LUMOS Final Report: Sean Grossnickle

Senegal 2017

Every time I try to put words to my Lumos experience, I feel as if I do injustice to what I felt and saw. I can put it into numbers: 19 loans given totaling over 2,000,000 FCFA (≈ $3,600), over 50 hours of business courses taught to over 30 people, visits made, reimbursements collected and questionnaires given to over 60 beneficiaries. But numbers cannot describe the people I met or the experiences that changed the way I see the world. I generally avoid making expectations to allow myself to be more open to what God has set before me, so prior to leaving I tried not to think about what it would be like when I arrived. The best way to describe how I found life in Senegal is simple: it’s different.

The people in Senegal live simple lives, and although that term is often used as derogatory in first-world countries, I use it here to mean their cares and worries are few. Their lives are built around their religion and family, everything else comes second. Their day-to-day lives ebb and flow with the religious teachings and festivals. Living in Senegal during Ramadan was quite the experience, nothing was the same. There, one gives everything to help his family, even at the expense of his personal health, well-being and desires. That was quite the change coming from a society that places the individual’s needs above all else and where being late to work to spend some time with an old friend is unacceptable. Before I could truly begin my work there, I had to accept the change of priorities and realize that my values are just as foreign to them as theirs are to me. Asking someone to ignore their phone call from their brother, even to sign a contract to get their loan, would be met with much contempt. I would have also lost all respect with the person I was talking to if I did not take the time to properly greet him. I did not lose or forsake my values while living among the Senegalese, but rather I learned to show respect and love by yielding to how they would prefer things get done. Doing this is necessary for anyone who would like to live or work abroad, and I am glad I got to learn it in a low-stress environment such as Senegal.

I believe the work I did yielded much fruit and that my presence in the country was meaningful. This was true at the most basic level because Projects Abroad Senegal’s microfinance office runs off the charity model: no interest is charged on loans and the project would come to a sudden halt if no volunteers came to work. The basic idea behind microfinance is to empower people through giving them access to credit, following the age-old mantra that you need to spend money to make money. Since credit is so scarce among the Senegalese, people from impoverished backgrounds with great ideas have no way better themselves and their situation. Credit is always readily available in America, especially for small-scale ventures, with interest rates for people with bad credit still being better than what someone with the best credit in Senegal can find. I think this is why it was hard to wrap my mind around the fact that even giving a loan of $90 could radically change someone’s life. And I got to see it happen.

As I stepped into people’s homes to do a questionnaire or review a business plan, I took a step into their lives and realities. Most of the women who participated in our program were widows who needed to be able to support their children. Most of the men simply had nothing at all, not even a slab of cement on which to sleep. With too much dignity to beg and no place willing to give them the tools to work, each was left to sell the clothes off his back to survive. These were the people who we admitted into our program. I was able to teach the business classes in French to give the beneficiaries a basic knowledge of how to run a business. Cost accounting was often the trickiest part for us and for the beneficiaries; some of the women were selling products at a loss before they knew how to track their expenses. I also got to create the business plans to ensure that they would be able to have a sustainable business and make enough profit to better their situation. It was in this that I felt the most useful to the project. Doing the market research was essential to making sure the money we gave could have its maximum potential. I have heard of other programs that simply give the money with no training or business plan, setting the person up for failure and leaving them with no hope of getting the money back. Our program was charity in the sense that the training was free and the loans had no interest, but it empowered the people to finish their loan repayments and continue to sustain themselves without us.

I know that the loans we gave made a substantial difference in the lives of the beneficiaries. Selly Ba sells fabric, purses and shoes and she uses the profit to help her sons have a better life. She put her eldest son through technical training to become an auto technician and her younger son was able to attend a soccer academy. You could tell the loan gave her confidence in herself and she is proud of how she supports her family. Another beneficiary, Ibrahima Ba (no relation to Selly), used his loan to start what is now one of the most successful kiosks in Saint Louis. With his profit, he is able to afford a house for his family who had been living apart and put his kids through school. He holds his head high and is not afraid to tell you that he dreams of owning his own shop in the market one day. On a more modest level, we had a lot of widows and divorcees that were able to use the profit they made to pay the rent for their apartment and feed their kids properly. Microfinance to me is about giving people an opportunity to use their talent and resources to better their lives for themselves, not depending on charity. One closing note, I would like to see a microfinance program that allows people to develop a skill, such as carpentry or welding, instead of only financing entrepreneurs with small-businesses. Some people are blessed with talent and I would love to see them develop these skills, get a good job and then be able to pay back the loan. This is hard logistically as it requires a long grace period and there is no guarantee he will get the job, but I would like to explore the idea further one day.

