Skip to content
  • HOME
  • THE DREAMER
    • CONTACT
  • DISCLOSURES
  • HOME
  • custom-logo
  • THE DREAMER
    • CONTACT
  • DISCLOSURES
Adventures

Reflections on Senegal // Memories

October 27, 2014June 11, 2019 Crystal // Dreams, etc. Post a comment
Reflections on Senegal // Memories

In the past, I’ve been asked to write about my time in Senegal, and I’ve always had a hard time with that. I can tell stories of things that happened there, but to write a cohesive piece about the three months that I spent there… that’s hard. Even though, at the time, it felt like a lifetime, I didn’t spend a lot of time there, and I think that’s part of the reason why. I often feel feel like I’m being asked to give an idea of what life is like there, and I can’t. I can only tell you what I did while I was there, so here are some of my memories from Senegal:

// The first time I spoke with my parents on the phone was a few days after I arrived. I was standing in a stairwell that led up to the roof, so I thought I’d go stand on the roof while I talked to my dad, not thinking about the fact that I didn’t have sandals on. My feet barely touched the roof and I jumped back into the stairwell. It was so hot!

// The heat took away my appetite when I first arrived, so I lived on carrot sticks for a couple of days. Finally I was told that I should eat an actual meal. We had Mafé–a peanut butter-based stew served over rice (that I still make sometimes)–and we ate it with spoons off a community platter while sitting on the floor.

// The goat that I thought I heard the first day I arrived belonged to the family that I stayed with the first few weeks that I was there.

// I wasn’t drinking enough water when I first arrived, so I finally started counting the number of empty water bottles by my sink each night to make sure that I was drinking enough.

// I ate a lot of tuna salad while I was there. That was pretty much what I ate for lunch for every day. I have no desire to eat tuna anymore.

// I loved the apples, though! I have never enjoyed apples, but I ate them daily when I was there and loved them.

// While I was there I made sure that I read some books from some local authors.

// When I first arrived, going to the markets was an incredibly stressful experience. I didn’t speak the language and there were always a lot of people around. By the end, I loved it.

// There were things that really caught me by surprise–like the cattle that sat by the side of the road. It also took me by surprise that when I pointed it out, the people who lived there acted like it didn’t seem odd to them at all. I didn’t think I’d ever get used to it.

// While I was there I organized a library of home school resources and I helped home school three children. I helped two of them with reading and started to teach the third how to play the flute. I also worked with all three of them on math, which still makes me laugh whenever I think about it, since math was always my weakest subject. With two of them it was simple enough; we went through addition and multiplication flash cards. For the oldest, I basically sat there with the book open to the answer key as she worked through the problems, praying that she’d get them all right. She usually did.

// I loved the geckos that filled apartments. Whenever I caught a glimpse of them I thought they looked like little dinosaurs. It was always a little startling, though, when I’d get up in the middle of the night to grab a glass of water or take malaria medication when I realized that I forgot and hear them all scatter as soon as I turned on a light.

// Towards the end of my time in Senegal, there was a baby gecko in my apartment. He came out during the day and I loved watching him crawl around the apartment. I was told to give him a name, so I called him Ike.

// I left Dakar and visited a village once. I absolutely loved getting out of the city and would have liked to spend more time in a village. Maybe next time.

// One day towards the end of my time in Senegal I was out with some friends exploring the markets. One of them had recently arrived in Senegal and he pointed to some cattle that were at the side of the road and said that he didn’t think he’d ever get used to seeing them there. It was that moment when I realized that I had gotten used to them.

// One of my favorite things about being in Senegal was the people that I met and spent time with while I was there. They all hold a special place in my heart and I think about them regularly. I loved being part of a community of expats from all around the world, and I loved the Senegalese that I had a chance to meet and spend time with.

Going to Senegal really pulled me out of my comfort zone and I think it was an important experience to have, especially at such a young age.

WHAT EXPERIENCES HAVE PULLED YOU OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE?


Bloglovin’ // Instagram // Twitter // Pinterest // Facebook

About Crystal

About Crystal

Hi! I'm Crystal, a millennial learning how to live slowly and sustainably, while still seeking adventure and following my dreams, etc.

Post navigation

Reflections on Senegal // Leaving Home
Reflections on Senegal // Coming Home

Share Your Thoughts! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

hi!

I'm Crystal, the storyteller behind Dreams, etc. I'm all about learning how to live slowly & sustainably, while also seeking adventure as we follow our dreams, etc.

A low key Sunday: church, pizza with mom, phone ca A low key Sunday: church, pizza with mom, phone call with niece, dogs. What was your Sunday like?
Summer has never been my favorite season so I inte Summer has never been my favorite season so I intentionally try to find those moments that I enjoy. Here’s one from summer 2023: sitting outside and watching this bird couple care for their babies.
It’s true. Okay, Mina. Your human needs a hug. It’s true.

Okay, Mina. Your human needs a hug. And maybe we should consider taking more flattering videos of the two of us. 😂

.
.
.
#dogstagram #dogsofinsta #dogsofig #dogstagram #dogslife #dogsofinstaworld #dogscorner #dogsdaily #dogs_of_instagram #girlsbestfriend #ckcs #doglove #dogsdaily #dogslover #dogsandpals #dogsworld #dogsrule #dogsoninstagram #dogsarefamily
August. August.
July is over and I’m glad. I’m ready for summe July is over and I’m glad. I’m ready for summer to come to an end. I’m thankful that you can see Mina throughout the entire video…there were a few days in July that I wasn’t sure she would be around much longer. Hold your pups tight. 💙 #onesecondeveryday #onesecond #1secondeveryday #1se #monthinreview #videodiary
A rainy day is a special gift to readers. [Amy Mil A rainy day is a special gift to readers. [Amy Miles] 🌧️

What’s your rainy day (or night) read?
Saturday morning. Mim’s Cafe. Saturday morning. Mim’s Cafe.
June 2023. June 2023.
Here’s a little day trip to Wisconsin and time w Here’s a little day trip to Wisconsin and time with family.
See More Follow on Instagram

RECENT POSTS

  • The Summer Day by Mary Oliver
  • A Week in Idaho
  • Saying Goodbye to Crystal the Writer
  • The Day the Sorcerers Visited Baby Jesus
  • Thoughts on Hope

CATEGORIES

  • Adventures (53)
  • Beauty (16)
  • Books (147)
  • Creativity (58)
  • Entertainment (18)
  • Life (225)
  • Uncategorized (539)
  • Wellness (8)

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING?

Follow
  • Book Review Policy
  • BOOKS
  • Contact
  • DISCLOSURES
  • Insta Links
  • Seint Links
  • THE DREAMER
Copyright © 2023 | All Rights Reserved | © 2023. All text and photos belong to Crystal Brutlag, unless otherwise stated. Theme designed by Little Theme Shop: https://littlethemeshop.com

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

Dreams, etc. // Minneapolis Lifestyle Blog
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.