Yesterday:
Village des Arts
About 40 years ago, the Senegalese government decided to not only provide funding for talented regional artists, but to create an entire community for them. From that idea sprang "La Village Des Arts", an enclosed community made of selected rising artists. The government provides room, board, silence (a true commodity here in Senegal), and studios in which the artists can display their work. Artists stay until they can make a living for themselves...or indefinitely. (Some of the older artists tend to get comfy in the situation and take their time exiting the premises) What a way to truly embrace and support the arts.
...I find myself comparing it to the benefits of community that rise from a military academy in the US. The Senegalese prefer to create that community for their artists too.
Sea Urchin.
We adventurous SITers have - despite a few half-hearted warnings about urchins and rocks - been swimming on the local beach every afternoon. I finally decided to join in yesterday, having watched all the others go in and out of the ocean with ease. It was a lovely swim - temperate blue water, no rocks to be seen, no seaweed or under-water creatures... save one. Unlucky Lilly and I both drifted into a rockier patch of sea urchins. Very painful.
Stats:
Village des Arts
About 40 years ago, the Senegalese government decided to not only provide funding for talented regional artists, but to create an entire community for them. From that idea sprang "La Village Des Arts", an enclosed community made of selected rising artists. The government provides room, board, silence (a true commodity here in Senegal), and studios in which the artists can display their work. Artists stay until they can make a living for themselves...or indefinitely. (Some of the older artists tend to get comfy in the situation and take their time exiting the premises) What a way to truly embrace and support the arts.
...I find myself comparing it to the benefits of community that rise from a military academy in the US. The Senegalese prefer to create that community for their artists too.
Sea Urchin.
We adventurous SITers have - despite a few half-hearted warnings about urchins and rocks - been swimming on the local beach every afternoon. I finally decided to join in yesterday, having watched all the others go in and out of the ocean with ease. It was a lovely swim - temperate blue water, no rocks to be seen, no seaweed or under-water creatures... save one. Unlucky Lilly and I both drifted into a rockier patch of sea urchins. Very painful.
Stats:
- Lilly: 3 small needles in toe
- Meg: 11 larger needles in heel.
Tools:
- 1 swiss army knife
- 3 pairs of tweezers
- 1 needle
- 3 amateur surgeons
- 1 game of "find your pain threshold"
Now I find myself with only five needles left in my foot - all too small to operate on by my local surgical staff (Myself, Jesse, and Keates...we may not be professionals, but we're persistent.) A fun addition to the adventure arose when a few local guys tried to distract me from my foot surgery by singing me "american" songs: "I LAAAHV YOOOOOU...I MIIIIISSSS YOOOUUUU"... not exactly the Mischords, but it did dull the pain in my foot a bit. Young girl said in sweet, soft french: "Wipe your cheek - I can see where your tears were."
posted by Meg at 6:36 AM
9 Comments:
Oh my dear problem child,
You have a history of sticking things into your feet. Remember the cactus needle that required a surgery to remove? Or, how about that emergency room visit where they removed the "log in foot" (which was the actual diagnosis on the paperwork).
I had hoped you were past that stage, but alas, you still have some growing to do.
You really should stop sticking things into your feet. Your father is getting worried!!
Dear Dad,
We all have our hobbies.
Love,
*Meg
Meg,
etaler = to spread
Ouch to your newly perforated feet. I have faith that you'll someday walk again.
Do they have buses in Senegal? 'Cause I just got done driving in circles for six hours, and I want to move somewhere where buses have gone extinct.
Miss Merry Meg, while I was a little worried to read about your sea urchin incident, I believe you have forgotten about the little-known magical properties of sea urchins. For instance, a sea urchin's saliva can serve as an excellent love potion, very useful for certain secret operations that shall remain nameless. Sea urchins can also cook a mean vegan frittata. Finally, sea urchins have perfect pitch and make excellent a capella singers. Please bring a sea urchin back for me!
Kate "I'm dying to hear how Meg got a log in her foot" Leyland
Hey Meg!
I've really enjoyed reading about all your adventures so far in Senegal! It sounds like you've been having a great time, despite the not so lovely encounter with the urchins. It always happens that way, huh...the people who show a little bit of caution always end up getting it in the end anyway. Oh well, at least it made for a good story. :) Hope all is well!
Ben
scuba steph ,
ahh the quote , makes sense! et c'est vrai, ca! sorry, but not only are there buses here, there are also des 'car rapide's ...neither a car nor rapid... but defintitely an experience!
Ah my Kate, always looking on the bright side of life...I shall happily return zith a sea urchin for you, ,ost likely still lodged in my foot. xoxo
Ben: qccording to your theory and my experience, perhaps i should throw caution to the wind? Hrmmm
Also, which Ben is this?
Which Ben indeed.
It's not me...
So, is your foot fully healed (no pun intented) ?
Love,
Le Dad
Dad, gettting there! I'm taking very good care, though. I called today! Where were you and mom? Sad I missed you... I'll try to call again at another time. Love you.
xoxo
Meg
Yeah, throw caution to the wind! :) Oh, and this is Ben Wiechman...Kansas Ben. :)
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