Arguably the most valuable part of any adventure is the relationships formed along the way. Relationships are so much more rooted in Senegalese culture than in American culture.  The idea that a relationship could be “strictly business” does not exist because every relationship formed is personal, each person has a special way of impacting another. A relationship takes priority over a meeting, class or business deal. This manifests itself in the greetings; a formal greeting checks every aspect of a person’s well-being and shows genuine care for the other. I have met many Senegalese who have touched my heart and have invested in my life. It was a struggle for me to show the same concern, especially if I was on my way to a meeting or a meal. Simply acknowledging the person who you passed on the street was seen as a way of showing respect for the other. I learned to value these small interactions and that giving five extra seconds of my time could go miles in both my life and theirs. It was enjoyable to walk around and get to know the shop owners downtown, the baker on my street and the friends of my host family. The other volunteers played an important role as well as we processed the new way of life together. This is one of the most valuable takeaways for me, to realize that all of life is relationship with others. I cannot live in isolation, so why do I distance myself from the very ones who make my life what it is?

I have just a final few thoughts that can also be taken as advice for future LUMOS travelers. Learning the language of the host country in one of the most important and rewarding activities in which a person can engage. It also goes miles to show your personal care and interest in the country and its people. Even though I did not speak the mother tongue of Senegal, Wolof, people were intrigued that an American could speak French well, something that was quite a bit less common than I thought. My last note is that I feel it is important to travel the country, not to see the sites but rather to gain a broader understanding of the various subcultures that compose the heart and soul of the country. In Senegal, there are three primary regions: the north and central region (where Saint Louis was located), Dakar (the capital and its surrounding area) and the Casamance (the region located south of Gambia). I had the opportunity to visit the two latter regions during my last two weeks, and I cannot express how much that allowed me to gain a fuller prospective on the country and its people. I was able to see what aspects of Senegalese culture bound them together and what ones historically have driven them apart. I walked away from Senegal feeling like it was in some ways my own and someplace I knew deeply.

The three months I got to spend in Senegal were in many ways not easy. There were ups and downs, mistakes and successes, tears and laughter. But I do know that my experience was something that allowed me to grow beyond belief and gain such a deeper understanding of the world, and I will always be thankful for the time I spent in Africa.

Jour 88 – C’était le rendez-vous des maitres formateurs aujourd’hui. Ils ont discuté de la stratégie pour partager la bonne nouvelle avec leur propre argent, sans aide des missionnaires. Oofi m’a dit qu’il voudrait acheter un grand steak aux Etats-Unis. On a visité le village artisanal, j’ai acheté même plus de souvenirs.

Jour 89 – J’ai pris l’avion de Ziguinchor à Dakar ce matin. Peut-être c’est impossible de scanner les bibles, main chaque aéroport m’a fait ouvrir mes boites de bibles. J’ai fait une promenade autour de mon quartier. Le logement ici est exactement comme un hôtel, mais c’est beaucoup moins cher. J’ai discuté et ai joué du ping-pong avec le gardien et son frère. J’ai pris une sieste et ensuite j’ai mangé à Southern Fried Chicken (main le propriétaire est anglais…).

Jour 90 – J’ai assisté une église baptiste aujourd’hui avec Brad et Josh. C’était vraiment énergique et a duré 2h 20. Après nous avons mangé à un resto près de la mer. Brad m’a amené pour voir le phare, c’était une belle vue. J’ai regardé les films Beasts of No Nation and Good Will Hunting. J’ai encore mangé à Yum Yum et ensuite j’ai mangé une crêpe avec banane et Nutella. J’ai appelé mes parents.

Jour 91 – J’ai visité le centre baptiste à Grand Yoff aujourd’hui. Rachel vient de Nashville mais malheureusement elle et son mari soutiennent Vanderbilt. Ils enseignent les cours d’anglais. J’ai fait une promenade avec Brad aux quartiers de Dakar. On a visité l’île touristique et artistique, Ngor. C’est beau là-bas. J’ai mangé des pâtes italiennes et j’ai appelé mes sœurs.

