I didnt realize it had been so long since i last posted on here. Sorry for the delay. Yes, I am alive and well. Things have been going much better around here lately. I am super busy with work and have started a new project in my village.... well i dont know if its a project but its been great. I decided to eat lunch and dinner with a new family every week. I am about to start my third week and couldnt be happier with the way things have turned out. I have gotten to know a lot of people and have made a few new friends. Making friends here is sometimes difficult because every single girl in the village thats around my age is definately mqrried and has children.... not that i mind this. it just makes it difficult to find things in common. In general, girls my age are cooking, cleaning, and washing. They rarely have time for friends. This week has been great because the family i am currently eating with is huge and they are all soo nice. I have been welcomed completely in their homes.
Yesterday was a Senegalese holiday; It was the celebration of the birth of one of the prophets. Last night there was a big market that went all night long. The village had a large gathering for prayers and for celebrating. Everyone gets so dressed up for holidays. I participated fully and wore traditional Senegalese clothing and sat at the market until about 2am with my friend Maymuna Sarr. She definately stayed later than i did but i was quite proud that i mqde it until 2 am... i NEVER stay up that late here. The holiday was good and things seem to be going my way lately.
I also discovered that i live beside a small paradise. I took many photos of this beautiful place and plan to send them out this weekend. The women in my village have a garden that is located about a 15 min walk outside the village. This place is gorgeous. There are palm trees everywhere and everything is green. The water table is only baout half a metter below the surface so there is fresh ground water everywhere. This may not sound as beautiful to you as it does to me but you have to keep in mind that Senegal is full of sand and at the moment everything is dead. It hasnt rained here since the first week of Nov. The rains will come again in late Juneish. Until then all remqins dead and sandy and ugly.... but not in this beautiful garden. I am actually going there today and cant wait. I will send out photos asap.

The rest of my week is filled with work... which is great! I hope everything is going well in America! More to come soon....