Sweeeeet!

I ran out of sugar so went to the corner buutik. I came back with a kilo of the white(ish) stuff and also a very sweet surprise.

The return of hot season also means the return of power cuts. Which also means the return of – gasp! – not being able to use my coffeemaker. My very sweet friends and family stocked me in Starbucks Via, a great solution to those grumpy mornings when flicking the light switch on and off gets zilcho result, but the gas stove still keeps flaming.

But I counted recently and at the current rate of power cuts, things were going to get ugly.

Then on my trip to the corner buutik I saw a beautiful thing.

If you’re not familiar with it, Carte Noir is a really good French coffee. And it’s now available in little insta-packets for 100cfa just down the street! Sweeeet…

Ready, set, go! And then keep going…

One of the joys and frustrations of life in Senegal is that things are often flexible. You bargain for your taxi, so the price may not always be the same. Your clothes are made by hand, so the fit varies a bit. And the vendor’s idea of a ‘big’ chicken is pretty open to interpretation. (Squawk!)

Neighborhood running buddies

So it should come as no surprise to runners in today’s Dakar Marathon races that the 5K route was actually closer to 6.2 kilometers and the 10K route was about 11.5 kilometers. However, it appears and the 21K (half-marathon) was actually 20.9 kilometers. Nicely done.

See Em A! See Em A!

My friend Joanna pointed out that the current format closely resembles the challenge races that are so popular in the US right now. Dodge the goat! Jump over the sewage water! Up on the sidewalk, down on the road, up on the sidewalk, down on the road! BUS!!!

The 2K Kids’ Race started first. Then all the 5-10-21K runners started together. Kinda crazy, but fun!

I get it. Mapping out routes in the middle of downtown Dakar must be a nightmare, and we really do appreciate the hard work of all those who pulled this event together.

At the start. Just chillin’. (Yeah, right.)

Just a little brainstorming for next year though…

There’s this lovely road called the Corniche that follows the coast. From Rebeus to the monument is 10 kilometers. Then from the monument down to Almadies and back is another 10. Sure, you’re starting at a prison and ending at the the most controversial and loathed site of Dakar, but in exchange you’re getting open roads without giant potholes, big car raapides with their exhaust or honking taxis. And did I mention the ocean view and breezes? Lovely.

At the finish with Julie!

Things to remember for next year’s race:

- Register online and if possible, pick up your t-shirt and number the day before.

- Check your email. The route and convocation time may change!

- It’s hot in May. Especially at 4pm.

- Bring small coins for buying water bags. (Bonus points to the kids selling the frozen ones.)

- Sunblock. And maybe sunglasses.

- If you were able to pick up your stuff the previous day, show up at the announced race start time. You may still wait in the sun for up to half an hour, but hey… that’s part of the experience, right?

Kimberley, my finish-line friend!

French swim lessons

I guess the irony is that no one involved is actually French. But the lingua franca between the Senegalese swim teacher, the Italian woman hosting the class at her home, her friends and our little American selves is French. So twice a week, Pape now goes to ‘French swim lessons’. And yes, it’s très adorable.

Here’s what we’ve learned so far.

“Grenouille, avion, fusée !”

Frog legs, airplane wings, rocket! I have no idea what English-speakers say to describe the leg positions which teaching toddlers to swim, but this is what we hear chanted throughout the class.

“Your son has no fear.”

Yeah, we kind of knew that one. But even after the first half hour, the swim teacher was impressed by how ready Pape was to dive right in, pun intended. That’s a actually a big reason we wanted him to learn to swim in the first place…

Talk the talk, wear the Speedo.

The swim diaper + board shorts combo was just not working for our little guy. And since the other kids were wearing European-style bathing suits, we decided Pape should get on board before the next class. So we went to the mall to buy a Speedo found a pair of newborn shorts that will work just fine.

All Speedo-ed up and ready to go!

Things you learn when you move to Senegal

5 things you learn right away

• ‘That sound’ is the call to prayer. Five times a day. It will become the background music to this stage of your life.
• ‘That smell’ is incense. Or garbage. Or fish market. But probably all three.
• ‘That hand gesture’ means slow down, I’m going to cross the street here in front of your moving vehicle.
• ‘That feeling’ is your skin frying in the sun.
• ‘That thing’ in his mouth is a chew stick, a traditional toothbrush.

5 things you figure out quickly

• The going rate is probably half the first price given. Bargaining is expected.
• Making balls of rice to pop in your mouth as the oil runs downs your arm.
• Power cuts happen.
• How to say, “I have a husband.” in Wolof.
• Attaya packs a mean caffeine punch.

5 things you pick up along the way

• Tying a wrap skirt so that it stays on, but loose enough to walk in.
• The urge to shake people’s hand every time you walk into a room.
• Dressing more modestly.
• A more relaxed attitude about being on time, but higher value on time spent with people.
• Giarrdia.

5 things you never fully master

• Walking with the elegance and fluidity of a Senegalese person.
• Fluency in four local languages, like everyone else.
• Dancing like THAT.
• Making ceebu jenn as wonderfully as the woman who taught you.
• Explaining life in Senegal to someone who’s never been here.

The Dakar Marathon

The humidity and heat are rising noticeably each day. Fans and A/Cs are being dusted off and cranked up. Ice creams sales are skyrocketing.

I’ve got an idea! Who wants to go run a race through Dakar next weekend in the middle of the afternoon? Yeah, not the time of year or time of day I would have chosen either, but hey… At least there’s race for those of us who have been complaining that there aren’t races, right?