Jour 92 – Ce matin on a fait l’évangélisation au Centreville de Dakar. Après on a mangé à Classic Burger, le seul restaurant en ville qui fait bien les hamburgers. Nous avons fait une petite promenade dans les rues et ensuite somme rentré chez nous. J’ai tapé mon blogue. Je ne sais pas pourquoi exactement j’ai commandé un hotdog sénégalais, mais j’étais déçu comme toutes les autres choses américaines que j’ai commandées ici. J’ai eu une discussion avec Oumar sur le mariage, il m’a dit que sa mère lui a dit qu’un homme a un choix dans un mariage : avoir raison ou être content. Il ne peut pas avoir les deux.

Jour 93 – J’ai tapé mon blogue ce matin. J’ai joué deux matchs de ping-pong avec Oumar, c’était 1-1. J’ai mangé à la VDN avec Brad, Jicole et le nouveau couple américain. Après on a payé une facture avec Brad et est allé à l’université. C’était bien mais j’aime Belmont de plus. J’ai mangé chez Oumar pour dîner, du yassa poulet.

Jour 94 – Aujourd’hui on a visité l’île de Gorée, c’était vraiment beau là-bas. De nos jours, c’est une île très touristique, ça veut dire j’ai trouvé moins d’histoire que je pensais et plus de boutiques pour acheter des souvenirs. Je n’avais pas besoin de plus de souvenirs, mais j’ai acheté une peinture en verre, j’espère ne pas la casser pendant le retour. Je ne sais pas comment il est possible d’avoir 15 boutiques touristique côté à côté avec les mêmes souvenirs. C’est une ancienne base militaire aussi avec les canons et tout ça.

Jour 95 – Ce matin on a eu un rendez-vous au centre baptiste à Grand Yoff. C’était la plupart des missionnaires et quelques sénégalais. On a fait une étude de la Bible sur Mattieu 15. Les garçons ont marché le retour et ont mangé à un resto dans la rue. J’ai finalement trouvé mon cher planet orange, une boisson gazeuse que je cherchais les dernières 5 journées. Pour souper on a mangé au bord de la mer, c’était bon mais cher. J’ai presque dépensé tout mon argent, mais il me reste 2 jours. Presque là.

Jour 96 – On voulait aller à la plage mais il pleuvait toute la journée. Plutôt on a visité Le Monument de la Renaissance Africaine. Il y a une belle vue en haut. J’ai mangé à N’ice Cream. Pour souper, Jicole a fait « meatball subs ».

Jour 97 – On est allé à l’église ce matin. C’était bon mais la musique n’était pas la meilleure. Il a presque duré 3 heures. Après on a mangé du jambon et a passé la journée chez Brad et Jicole.

Day 88 – It was the meeting with the master trainers today. They discussed the strategy for sharing the Gospel with their own money, without help from the missionaries. Oofi told me that he would like to buy a big steak in the United States. We visited the artisanal village and I bought even more souvenirs.

Day 89 – I took the plane from Ziguinchor to Dakar this morning. Maybe it’s impossible to scan bibles but each airport made me open my boxes of bibles. I took a walk in my neighborhood. The accommodations here are just like a hotel, but way less expensive. I talked and played ping-pong with the guard and his brother. I took a nap and then I ate Southern Fried Chicken (but it might be a rip-off because the owner is English…).

Day 90 – I attended a Baptist church today with Brad and Josh. It was very energetic and the service lasted 2 and a half hours. After, we ate a restaurant next to the sea. Brad brought me to see the lighthouse, it had a great view. I watched the films Beasts of No Nation and Good Will Hunting. I ate at Yum Yum again and then had a crepe with banana and Nutella. I called my parents.

Day 91 – I visited the Baptist Center today in Grand Yoff. Rachel comes from the Nashville area but unfortunately her and her husband support Vanderbilt. They teach English courses as a ministry. I took a walk with Brad through the neighborhoods of Dakar. We visited the tourist island, Ngor, that is also known for its art. It’s quite beautiful over there. I ate some Italian pasta and called my sisters.

Day 92 – This morning I shadowed some evangelization walks downtown. Afterwards we ate at Classic Burger, the only restaurant in town that makes good hamburgers. We took another walk through the streets and then returned home. I typed my blog. I am not entirely sure why I ordered a Senegalese hotdog, but it was pretty disappointing like all the other American things I have ordered here. I had a discussion with Oumar on marriage, he told me that his mom told him that a man has a choice in marriage: to be right or to be happy. He cannot be both.

