2011-04-21
One year ago, after endless SAT prep classes, practice tests, the actual exam, APs, college orientation meetings, and virtually living on commonapp.org, i.e. the whole shebang, I finally was accepted into college. Honestly, I thought it would never happen, but it finally did. Similarly, I also never thought I would be sitting here in Cayambe,...
Read More2011-04-20
My Wolof instructor, Pierre, taught me about core African values, one being Fulla. Pierre illustrates Fulla as, “being able to look at someone seriously and say, ‘I don’t like that, don’t do that again’, make sure he or she hears you and then go on with business as usual saying, ‘ok we’re still friends’. The...
Read More2011-04-20
“Why the #@$% would you want to do that?” And before I could reply, the conversation changed, and shifted back to the drunken debaucheries she had conducted since coming to Canoa. Alberto (who’s writing his own perspective on what I’m about to talk about on his own blog – check it out!) and I were...
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She looked at me and then asked me whether I believed in God. I was shocked. I took a moment to take stock of the situation: an old Ecuadorian lady was asking me philosophical questions. I had just crawled through lava tubes and was returning the flashlights to her. And oh yes, I was on...
Read More2011-04-18
Several months ago, Joselito Crispim, the director of Bagunçaço (and Mike’s host dad) finished writing a book about the after-school program he founded nineteen years ago. Last week was the official book opening, held at an artsy bookstore within an upscale movie theater. Joselito hired a bus to transport some of the kids to the...
Read More2011-04-18
My relationship with Senegalese food has gone from curiosity to sickness to detest to love. I help my mothers’ cook whenever I’m home — here Naomi and I helped to cook chebugen (fish and rice)- our daily lunch!
Read More2011-04-18
Over the last six months, I’ve become well acquainted with the national dish of Senegal, “Ceebujen”. When I have a free morning, I help the women of my household cook the fish, rice, and vegetable dish for lunch. In this video, Nafi, another GCY Fellow stationed in the same village as me, help her mother...
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