Final blog post

Well, I guess this is as good a time as any other to write my final blog post. I just heard some distressing news from Senegal (via Germany). Regina facebooked me today to tell me that our Maman from Dakar kicked Marie-Louise, the maid, and Florinda, her daughter, out of the house. Apparently Florinda wasn't doing well enough in school for Maman to keep supporting them, so she cut them off. From what Regina told me, Maman told ML that she has to go back to her village in Casamance and she won't even let them stay in Dakar, but ML has a job in Rufisque, a suburb of Dakar, which Maman apparently doesn't know about.
This is just kind of a resurfacing of all the problems and emotions I went through while in my homestay in Dakar: the outrage, the confusion, and the feelings of helplessness. I would love to do something, especially for Florinda since she now has no means of going to school. Without education, there is no way she can be anything other than a maid when she's older, especially since her French is sub-par. Regina and I are going to try to work something out in terms of sending money to Florinda, probably through an NGO, since ML doesn't have an address (at least one that isn't also her employers' address). I wish I could be in Senegal to give Florinda and ML hugs, but at the same time I'm very relieved that I don't have to deal with this firsthand. I think I would have a very hard time living with Maman after this.
Anyway, other than that, life is moving along as always. I'm in Iowa for the summer doing anthropological research, and missing certain parts of Senegal while not missing others. I definitely don't miss pit toilets. It's been hot enough the last couple of days that I've been taking cold showers, which has made me oddly nostalgic for the days of village bucket showers! Other than minor things, I haven't experienced too much culture shock. The most culture shock I had was going from the village to Dakar, where everything seemed shiny and expensive and there was actually internet and non-Senegalese food! Nonetheless, I feel like I've been talking nonstop about the good and bad parts of Senegal to anyone who will listen, and am tentatively planning an ataaya date with Maddie, who was in Senegal the fall before me. I can't wait to have some bissap jam and clumsily make tea.
Ba beneen yoon!!! Heather