I'm Alive...

Still recovering from an epic 2 weeks though more tasks are being assigned (the volunteer in Tamba had to go home so I'm now "on call", I have to write a post-declaration de-brief, there's a UNICEF report coming up, and I'm still waiting on the power to arrive in the Ndioum office so I can move in). Needless to say I'm pooped. I am alive though, and thank you to every one who emailed during the past couple of weeks. I'm sorry I've been so bad at getting back to you all, but the rolling blackouts (we're up to 4 to 5 days a week without power for up to 8 hours at a time) and travelling (Sedo Sebe, Sedo Abasse, Gamadji Sare, Ndioum, etc) have limited my internet time. I will be trying to get back to you all by the end of next week, inch'allah. Till then, enjoy some of the photos from the declaration (the movies aren't uploading I'm afraid!)

Jenna (the other volunteer here in the Fouta) and I in our Senegalese "formal" wear, minus the fulas (you can see that on my facebook photo)

Jenna and I with Aby, our adopted mother who makes sure we eat enough and have beautiful Senegalese clothes (her younger brother is our tailor). Just never be the first one up from the lunch bowl, otherwise she gets upset...

All of the dancers and villagers lined up for the Swedish delegation's arrival (they got quite the welcome and front row seats, though Jenna and I opted to sit with the villages we've been working with, which are the Sonike villages for her and the Pulaar villages for me).

One of the dancers who I was hanging out with. She tried to braid my hair as we were waiting for the declaration to start, but I put my foot down. The compromise was taking her photo for her.

The declaration was quite the production, with camera crews and everything. I think I made it to the news, but there was a power out so I will never know...

My "peeps" from Sedo Sebe, where I've practically lived on and off for the past 2 weeks with all the pre-declaration preperations as well as looking after the Swedish journalist as she interviewed a number of them. They thought my broken wolof/pulaar and dance skills were hilarious. The nose bleed section with them was definitely better then the toubab "dignitaries" section!

This is Koumba Tokola, head of the Anna Lindh Foundation and Coordinatrice of Sedo Abasse, one of the very first villages in Senegal to hold a declaration against FGC and child/forced marriage. She's my hero, and we've spent so much time together during the last few weeks (her village is a short walk away from Sedo Sebe and I had to prep her for the Swedish delegation's visit) that we've even got the special senegalese secret handshake going on. I also got a bear hug from her later on in the afternoon, which pretty much made my day.

The dance party getting started after the declaration. Yes, your eyes do not deceive you - that is a little person in the middle photo, and he was there as the entertainment. I'm really not sure how politically correct that was...

Big hugs to everyone back home!