Day 93 – I typed my blog this morning. I played two matches of ping pong with Oumar, the score is 1-1. I ate at the VDN with Brad, Jicole and the new American couple. Afterwards, we went to go pay a bill with Brad and then visited the university in town. It was nice but I like Belmont better. I ate at Oumar’s house for supper, some chicken yassa.

Day 94 – Today we visited Goree Island, it is really beautiful over there. Nowadays, it is a very touristy island, which means there was less history than I thought and more shops to buy souvenirs. I did not need any more souvenirs, but I bought a glass painting, I hope to not break it on the way home. I do not know how it is possible to have 15 shops side by side that all sell the same things. It’s also a former military base, so it had some cannons and tunnels.

Day 95 – This morning we had a meeting at the Baptist center in Grand Yoff. It was the majority of the missionaries here and some Senegalese. We did a bible study on Matthew 15. The guys walked back and ate a restaurant in the street. I finally found my precious Planet Orange, a carbonated beverage I had been looking for all week. We ate at a restaurant by the sea for supper, it was good but expensive. I have almost spent all of my money, but I only have two days left. Almost there.

Day 96 – We wanted to go to the beach but it rained all day. We visited the Statue of the African Renaissance. It was a beautiful view at the top of the steps. I ate at N’ice Cream. For supper, Jicole made some meatball subs.

Day 97 – We went to church this morning. It was good but the music was not the best. The service lasted about 3 hours. Afterwards, we ate some ham and spent the day at Brad and Jicole’s house.

Jour 81 – Quel jour ! J’ai pris un taxi de Saint Louis à Dakar ce matin pour 4h. J’ai trouvé la maison des missionnaires (Brad Wells) et ai mangé avec eux au resto. Ensuite j’ai attendu la liste d’attente pour le bateau, heureusement, j’ai pu acheter un billet. J’ai rencontré des gentils sénégalais sur le bateau. J’ai mangé un sandwich. Le bateau est parti une heure en retard donc je me suis couché après le départ à 9h 30.

Jour 82 – J’ai passé le matin sur le bateau, j’ai vu des dauphins. C’était vraiment beau. Moses m’a rencontré au quai. Il m’a montré mon appartement et ensuite j’ai mangé la vraie nourriture chez lui. On a acheté mon billet d’avion pour le retour. Je suis retourné chez moi et ensuite j’ai passé la soirée chez Moïse. Les enfants se sont disputé sur les vaisselles.

Jour 83 – Je suis allé à une église protestante. J’ai fait une introduction devant les 30 personnes là-bas. Le pasteur m’a dit que c’était 3 ans depuis la dernière pluie pendant l’office. Il m’a dit aussi que j’ai un gros accent américain. L’après-midi j’ai parlé avec Joe et j’ai fait les doubles pour les cartes SD qui contiennent la bonne nouvelle. J’ai appelé Bre pour faire l’horaire (inch’Allah) de Seussical. J’ai appelé mes parents.

Jour 84 – C’était ma première journée avec Moïse aujourd’hui. Nous avons visité les petits villages. Notre premier rendez-vous a été annulé parce que la femme est toujours à Dakar. Le deuxième était très africain. Nous avons discuté sur le tournoi de foot que Moïse veut faire pour 20 minutes et ensuite on n’a fait rien pour les prochaines 3 heures. J’ai entendu les histoires des villages ici. Il y a un village de pêcheurs qui jettent leurs enfants (qui ont une semaine) dans l’eau. S’ils flottent, ils sont fort et ils sont sauvés. Sinon, ils se noient. Il y a un autre village que la seule raison qu’ils ne sont pas chrétiens c’est à cause des sacrifices. Sans sacrifier les animaux (ils croient), il n’y aura plus viande à manger, parce que tout leur viande qu’ils mangent viennent des animaux sacrifiés. L’autre histoire que j’ai entendue c’est qu’il y a un village où avant que le fils se marie à quelqu’un, le père doit essayer la femme avant. C’est parce que le fils n’a pas encore l’expérience. J’ai mangé chez Moses.

Jour 85 – Joe, Oofi, Olga et moi sommes allé à l’ouest, jusqu’à la mer. Nous avons fait l’Arbre de vie, un programme de formations des nouveaux chrétiens. On a fait 4h de cours et finalement on a mangé à 16h. J’ai mangé de la pizza chez Joe. J’ai appelé Quinn pour faire le stage de Seussical.

