Crazy Adventures in the Life of a Redhead

I have been blogging since June of 2008, and I have finally reached 100 posts. I cannot believe how much has happened in three years. Time has a way of surprising a person for the better and the worse; but with faith in Christ and the ability to preserve with love and understanding, life never crushes a person. As this week comes to a close, I am blessed to be able to say that I continue to find great adventure here in Senegal as I pass my time with some incredible people and delve into a culture rich in treasures to behold. I said goodbye to my dear friend, Cheikh, who returned to France last night. He was kind enough to assuage many of the bumps often encountered during a cultural transition. I pray many blessings over his life as he works for his family and his country. When I think of my greatest accomplishment this week, I would have to underline the fact that I took public transportation by myself! I even hung halfway out the door of a filled-to-capacity Tata while it rolled a...

Where to begin? I have adopted a pleasant rhythm of sleeping and waking, observing Senegalese family life, reading my Bible and learning Wolof. Each day presents the opportunity to seize a new venture, whether that be cooking Senegalese food, meeting with the mayor of one of Dakar’s communes, spending the morning at the largest fish market in West Africa and helping to sell porridge to hungry fishmongers, or learning the art of making and pouring Senegalese tea. After a little more than two weeks, I have assimilated into life at Lôen (meaning the place where the Lô family resides) where the activity never ceases. Now let me share a few details of my adventures from the land of teranga , which in Wolof means hospitality. Last Saturday, three of my host brothers and one of my host mothers, and I went to visit the villages from whence my host mother and late father came. About two hours from Dakar, I detected a great change in landscape, a certain relief from the fatigue of the mess ...

After only a week, I think I could write 25 pages or more of my thoughts and impressions of this country. Rich in culture and natural variations, Senegal is an incredible country to discover. I look forward to the journey. Since arriving one week ago, I have taken my time in acclimating myself to the new challenges and delights I will encounter along the way. In a few paragraphs, I will attempt to describe Senegalese society and infrastructural organization. To think, my journey has only begun! A Lo family reunion in Taiba Ndaiye Family is a strong pillar of Senegalese society. Complicated and profound, the Senegalese family comports itself in a manner that elevates the importance of interpersonal connection and devalues individualism. The family with whom I am staying, the Lô family, lives in a suburb of Dakar called Pikine. Warmth of hospitality and weather conditions coincides, and I have experienced nothing but kindness and an overwhelmingly thoughtful welcome to Senegal. I ...

August passed with complete rapidity! I am about to begin the next chapter of my journey: Senegal, the main destination of this voyage I have undertaken. The past month has been an opportunity to transition from my life in the States to my life as a globetrotter, discovering new places with keen interest and curiosity. I am so looking forward to the unknowns of my time in Senegal and Africa in general. Before commencing this next leg, I wanted to write a little about my dear friends in Nantes, Angers, Niort and Paris, France, that welcomed me into their homes on various occasions throughout this past month. In Nantes, my friends, Charles and Mady, and I walked around the city center, played a lot of board games in protest of the rainy weather, and socialized with their friends and Mady’s parents. Angers brought me back to the Gouriou-Son family who hosted me while I studied abroad in 2008. It was so good to see them again and spend a day at their home where I have a lot of fond me...

Excitement abounded while exploring Copenhagen, Denmark, and the island on which it is located with my German friend, Melanie, whom I met in Washington, D.C. (You may remember her from my trip in July 2010 to Berlin.) I enjoyed the city immensely, after a couple of hours of frustration following my arrival when I realized one, I had reserved the wrong hostel; two, American credit cards are not accepted anywhere because they do not possess the gold chip reader; and three, getting lost in a city where cyclists are ubiquitous, seemingly coming from every direction, can be quite dangerous. Overcoming these initial challenges, I was prepared to go forth to generate some mental and photographic souvenirs. Attracting over three million tourists each year, Copenhagen has a vibrant collection of neighborhoods and inhabitants. On bicycle and by foot, we traversed the funky student area of Norrebro, the classy area of Fredicksberg, the former slaughterhouse and red light district of Vesterb...

Recalling my time with my dear friend, Lena, in Bern, Switzerland, in 2005, I was looking forward to passing another week in this small little section of Swiss paradise. Bern is the capital city of Switzerland; however unlike most European countries that have placed their seats of government in the most prominent cities, Bern remains a quaint city of Old World charm and natural wonder. With a town center full of typical Swiss construction, clay-tiled roofs, stucco and timber-framed or ruddy brick siding, and the glorious Aare River coursing briskly, slicing the city in two, Bern is quite captivating for a day or two. I discovered and appreciated anew this pleasant town. Unfortunately, Lena worked during the week; however I made the most of the alone time to enjoy life at a slower pace. We managed to meet twice for convivial lunchtime picnics near her workplace, go “swimming” in the Aare—it’s current is so strong that it literally sweeps you away until the point at which you clambe...

Many places imbue excitement into a traveler’s mind for the very novelty of being in a place that is uncharted and wholly new to the senses. There are other places that no matter how many times you visit that one locale, the streets remain as enthralling, as invigorating, as the first time you glimpsed their mysterious wonders. Paris never ceases to be a member of the latter grouping of places I have visited. My cousin once removed if you can say such a silly thing, generously permitted me to stay at her place in the 9th district of Paris, almost directly behind one of the most stunning and uproariously pious—contradictory but true—churches in all of Paris, La Madeleine. Close to her apartment are familiar sites such as La Place de la Concorde, les Tuileries, la Seine, l’Opera Garnier, and many others one would find on the “Places to See” list for Paris. Always nice to stay with someone in a well-placed location yet on an obscure street that maintains its non-touristy flair and loc...