Af-riikka

”He drank seven bottles of alcohol.” Naan na juroom-naari buteeli sangara. That's an unlikely phrase to use frequently in Senegal; yet it's an example found from Peace Corps Gambia Wolof grammar book which is available online . The example phrase might tell you something about the ways in which the Peace Corps volunteers behave when they have get-togethers... Besides my daily work with the environmental development project in Senegal, I have also tried to learn a new language, Wolof. It's the main language in Senegal, spoken by the majority at least as a second language, and by 40 % of the population as their mother tongue. And, might I add, spoken fluently by many more people than the official language, French. Working with only Senegalese colleagues means that they use Wolof among themselves most of the time, and from this follows that if I don't speak it at all, I will be left out similarly as a non-Finnish speaking foreigner would be in Finland. If I had lived in Da...

In June I did even more moving than during the first month. And around 2000 kilometres in Senegal takes a lot longer than it would take in Europe! Something that also differs here from traveling in European countries is that the thought of looming death hits me every time when stepping into a car. The frequency of road accidents is high in Senegal, and traffic is considered as one of the biggest health risks. As the seat in the car is determined on the order of arrival, I normally don't have a choice to really decide where to sit. Only the front seats have seat belts, and the people in the front normally put them on only just before a police checkpoint. Who's driving? When I told that part of my work will be travelling to the various project sites around Senegal, I was asked before leaving whether I would be driving or would have a driver. Well, the second option is closer, though it is not a vehicle for me only, but for at least 6 other people besides me. One of the most commo...