Licking It Doesn't Make It Clean

For the last few days, all the trainees have been visiting other volunteers for "demystification." I spent mine in Fatick. Unfortunately, I couldn't go to my site because my predecessor has already finished his service.

Fatick is a nice city near the coast. My volunteer took us to a few different locations. The most interesting was the handicapped center, where disables work on various projects in order to raise money. There is TV repair, furniture manufacturing, and even couture - that's just a fancy way to say clothes repair. Shortly after arriving, I noticed the power was out and after asking why, I was promptly informed the center needs an NGO as a partner because they can't pay the bill; although they are supposed to be self sufficient. I think there is some nifty accounting going on.

We spent the earlier part of our days there exploring the city and then we spent the afternoon sleeping or playing cards because, well frankly, it's too effing hot to do anything else. Luckily, many of the locals are Serere, which means they are catholic, which means there is booze. The city I train in is a holy city which means no booze. Pas de booze!

One of the other trainees had a rough encounter with a child during our trip. In general, you don't touch the kids. You just don't. They're dirty and have brain damage and did I mention, they're dirty. We stopped into a compound to talk to a family the volunteer knew and one little girl came up to me and shook my hand (this is OK because I carry a gallon of hand sanitizer with me at all times and her parents were watching). After shaking my hand, she retracted her hand, looked at it, and then, as if it was as common as tying your shoe, she licked her hand and extended it the other trainee. Needless to say, but we all have our "happy places" and she quickly visited hers.

Back to Thies for tech training.

Today we played a game created by an NGO for teaching about savings and the importance of utilizing banks. It worked just liked Monopoly except you could store your money in the bank (without interest) or just keep it on your person. What we failed to realize were the 'chance' cards. During the first round, our mattresses burned and we lost all the money we didn't have in the bank. The implication was to show us how we need to keep our money secured in banks and not in the mattress. The other chance card was to accept credit for our services, but we took the chance of default. Once again, the implication is to show that credit to your sister-in-law is bad. You have no guarantee.

I liked the game so much that I have already emailed the PC Director in Senegal and spoken to my supervisors about getting one. I'm told the NGO has dozens lying around unused.