A very HOT day!

Today there was a whole school day teacher strike, so we had to do something different for the day. It was 99 degrees out so you know, we decided to spend most of the day outside… thank goodness for bottled water!

We started off going to a school for the blind. On our way there, students were protesting. They want to go to school! So they have taken to setting fires to tires throughout the city here in protest. My teacher explained “That’s how we do it in Africa”. I guess so. The school for the blind was really interesting, and it was awesome to see the kids learn and write in braille. I had not ever seen that before.

I was not able to take pictures here, so you will just have to trust me.

Next we headed to Bandia Nature Preserve and got to go on a “safari-like” experience. My host teachers had never been, so we took them as our guests. They were taking selfies with giraffes and rhinos, it was fun to see. There were tons of African animals, I personally loved the baby monkeys holding on to their moms. (Abby, got that zebra you wanted!)

Then we headed to Mbour, where we visited a fishing port. Fishermen go out in the morning to gather their nets. In the afternoon they bring back their fish to sell. This beach is covered in sellers and buyers. You can get every seafood here you want… I saw sharks, barracudas, clams, snails, squid and even sea stars for sale. It was beautiful but smelled very fishy.

Lastly, I got to hold a baby goat. Kinda made my whole day, and it was super new, like learning to walk, that much of a baby! I loved him or her… I didn’t check.

On a different note, bathrooms are kind of an adventure here. Most do not have toilet paper, some do not flush with a button, and others are just porcelain holes in the ground that I think you squat over. I have not ventured into those just yet, I just back away slowly.

Hotels are nice, clean and have wifi. The only thing I think I would change is the large feral cat hangout that happens every night from 9pm-1am. They hiss, flight, love and all very LOUDLY. I do love cats, but this I could maybe go without. With that note, I am off to bed with my ear plugs!