Ak xam xam – With knowledge

Last Wednesday in my Wolof class, the professor passed out a worksheet that he'd quickly thrown together that morning. The other Beloit girls and I have taken to referring to the worksheets he gives us for homework as “des cadeaux” (gifts) after he jokingly referred to our first worksheet as such. If he hasn't given us a worksheet by the end of class, we often give him a little grief about not having a gift to give us.

That day, the “cadeau” was not for homework but rather for us to discuss in-class in Wolof.

Among the questions:

What is the usefulness of education for humanity?

Seeking money or seeking knowledge, which is more importance? Why?

Is the lie that repairs better than the truth that destroys?

As we discussed the first two questions, we repeated the phrase “ak xam xam” (with knowledge) several times.

Ak xam xam, men na an liggey (one can have work)

Ak xam xam, men na waxtaan ak nit (one can talk with humanity)

Ak xam xam, men may ay lejaasa (one can give diplomas)

Ak xam xam, one develops oneself, a society develops.

Ak xam xam, men may xam xam (one can give knowledge)

What is knowledge? What is truth?

You are accountable for what you know. -Prof. Majeed

“Give knowledge”

The education system here is significantly different than the education system in the states. I could rattle your ears off with all the differences I've noticed but I for now I'll focus on just one: Knowledge is primarily something that you receive, not obtain. Libraries are often sparsely equipped and the internet is not widely or easily accessible. If you have a question, you don't “google” it, you ask a teacher. The other Beloit girls and I have noticed that the difference between the way many of the Baobab Center professors teach and the way many Beloit professors teach reflects this different perception of knowledge. At Beloit, much emphasis is placed on learning how to learn and exhibiting critical thinking. At the Baobab Center, the emphasis seems to be placed on understanding what the professors are teaching us, regardless of whether or not they are supporting the statements they're making. Granted, part of that emphasis is because the classes are held in French. Adjusting to this different way of learning is frustrating at times because my brain is so wired to question the information that is presented to me and to support the statements I make. Despite this frustration, I am grateful for the “insider” knowledge and insights our professors have given us. They have given us the gift of knowledge that we likely wouldn't have received otherwise.

If knowledge is power, when you give knowledge, you also give power.

For everything that I have learned in the classroom, I have learned leaps and bounds more outside the classroom. The notion of “informants” in social science field work – people within the culture informing you about the culture through your interactions- seems very true here and is much easier to see than back in the states.

I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason, bringing something we must learn. And we are led to those who help us most to grow if we let them and we help them in return. - "For Good" from Wicked

Philosopher Jacques Maritain: the culmination of knowledge is not conceptual but experiential.

If knowledge is power, when you give knowledge, you also give power.

Empire des Enfants

Addie, Val, and I have started teaching English at Empire des Enfants, a home for boys rescued from the streets of Dakar. Our partnership with them has so far been a roller coaster of eagerness, conviction, overwhelm, optimism, anxiety, different standards of communication, passion, frustration, creativity, and courage. Several times, we have questioned our involvement with the organization: What are the appropriate ways for us to help the organization? Are we causing harm? (Are we doing more harm than good?) What should we be teaching? Amid all the questions and thoughts, I was struck by the fact that knowing English is an incredibly valuable skill, a privilege, a gift. Who am I to keep it to myself?

You're accountable for what you know.

If knowledge is power, when you give knowledge, you also give power.

Education is definitely a ladder between social classe

All this about knowledge, what about truth? How are they connected? The same? Different?

So many thoughts!!!

This was a picture I took at a street school we visited within the first few weeks. The words read: We would like for all children to be able to go to school, especially the girls.

Ode to Falling Down

Today I went on a run for the first time since arriving in Dakar almost six weeks ago. Surely you have a sense of how that went from the title of this post. It was an amazing run though! I started in my neighborhood and fell soon after the sidewalk changed from hard sand to cobblestone. Uneven ground and not having run in a long time is apparently not a good combination. I took my first tumble within the first 15 minutes, right as a taxi was driving past me. Perfect. The driver kindly reminded me to remember my cell phone which was now a few feet in front of me. After checking the damage done – a nice purple bruise on my hip and a slightly scraped up calf, I decided to walk/jog to the Baobab Center and use the mirrors there to check that there weren't any injuries I couldn't see. A few minutes later I passed the same taxi parked on the side of the road. The driver asked to make sure I wasn't hurt. I assured him I was fine and thanked him for his concern.

About 10 minutes later, I fell again. This time, I was on the sidewalk next to a split highway, 6 lanes total. Way to go me! I eventually made it to the beach, my goal this entire time. Once I got there, I started running the length of the beach (which wasn't that long). There were three young men also running the length of the beach, which is nothing compared to the amount of men who work out on the beach later in the evening. Running on the sand was a new experience for me so I'm sure I looked a bit ridiculous but the guys were nothing but positive. The first time I passed the two that were running together in the opposite direction, one said “run well” (in French). Second time: Go! Go! Go! (in English). I took a short break and when I started again, he asked “why did you stop?” “It's my first time.” “Ahh (in an understanding tone).” Our next interaction: Keep running! (in French). Way to be awesome!

