Buying cement, writing proposals

This is the view of a sunrise, taken from my back porch step. I’ve decided that the color of the light at sunrise is golden; everything suffused with a shimmer of gold. In the evening, at sunset, the light is lavender.


I’m in Kaolack for a few days, doing city chores, of which here are many because I’ve been vacationing. But it feels great to be back! I had a wonderful vacation, saw a lot of fascinating places and got to spend all my savings on an unforgettable experience, but I’m tired of travel. There is no such thing as a relaxing trip in West Africa. I want to get back to work, be in my village element again. That won’t really happen, though, until next week, after WAIST in Dakar, after the All-Volunteer Conference, and after I’ve finished all the things I need to be in Kaolack for. Today, the “responsables” for the latrine project came up, and met me at the supplier. Since the money came through I’ve been feeling a little jumpy – no one likes two million cfa sitting in their bank account! – so I was relieved to put it where it belongs. My counterpart confirmed the materials to make sure it was all they’d ordered, and reviewed the prices. The supplier drew up the receipt. I went to the bank (chauffeured there, actually; how fancy) to withdraw several enormous wads of cash. But now the money is where it should be, in the business’s lockbox; and the materials are where they should be, en route to the village; and the work is moving along splendidly according to everyone. It’s really happening so efficiently! I’m delighted. And I hear from them all that everyone is “content na lool”: very happy.

So now I’m in Kaolack to do more Bookmobile stuff, and also research and write a proposal for a grant to fund a summer camp, and do several other things in town. Then I’ll bake some treats for the SENEGAD bake sale – it all goes towards funding girls’ empowerment activities, including the scholarships – and it’s off to Dakar for WAIST!