Jour 86 – Nous avons visité un pasteur qui habite au village. Parce qu’il a voulu faire quelque chose pour nous, il était en train de pêcher pour le repas quand nous sommes arrivés. Donc on a eu assez du temps à faire une promenade. Moïse a partagé la bonne nouvelle avec un voisin du pasteur. On a fait n’importe quoi jusqu’à il est arrivé. J’ai entendu plus d’histoires. Dans ce village il y a une tradition que l’homme qui veut se marier avec une fille doit voler quelque chose de sa belle-famille potentielle pour leur montrer qu’il est courageux. Dans un autre village il faut battre les autres hommes célibataires avec une cravache. On a partagé un repas togolais et a prié pour eux. J’ai essayé du vin de cajou, du moonshine cajou et du tapioca.

Jour 87 – Nous avons fait quelques arrêts avant d’arriver à notre destination finale. Il y a une fête aujourd’hui pour tous les enfants qui ont réussi à leurs examens. On a fait les cours pour les retards alors ils peuvent finir avec les autres demain. J’ai fait les choses diverses pendant l’après-midi. On a mangé yassa porc pour déjeuner à 16h 30, on a attendu dans la pluie.

Day 81 – What a day! I took a taxi from Saint Louis to Dakar this morning for 4 hours. I found the missionaries’ house (Brad and Jicole Wells) and ate with them at a restaurant. Next I waited for the waiting list of the boat, fortunately I was able to buy a ticket. I met some nice locals on the boat and ate a sandwich. The boat left an hour late and so I went to bed after the depart at 9:30.

Day 82 – I spent the morning on the boat, I saw some dolphins. It was really beautiful. Moses met me at the quay. He showed me the apartment where I will be living and next I had some “real food” at this house. We bought my plane ticket for the way back. I went back to my house for a bit and then spent the evening at Moses house. The children argued over the dishes.

Day 83 – I went to a protestant church. I had to introduce myself before the 30 people there. The pastor told me it had been 3 years since the last rain during a service. He also told me I have quite an American accent. In the afternoon, I talked with Joe and made copies of SD cards which had the Gospel on them. I called Bre to make what will hopefully be the rehearsal schedule for Seussical. I called my parents.

Day 84 – It was my first day with Moses. We visited some small villages. Our first meeting was cancelled because the lady is still in Dakar. The second was very African. We discussed the soccer tournament Moses wants to put on for 20 minutes and then did nothing for the next three hours. I heard stories of the villages here. There is a fishing village that throws their one-week-old kids into the river. It they float, they are strong and are saved. If not, they drown. There is another village that the only reason they are not Christians is because of their sacrifices. They believe that without sacrificing animals there will be no more meat to eat because all the meat they eat comes from the sacrifices. The other story I heard is that there is a village where before the son gets married the father must “try” the wife because the son does not have experience yet.

Day 85 –  Joe, Oofi, Olga and I went out west, all the way to the sea. We did what is called Tree of Life, a training program for new Christians to teach them how to teach the gospel to others. We did 4 hours of courses and then we finally got to eat lunch at 4:00pm. I ate some pizza at Joe’s house. I called Quinn to create the set of Seussical.

Day 86 – We visited a pastor who lives in the village. Because he wanted to do something special for us, he was in the process of fishing in the river for the meal when we got there, so we had enough time to take a walk. Moses shared the Gospel with the pastor’s neighbor. We just hung out until the pastor arrived. I got to hear more stories. In this village, there is tradition that a man who wants to marry a girl has to steal something from his potential in-laws’ house to prove he is brave. In another village, you have to fight the other bachelors with a rod. We ate a Togolese meal and prayed for them. I tried some cashew wine, cashew moonshine and tapioca.

Day 87 – We made several stops before we got to our final destination. There is a celebration today for the students who passed their exams. We did courses for the people who need to catch up on several lessons to finish with the others tomorrow. I did some miscellaneous things in the afternoon. We ate Yassa pork for lunch at 4:30pm. We waited for it in the rain.

Jour 74 – On a fait les changements finals pour Moustapha (ahamdouillah). Vittorio et moi sommes allés en ville pour acheter un mètre de tissu, une multiprise et un coupe-papier. L’après-midi on a fait les rapports hebdomadaires et a visité deux bénéficiaires : une pour lui expliquer le plan de business et l’autre pour voir la machine qui fait la transformation pour le maïs. Nous avons bu à Flamingo avec les autres volontaires et après Allison, Bertrand, Marianne, Vittorio et moi avons mangé à un restaurant thaï.

