Lost in transition...

Sadly there was no adventure to be found in Morocco since we weren't allowed to leave the airport...instead we sat on our keisters in the airport all day and tried to read up on any adventures we may find in Rome! As it turns out, we didn't have to look very hard as adventure was waiting for us on arrival at the airport. Seems Rome's airport baggage handling has made national news headlines. Yep...one week later, we're still missing 2 pieces of luggage. In a moment of brilliance, we decided to pack everything we could possibly need while in Europe in one piece of luggage...which of course never made it! It has meant repurchasing a few needed items (where's a Walmart when you need one) and lots of handwashing. Funny thing is that it'll look like we only spent a day in Rome and a day in Paris since we'll be wearing the same things. The other was gifts and a few of our more valuable items. Big big bummer! On the plus side, it's alot easier getting around with less luggage :)
Never-the-less, we've had a ball in Rome. The weather has been incredible - although we hear everyone complaining about how hot it is...they obviously haven't been to Africa! The city is clean and uncongested which has made getting around to see the sites a breeze! (I understand locals all leave the city in August for their summer holidays.) Most fun has been taking on the challenge of determining the tastiest flavour of Gelato...a burdensome task indeed but someone has to do it :)

• JP's favorite...stracciatella (boring!)
• My favorite...pistaccio!

Now, it's off to Paris in a couple of minutes... We're a touch worried we'll lose the last of our luggage but this time we at least have all of our remaining clothing (and toothbrushes) in our carry on!

On the move again...

Just saw Fanta off for the 2nd time! We're able to share a few 'firsts' with her during her stay in 'the big city' and had a ball doing it!

At the top of the list was having the pleasure of bringing her to her first amusement park! While she really enjoyed the ferris wheel and the kiddie roller coaster, I think the bumper cars were the biggest hit...especially after she realized she was supposed to hit the other cars!

Having rarely been a passenger in car let alone the driver,
I had to help copilot on occasion

She even chose to try the bungee/trampoline in harness (no idea what it's called)...in her pagne!

Other firsts included Mexican, Indian, Vietnamese and Italian cuisines. Wasn't sure if she was going to be able to handle a week without rice and fish but she was a great sport. The winner? A North American favorite...PIZZA! I couldn't believe she didn't like the strawberry milkshake we had with it though! But then I realized, she didn't even know what a strawberry was - maybe strawberries are an acquired taste?

What probably blew her mind the most? The world wide web!

Fanta Skyping her family back in Niaguis!

On one of our quieter mornings Fanta tried braiding my hair. During the 1/2 hr trial run, I heard many times how 'mes cheveux son pas bon' (my hair is not good) - because it was so 'slippery'. Eventually she refused to continue unless I promised to always wear a 'fullar' (fabric worn by married Senegalese women to cover their heads) on my head whenever I left the house...because my scalp was 'too white' and therefore unattractive...sniff.... I tried not to take it personal :)

Now, we pack. Somehow we've accumulated almost as much stuff to bring home as we brought here so it looks like we won't be travelling light through Europe! It's 7:30 pm here right now and JP tells me we leave for the airport at 3:30am! Just the thought of such an early start turns my stomach :) The itinerary as I understand it, is a 5 hour layover in Casablanca before continuing on to Rome...who knows what adventures await us in Morocco? We arrive in Rome at 8pm. Our travel plans as yet, are 'unplanned' so it will be as much as a surprise to all of you as it will be for us, but we'll try to update you sometime along the way - if for no other reason than to let you know we're alive and well :)

BTW- Got the call last night that our babies finally made it to Toronto in one piece. Apparently they're a little shell-shocked from the trip but otherwise unscathed!

Littlest globe trotters...

Today was a quieter day. After yesterday's rain, the streets are covered in mud so taking a walking tour of Dakar wasn't the least bit appealing. We did go out and about long enough to visit one of the larger markets in Dakar to find Fanta a pair of weatherproof shoes (aka flip flops). In Senegal, it's all about the sharp looking clothing so she arrived with only a pair of leather high healed shoes! Once in hand, we headed back to the house for an afternoon of 'cause'-ing (chatting) and kitten prep.

Yes our babies are on their way back to Canada...seemed a bit much to tour Europe with them in tow :) Guess they're going to be limited to having traveled to 'only' two continents!

Problem #1 - plastic cat carriers/dog crates are hard to come by in Dakar
Problem #2 - BIG plastic cat carriers/dog crates are impossible to come by in Dakar
Problem #3 - it's going take them 46 hours to get to memere's and pepere's!

We were able to buy a carrier from the Air France counter at the airport...but it was going to be a tight squeeze.

Trying to make their living quarters a little more spacious...


The dry run...it just might work...


Looking a little more intense...I think they know somethings up!


France cargo staff carrying my babies to the plane...

The next picture of course would be of me sobbing...but I'll save you the drama. We'll be counting down the hours to JP's parents call letting us know they've made it ok...

A long time coming...

Dakar saw their first rain today - much later than usual, which had the general population a little concerned and caused the generation and adoption of a number of theories as to why the rain had not yet come. We've been told the delay has been God's punishment for sins, or that President Wade had his religious people (Marabouts) run some climate interference so he can finish his many construction projects, but the winning reasons has got to be because women are starting to wear pants! Whatever the reason, it came and it came hard. The streets around the Mission office where we are staying were flooded with over a foot of water...a day after the very same streets were flooded with sewage!

