The group decked out in locally tailored outfits for the farewell party.
Written by the instructors
What a wonderful two weeks we have spent in Temento Samba! Our departure early this morning was bittersweet, with plenty of excitement for the adventures ahead but sadness to leave the beautiful place, the wonderful people that we met, and the slower pace of life there.
We stayed extra busy in our final days in the village. On Saturday, we had the cow party in the morning, and then the whole afternoon we had a human party which included drumming, singing and dancing in abundance, speeches from each homestay family and student, a visit from the Kankurang, and traditional Senegalese wrestling, Each homestay family had a traditional outfit made for their American guest, and the students looked great in their Senegalese finery.
We were also very lucky to meet Senegal’s Minister of Agriculture, who happens to be from Temento Samba, and who happened to be in town during our stay. He spent time answering all our questions about agriculture in Senegal, and gave us some insight into the inner workings of Senegalese politics.
We marked the end of our time in the village with a final ceremony last night, reflecting on our “enchantments” with Senegal, so that we can be sure to maximize them in the final month of the course.
This evening, after driving all day from Kolda region back to Thies, the group was able to attend the World Cup qualifying Senegal-Egypt soccer match, the inaugural match to be played in Senegal’s brand new stadium. There’s a palpable buzz in the air given that Senegal won the match! We’re excited to ride the wave of this excitement into the three weeks that we’ll be spending here, engaging in urban homestays and continuing our deep dive into all sorts of topics. We’ll be posting more updates and reflections in the days to come.
With care,
The Instructor Team
A photo with the “kankouran” who is a centerpiece of the dancing
Meeting Senegal’s Minister of Agriculture, who is from Temento Samba, and who happened to be in town during the group’s stay.
From Temento to World Cup qualifying soccer in Thies stadium. Senegal won 1-0!
The “kankouran” is a figure meant to ward off bad behavior and evil spirits