Jour 75 – J’ai rencontré la nouvelle fille française qui est venu hier. On est allé à la plage pour nous baigner. Après on est retourné chez nous, il y avait une autre française qui vient d’arriver. Elle est ici pour longtemps de faire le service civil. Et ce soir apparemment il y aura une autre fille qui va arriver. Nous serons 5. On a mangé à Délices du fleuve pour les chantilly.

Jour 76 – Nous avons fait la randonnée avec Mme Faye ce matin pour 2h et demi. J’étais très fatigué. On est allé à Keur Dada pour nous baigner là-bas. On a mangé là-bas et profité de la piscine. J’ai discuté un peu avec Aurone sur les choses américaines. Vittorio a essayé de m’enseigner italien. C’était nul. La vitesse et le rythme sont très importants pour la langue. J’ai appelé mes parents.

Jour 77 – Nous avons préparé les cours pour les femmes. J’ai commencé le plan de business pour Djibi, mais je pense qu’il nous a donné les faux chiffres parce que sinon, il est vraiment riche et n’a pas besoins de prêt. J’ai commencé mon sac pendant l’après-midi. Mes femmes ne sont pas encore venues au bureau, malheureusement. Je suis allé aux Délices du fleuve pour manger de la glace. J’ai rencontré une autre fille française qui vient de Toulouse. On a discuté le « Brain Drain » aux Etats-Unis. Il n’y a pas d’eau.

Jour 78 – Nous avons fait des visites à Samba et à Djibi. Djibi, comme Adama, nous a donné les chiffres différents chaque fois. Comme ça c’est nul de créer un plan de business. Vittorio est malade et a vomi trois fois hier soir. Nous avons visité Arouna Baldé pour faire un questionnaire. Ce soir on a mangé à La Kora pour fêter les anniversaires de Lorena et Angus.

Jour 79 – Nous avons présenté 4 bénéficiaires à Moctar, il a dit oui aux 4 ! J’ai fait beaucoup de choses pour ma valise, c’est vraiment bizarre que j’aille partir dans 2 jours. L’après-midi, Djibi est venu encore pour trouver une solution pour le plan de business. Il est nul parce qu’il ne compte rien, même les achets, par jour donc il est impossible de calculer ses couts et bénéfice. J’ai appelé Quinn. On a mangé chez Amina (yassa poulet) pour mon repas de départ et après on est allé au concert à Flamingo.

Jour 80 – J’ai fini mes valises ce matin. Je suis allé en ville pour acheter mes dernières choses avant de partir. J’ai pris des photos de chaque propriétaire que je connais bien. J’ai fait ma deuxième évaluation pour Projects Abroad. On a donné les prêts à Seynabou, à Majigene et à Daba. Nous avons mangé de la glace pour ma dernière nuit ici.

Day 74 – We made the final changes for Moustapha (thanks be to God). Vittorio and I went to town to buy a meter of fabric, a power strip and a letter-opener. In the afternoon, we did the weekly reports and visited two beneficiaries: one to explain the business plan and one to see how she processes corn to make it ready to sell. We drank at Flamingo with all the other volunteers and after Bertrand, Marianne, Allison, Vittorio and I ate at a Thai restaurant.

Day 75 – I met the new French girl who got here last night. We went to the beach to go swimming and relax. After we came back to our place, there was another French girl who just arrived. She is here for quite a while to do civil service. And apparently tonight another girl is going to arrive as well. We will have 5 volunteers here then. We ate ice cream sundaes at Delices du fleuve.

Day 76 – We did the walk this morning with Ms. Faye for two and a half hours. I was quite tired afterwards. We went to Keur Dada to swim. We ate there and took advantage of the pool. I had a discussion with Aerone over some American topics. Vittorio tried to teach me Italian. It was hopeless. The speed and rhythm are very important for the language. I called my parents.

Day 77 – We prepared the courses for the women. I started the business plan for Djibi but I think he gave us the wrong numbers because if not, he is a very rich man and does not need a loan. I started packing during the afternoon. My women have not yet come to the office, unfortunately. I went to Delices du fleuve to eat some ice cream. I met a French girl who comes from Toulouse. We discussed the brain drain in the USA. There is no water here.

