Something Interesting...

So, yesterday Geoff and I had an interesting discussion about the modernization of senegal.  Senegal is a very diverse country, economically, and socially.  it has a primate city (dakar) and then many satellite cities throughout the country.  people eat mostly rice because that is what they can afford, yet still have televisions.  and when they watch television usually its a soap opera.  nothing good.  but they do get a glimpse as to what is beyond senegal.  These people see americans and europeans with computers, and TVs and cell phones, and want a piece of the action.  so the go out and spend money on a tv or a cell phone instead of say a notebook for their children to go to school with or for more vegetables at the lunch bowl.  They are trying to modernize but they lack the understanding of the utility of the modern technologies.  they will keep a television on all day and not watch it, then wonder why they have to pay so much money for electricity.  they want to be modern, so they decide that instead of selling or turning off the television, they should make sure to turn off the lights.  although that is still a good idea, its not solving the problem, the television is the thing that is wasting more power than anything else.  Geoff was telling me about how he was helping with a computer class, and when people showed up to learn about computers, he found out that many of the students couldn't read or write.  he asked them what they were going to do.  The general consensus was that they just wanted to play on a computer and feel like they were modern.  they just wanted to have their picture on the screen and take a picture of it.  another example is that men will buy motorcycles and just drive them around mainly to just greet their neighbors.  most of the time, they don't have a real purpose for owning a motorcycle, and they don't know how to best use such a high tech piece of machinery.  I know a man that instead of getting electricity to his house, he bought himself a motorcycle.  I know he doesn't need it. theres no where for him to go except to work.  he could have just as easily bought a bicycle for his traveling, and gotten electricity for his family.  The use of cell phones is unbelieveable.  people will buy a cell phone (which are usually pretty cheap) but then spend a lot of money on buying phone credit and will go through all of it in a single day because they think that they need to call everyone on their contacts list.  they waste all of their money instead of saving it for when they really need it.  They just follow what they think everyone else is doing on tv.  it is important that they modernize, but they need to modernize slower or they will not understand how to best use such advanced technologies.  they utility aspect of the west is being lost.  granted yes, Americans are always wasting money on ridiculous things, but they aren't wasting money instead of buying a nutritious meal, or going to school.  Americans understand (generally) that having electricity is more important than having a personal vehicle.  the next generation of senegalese, will be much better at understanding what is a higher priority I hope.

I ate a hamburger again.  it was delicious.  thankyou mother for sending me bacon.  Things are still hot here.  last night I slept in my tent outside because my room was way too hot.  it was the first time in a long time that I felt cold and wanted a blanket.  I usually sweat in my sleep here.