of those moments. We enjoyed a spaghetti meal together and shared some thoughts. We began the process of good-byes to Chez Goshen and...

Mosque

18 Jun 2008 20:42 EST

We had been waiting for weeks to get a look inside the Grande MosquÃ©e de Dakar and finally it was arranged just in time before service departure. Preparations were made for our visit and, to show proper sensitivity to religious protocol, it was ensured that there would be nobody around during our visit and tour (except vendors, of course). ...

Night-Life

18 Jun 2008 18:46 EST

by Benjamin Across West Africa, Dakar is known for its night- life--or, more accurately, early morning life. After arriving in the city, the students discovered that most of the dance clubs only start swinging after midnight (on the early side) and peak around three or four in the morning. Those of us living with young-adults know...

Batik

18 Jun 2008 07:55 EST

For an artistic change of scenery, we all tried our hand at the art of batik , a process of hand-painted wax-resist dying on textile. In Senegal batik can be seen in abundance on fabrics, clothing, and housewares. We worked with a master batik artist in Medina, M. Thier, that had his own retail shop and his former apprentice, M. Magueye Gueye...

Lutte

16 Jun 2008 20:20 EST

The dawn brought a peaceful day of rest at Mar Lodj on Sunday, May 25. When evening came we were invited to a neighboring village for Lutte sÃ©nÃ©galaise , a traditional folk wrestling. In the complete dark of night, we crossed the island in kind of a Senegalese sleigh ride through dusty fields and forest. Thankfully, our horses...

Mar Lodj

16 Jun 2008 19:11 EST

"It doesn't get any better than this" was a phrase Ã propros for Mar Lodj. After two days of grueling bus rides through the desert heat everyone was rewarded with a surprising retreat. We boarded the long senegalese style boats, made from kapok, to an area abundant with small islands and completely surrounded by oyster filled ...

Pointe-Sarène

16 Jun 2008 16:33 EST

An abundance of smiles were available when we came to the fishing community at Pointe-SarÃ¨ne and settled into our cozy bungalow huts for the night. At the local baby-foot table, Dirk, Lydia, Jonathon, and Alex risk engaging in a game of foosball. The disclaimer, "abus dangereux pour la sante" (abuse is dangerous to your health), ...

Island of Fadiouth

14 Jun 2008 21:22 EST

After a night at Pointe-SarÃ¨ne we headed further south to the island at Joal-Fadiout. The historic house-museum of Leopold Sedar Senghor, the first president of Senegal, was on the way. A poet, politician, and cultural theorist, Senghor is often referred to as one of the most important intellectuals in the last century. Museums are nice...

Baobab Sacré

14 Jun 2008 20:47 EST

On the way south you can stop at a Fast Food shop in Mbour to have a quick bite before the long trek to the Baobab SacrÃ© . "Fast Food" usually means a Chawarma (a Lebanese inspired wrap with roasted meat) and it is definitely a local staple. After a lunch in Mbour we continued toward Joal and the famous sacred baobab tree. The baobab...

Bandia Game Park

14 Jun 2008 19:07 EST

Our bus trip south of Dakar took us to the wild game park in the Bandia reserve on our way to Mbour. Safari hats in hand, students loaded up on the 4x4's for a ride through the 10 square km. of bush to view some typical African savannah wildlife, or whatever animals might surface that day. No lions, tigers, or bears, but we got really...

Gorée Island

26 May 2008 19:42 EST

Ready for some time outside of the city, we took the public bus downtown to the Port de Dakar , an impressive harbor by any standards, to catch a boat to GorÃ©e Island. GorÃ©e is both well- known as one of the first places settled by Europeans and infamous for the geographic role it played in the slave trade. The Maison des esclaves...

Getting Acquainted by Peter and Paul

15 May 2008 17:30 EST

Animals by Peter Animals arenâ€™t hard to find in Senegal, even along the dusty streets of Dakar. On our first walk as a group down the VDN, Dakarâ€™s biggest highway, we encountered a rather large, rather uninhibited cow running loose along the road. She didnâ€™t seem to be planning to stop anytime soon, and made for ...

Lac Rose

13 May 2008 20:51 EST

The Pink Lake of Senegal, Lac Rose , was along the path of our return trip from Saint-Louis. The lake is so named for its pink color especially visible during the dry season. The lake has an unusually high salt content. With a swift dig and another push out of the sand our bus brought us close to the shoreline. Once we climbed over...

Trip to Saint-Louis and Thies

13 May 2008 19:05 EST

Our trip to Saint-Louis began early Friday morning, once we found the bus and the driver. Then, after pushing the bus around the soccer field awhile, we managed to get it started and climbed aboard. Photos cannot express the unique interior we found inside or our fondness of it, but we gave it our best shot! Two hours later we arrived...

Getting to Know Senegal

13 May 2008 16:07 EST

When studying the location of Senegal, one quickly understands the geographic significance of the region for trade as well as the competition by assorted powers in Europe, including France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Portugal. After occupying what was already a famous slave trade port, France increased her foothold on various ...

Meet Chez Goshen

12 May 2008 22:59 EST

Reminiscent of the "secret garden," a back door to Chez Goshen reveals the only SST home base with a combination garden and classroom annex. The whimsical entrance can be deceiving, however, as some very serious studying takes place inside. The oral repetition of elementary Wolof phrases that can be heard in the streets outside adds to...

Orientation Wrap-up

12 May 2008 21:44 EST

At first sight, some can hardly believe that Chez Goshen is hidden behind this unfinished faÃ§ade. Once inside, everyone happily found a comfortable and cozy place to settle in for a second and final day of orientation. Chez Goshen is conveniently located near Patisserie La ProvenÃ§ale , a great bakery. What better way to wrap up...

Meeting Families

12 May 2008 21:25 EST

After the first day of orientation students rode a bus to the well-know landmark, Ceasar's, farther into the city. They met a new family there and went home for their first night separated from peers. It is now time to learn about the famous Senegalese teranga (hospitality) firsthand.

Beginning Orientation

2 May 2008 06:05 EST

Mr. Alain Badiane, our host, and Miss Elisabeth Schmelzel, an American working in Dakar, provided a collective glimpse into the varied perspectives of Senegalese life. They shared insightful experiences that were invaluable as we prepared to meet our new families later in the day.

Waking up in Africa

1 May 2008 20:52 EST

Students awakened to a new world this morning. Having arrived in the dark last night, they were unaware of the views they would see with the light of day. After a moment together to gaze out over the water and reflect on where they now are, it was time to explore. A hill with a lighthouse was screaming "climb me" and we answered the ...

A Ceremonial Welcome

30 Apr 2008 22:15 EST

The Senegalese tea ceremony, ataya , is mastered by night watchmen working through the long nights. The lighthouse center night watchman prepared, and welcomed our students with, the foaming mixture of green tea, sugar, and mint essence just before midnight.

Students Arrive in Dakar

30 Apr 2008 21:51 EST

After 24 hours of traveling, the students arrived happy and in remarkably good form. The Phare de l'EspÃ©rance , Lighthouse of Hope, is a conference center where students are staying for a brief orientation. The center is situated on the coast next to a lighthouse at the farthest west point in Africa.