Michael Goldman
BP 157
Velingara, Senegal, West Africa

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Something Different

So, First I would like to apologize for the lack of writing.  Things here are not as exciting as they were in the beginning.  Events in the past that were strange are now normal to me, and I pay no attention to them now, and I have had no more troubles at the bank.  My days have gotten routine where I wake up early with the sun and water my nematode infested garden, trying to get back home before it hits 100 degrees.  I stay at home during the hottest parts of the day hiding from the ever glaring sun; reading, studying for the GRE, checking e-mails and taking lunch.  Sometimes I snack on mangos all day long.  when it cools down in the evening I water my sad excuse for a garden then go out to a restaurant for dinner (usually at the greasy spaghetti place or the meat sandwich place)  then I head home to watch a movie on my laptop, or listen to Pam complain about whatever it is that bothered her that day.

Yesterday was a little different.  It started out the same; nematodes in the garden, 120 degree heat.  but lunchtime was different.  As a suburbite of Cleveland, I do not know the ways of a barnyard.  once my mother took me to Hale Farm, and I was terrified of a cow mooing at me as i tried to milk it (I was 2 y/o).  Anyways...I walked into my friends house where I usually have lunch.  In the corner was their goat licking some wet sand.  I thought to myself "hmm thats a strange behavior for a goat", and so continued to observe the strange goat.  After a minute of starring at it one of the girls told me to stop looking at the goat, she sad it was bad to stare at it.  It seemed very peculiar for her to say such a thing, after all its only a goat.  Then they told me that it was pregnant, and thats when I understood.  It was in labour.  the goat was walking all over the compound with its baby juice leaking out of its backside, and then licking it all up.  I couldn't believe it!  then it got really gross cause placenta or something was sticking out of its baby making parts. And this goat would just not sit down.  There was baby juice all over the place, right where we all eat too (in Senegal everyone eats from a single bowl on the ground).  Eventually the goat gives birth to twins in the back of the compound, but sadly the baby goats didn't make it through the night.

So, the other part of yesterday that was so "pas normale" (not normal) was that there was a sandstorm!  not a very big sandstorm, but big enough to write about.  So all day there had been these ominous clouds in the distance.  I figured it would rain that night but didnt really pay much attention to it because its rainy season, and it should rain.  by evening I was sitting at home watching Sweeny Todd on the laptop and all of a sudden a huge burst of wind tore through my house.  my curtains were flying like crazy, papers and flashcards all up in the air.  I look outside and it was as if I were back in Beijing with all of the air pollution.  I grabbed my scarf and wrapped up my head as I ran out to bring in my bike and anything else I had left outside.  the wind was so strong, I could barely close my windows, and the sand getting kicked up stung my eyes.  eventually I closed up the windows and doors, made some mac n cheese and continued the movie.  Unfortunately it never rained.


-Mike

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