Wow! It’s March 11th already and I’m only 6 days from my halfway point. The first week back from break was a whirlwind and this week was as well! (Thus my minimal blog activity.) Monday I met with my fantabulous language partner Korka as usual. Tuesday I had classes from 9 am to 6:15 pm (so it was nearly dark by the time I got home). Wednesday I was out of classes at 4:15 and Liz, Julie, and I hung out at my house afterwards for a bit, then Thursday I went to the beach when my afternoon class didn’t happen (the class wasn’t so much cancelled as the professor was taking a nap before class and slept through the first half hour of class).
Monday Korka and I talked a bit about university life in the US. Tuesday a professor from Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) came and spoke with our society and culture class about the educational system overall and Thursday we visited a local primary school. Some of the differences between our educational systems are incredible and very frustrating to observe, I can only imagine how frustrating it must be at times to students. Despite seemingly high enrollment numbers, absenteeism on the part of both students and teachers is a huge problem as is quality of teachers, most simply haven’t had the experience necessary to lead a classroom. So while the numbers reflect a country with high enrollment numbers, the quality is minimal. Last week most teachers were on strike because some haven’t been paid in months.
College is barely better. At the primary university (University Cheikh Anta Diop – UCAD) there are 50 professors in the English department for over 7500. Classrooms are small and students must arrive hours in advance if they want a seat inside in the classroom. Students who do not arrive early enough must listen through the window but that is not taken into consideration during grading. Housing is also a problem on campus. For every room on campus, there are 35 students. Most students live with extended family who live in Dakar.
Last Friday I bought some fabric in Ouakam (a neighborhood of Dakar where some of my friends live) and this week went to the tailor. The fabric cost me more than it should have (I have yet to be really good at bargaining) so four meters cost me $16 but the tailor is costing me $1.50. It should be finished by next week.
While the first month and a half here dragged a bit, the time is now flying by. In my Senegalese Society and Culture class yesterday we talked about what our rural visit options are. I’ve decided to go just south of Dakar to Petit-Côte just south of Dakar. I’ll learn more details about that next week. Then on the 19th we leave for a week of rural stays. By the time we come back we have less than a week left in March. Though I still feel like a foreigner here because I obviously standout as a white American, I no longer feel like a visitor. Now I have the sense that I do live here. But for now I need to go do some more homework because the end of the semester shall be here soon and I don’t want to be bothered by homework my last couple weeks here. Hopefully I will write some more exciting, more detailed blogs over the next couple days to catch you up on everything I’ve been doing.
Ba beneen yoon inshallah.
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