Back from the village

We're on our way to Toubakouta after a four-day stay in the village. It was really neat to share my little slice of Senegal with two good friends, though it involved a lot of translating from English to Wolof. This wasn't too hard, though, considering it's mostly greetings. Heather and Adam bought a goat as a gift for the villagers, and this turned into quite the affair: buying rice, oil, seasonings, onions, and vegetables to cook a huge lunch. And, of course, slaughtering the goat. A unique experience for me and my American guests, who are used to seeing our meat shrink-wrapped instead of in the dirt with its throat slit. The meal was delicious, though, and the villagers really enjoyed it. Perhaps the highlight of the visit was a totally unxpected event. Going to sit with the teachers one evening at the school (the only people in town who can speak any English, besides the kids who sometimes know, "How are you? I am fine.") a teacher from the neighboring village came over. Maybe he asked for a song, I don't remember, but somehow we got to singing "We shall overcome." A song I haven't sung or heard probably since elementary school. The teachers loved it! They insisted we sing it again and again, write down the words, and teach them the tune. The visiting teacher from Keur Abibou was especially enthusiastic. He invited us to his class the next day to teach it to the students. So, we woke up and walked the half mile or so to his village, and stood up there in front of an excited classroom full of children, and taught them how to sing "We shall overcome." The teacher was so into it, he had us stay and go over the song many times, teaching it line by line, and having some children sing alone, to make sure everybody learned it. The kids were adorable, and they learned the words pretty well too. It was really a unique and heart-warming experience. Of course, after doing it there we had to subsequently teach the song to every class in Keur Ali Gueye (it's my village, after all; I have to give them special attention) which meant our voices were pretty sore by lunchtime, but it was worth it.