Sand is forgiving; that is the perfect word to describe what I learned from running on the sand f.

Alxamdulilaay (Thank God) that forgiveness has met me most of the times I've stumbled or fallen down in cross-cultural interactions, in friendships/relationships, and in faith.

So here is my musical ode to falling down:

All Fall Down – One Republic

 Get Back Up (TobyMac)

 Falling Slowly – Glen Hansard (such a good song!)

Let Me Fall - Josh Groban

 Dare You to Move - Switchfoot

Everything Falls - Fee

Fallen - Sarah MacLachlan

Honorable Mentions:

After I Fall – Lee Ann Womack

Falling Down - Clear

Lift Us Up to Fall – Tenth Avenue North

Fallen – Vib Gyor

Break Me Down – Tenth Avenue North

We Fall Down - Chris Tomlin

Fan mangi dem? - Where am I going? (Being directionally oriented)

Sorry it's been a while since I've written a post. I have several that are almost finished in my mind that I just need to type up. Hopefully I'll be able to post them this week and they'll make up for my lack of posts.

I have a pretty good sense of direction, but context is everything. Back in the states, some people use street names and others use land marks to orient themselves geographically. Here in Senegal, there are street names but nobody knows them. The houses and businesses are numbered but there is no order to the numbering. Addresses consist solely of the neighborhood and house number. Senegalese people don't rely on maps like we do in the US, they rely on people. If they don't know where something is located, it's completely normal to ask people along the way. There's no stigma associated with asking for further direction.

In one of the classes I'm taking, Dakar in Transition, we're learning about the city of Dakar through a combination of historical, geographical, sociological, and anthropological lenses. One of our first assignments was to make a map/drawing of the route we walk between our houses and the Baobab Center. When we shared them in class, a few themes were evident. We had only included the names of the very large streets. (While all the streets in our area are marked with a name and/or number, the markings are rather discrete and nobody pays attention to them.) We noted the locations of the houses or businesses of some of the people we regularly pass by: neighbors, family friends, women and men we greet at the boulangerie, fruit, or coffee stands. If I were to draw a map of the neighborhood I live in back in the states, either while at Beloit or while home in California, it would look significantly different. To say the least, the “landmarks” would be buildings and street names, not people.

A few thoughts on that:

- The speed of transportation. In Senegal, I walk almost everywhere. I experience the area from the perspective of a pedestrian. Especially when I am back home in California, I am in a car for the majority of the time I spend going through my neighborhood.

- The organization of space and the nature of business. Both here and back home, I pass by businesses when going from one place to another. Back home, they are generally inside big buildings and interactions are impersonal. Here, the businesses I pass are small corner stores, hole in the wall tailor shops, meat shacks, and food stands. Interactions are lengthy and personal.

Our professor also asked us to orient the maps on a broader level by identifying the direction of North. I got it on my second try. While we'd thought our maps were oriented compatibly, we were off because our perceptions of the direction of several main roads were off. Our sense of direction was off because the things we were basing it on had given us a false sense of direction.

On Friday, I saw one of the most beautiful social occurrences I've ever seen. It was 14:00 (2 pm) and the call to prayer had just begun. I began my walk back to the Baobab Center earlier than usual. My host brother had left just before me and as I closed the gate, I caught a glimpse of where he'd gone. Men and boys lined the street with their prayer mats in front of them. A few others were quickly joining them. They were all facing the same direction, towards Mecca, as they are supposed to. Now that's some sense of direction, geographically and spiritually.

It's Friday 14:00 (2 pm). The boutique, like many other businesses, is closed. My host brother is among the several men praying in a line in the shade made by the building.

I could see men praying in line as far down the street as I could see. (I felt so bad taking this picture because they're praying but I really wanted to capture this moment.)

On the plane ride here, there were individual TV screens in the seat backs. I occasionally checked the "Map/Flight Info" and this was one of the screens in the rotation: The direction and distance to Mecca.

This has been a long post, surprise surprise, but I want to make one more connection. Sense of direction also applies not only to geography but also to time. In the months before arriving in Dakar, I had a strong sense of how much time was left before I would be in Senegal. I have been here for just over five weeks. I have just under three months left of being in Senegal with the study abroad program. I will be back in the states in three months. Those last three sentences correspond to three different mindsets of understanding the time I have here (insh'allah) and the mindset that I have greatly impacts how I spend my time and how much I invest into relationships here and in the US.

The future is creeping up on me in multiple regards. I've made decisions about how I will spend my time this summer and senior year. Each decision changes the direction in which I'm headed to some degree.

The playlist that goes along with this, in case you're curious, includes:

- A LOT of Switchfoot: Gone, Meant to Live Dare You to Move, Red Eyes, This is Your Life

- “Divine Intervention” by Autopilot Off

- “Wide Open Spaces” by the Dixie Chicks

- “Sidewalks” by Story of the Year

- ”Little Wonders” by Rob Thomas

- “From the Inside Out” by Hillsong

- “Lifesong” by Casting Crowns

- “Take this Life” by Shawn McDonald

- “Move Along” by The All-American Rejects

- “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack

- “These are Days” by 10,000 Maniacs

- “God is a DJ” by P!nk

- “Kids” by MGMT

- “All at Once” by Jack Johnson

- “Good Life” by OneRepublic

- “Tension & Thrill” by Sleeping at Last

I have a pretty good sense of direction, but context is everything.

