Africa makes me sick...

Literally. I have been in Senegal almost two days, and I've already gotten sick. It was upsetting and annoying to get sick on my first day in Africa, but since most travelers get sick here, maybe I'll get it out of the way fast. I'm feeling better now, anyway. But seriously, it sucks to get sick at home, and it's even worse - much, much worse - to get sick on your first day in a new country on a new continent where you don't know anyone.

Just to clarify, Africa has made me get sick, but only in the most literal sense. I'm still, for the most part, glad to be here, although definitely in a transition period. We're staying at a hotel in Dakar, and will go to our homestay families on Friday. We have yet to go to the beach, or even see it, so I hope that eventually we'll get to see it.

Meanwhile, I'm getting used to life in a developing country. The roads are bumpy, the showers are detached, and meals are a combination of French bread and Senegalese rice and meat. It's almost disturbing to see the level of French/western culture here, from the way everyone speaks French to the Seattle SuperSonics logo I saw on a kid's backpack this morning - that also made me homesick as soon as I saw it. :(

People are very friendly and generous, for the most part. This morning we had to walk around the district of Dakar where we're staying with random objects in our hands and ask people on the street, in French (preceded by "Asalaam Aleikum," of course) what we were holding. Mine was a jar of mysterious black paste that turned out to be a substance used for incense - it's burned in a ceramic pot and is used by people all over Dakar. Anyway, most people I approached were incredibly patient with me and another student from the program, going so far as to find a ceramic pot and mime putting the paste in the pot, and gesture when we couldn't understand their French.

Another thing about Senegal - it's HOT here, humid, sticky, and very, very warm. I definitely prefer this to the weather in Massachusetts, which will start getting unbearably cold very soon, but it's still shocking to walk out of the air-conditioned room where I'm staying in the hotel and get hit instantly with a wall of heat and humidity. I'm sure I'll adjust, and then think that Northampton is really cold when I come back.

So, Africa doesn't really make me sick. I like it here. I'm looking forward to being better and actually being able to walk around and explore Dakar outside of the classroom.

Oh yeah, and sixteen hours of traveling? I officially do not recommend that to anyone.