Beaver Fever, Baby

Hi, my name is Crystal Thomas, and I have giardia.

Hi, Crystal (in chorus)!

Yes, it all started when I first came to Africa. I got sick, waited awhile to deal with my stomach issues, finally took some medication and subsequently got better...

From Susan in the front row: Well, Crystal. Admitting that you have a problem is the first step. Thank you for coming. You're among friends and welcome here.

...as I was saying...the other day, my stomach problems flared up again. This time, I went straight to the doctor. She suspects that I have giardia, and I started taking medication right away! So far, so good. The medicine is working its magic.

Thank you for trusting us with this information, Crystal. Is there anyone else out there that would like to share? A nice hookworm or malaria story, perhaps?

Île de Gorée: Good and Bad

It's quite unnerving that a place can be stunning (in my opinion, the nicest place I've seen in Senegal thus far), yet boast such a heinous past. Such is the case with Île de Gorée, a small island off the coast of Dakar. It takes about 30 minutes by ferry to reach Gorée, and the architecture is a flashback to the French colonial time. Gorée Island played a role in the Atlantic slave trade, although not as major of one as some other places in West Africa. Nonetheless, this place is a sobering reminder of the horrors that groups of people can inflict upon others. When visiting a place such as this, I always come away with a brain full of question marks. How can something like this even happen??? I know all the pat answers (greed, superiority, money, arrogance), but those words don't even start to appease the emotions that come with trying to picture the actual men, women, and children that lived the history of the island.

Cruising Along the Corniche...

...on the back of my friend's scooter!

K*o*r*i*t*e

I would love to send out a big HALLELUJAH to the earth because Korite is here, and that signals the end of Ramadan!!!!!!!!! Senegal is a Muslim country (or, at least 95% of the inhabitants practice Islam, the rest are mainly Christians) and for the past month, the majority of people here have been fasting daily from dawn to dusk. So, this translates into a mad rush on the roads to get home around 7:00 or 7:30 to break the fast, long queues at the bakeries to buy baguettes around sunset, and some hungry, grumpy people in Dakar. I'm so glad it is over! So, Korite is essentially a celebration to recognize the end of Ramadan. And I say, bring it on.

Along with a few others from school, I was invited to a Korite celebration at Almamy's place. Almamy is a local Senegalese that does a lot of tours for people from my work. It was nice to meet his family and the food was delicious. Bonne fête!

Sunrise at the Lighthouse

Jenn and I got up an hour earlier one school day to watch a Dakar sunrise from the lighthouse...BEAUTIFUL! Caramel lattes in hand (thanks to Jenn), we were able to soak in some of the quiet and beauty that's involved with being awake and outside at 6:00 a.m. in the morning.

My Favorite New Hire

My favorite new hire at school comes in the small package of a two-year old named Jaia (Jay-a). Jaia belongs to my Canadian couple friends called Jenn and Steve. They recently spent 6 years teaching in China, and decided to try out something new – Africa! – for a change of scenery. Back to Jaia…she’s always smiling, is as cute as a button, and quite funny as well. The language acquisition is fascinating at that age, and I love it that she recognizes me and practically jumps up and down when she sees me. She’s amazing! I’m also really thankful for Jenn & Steve. They live around the corner from me and have an open house policy – always inviting me over for meals, games, and shows.

Rainy Season Video

Oh, flooded roads...

The Best TOUBAB Painting

One Month Anniversary!

It just dawned on me that yesterday was my one month anniversary in Senegal...AMAZING!! (And, it was the crazy 09/09/09 date as well.) I will raise a glass this weekend to my family and friends back home and abroad - I really miss you all.

* This is a picture of me with one of the other new hires named Gina.

More School Photos

Update: Cockroaches are gone.

Increased Oxygen

I bought some plants last weekend to liven up my apartment.

I DETEST ‘Gangsta Cockroaches’

At first, I barely noticed I had company…they were little, stayed out of my way when the light was on, and didn’t insist that I make dinner or anything. Well, somebody realized the Thomas pad was pretty dang cool, and passed the message along until I discovered a happening cockroach party the other night around 11:30 p.m. in the kitchen. Imagine my surprise when I realized exactly how many critters were actually habitating near and/or in my cuisine space. Most scattered when they realized I was about to break up the fun….except…for two bold, ENORMOUS ‘gangsta cockroaches’ (start spreading my new phrase please)**. At least 2 inches long they were, and as cheeky as the day is long. Didn’t care that I turned on the light, didn’t care that I was cautiously approaching and peering at them. With rage boiling over, I attacked the one in the sink. I promptly drowned him in burning tap water and, adding insult to injury, trapped him under a clear glass for good measure. His mate just looked on, hidden between some cutlery and a bowl. What a scared loser. I was shaking so much after the first kill. Honestly, I just didn’t have it in me for more. So I left. I don’t fancy being a serial anything.

Nugget of Wisdom: Don’t put off a proper bug bombing. My school would have taken care of this problem the first week I arrived, but I honestly didn’t realize the level of infestation. Plus, I’ve been pretty busy and haven't been in the kitchen that much. I know…excuses, excuses!!

**The term 'gangsta cockroach(es)' can be utilized liberally to describe anyone or anything that is in your face, obnoxious and should have known better. Feel free to use it as a noun or verb.