Day 78 – We paid a visit to Samba and Djibi. Djibi, like Adama, gives us different numbers each time. It hopeless when that happens to try and create a business plan. Vittorio is sick and vomited three times last night. We visited Arouna Balde to do a questionnaire. We ate at La Kora to celebrate Lorena and Angus’ birthdays.

Day 79 – We presented 4 beneficiaries to Moctar, he said yes to all 4! I packed a lot in my room, it’s really weird that I will be leaving in two days. In the afternoon, Djibi came again to help find a solution to his business plan. It’s hopeless because he does not keep track of anything, not even his purchases, so it’s impossible to calculate his costs and profit. I called Quinn. We ate at Amina’s house (yassa poulet) for my departure meal and after we went to concert at Flamingo.

Day 80 – I finished packing this morning. I went to town to buy my last-minute souvenirs and to take pictures of all the store owners I got to know. I did my second evaluation for Projects Abroad. We gave loans in the afternoon to Seynabou, Majigene and Daba. We went to eat ice cream at Delices du fleuve for my last night.

Jour 67 – Ce matin j’ai vu le plan de business pour Seynabou Dieye que le couple canadien a fait. Après, nous avons visité les boutiques et un tailleur pour vérifier les prix du plan de business. Nous avons travaillé sur les rapports hebdomadaires l’après-midi. J’ai préparé mon blogue. J’ai acheté une statute du même vendeur comme les autres, je suis gaga des bons prix. Les volontaires ont bu à Flamingo pour le rendez-vous hebdomadaire. J’ai rencontré presque tous les autres là-bas. Je suis frustré avec ma mère d’accueil parce qu’elle fait comme elle veut et fais les excuses pour tout. Aujourd’hui elle « croyait » que j’allais manger en ville, mais je ne dis rien de ça. Chaque fois je demande à quelle heure on va manger, elle dit « je sais pas ». Et chaque fois je reviens pour le souper, elle a déjà mangé plutôt que toutes les autres nuits, et c’est seulement ces nuits-ci qu’elle mange tôt.

Jour 68 – J’avais la flemme ce matin et n’ai presque fait rien. Il est très difficile d’attendre le repas à 14h 30 parce que ça c’est la moitié de l’après-midi. J’ai appelé Bre pour discuter sur le spectacle. Le site web de l’Institut français a dit qu’il y aurait un film dans la salle de cinéma aujourd’hui. Mais, malheureusement, comme d’habitude, c’était incorrecte (c’était le weekend dernier). J’ai exploré l’ile sud aujourd’hui pour la première fois. J’ai vu un forum où le propriétaire de la maison invite les gens pour trouver des solutions et des investissements pour la ville de Saint Louis. Je suis allé à l’église en ville.

Jour 69 – J’ai regardé deux films : «’Til the Clouds Roll By » de la vie de Jerome Kern, et Silence, une histoire des missionnaires qui sont allés au Japon. Claire est partie aujourd’hui à 14h. J’ai eu l’idée à marcher à l’Hôtel Hydrobase au fond de la deuxième île. Selon ma carte (que Habib a fait pour moi), ce n’était pas très loin…j’ai marché pour 2 heures, probablement 5 à 10 km. Mais maintenant je peux dire que j’ai vraiment vu toute la ville de Saint Louis. J’ai appelé mes parents.

Jour 70 – Nous avons préparé le cours pour les femmes. Nous sommes allés voir Moctar pour donner 3 prêts (Ibrahima, Mamadou et Mor). J’ai appris qu’il est possible de changer l’âge d’une personne au Sénégal. Officiellement Mamadou est mineur (il est né en 1995 mais son certificat de naissance dit 1999) et nous n’avons presque pas donné le prêt. Il y avait un autre problème. Mor a dit (après il a signé tous les documents) qu’il va vendre ses produits à un prix différent qu’il nous a dit plutôt. Il était frustrant. J’ai fait des choses diverses pendant l’après-midi. On a visité les sites potentiels pour le kiosk de Aliou, le meilleur était très proche du centre de talibés. J’ai eu 4 heures d’appels quand je suis retourné chez moi.

Jour 71 – Ce matin nous avons fait la recherche de marché pour le nouveau plan de business de Moustapha. Il n’est pas très rentable et on ne peut pas lui donner un prêt avec ce plan. J’ai fini le plan pour Daba Diop, je pense qu’on va présenter tous les bénéficiaires potentiels à Moctar jeudi. J’ai « acheté » mon billet pour le bateau (je suis le premier sur la liste d’attente) et je suis en train de faire mes projets finals à Saint Louis. J’ai appelé Quinn pour discuter sur le spectacle. Il n’y a pas de l’eau.

