The race dynamics here are amazing. There aren’t a lot of white people here, so when you see one you notice them. I don’t see far away that well, but I can spot another white person a mile away. But what happens next is very interesting: either the two white people will completely ignoring eachother’s existence, or else they will give eachother the biggest, bestest hello ever. I think the first one happens because, subconsciously, white people are trying not to be racist and acknowledge someone solely because of their color. I think the second one happens because people are just so goddamned happy to see another person in their situation.
Being white here means:
– getting frequent marriage proposals
– sometimes getting insulted in Wolof (even though you don’t know what they’re saying, you know it’s not nice)
– getting stared at EVERYWHERE you go (so don’t pick your nose)
– paying about 3 times as much for everything from taxi rides to fruit to fabric
– being a target for petty crime (thankfully none of us have been successfully stolen from yet)
– getting PPSSSSTTTTed at a lot
While I’m on the Psst. topic, let me just say that there is no sound in this world than I hate more than PSSSTTT!!! Guys use it when they’re trying to get our attention (step 1 in getting picked up or proposed to), and taxis use it to get our attention so that they can [hopefully] rip us off. It’s such a nasty, degrading sound, though. It makes me feel like an animal, a piece of meat.
I’ve officially realized that this place is not pretty. I mean, it’s a city – with concrete, cars, LOTS of garbage, and too many people. There aren’t even that many trees and there are NO patches of grass. I like that there is no landscaping business here (except among the rich) but I kind of wish there was a landscape. I suppose the only time I have said “Wow, this is really pretty” (besides Goree Island) is when I have seen the ocean. And even then, I’m not sure it was truly heartfelt. Part of that is because the coast itself, from which I stand and which I inevitably see while looking at the ocean, is not at all picturesque. It’s rocky and polluted. But maybe the other reason is that I’m so used to seeing Lake Michigan (and calling that the ocean) that now that I am actually before the ocean, I think it’s just a big lake or something.
Janet M, you would be horrified of this place. Please, don’t ever come here. There are stray dogs and cats EVERYWHERE, and they are treated like rats by the Senegalese. When I walk those two domesticated dogs for my job, I get so many weird looks, and kids that walk by refuse to pet them. And, I always want to feed the cats whining at our dinner table, but mama would murder me if I did. They’re so skinny though – how can I not? (Actually, sometimes I do, but only ever a little piece of fish, and only when no one is looking). Last night, I saw the TINIEST kitten I have ever seen when I was walking with Moussou. She was rolled up in a ball, scared shitless, meowing for her mama (or her life, I’m not sure). I stood there for almost 10 minutes staring at the thing, conflicted. I kept trying to convince Moussou to let me take the kitty home and feed it, and all she did was laugh. She thought my behavior was hilarious, but I was serious!
This blog might sound very negative. Please don’t think I have come down from my honeymoon phase and crashed. I haven’t. Actually, I don’t know if there ever was a honeymoon phase with this place, and if there was, I don’t recall coming out of it. But there is good and bad to each place. Actually, it’s not even good or bad. It’s just different.
Psst.