Jamm? - Peace? (The political situation in Senegal)

This time last year, I knew very little about Senegalese politics. Like most of you, I was content just knowing that it has a stable democratic government and hadn't been in the headlines for political unrest or rebellions. In the past three and a half weeks, Senegalese politics have become immensely important to me.

So why do I feel the need to write a blog post about Senegalese politics? Well, because the times they are a changin' and events in the past few days have attracted international attention. I don't want you to worry unnecessarily, I find it all pretty interesting, and it has certainly shaped my experience here.

The essentials:

• The Senegalese presidential election is at the end of this month (Feb. 26) and has become increasingly controversial. Various branches of the government have acted in questionable ways and Senegalese people want to keep the government accountable to maintaining a fair and transparent democracy. So far the protests have been mostly peaceful. The ones that have been a bit more violent are farther from Dakar.
• This is all happening at least a 40 minute walk away from where I live and go to school. (We walk everywhere here so that's the way I measure distance.) I'm not seeing this with my own eyes, I'm reading about it in the papers etc.
• It's very unlikely that anything serious will happen. Nothing at all comparable to Egypt or Libya. Think more along the lines of the Madison protests or the Occupy movements.
• I am absolutely fine, and am in the best hands possible should something happen.

If you're curious, here's the basics:

• The incumbent, Abdoulaye Wade, is atleast 85 years old and has been in power since 2000. He has declared himself as a candidate for this election, which would be his third term in office.
• After he became president in 2000, he made some changes to the constitution, including setting a two-term limit. After winning the 2007 election, Wade said he wouldn't run in 2012.
• In 2009, Wade tried to create the unelected position of Vice President with the underlying intention to name his son to the position and thus create a easy and legal way to maintain power.
• In June 2011, Wade tried to make additional constitutional changes that would make his reelection in 2012 easier. Cue protests, Wade withdraws intended reforms.
• Cue organization of opposition into “M23.”
• The past weekend, the Conseil Constitutional judged the legitimacy of the Wade's candidacy as well as all other candidates. Almost all Senegalese and foreign scholars of constitutional law held the position that Wade's candidacy was unconstitutional.
• The Conseil Constitutional however ruled that it was constitutional. Definitely some hints of bribery and corruption.
• Throughout the weekend and again today, there have been protests and rallies in Dakar and other big cities in Senegal. Civilians and police have both been injured and a few have died. The gendermarie (which as far as I understand is a special police force for the executive branch) have gotten involved and have acted preemptively.
• M23 has plans to continue putting pressure on Wade and the current government. (They want Wade to withdraw his candidacy).

How this has impacted my experience:

• Class was cancelled this afternoon. My host siblings had the day off.
• I've been pretty cooped up at home since Friday afternoon. I only have internet at school, so I've been pretty disconnected from life back in the states.
• While I feel adequately informed by the Baobab Center staff, almost all the other sources of information are in French or Wolof. Radio, the most accessible source, is almost entirely in Wolof (which I understand only at a very basic level). When I'm lucky, I find a report in french or the BBC station does a short report on Senegal in English.
• I sometimes hear vague chanting or people speaking thru megaphones from my house. I have no idea what they're saying. I wish I did.
• This morning, my literature teacher told us her best student was killed during the protests yesterday. This is hitting close to home.

Interesting things about this all:

• Protests mean no school, and not just for foreigners who are hyper-worried about safety, but for many primary and secondary schools. Would this happen in the US? What would it take for school to be canceled because of protests?
• Is the US paying more attention to this because of Senegal's history of being a model democracy in West Africa (and all of Africa)? Uh, yes, no question about that.
• One of the first things I noticed about Dakar was the political graffiti that lined the streets. Contrast that to what seems to the most visible display of the US elections: TV commercials.
• On Monday, I checked the New York Times and NPR to see the extent to which Senegal was in US news. The difference in what was included in the each report was frustratingly amusing.
  Here are links: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/28/world/africa/abdoulaye-wade-president-of-senegal-can-run-again-court-says.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=Senegal&st=cse 
  http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=145955117
• An insight from the professor of my Dakar in Transition course: Regardless of where this goes, it will not turn as violent as Egypt or Libya because modern weapons are not as accessible. Only one side (the government) has them. The opposition has their bodies, and very basic makeshift weapons.

Senegal is known for being a peaceful place. The Wolof language is centered around the concept of peace. To ask about one's health, you ask if their body has peace. When asking if someone had a good night, you ask if their night had peace. One of the common phrases used to ask how someone is doing is to ask if they have peace...you get the pattern.

I'll conclude with this quote I see almost everyday at the Baobab Center: Know justice, know peace. No justice, no peace. - Fa Fa Dougna, Togo

Translation: No to Wade's 3rd term.

M23= Free People/Freed People, M23 = Peace

 

This is the office of a human rights organization, I forget it's name. The sign reads "don't touch my constitution."