Barack Obama!!

Ok..so i dont know if thats how you spell the name of the future president of the United States; however, i am prety pumped that today is election day... People in Senegal are going crazy today because of the election... its everywhere here. Just thought i would take a moment and give a shout out to my man BO...

Anyway....I came back to the city yesterday and everything is going fine. I had my last language test this morning and am very happy with the way things have ended with my language classes. Im surprised that I have done so well so far. I am officially finished with language as of today. I can communicate with pretty much anyone in Sereer now. I realize my language is still broken and definitely not fluent but I can communicate and have conversations now….pretty great really. I spent the last week in the village doing language and hanging out with my family and friends there. Everything has gotten so much better in the village in the last week because my language got wayyy better. It sucks that when I finally could communicate and have fun with people, it was time to leave. I am happy with the way things ended for the most part. If I could change one thing, I would go back and put my foot down with my family a few times. I think they started to take advantage of me a little too much by the end of my stay there… c’est la vie African!!
I left my village yesterday for the last time. It was really awkward leaving because my mom and sister were crying all day. It as nice but I can’t decide if they were really sad that I was leaving or if they were just sad that they wont have a paycheck anymore…that’s a whole other story though. Last week, I realized that my mom is about months pregnant and I had no idea! Some may think I am crazy but in Senegal is a complete faux paux to talk about pregnancy. I have had many discussions with Senegalese people including my father here about pregnancy and no one can explain to me why they don’t talk about t. My mother is obviously pregnant but she hasn’t even told my sisters or anyone in the family. I think I will go visit my family sometime in the next few months and I am hoping to see a baby!
We have swear-in on Friday in Dakar. I will be an official volunteer after that. This week we will be in Thies just having technique class. I am really excited to get this week over with because the technique classes are really boring and I want to get to my new village. I think I will leave here on Monday and stay in Kaolack until Tuesday. The security guy is coming Tuesday to help me move in.
I received my first package in mail last week…lets just say it felt like Christmas morning!!! Really!! I don’t think I can communicate what it feels like to be cut off from the world and then open up a box with fresh magazines and American candy… each little skittle was screaming to be thrown into my mouth!!
Random Facts:
Number of times I have been pooped on by a baby: 3
Number of shirts ruined because my sister spilled bleach on my laundry- 8
Number of scorpions I have seen: too many to count
Number of mice living in my room right now- 1
Number of times my 6 year old brother ripped the head off a bird last week- 2 (they eat them :X)
Number of cards/letters I have received in the mail- 4
Number of trainees that have gone back to the states-0
Number of full days I have spent having my hair braided since my arrival in Senegal- 4 (I have really long hair now!)
Number of times a Senegalese person has asked me if i personaly know Celine Dion- too many to count ( Africans LOVE her)
Number of times a woman has tried to give me her husband- 1 ( my friend Fatou had full intentions of giving me her husband to take back to he States so he could make money.... then we could come back and all live together)

ok... enough for now... more to come soon. Hope all is well at home and everyone is alive and healthy... Lets go Obama (one more time for the road ;-) )