Ok so since I posted yesterday, there's really not much new, but since it's Passover I thought I'd offer this little nugget of a post.
Keturah and I found the Seder last night! Turns out the Israeli ambassador lives like 10 minutes away from the university...which didn't stop us from getting lost, mind you, but still. We literally ased 7 different people if they recognized the address, and got pointed in about 6 different directions. When we finally did make it, it turned out we weren't on the special official guest list...probably because we're not important foreign dignitaries, nor do we have any degree of Senegalese security clearance. Sooo we got questioned by an Israeli guard outside of the residence for about 20 minutes proving our identities as Jews/Americans/students, but when he was satisfied that we weren't terrorists (which was questionnable that he even would be, since I had zero form of ID on me because since "the incident" I'm paranoid about getting mugged and subsequently stranded in Dakar forever), we were allowed to enter...it was awkward at first, since everybody seemed to know at least a good portion of the guests and we were the underdressed randos, but then we found Irit (thank you so much for the connection Uncle Fred-I owe you one!) and she introduced us to a few people, and when we sat down to dinner, we actually met a really adorable young couple that worked at the UN...and this random lady who worked for Bank of America (and talked to us about her friend's awesome NGO, 10,000 Girls, which you should check out if you have the time), so everything was wayyy less awkward than it had the potential to be. And the Seder itself was super laid-back (led by the ambassador himself, who is really nice), and everybody got to read a portion (thank goodness I wasn't the youngest and didn't have to do the 4 Questions)...and obvi the food was bomb. And self-serve so obviously Keturah and I, being college students, went to town on it.
By the way, the house was this enormous mansion, with-get this- A BACKYARD WITH GRASS AND A GIANT ROPE SWING HANGING FROM A BAOBAB. Basically; paradise. For Jews only. In...Senegal.
Still don't know where to buy matzah, but my family does know not to serve me bread...although I think they're confused and believe me to be fasting completely during the day (which I am clearly not doing, not only because that's not the custom, but because I would eb incapable even if it was), but I'm pretty sure they're still giving me dinner. If not I'll steal it from Muhammed.
That's all for now, talk to you all soon! Ba ci kanam.
So interesting that you attended a Sedar in Senegal. In what language was the Sedar conducted? I am glad you had a chance to experience this!
ReplyDeleteHag sameach. Sounds like a great experience. Did you swing on the rope in the courtyard?
ReplyDeleteunfortunately i didnt get a chance to swing, i thought it might be mildly inappropriate...the seder itself was conducted ina mixture of french, english, and hebrew, which was really cool...oh! and i forgot to mention that while i was there, i met the single most confusing person i've ever seen. he was a middle aged jewish man, with dreds all down his back, who spoke with a british accent, who was gambian. really just makes you wonder, how does a person like that even happen??
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