Baal maa, I know that I really haven't been postign much of substance...or really much at all, this week. It's been kind of low key, and as we're getting to the end, we're not really doing anything terribly exciting-just sort of wrapping up classes and starting to prepare for our departure.
However, on my way to the university for my Wolof final exam on Wednesday (which I completed and passed, yay) I did have a great Senegalese encounter. So usually I walk to school, and Ouakam is about an hour and fifteen minutes away from WARC...I take the Corniche, along the water, both for the view and to avoid harassment (I have two long-term stalking relationships along Rue Cheikh Anta Diop-one with a construction worker, and one with a wood vendor, both of whom are named Alioune). And it's normally pretty effective-I just have to deal with the catcalls of cars whizzing by, but traffic moves so quickly that nothing is ever really an issue.
Until Wednesday. When a new creep (also named Alioune...maybe that's like the "John Doe" equivalent of the alias given to all sketchy Senegalese men) decided to follow me all the way from Ouakam to Fann. Talking the entire time. I don't think I've ever had a conversation that long with anybody (Mom and Dad, yiou can attest to this, given that our phone convos usually last for about 12 minutes max). And the worst part is the nature of the conversation. It started out innocently enough, with the usual come-ons, and casual information swapping (although this was pretty one-sided; I was a little miffed that my quiet morning walk was ruined), until things took a sudden turn when Alious proclaimed, out of nowhere, trhat homosexuality should be neither tolerated nor legalized, as it is unnatural and disgusting.
Wait, what.
So because I had already mentioned several times that I preferred to walk alone, and he continued to follow me, I decided why not get some French practice in and get into a pointless debate in which neither of us will ever see the other's point of view? I explained the US' current policies, and explained the biological nature of hetero-and homosexuality, and he kept repeating that he hated it because it was weird. We went through the usual arguments, and when it seemed that that particular topic was exhausted, I hioped maybe he'd leave, but no, wait! There's more!
Next he announces, again, out of nowhere, that the Jews are trying to take over the US government, and then, maybe, the world. To whih I replied that I was Jewish and I was pretty sure that if some conspiracy existed, I had mysteriously been left out of the loop.
Apparently sarcasm doesn't translate well ebcause he replied, Oh, well that's just because you're a woman.
Thankfully, at this point I arrived at the gates of the university and said I had to leave, and disagreed with everything he said. And then, as I turned to leave, he said I didn't understand anything, kicked my shoe off of my foot, and walked briskly away.
Definitely one of the most bizarre interactions I've ever had in my lifetime. You guys I think I'm starting to be ready to come home to America with crazy people that I know how to handle...and an active police force that I can call upon if necessary.
This weekend, my friend Amy and I are cooking a stir-fry for her host family (I can't do it for mine because:
1) we have no cooking utensils other than a big pan and an open fire, and I might kill myself,
2) the children would undoubtably hate it, and
3) there are just wayyyy too many people to feed).
Oh but one more exciting thing! I walked in the door yesterday coming home from class and Mohammed turned,a nd when he saw me, instead of theowing a rock at me like he is apt to do, he yelled "Jessica! Sama xarir (my friend)!" Everyone was shocked, and started laughing and clapping. And then Mohammed and I played soccer in the hallway until the power went out.
So I feel like my work here is done.
Hope you all have a great weekend. Ba beneen yoon.
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