SaHELL

I learned to today that my region, just south of the Sahara desert, is called the SaHELL. This is no euphemism. I haven’t stopped sweating. Even the wind brings no relief, only burning desert sands that scratch my eyes.

It is difficult to convey the intense level of heat. Here is my attempt at painting a picture with my words:
• When I was in China I searched for months with little luck to find a scented candle for my room. This time around I came prepared. I carefully tucked a little fresh linen scented candle inside my luggage to keep as a special treat in my hut. Today, before it’s first burning, i accidentlly knocked it over and the wax flowed out like water.

• Everyday from around 11 until 3 the electricity, the water and the cell network stops. When i asked about it the answer i was given is “Dafa tang” (It’s hot).

• I drank 4 liters of water today…and still haven’t peed.
Hot season is like having your blistered sunburn slapped by burning whip inside an oven. Life literally stops from 12 until 4 because it is too hot to move. My fan has shot to the top of my prized possession list.

I’ve been in the village, Barkedji, for almost two weeks. It’s been good, rather odd, but good. During training every second of my life was planned and jammed packed with activities to prepare me for my move to the village. The moment the Peace Corps car disappeared into its trail of dust, leaving me surrounded by my pile of plastic buckets, everything changed. My job right now is to “integrate”. Right, so………

I am working on establishing some kind of daily routine, but I basically just walk around the village a lot. Here’s a kind of “typical” day:
I wake up around 6:30 because either the chicken that sleeps under my bed is screaming in my ear, or my 10 year old sister who shares/monopolizes my bed is kicking or suprooning me.
Then I try to do yoga. This is quiet the event. Children seem to appariate out of nowhere to watch me, the brave little ones will try and join.

By 7:15 I am covered in sweat and it’s too hot to continue. So, I do a quick final shavasana and head to my bathroom for a bucket shower. Every time I am excited for the cooling relief of the shower. Alas, the water inside my bucket is still warm from being cooked the previous day.

After a quick breakfast of Celestial Seasoning tea, brought from America and quickly depleting (cough care package cough), and bread, it’s time to start my day. I literally walk around the village. I tell myself that I am working on “mapping” the village, which I am, but really I just wait until something pops up. Since I am new in town, and it’s rather hard for me to blend in, I get called by people all the time to come over for a conversation. By 1:30 it’s time to head home for lunch.

From lunch until around 3 everything is closed for afternoon tea and rest time. It’s too hot to do anything except lay motionless in a pile of your own sweat. By four I try to peel myself off the mat and usually garden or head back out into the village. Once the sun goes down, the TV gets dragged into the yard and everyone is glued to it. The other day we watched WWF with Arabic subtitles. What is my life? We have dinner around 9. I try to read or study until I fall asleep around 10:30.

I have a daily planner that I write everything I did that day to track my activities. Here’s my list from Friday March 28:
YOGA
Went to the market to buy peanut butter
Greeted the Chief of the Village
Talked with the School Director
Ate a mango in the douche. HEAVEN
Studied Wolof notes
NAPPED
Talked with Awa.
Big Day!!!!!!!