SNACKS!

(this was written about four days ago but I haven't had internet to post it yet, so bear with me.)

I am back at the Baobab center eating delicious snacks with my friend Joleen. We went to a supermarket and bought yogurt and cookies. A treat for sure! Here's a little bit of an overview of what I have done the past week. I might just use bullet points because I can keep your attention longer that way...

- A few days ago I went to the beach along the Atlantic coast with my host sister Mariama, Andrew, Kate, and Joleen. It's just a 15 minute walk from where I live. It's incredibly gorgeous there and I know we'll be spending a lot of time chilling by the sea shore, as it were. The sand was soft and there were lots of guys practicing la lutte (wrestling/martial arts), which is very popular in Senegal.
- Ataaya: It’s a green tea that is carefully prepared and then loaded with mint and sugar. I’m pretty sure it’s the Senegalese version of a triple espresso latte. You’ll be buzzing with energy after drinking it. The making of ataaya is a long and somewhat intricate process, although it should be noted that the actual drinking of the tea isn’t the important part, it’s the coming together and socializing that happens while you wait for it to brew. It involves boiling the tea, adding the correct amount of sugar. Then comes the tricky part, which is getting the mousse to form. Ataaya is served in little shotglass sized glasses and you pour the tea back and forth between two glasses from a ridiculous height until you get a nice foam in the glass (easier said than done.) The tea is drunk in three rounds, each round more sugary. I’ve had ataaya twice but haven’t been able to get to the third round because I’ve had to leave before that both times I’ve had it.
- Power outs: These happen everyday. All the time. For most of the day. It is very unusual if the power doesn't go out. It'll usually be down for a few hours. The worst is when it's out at night and then your fan doesn't work. Sounds harmless enough but it's impossible to fall asleep while swimming in pools of your own sweat.
- Meals: Nearly all meals are served around a communal bowl and you eat with your right hand only. That's a pretty important rule because your left hand is reserved for personal hygiene.

I'm running out of energy, so i'm just going to leave it at this for now.