Archive for August 2025
Land of Fouta and a Traditional Ceremony
August 20, 2003 A Celebration in the Fouta Last week we traveled to the land of the Fouta. Remember Mamadou Kane and his wife, Satou? He works at the Lagon Restaurant and invited us over to their house for a wonderful dinner – an evening that exemplified “Teranga”, the Senegalese word for welcome/hospitality? Mamadou invited…
Read MoreMali
August 13, 2003 Mali Meet Moussa. He was our guide in Bamako, the capital of Mali. I asked him to go with me to check out this women’s cooperative called La Paysanne where we heard that they sold good quality women’s fashions in batik and bogalan (mud cloth). It was very tough to find. We…
Read MoreSine Saloum Delta and a Beautiful Island Resort
July 22, 2003 Sine-Saloum Delta Meet Sylvo. He’s our guide through the bolongs of the Saloum. Confused? So were we. It all began last week when I met up with Anzie in Saly-Portugal. Anzie had the somewhat enviable duty of facilitating a Peace Corps-sponsored three-day workshop at a beach resort. The work was demanding but…
Read MoreFatik and a Traditional Funeral Service
February 12, 2004 Fatik Meet Baro Diouf. He is descended from a long line of royalty in the Sine Region of Senegal. He is Serrer, Muslim and an Animist. He also works for Peace Corps as the head of Facilities Maintenance, Procurement, among other things. A handsome, if diminutive, vivacious, sweet, gentle man with the…
Read More40th Anniversary of Peace Corps in Senegal
June 10, 2003 40th Peace Corps Anniversary Back in Dakar preparing the house for receipt of our belongings, supposed to arrive this week sometime. Hired Mr. Cisse, electrician, to make some changes in lighting. David, the tailor, custom made mosquito netting for our bed. These gentlemen are the ultimate professionals. You call them, they’re at…
Read MoreAnzie’s Work with Peace Corps
August 24, 2003 My work with Peace Corps Hi everyone. My voice has been pretty silent and I’ve been letting Chuck do all the writing. But I am home for a couple of weeks and now have the time to write. Many of you have asked what I do and how I spend my time.…
Read MoreTerenga and Mamadou
July 19, 2003 Terenga and Mamadou I’ve discovered something wonderful here. It’s called “Teranga”. It’s a Wolof word that means “hospitality”, “welcome”. It’s a deeply ingrained part of the Senegalese mentality. This is a story about ” Teranga”. Meet Mamadou Kane (pronounced kahn-ā). He’s a waiter at one of Dakar’s finer restaurants, Lagon I. Back…
Read MoreCape Verde
July 2003 Cape Verde Don’t know about you, but June sure seemed to fly by. Our household goods finally arrived a week ago last Friday. . . well, most of them, anyway. Missing a few things, like fishing poles and golf clubs. I’ve really been waiting for my clubs. Sure enough, Anzie’s clubs made it.…
Read MoreDakar Taxi and Fatou
June 17, 2003 Dakar taxi and Fatou I have in mind a new video game that should really sell. We’ll call it ” Dakar Taxi”. The challenges that confront the player won’t be out of somebody’s fantasy. They’ll be the real ones that I’ve seen here in Dakar — like: The black and yellow taxis…
Read MoreMauritania
May 19, 2003 Mauritania Meet Aw (pronounced Ow). Aw is a Mauritanian who works in the Peace Corps office in Nouatchouk – the capital city of Mauritania, the country that bounds Senegal to the north. Aw is Anzie’s primary liaison at this office, and he has an interesting story to tell. First of all, we…
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