Our weary traveler also arrived...24 hours after leaving Niaguis! She chose to take the cheapest but slowest form of transport here - a Ndiaga Ndiaye (a 32-seater Mercedes van named after the first person who introduced them to Senegal). Ndiaga Ndiayes are recognizable by their white colour, and the Alhamdoulilahi (Thanks to God) painted across the front. They also have no timetables, and usually set off when they're full, or when the driver feels like it. As Fanta will attest, they also take longer because they stop every few hundred metres to drop or collect passengers, and they have frequent tire punctures and engine failures. I think we'll help her take a more efficient way home!

You can see why flat tires are so common - fully loaded, they don't take corners very easily!

Big city living...

Ok...after a couple of tiresome weeks wrapping things up in Niaguis, and some teary goodbyes, we've finally made it to Dakar - but not before sharing my favorite dish (ceebu yap) for the last time with some friends at the clinic.

Serving up my favorite dish...

Actually we arrived in DakarThursday evening...to no electricity or water. Seems the big city has way more outages than Niaguis!

Plans this week include:

• Sleep, sleep and hopefully more sleep - I not only need to work off a huge sleep debt, but I'd like to bank a few hours for our trip to Europe!
  
• Updating the Mission on Dispensaire business
• Making the necessary arrangements for our minous to fly home and seeing them on their way...sniff
• Planning what we'd like to see/do in Europe
• Eating a tonne of veggies we weren't able to get in the Casamance
• Showing Fanta around Dakar - she's never left Niaguis/Ziguinchor so we've invited her to spend a couple of days with us
• Dining at least twice at what has to be the best Indian restaurant in all of Africa and
• Buying any last minute souvenirs for friends and family

Should be a good week...

Us with a few friends on our last day at the clinic...

The Beginning of the End

Yes, you heard right. In just a few short weeks we'll be back on Canadian soil! Why? Many reasons, but we're very happy to report that a Senegalais in his last year of medicine will be taking our place in the interim, while the Mission arranges for a permanent nurse. Even better, is that he has served at the Dispensaire in the past and is familiar with the work and the staff!

The plans for our departure have been in the making for some time now, with the details just recently being finalized. So JP and I have been very busy getting the place ready for 'take over' and it's been exciting seeing the fruits of our labour unfold. We've now got a few SOPs and flowcharts to guide the work that's done here; roles and responsibilities of staff are a bit more clearly defined; medication inventory is more complete; and a whack of maintenance has been done inside and out.

Still more to do, though, so we can expect long days at the clinic this coming week to tidy things up before our last day at the clinic - July 25th!¨(OK, that's only 2 days away now, but we've been without internet at home since last week; when we drafted this posting!) Our plans so far are to travel to Dakar on the 26th, and then fly out of Dakar on August 6th... via Italy and France! The Mission kindly agreed to send us home the 'not so direct' route, so we'll be spending about 12 days in Europe, unwinding, before heading to Toronto on August 17th - which coincidentally is our 4th wedding anniversary!

As for the minous, we're sending them ahead on Air France for a little holiday of their own in Southern Ontario. Memere and Pepere (JP's parents) have generously agreed to receive them at the Toronto airport and 'put up with them' for two weeks until our return.

Then it's back to our former life, nestled among family and friends, facing the realities of finding a car, a place to live, and going back to work (JP at least...)

We hope to post a few more entries over the remainder of our time here and maybe continue a few retrospective postings here and there as we travel home. We've truly appreciated all of the feedback and comments and emails we've recieved from so many people during our time here. Our blog has often given us the feeling that so many people were participating with us in this experience! Can't wait to get home and fill you all in on the details we couldn't fit into decent length blog entries!

By the way, if anyone out there thinks they'd like to come take their turn here for a year or more, Luc, the Mission President, is taking names! ; ) (mission@adventistesenegal.org)

Now where's that Canada place again?

After Life...

In Islam, the dead are buried the same day, so Mamadou was almost immediately whisked away and prepared for burial. To prepare for burial, the deceased is ceremonially bathed and wrapped in cloth, prayers are offered for the forgiveness of their sins and then they are carried by men to the grave site for burial. Only men are permitted to be present at the burial while the women await their return at the deceased's home. Upon return, everyone present - family, friends, acquaintances, passers by - will again offer ceremonial prayers for the forgiveness of sins. But the story doen't end there.

Muslims believe in a spirit life after death and therefore participate in certain ritualistic activities on the 3rd, 8th and 40th day after a persons death. Because these ceremonies are not based on Koranic teaching, exactly what happens at these ceremonies and the reason they hold them can differ among ethnic groups (and probably even within each of the various groups). From what I understand, prayers are offered on the 3rd day again for the forgiveness of sins since that is the day the deceased will be judged according to their works. Prayers on the 8th and 40th day have more to do with the body's 'believed' stages of decomposition.

One thing that does seem consistent among each of the ethnic groups is the giving of 'charity' (cookies, pop) to male guests. The treats are purchased by the family with the help of gift offerings from villagers.

JP blending with the crowd at the Imam's mother's 40th day get together

Some time ago, JP and I went to the 40th day get together for the Imam's mother who passed away (if you remember, she was the first patient of mine who passed away). Everyone was tickled that we showed and they made a point of stuffing JP's pockets with cookies and pop.

The women aren't recipients of the googies and always sit separate from the men...