Day 24 - Au Revoir Senegal

Well, it seems my time in Senegal is finally up.  I spent the morning having one last beach day with some of the American students and their host families, and I will be boarding a plane heading back to the US in just a few hours (conveniently landing the morning of my 21^st birthday!)  As sad as it will be to leave this country, and all of the friends that I’ve made here, I think I am ready to head back.  Most of us have our entire afternoons planned out for when we get back to Columbus.  Personally, I plan to go get a delicious Subway sandwich, and then take a nice hot shower, watch some Netflix and eat Reese’s before going out with my friends for some pool and drinking.  This past month has truly been an invaluable experience.  It has been amazing to live in a culture which is so different from my own, and to gain an understanding of a completely different set of values and beliefs.  Upon reflection, I don’t the people and their lifestyle here are really as different from US culture as I had expected them to be, in many ways it is as if they are simply a few years behind us.  The most shocking differences are all well below the surface, in their political perceptions and views on gender equality which have been shaped by centuries of tradition and religious influence.  I think that many of the people here are also striving to create a nation which is very similar to my own, although that may be a long ways down the road for them.  There is a lot of culture here, but I feel that a lot of it is intended as more of a tourist trap than an expression of the people here.  The parts of the culture which do matter to the people are the more tribalistic-clothing and music, both of which exist as often in American styles as African ones (although the people here tend to dress a bit nicer than the casual American style, jeans and t-shirts are not uncommon, and I here American music all the time – I’m actually glad that after today I will most likely not have to listen to Shakira’s ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ for quite a while).  Religion is also very important to the people here.  Mosques are everywhere, as are prayer rugs for their daily prayers (I believe they are required to pray five times per day).  Although the majority of the people are Muslim, the government is considered to be more Christian-based, and tends to follow the Christian holidays.  Evidently they take religion much more seriously here, as everyone stayed home from work and school today in honor of the Christian holiday of Ascension.  Having grown up in a Christian household for 18 years, I could not have told you that Ascension was today, or even really what Ascension is all about.  It’s interesting how much of a difference a few differences in core values can make in the shaping of a culture.  That’s all for now!  I hope you’ve all enjoyed following my adventures this month.  I will see you all again when I venture to France for Autumn semester!