some more lists

Things that, at one point, seemed really bizarre, but now seem so endearingly normal:

• Planes flying so low overhead that all conversation has to cease for at least 10 seconds so as not to bother trying to compete with the roar of the plane.
• Professors answering their phones in class at least once per class.
• Senegalese people asking how much you paid for something, and then laughing at you for paying way too much.
• Half the conversation with a Senegalese person consists of a greeting that seems like a personal interview, ie: "How are you? How did you sleep last night? How is your family? How are your affairs? How is your work? Are you having fun?"
• Teachers have to schedule their meetings around prayer time. Likewise, the computer lab and the corner store where I buy my coffee are disappointingly closed during prayer time. It is also not uncommon to see someone praying on a mat in the middle of the sidewalk.
• Professors having coffee or tea delivered to them in class.
• Piles of sand and gravel randomly in the middle of the road.
• Goats. Everywhere.

Things that I ate yesterday that were so incredibly delicious:

• Spaghetti bolognese, Senegalese-style. This is one of my favorite foods that the restaurant at school makes, and it is always a treat when they have this for one of the choices for lunch.
• Ceeb-u-jen, prepared in the special way that my mom's sister always makes it.
• Senegalese ice cream, made by my mom and Khady, with banana and baobaob fruit, and is the perfect end to any spicy, flavorful meal.
• Biskrem chocolate cookies dipped in Cafe Touba... the best snack ever, that only costs 150 Francs (about 30 cents).

Things in the Wolof language that astound me:

• The word for 'food' in Wolof is "ñam," whereas the word for manioc, the high-starch root vegetable that is native to most African countries, is called "ñambi," which translates to 'the food.' Must have been one important vegetable in traditional times!
• The word for an electric fan is "upukay toubab," which means "white person fan."

Things in general that astound me:

• I have been in Senegal for 73 days.
• I will be in Senegal for 32 more days.