reverse culture shock

Things I do not like about the United States:

• cold weather
• expensive, non-negotiable prices

Case in point: today I went to the tailor down the street from us to get a few of my Senegalese dresses fixed, yet again, and also to inquire about the cost of getting pillowcases made out of this huge swatch of fabric that my host mother gave me as a gift (her heart was in the right place, and I appreciate the gesture, but what am I to do with 10 yards of Senegalese fabric in the United States???????) the day that I left.

It turns out to fix/add a zipper to each dress and to take them in in their various areas that are still too big (despite 3 or 4 trips to Senegalese tailors already), it would cost 50 dollars a dress. FIFTY! The fabric for the dresses cost maybe 7 dollars, and the tailoring cost 10. How can I agree to pay 50 dollars to add a freaking zipper to these dresses, even if I love them a ton and want to wear them because they're epic and awesome?

Furthermore, to make the pillowcases, the tailor told me each pillowcase would be around fifty dollars too. Thus, for two dresses to get taken in, and two pillowcases to be made, I would be paying 200 dollars. TWO HUNDRED! Do you know how much cafe touba I could buy with that?

TWO THOUSAND CUPS OF CAFE TOUBA!

Thus, I dejectedly walked out of the store with no excited feeling of getting to return in a week to pick up some well-fitting clothes and cool pillowcases for my dorm room. The worst part of that is, the tailor just let me walk out, because it's the United States. If this were Senegal, he would run after me and say, "No, don't leave, my sister! I will lower the price for you because you are so pretty!" and then I would return and tell him the price I wanted to pay and keep repeating the number and ignoring his protests until he finally ceded to my stubbornness.

Similarly, I went to a framing store to get two pieces of Senegalese art framed today. I paid about 10,000 francs (~20 dollars) for each piece, yet to get them framed was so outrageously more than that.

I miss Senegalese prices and how easy it was to buy everything on a semi-black market! I simply forgot just how exorbitant the costs of everything in the States are.



I have also recently gotten sick, probably simply from the shock of the cold weather catching up to my body. With all of these factors combined, I wish I was back in Senegal, playing with Marie and Ndeye Thioune, counting shooting stars and going on walks to the mosque with Amademe, practicing my Wolof with Maman, and talking about fashion with Khady. I miss my life over there... when can I go back?!