Let there be DSL!
After four months in this apartment, we finally have (our own) internet! No more ‘borrowing’ from the neighbors’ unsecured wifi. This means we now have a good enough connection for Skype video and can show people the apartment. Sign up below. First three to sign up get free tours!
Olé
Cheikh is now spending up to an hour a day working on his Spanish. Yes, Spanish. Why, you ask? I guess living in Senegal just isn’t enough of a challenge for him… Seriously, my eyes just about bugged out of my head when he asked me if I wanted to join him in doing a 12-week Spanish class. I’m just now able to get in a shower most days, so tackling another language is not super high on my list of things to take on.
But we’re always saying how hard it is to find things to do together à la date night in Dakar, so here we sit, repeating phrases to each other in Spanish. “Vas a quemar las patatas.” and “¿Estarás libre para almorzar el martes que viene?”*
* If you do come for lunch on Tuesday, I’ll make sure Cheikh doesn’t burn the potatoes.
The ol’ grind
I’ve started back with some freelance work. I love working from home. The commute is great, the coffee and snacks are top-notch and my deskmate is pretty cute. He finally started taking good hour-long naps in the Moby wrap, which means I can work while he sleeps. (Or, as in this case, I can blog while he sleeps.)
Fill the pantry party
On the heels of success with the fruit and veggie delivery, I tackled going downtown with two friends to one of the frozen goods stores to buy meat and cheese. It was a lot cheaper than buying at the supermarket. (About $2.40/lb for ground beef, $5.50/lb for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, $6.60/lb for beef steaks, $3.60/lb for mozzarella…)
I also ordered hamburger buns and hummus from Shady Shack, bought all-natural (maybe a little too natural!) peanut butter from a lady who makes it at home and sells it on the street corner and Cheikh bought freshly roasted coffee beans at Cor Coumba.
Next week I’m hoping to order from a local dairy (Wooho – real milk!) and also pick up the 30lbs of whole wheat flour I ordered. Who wants bread?
February 18, 2012 at 10:14 pm
It’s so funny the difference in meat prices…here chicken breasts are about $2.75 a pound and ground beef is about $6 a pound. I don’t have any idea how much a steak is because if ground beef is $6…can you imagine the price of a steak?! (Cute kid you have there, by the way!)
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February 18, 2012 at 11:55 pm
Wow it sounds exciting over there! Yay for Moby wraps (I love mine, even though my babe is too big nowadays!) Yay for internet, and yay for finding good foods, and yay for finding something *cough*nerdy* and interesting for you two to talk about! 🙂
In all seriousness, having married someone much brainier than I, I find my level of nerd-discussions increasing and improving in vocabulary at a fairly decent rate, and I find it fascinating. I wouldn’t have necessarily picked his favorite topics of conversation for myself, but you stretch when you love someone!
Sign me up for a skype date! I would love to talk to you in person!
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February 19, 2012 at 7:21 am
Yessss….late-night habits for the win!
Your desk mate is pretty cute. Especially with that bow tie. Have you taught him how to handle a red pen yet?
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February 20, 2012 at 8:44 pm
What is the moby wrap nap trick? I would pay good money for a certain baby to take an hour nap around here!
Ground beef is almost $5/lb here. Ugh.
I died at the bow tie onesie…adorable!
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February 20, 2012 at 9:00 pm
Spanish? I thought you guys were going to work on Arabic. I wonder if this means a possible move to a Spanish-speaking country somewhere down the line.
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February 24, 2012 at 3:11 pm
Free apt. tour please!!!!
Great post – enjoy the DSL. Look forward to hearing more about work!
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