Dakar, Senegal

Chris
October 9, 2006
Dakar, Senegal

Ahh, the joy and the terror of encountering a new place. Dakar is intense and arriving here has reminded me that no matter how much you have traveled, there is still plenty out there to discover. Despite my travels throughout Africa, this is my first visit to West Africa, a place I have heard enough about to create some strong mental images but not enough to realize how inaccurate those images would be.

For starters, the heat was overwhelming from the moment I stepped off of the plane at 1:30am. And no kind breeze even attempted to alleviate this. Not exactly what I had expected in a city on a peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic – Africa’s leading finger pointing west. The heat is the kind that doesn’t go away even after sundown. The kind that leaves you dripping wet the moment you step out of the house and makes even a cold evening shower (usually a shocking experience) feel only mildly refreshing. But I am told I picked the wrong time to visit – October is the worst month, both for heat and for humidity. In January, people told me, it gets really cold – all the way down to 70 degrees Fahrenheit!

I also had expectations, for whatever reason, that Dakar would be more cosmopolitan, more fashionable, more “hip.” While I wasn’t able to conduct an exhaustive search in the short time I have been here, I did not locate Dakar’s Rodeo Drive or Fifth Avenue. What I did find was a sensibility in both dress and lifestyle. Sure, there are some really terrific Senegalese outfits, both for women and men (those who know me will have to see my new suit when I get home). But, equally prevalent were simple lifestyles, respect for tradition, warm, familiar greetings and a value in the richness of family and friends.

Perhaps most importantly, though, this was my first visit to a predominantly Muslim country, and in the middle of the month of Ramadan, when observant Muslims fast from sunup to sundown. With all the negative coverage that Islam has been receiving in the media, with implied connections to terrorism and intolerance, I will confess to being a bit wary. Not for my personal safety at all, but about the degree of tolerance I would encounter towards my own religious beliefs and non-observance of the fasting practices of Ramadan. Again, my anxious anticipations proved unfounded as I found people to be completely accepting of my beliefs and interested in sharing theirs as well as learning about mine.

I spent my first day in Senegal visiting the office of GEEP and their partners and I feel even more confident that this will be a great new opportunity for students in the IE3 program. GEEP is doing incredible work supporting reproductive health education clubs and curricula development in secondary schools across Senegal, and also works closely with some community radio stations that will also be able to accept GEEP interns.

GEEP Office in Dakar on the grounds of the Cheikh Anta Diop University

I also had a great visit with one of our longest-standing internship programs, Tostan. This is an incredible organization that works with local communities to teach people about human rights and equip them with the skills and knowledge necessary to address violations of their human rights. There are three IE3 interns there now and I was able to touch base with all of them to see firsthand the great work they are doing.

 

Interns Emily Riley (left, OSU) and Amy Sokal (right, UO) in the Dakar Tostan office, preparing for a trip to Kolda in the south.

 

I also had the privilege of observing a workshop at Tostan’s training facility in Thiès. A group of thirty community leaders from both the Gambia and Somalia had come to learn the Tostan community education method so that they can return to their countries and share it within their communities. With the new Tostan program in the Gambia, Tostan internships will also soon be available to students with no French language ability.

In closing, Senegal has reminded me of the balance that must be struck in advising travelers preparing to go to a place for the first time. While a certain amount of advance information is essential to be sufficiently prepared to function upon arrival, sharing too much in advance can actually diminish the traveler’s experience. There is really nothing that can beat the excitement of gradually building your own understanding of a place while watching all your preconceptions crumble around you.