Shopping in Dakar

It's funny how time gets away from you. I've been MIA for a couple of weeks, and while they say, "time flies when you're having fun" I can't say the grading, lesson planning, and first quarter reports are my idea of fun. Don't be fooled, I've had plenty of fun on the weekends, and have been relaxing in the evenings, but it's hard to say where the time has gone. I have been living in Dakar for 11 weeks (75 days to be exact) and it feels as though time has widened the distance between my Canadian home and I.

As different as certain daily routines are, life is not without its similarities as well. Once or twice a week we will walk 5 minutes down our sandy street to the main road, hang a right and come to Caddie, our local grocery store. Caddie is about the size of a Rabba 24 hour Grocery Store at home. We can buy fresh meat and cheese from the deli counter and almost anything else we need need from the shelves or fridges/freezers. There are two check-out registers, though they are so close to one another that you often can't tell there are two lines. Just outside we buy our fruit and vegetable at the corner stand. It is almost always one of two vendors. One is from Guinea and is very friendly and amiable. The other is very serious, and I often will have fun trying to get a smile out of him. We once overpaid by about 40 cents US and he chased us down the street to return the money. Ironically, he was so pleased with himself that he was grinning.

Occasionally we will be invited along for a trip to the bigger grocery store chain, Casino. These stores are comparable to Superstore or Loblaw. They are huge, tidy, bright, and well-stocked. They sell school supplies, housewares, fresh produce etc. The cost of groceries, generally speaking, is quite high.

In addition to the required shopping for physical sustenance, I have visited a beautiful French bookstore downtown Dakar for intellectual sustenance. It didn't look like much on the outside, a modest two-story building squished its neighbours on a sidestreet. Inside it was much like Chapters or Indigo though it wasn't quite as well merchandised, the stock is entirely French, and it was missing the smell of freshly brewed coffee from an adjoining coffee shop.

There are several other stores around the city you can visit for a North American-feeling shopping experience, but you don't have to go far to shop. Vendors walk around with arms full of the most random goods to sell to passers-by; board games, cds, dusters, coffee mugs, shoes and shirts. They wander through slow-moving traffic allowing you to make purchases from your car window. They'll even jog alongside the car to complete the sale if the gridlock eases.

A few weeks ago I had a unique Senegalese shopping experience at Fugg Jaay (pronounced Fug-ee-jaiy), also known as the Saturday market. Imagine with me, a median about the width of a narrow two-lane side street between two or four lanes of traffic (this is Senegal, it might look like two lanes, but it's four). The two outside edges of the median, closest to the road, are covered to create makeshift booths. There is a narrow aisle down the middle, wide enough for two shoppers to pass comfortably though dozens of people manage to circulate without too much difficulty. Pants, dresses, and a variety of other clothing are hung from metal frames, while piles to dig through are on the canvas-covered ground. Though it is easier to peruse the wares hung on display, clothes are cheaper if you dig through the piles. Once you've found something you're interested in, the negotiations begin. To the average vendor, white skin implies wealth so it is important to know how much you are willing to pay before beginning the bargaining. The market itself covers 3-4 city blocks and you could easily spend a morning pushing your way through the crowds and getting bargains.

Another day I went with some friends to HLM Market specializing in the sale of material. It is most common for men and women to buy material and have outfits custom-made by a tailor. The material is sold in designated lengths perfect for one outfit. As with most everything else, bargaining is important. I bought 3 'wax' materials which feature African patterns, and one more expensive print all for $40 US. I then went to a friend's tailor and we discussed a style for the four outfits I will be able to pick up next week. I'll be sure to post pictures once they're ready. All together, material and tailor costs, each outfit will be approximately $40 US.

A typical fabric shop


An example of an African wax material

photos from: http://banyangigirl.blogspot.com/2009/04/african-fabric-and-prints.html

My most recent shopping expedition took me to the Artisan Market. Jewlery, purses, shoes, wood carvings, and art are among the many products available. The market itself is a maze of booths with shopkeepers who call out to you in French or broken English insisting you look at their wares. As the market caters primarily to tourists, the experience can be quite overwhelming as various vendors compete for your attention. I am not inclined to ingore people and avoid eye contact, but it becomes a survival instinct when you are accosted by people from every direction. I managed to come away with only one necklace and a fabric purse for a very reasonable $15 US.

Shopping at home is a weakness of mine, and unfortunately I don't seem to have escaped it here. The way I see it, I'm simply doing my part to stimulate the local economy.

Weekend Getaway...

Two weeks ago I was excited to head out of town for a weekend away with the Dakar Academy staff. This was a treat for two reasons. First, the Saly resort area is about 1 1/2 to 2 hours outside Dakar so we got to see a little more of the country. I am still fascinated by the things I see every time I get outside my little neighborhood, but it was the first time since arriving in August that we left Dakar. We drove through some smaller villages and admired the lush greenery that will disappear in the not-too-distant future when dry season is upon us. Second, I was anticipating a weekend of doing nothing but lying in the sun, swimming, and reading. And that's exactly what I did. Darl and Jill Powell our facilities gurus organized everything and went above and beyond to make sure we were all enjoying ourselves. They are truly amazing! The kind of people I wish you could all know.

It was fun to see the staff more at ease, or at least not rushing around between classes, coordinating students, or the millions of other things that we are all normally so busy doing.