The Dakar Marathon site has information and online registration, both in English and in French. There are still some questions bouncing around out there, so I called the organizers just now to see what I could find out.

Saturday, May 18th

2pm: Convocation for all participants at the place Sfax roundpoint near RTS (Radio Télévision Sénégalaise) at blvd Charles de Gaulle / ave Malick Sy.

After the convocation,  head to your race’s starting point.

• 2km: stay at the Sfax roundpoint
• 5km: near the British Embassy by the Corniche Est
• 10km: stay at the Sfax roundpoint
• 21km: stay at the Sfax roundpoint

You can view the race routes here.

4pm: Races begin.

There are water stations every 5km.

All routes end at the place de l’Indépendence. Race you there!

What you need to know

• Online registration is available now. Organizers recommend registering this weekend as an informational email will be sent out to participants early next week.
• The entry fee is 1,000cfa (cash)and is to be paid before the race begins. The fee includes your t-shirt, access to water stations and sponges.
• If you’ve registered online, bring photo ID.
• This year’s race theme is the protection and education of Senegal’s vulnerable children, including talibés.

Now open!

Checking out a Casamance-style hand-woven scarf

Before my friend Lauren went back to the US, she introduced me to an amazing woman. Anne Marie is a Senegalese fashion designer and tailor who studied in France. We are obviously a good match, no? Okay, well at least a very fun match!

I’ve gotten to know her over the past year and am continually impressed by her ideas and vision, and also her desire to use very high quality African fabric in a very wearable way. I mean this both in the sense that her designs looks great on all ethnicities and also in that she uses smaller swatches of these fabrics as accents so that the ensemble is more affordable for the average shopper. (Cheikh likes that part too!)

Jenn, shopping the racks

For months now I’ve been following Anne Marie’s progress as she worked towards opening her own boutique. As you can imagine, it’s a lot of work for a single woman to find the right location, get the work done on the place, get moved in, hire salespeople… oh, and make the clothes and accessories. Anne Marie is one busy lady and her hard work has paid off because… the Anne de la V. boutique opened last week!

The woman behind the ‘Anne de la V.’ brand

Jenn and I went over today to check it out, talk clothes (I love, love, love talking to Anne Marie about African fabrics. So interesting.), do a little shopping and take some time to pray with her about the future of this business.

Anne de la V. boutique

Anne de la V. boutique

Ouakam, Cité Asecna, near Brioche Dorée. With Brioche Dorée behind you, it’s four blocks down on your right. The boutique will be on your left.

Open Monday thru Saturday, 10am to 7pm

77 606 6162 (She speaks great English.)

Anne Marie uses swatches of very high quality African fabrics as accents on Western styles

Modeling one of Anne Marie’s newest items

I love all the details!

Hand crocheted and beaded sandals for 8,000cfa ($16). More coming soon in wax prints. I. Cannot. Wait.

She looks like an experienced shopper, no?

We both loved the wax print buttons on this blazer.

One of my favorite ensembles made by Anne Marie: lightweight top accented with wax print, matching belt with rose knot, then three very different skirt styles that can be worn with it. All her idea. (Lauren – this is the fabric we bought together!)

Jenn’s purchase!

The international party circuit

Cutting the cake at sweet little E’s second birthday today

Little man’s calendar has been filling up lately. It started with the daily hang-out with JB from across the street and Sunday morning playground time after church. Then he added weekly Songs, a sing-along time with some other kiddos his age. And recently, he’s been hitting the international party circuit hard.

Beach party!

I’m not 100% convinced that this many kids around here actually have birthdays this time of year. I suspect some of their parents figured out that their toddler’s real birth dates fall during hot season when it’s way too miserable to party outside, so are birthday partying it up now during the last warm-not-hot days. Or maybe I’m the only one who considered that plan…

In any case, we are no longer working our lives around his nighttime feedings and rounds of teething fussiness, but instead around his party invitations. Much more fun for all of us – and, bonus, the kid has good taste in friends who have cool parents.

Partyin’ boy

One of the truly awesome parts of living in a city like Dakar is that your friends come from around the world, literally. Just in the past couple of weeks, he’s partied it up toddler style with American, Dutch, Senegalese, French, German, Brazilian, Israeli, Beninese and British kids. Today, at a party for the newest love of his life, we sang ‘Happy Birthday’ in four languages.

CAKE MOM! I GOT CAKE!

I remember going to French birthday parties as a kid. What I remember is that they were largely parties for adults with a bunch of kids running around, punctuated at some point by a cake. Maybe that was just the context where we lived though – nothing much to do for family fun, so any excuse for a party worked. Hmm… sounds a bit familiar.

Group photo at the Kieviets’ last weekend. (He’s not really grumpy. Just chomping on a cookie.)

I do love the relaxed atmosphere of a kid’s birthday party for getting to know people. There’s always something entertaining to watch (“Oh, look. My kid just knocked yours over and then she dumped water on his head.”), always something to talk about (“In our country, for teething we give the baby whiskey / put a beaded necklace on her / let him suck on frozen fruit / give homeopathic tablets.), always good food (had some amazing homemade pesto and cheesy pasta today!) and – in particular if one parent is American – the dress is pretty casual and there’s no need to wear heels.

A Dutch birthday tradition… or maybe just two boys playing in a box.

So thanks for helping your old, boring parents have a reason to get out of the house and hang out with some really great people. We’ll do our best to throw you a cool party when it’s your turn, kiddo.