Jour 72 – Ce matin nous avons presque révisé toutes les présentations pour Moctar qu’on va présenter demain et mardi. Pendant la pause déjeuner, le nouveau garçon est arrivé chez moi. Il s’appelle Victorio et il est italien. Après la pause nous avons visité Oumou, la femme de Bango qui a une situation très grave. J’ai mangé chez Cheikh et nous avons vu l’émission Fort Boyard. Il est difficile de partager un ventilateur, j’ai mal dormi. Je vais acheter un autre demain et une multiprise, inch’Allah.

Jour 73 – Ce matin on a fait beaucoup de changements pour le plan de business de Daba Diop. Elle nous a donné les faux numéros la dernière fois, elle est venue pour les corriger. Nous avons mangé maffé ensemble. L’après-midi j’ai attend mes étudiantes au bureau mais personne n’est venue. Nous avons acheté un nouveau ventilateur au marché (c’était une bonne idée). Nous avons mangé de la glace pour la dernière nuit de Jonas.

Day 67 – This morning I reviewed the business plan for Seynabou Dieye that the Canadian couple made. Afterwards, we visited some shops and a tailor to verify prices in the business plan. We worked on the weekly reports in the afternoon. I prepared my blog. I bought a new statue from the same seller as the others, I am a sucker for a good price. The volunteers had drinks at Flamingo for the weekly get-together. I met almost all the other people there. I was very frustrated with my host mom because she makes excuses for everything. Today she thought that I was eating in town when I told her nothing of the sort. Every time I ask what time we are going to eat, she says “I don’t know”. And every night I come back for supper, she always eats earlier than the other nights (as a result I either don’t get food or only porridge).

Day 68 – I was very lazy this morning and did almost nothing. It is quite hard to wait for a meal until 2:30 because it’s right in the middle of the afternoon. I called Bre to discuss the show. The website for the French institute said that there would be a film today, but unfortunately, like usual, it was wrong (it was last weekend). I explored the southern part of the island for the first time today. I saw a forum where the owner invites people to come and discuss solutions to problems and potential investments for the town of Saint Louis. I went to church in town.

Day 69 – I watch two movies: ‘Til the Clouds Roll By about the life of Jerome Kern and Silence, a history of the missionaries in Japan. Claire left today at 2pm. I had the idea to walk to the Hydrobase Hotel at the end of the second island. According to the map (that Habib gave me) it was not very far…I walked for 2 hours, probably 3 or 4 miles. But now I have truly seen the entire town of Saint Louis. I called my parents.

Day 70 – We prepared the course for the women. We went to see Moctar to give three loans (Ibrahima, Mamadou and Mor). I learned that it is possible to change someone’s age in Senegal. Officially, Mamadou is a minor (he was born in 1995 but his birth certificate says 1999) and we almost couldn’t give him the loan. There was another problem. Mor said (after he signed all the documents) that he is going to see his products at a different price than he said earlier. It was frustrating. I did miscellaneous things during the afternoon. We visited potential sites for Aliou’s kiosk, the best was next to our Talibé care center. I had 4 hours of calls when I got back home.

Day 71 – This morning we did market research for Moustapha’s new business. It is not very profitable and we cannot give him a loan with this plan. I finished the plan for Daba Diop, I think that we will present all of the new potentials Thursday to Moctar. I “bought” my ticket for the boat (I am first on the waiting list) and I am in the process of making my final plans for Saint Louis. I called Quinn to discuss the show. There is no water today.

Day 72 – We revised almost all the presentations for Moctar that we will present tomorrow or Tuesday. During the lunch break, the new guy arrived at my house. His name is Vittorio and he is Italian. After the break we went to Oumou’s house, the women from Bango with a terrible living situation. I ate at Cheikh’s house and we watched the show Fort Boyard. It is hard to share a fan, I did not sleep well. I am going to buy another one tomorrow and a power strip.

Day 73 – This morning we made a lot of changes to the business plan for Daba Diop. She gave us wrong numbers the last time, she came to correct them. We all ate maffé together. In the afternoon I waited for my students at the office but nobody came. We bought a new fan at the market (it was a very good idea). We had some ice cream for Jonas’ last night.