I’m not sure if this will be the last posting on this page, but this is sadly the final student blog (no pressure for me or anything). Yesterday was our first day at Sobo Bade. We were a little shocked when we arrived because there were so many westerners and everything was so clean and pretty. I spent most of the day at the beach playing with a baby monkey with an earring named Jackie, and I’m thinking about dressing one up as a baby and smuggling it into the U.S. (shhh). Then we went baticking as a group. Baticking is the decoration of cloth in which you paint wax onto muslin and then dye it, leaving the waxed parts white. Everyone had fun (despite some of our artistic ineptness)and we’ll see how they turn out later today. During the evening, we had dinner together, and after a group of us went down to a clump of chairs overlooking the water and just talked and enjoyed Senegal together for hours. Today, after another breakfast of bread and tea, we’re going back to the beach to explore and do some last minute shopping for our friends and family. In the evening we are going to take dancing and drumming lessons.
I cannot in any way speak for the group when reflecting on our experience in Senegal because we took different things away from each experience we had. Personally, this trip taught me so much about respect, culture, compromise, and awareness. I learned to respect other people and their point of views, no matter how much I disagreed with them. When we went to the Mariama Ba school we discussed homosexuality and polygamy. Everyone had different opinions on each of these matters, and some of us had completely opposite views. But despite our heated discussion, we were all friendly during a tour of the school and later an evening of dancing. I learned about culture by becoming completely and suddenly immersed in a culture totally foreign to me. Customs deemed normal and expected, like passing someone in the hall without saying hello or asking a question without greeting someone first, were disapproved of and seen as disrespectful and dehumanizing. The culture of Senegal is, in my opinion, better in some ways because it focuses on the present instead of the American culture which concentrates on the future. People here take their time and enjoy life as their living it. Here, time is time and money is money, unlike in America where the mantra is “time is money.” Especially coming from a school like Holton, where having free time makes me a little uncomfortable and confused because I feel like I should be doing something; not being religiously punctual, for me is like driving on the wrong side of the road. Traveling is always a compromise because you have to try to fit in to avoid being singled out. But traveling here I’ve had to compromise in everything from the language I speak, the way I dress, what I eat, and even where and when I sleep. Doing all this at once is challenging to say the least, and not everyone can do it. Some people could not separate themselves from their parents and comfort zones while others (like me) could just barely get past the language barrier. This is all a part of the experience though, and to quote many of our parents (I’m sure), “It builds character”. Sadly, they are right (for once). This has really helped shape my character and build up my ability to cooperate instead of being stubborn. Lastly, and probably most importantly, I have learned awareness. I can safely say I’ve become internationally aware, not only of Senegalese issues, but also of shared global issues. I’ve also noticed, and become most moved by, the fact that the “American way” is not necessarily the “right way.” Looking at the beautiful, untainted beaches in Saint Louis, I can see the economic potential of Africa and the ways the Senegalese economy can be stimulated. But I can also see the negatives of capitalism in such a naturally stunning place. More hotels and tourists = more money, but more hotels and tourists = more pollution. There is no right or wrong in this situation, but this trip has reinforced my belief that we cannot force what we accept as true onto others, because what works for us will not necessarily work for others.
Traveling to Senegal has forever changed me in profound ways that I cannot even begin to describe. I will always remember what I’ve learned here, and the choices I make in the future will reflect these lessons. I recommend this trip to anyone who is able and willing to leave their comfort zone far behind and become an international ambassador for not only the Holton-Arms school but also an entire generation of Americans.
-Becca