I spent so long in the pool that I was afraid my face would start to look as pruny as my hands and feet. For those of you who are concerned (*ahem* Nichole) I took every precaution in applying sunscreen and did not experience any burn whatsoever. I was just disappointed that I hadn't remembered to take my wide-rimmed sun hat. When I wasn't in the pool I was reading by the pool or eating delicious food from the buffet. In the evenings we played games and painted our toenails (not the ENTIRE staff ;) and continued to get to know people we hadn't connected with before then.

Saturday evening and Sunday morning we had worship services. Saturday we were each asked to share what we were thankful for. I shared that I am thankful that God is sovereign and that He has my best interests at heart. Sunday we were asked to share our 'life' verse or a verse that is meaningful to us. The passage I chose, a promise I hold onto, is Philippians 4:6-7

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

It was a fabulous weekend, but like most vacations, it was over too soon. That's not to say the ride how was without some excitement.

About ten minutes away from the resort our bus (a charter bus) was sideswiped by another large bus and the window where Kari and I were sitting was smashed. Kari was at the window seat and had a few minor scratches. Our colleague behind us was not seriously injured, but she did have hundreds of microscopic slivers of glass that we spent an hour removing from her skin with tweezers and tape. Just to add to the excitement we were simultaneously experiencing a torrential downpour. If I have learned one thing since arriving in Senegal, life is never boring.


The villas.


Our villa.


The fancy handle in the middle of the door. I felt like I was staying in Whoville. The stripes (not photographed) and colour palette, but especially the big gold doorknobs created a fun ambiance for my imagination.


The luxurious pool. How I miss it.


Poolside bar and outdoor lounge area.

Church in Senegal

This past weekend was full of much anticipated new experiences around Dakar BUT you'll have to wait until another day to hear about them (there's a teaser for you).

I missed telling you about my first true church experience in Senegal a few weeks ago. This isn't to say that the other services I have attended on Sundays are not "real" or even good, but this Sunday in particular I visited a typical Senegalese service in a suburb of Dakar rather than an American-style service at Dakar Academy, or an international service in the city. The whole morning was an eye-opening adventure.

I was invited to join Phil and Judy Bowler at a church near Thiaroye about 15-20 minutes outside Dakar. We found ourselves waiting alongside the "ranch", a livestock yard along the main highway, to pick up the church's pastor who would navigate us to the home where the church service was held.

From where we were parked we could see the odd animal here or there, but they are mainly kept further back off the road. These animals are generally goats, sheep, and cattle. In addition, this is where people buy hay and other food for their animals. They sell it in large stacks which you can see being stuffed all along the roadside. This also happens to be a hectic hub for Ndiaga Ndiaye (pronounced jug n jiay), local buses. While we waited I saw two older gentlemen flag a taxi, negotiate their price, and at the last minute drag three goats towards the vehicle. They proceeded to load the poor animals into the trunk and drive away as if it were the most normal thing in the world. I'm told that it really isn't uncommon, though you are more likely to see goats tied to the top of vehicles close to Kor*te and Tabask* which are both musl*m celebration days.

Not only did I see goats being wedged into a car trunk, but at the very same time a small kerfuffle broke out behind our truck. We're not exactly sure what triggered the situation, but it appeared that a young guy had done something to disturb the peace on one of the Ndiaga Ndiaye and a crowd was holding him accountable. Rest assured that he wasn't injured, I wouldn't be willing to tell you about anything I wouldn't want my mom to read for fear of her freaking out. It was a very eventful morning...and all this happened before we got to church.

As I mentioned, the church itself was located in a suburb of Dakar. The infrastructure in the city is not the greatest; huge pot holes, lots of exposed rocks, and poor drainage during rainy season. All this is worse the further you travel outside the city. In several areas we drove through mini-lakes. It is particularly dangerous to drive through deep water because you can never be sure if there may be a sink hole, or other hidden surprises beneath the surface.





Though the journey to church was adventurous, it was the service itself that was the highlight of the day. When we arrived they honoured us with front row seats, though I would have loved to observe from the back. It was extremely humbling to worship alongside people who radiate their love for God in spite of the challenges they face on a daily basis. It was ironic that they were honouring me while I have so much to learn from their example.

The church building was actually a small courtyard about the size of my family's two-car garage in Canada. At one point I could hear the neighbours talking in an adjoining courtyard, and a bleating goat. It was a hot, humid day (surprise, surprise)though the courtyard was shaded from the sun, thankfully.

There were about 25 people worshipping together including children. It was a very lively service and I was able to pick up a few of the French lines from songs, but there were also Wolof songs I simply enjoyed listening to. The singing was only accompanied by djembe (hide-covered hand drum shaped like a large goblet).

The prayer time was the most exciting element of the service for me. While it is typical in North American churches for the pastor to lead the time of prayer from the platform on behalf of the congration, or for the congregation to pray quietly in private prayer, in this service everyone prayed aloud simoultaneously in their own language (French, Wolof, and Serer). It was amazing to hear people praising God so passionately.

After the service, as an element of their ministry, the Bowler's sold medication at reduced prices to the church family as well as neighbours. This is a way the Senegalese are able to feel in control of their health needs. Iron supplements for women, vitamins for children, malaria medication, and common anti-inflammatory drugs are among the most popular.

Though I have not been back to a Senegalese church since that Sunday I do anticipate visiting similar churches in the future. I'll keep you posted.