There's no pausing here, even when I pause...
A single 3-block walk home yielded three dinner invitations, two lessons in Wolof, one tour of a stranger's house, and one glass of ataaya (tea).
After dinner this evening (and what a dinner it was! It seems that term papers inspire the chefs in all of us...tonight: pasta, sautéed eggplant, andpeanut sauce (yes, it lives on in Senegal! Wherever I am, there too shall be peanut sauce)), our house was quite suddenly filled with:
A single 3-block walk home yielded three dinner invitations, two lessons in Wolof, one tour of a stranger's house, and one glass of ataaya (tea).
After dinner this evening (and what a dinner it was! It seems that term papers inspire the chefs in all of us...tonight: pasta, sautéed eggplant, andpeanut sauce (yes, it lives on in Senegal! Wherever I am, there too shall be peanut sauce)), our house was quite suddenly filled with:
- Banda (neighbor friend, stopping by to take another shot at wooing Alia)
- Aziz (tailor friend, stopping by to take another stab at measuring Whitney for her skirt),
- and Mystery man (a friend of someone? I think he was hoping to pop in at the right time for the third glass of tea.)
Now, as I sit here listening to mbalax remixes of bad american pop, and ponder buying peanuts from the vendor across the street, I am suddenly aware of my dwindling time here... but that's a much bigger emotion for another entry.
Home on December 23rd.
posted by Meg at 3:33 PM
6 Comments:
Dare say, dahling, I feel mildly British with this Mumsy name you've given me over the years! Cuppa tea, dearest?
OK. Back to the real me. Smiling. Winston couch leaping. Christmas tree which we got today in the snow (have at least 6 inches now)...all 12 feet of it (tree, not snow!)...and then tied to the Mini Cooper is simply the best ever! Native. Fresh. Ummmmm. Really----so, so beautiful...and now ready for your re-entry!
One week and counting! Going gangbusters (hmmm...such a great phrase) now to get everything done before I board that sweet flight to Senegal in just over a week!! Feels both near and far simultaneously! Dad put all our Christmas music (minus Jingle Cats) onto an IPod playlist. Wow. Cool and continuous. My joy. Our love. Waiting for you...but also knowing that you've got lots to do before you board that plane. Papers to write. Emotions to experience. Goodbyes to begin. A Senegalese husband to find! Enjoy each breath, minute, hour, day. And I'll do the same on this end!
xoxoxo as the twinkle lights glisten...
Mumsy
Oh God, peanut sauce. It goes everywhere with MiddKids, doesn't it? (Well, I don't think Alex and I have done the peanut sauce thing, but we've definitely eaten peanut butter, which is sort of similar)
Enjoy the last few weeks that you are in Senegal, and before you know it, you will be back at Midd without strange dreams. :)
P.S. Liso's blog is indeed linked on mine, so you can check there.
Liso - Don't worry...everything in its time...and the cottage cheese's time is coming...soon. Oooh olive oil? What I would give...
Mum - British now? I can't wait to see the tree...we've taken to decorating our appartment with hand-crafted chrismtas decorations that we craft in between paper-editing sessions...nice de-stressor! (oh, and to the CO girls...Senegal Spud Santa is a big fat hit. I'll show you when I get back.) Ahhh soo soon will I see you, Momma!
Sannie - pb is good for your health. Eat mo. Thanks for the link ;)
Meg,
To think of you living in an apartment that I cannot visit is killing me. I wonder what semblance of home or room or dorm you have created in it. I'm glad that you received my letter so quickly and with such fortunate timing. I miss you quite a lot and cannot wait until December 23 (not to wish your wonderful Senegal experience to be any shorter).
I spent time in Montreal this weekend at the UN climate negotiations. It was a fantastic experience being in the city as part of a huge youth movement and international movement. Sara Granstrom and I danced through the streets alongside a drumming group. You can imagine the good times the two of us shared in the chilly wind.
Je t'aime and then some,
Caitlin
What up Megski
It's been snowing here. Seems like it's finally legit. We had a fake out right before Thanksgiving, but this one appears here to stay.
I await J-term with anticipation and...well...terror. I am doing my thesis full time then. Considering that on Friday I handed in 26 pages of some mostly awful material of dubious scholarship, I probably have reason to have some doubts. Meh, maybe when I stop lying in bed, losing sleep and thinking about my thesis, I'll actually feel like working on it again.
Love,
-James
Caitlin and James officially win the award for 'perfectly timed commentary', as both of their comments came right in the middle of the last ISP stretch, when the most comfort was absolutely needed...what I would give to frolick through the streets of Montreal with a mortsnarg and a swehttam!
Not to say that hearing about you losing sleep was comforting, James...but I feel ya on the overwhelming big paper bit...I can only imagine how a thesis feels.
This award deserves prizes!
For James: love, luck and lollipops. In addition, you may have one free rugby lesson to teach you the proper way to transfer your Jackie-tackling skills into thesis form.
For Caitlin: cyber eskimo kisses, the afore-mentioned tackle hug, and one month in a snowy castle with Imogen and gnouy.
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