25 days at site

So I spent the last three and a half weeks at site, which some may consider quite a feat. I found it rather enjoyable, with the exception of not having my health where I would like it to be, coming back to an overloaded email inbox, and my phone dying so I did not have the option to get a hold of people even if I wanted to. Nevertheless, Diara Pont is my home and where I can really have a routine if I want and where I am based. Additionally, I accomplished a lot this month! I will make several blog entries in the coming days ("in challah," god willing) with more details. However, a quick lowdown for the moment: on International Women's Day, I distributed moringa seeds to all the women of my village; I had a couchsurfer come visit for a couple of days; I had a site visit from my APCD, Demba, my boss; I started a personal tree nursery; I held a meeting to distribute tree sacks to my village; I went to a nearby village to do a tree nursery; I painted a world map at my school with the help of nearby volunteers; I helped start another world map at another school in a nearby village; I started learning to cook various Senegalese dishes with my host mother; I have spent time perfecting a grass weaving craft (making coasters, picture frames, etc); I read a couple books; I enjoyed many mangoes as they are starting to come into season; I went to a nearby village to try to find a well digger with my work partner; I started sleeping outside due to the warm evening temperatures; I witnessed a secondary election where a new president was elected in Senegal, Macky Sall, although I heard most updates thanks to my radio and the BBC; and I verbally committed to a two week vacation in Sierra Leone in May!

My host uncle's third wife and daughter, along with my younger host sister and brother.

Host "nephews" and friends excited for a picture.