My Korite Prom Dress

So Ramadan is half over and at the end of Ramadan is a huge festival to celebrate the fact that it is once again socially acceptable to eat and drink during the day. To commemorate this event, my host sister decided that I should have a traditional Senegalese outfit made for the celebration, which loads of people do. So one day after work we went to the market to buy fabric. She doesnt even ask what I want but picks out fuschia and powder blue material and asks me for money. I tell her I dont do powder blue and pointed to a brighter, electric blue that I preferred. We argued for awhile and finally she accepts that I want the other blue but wont budge on the fuschia. Since I had already mistakenly given her my money, she paid and we left. Yes thats right, fuschia and electric blue.

On the way home we stop at the tailor. He points out that the colors dont go together, and my sister blames me. So the tailor tells me I should have listened to my sister and gone with the other blue. She describes this entire outfit to him, none of which she has asked me about, including long sleeves. I tell the tailor I dont want long sleeves as its 90 degrees in Senegal these days, and she tells him I dont understand what theyre talking about and to ignore me. I tell her I dont want the outfit and wont pay for it and she says she doesnt care. When we get home, my sister tells my host mom, who in turn tells me I should have listened to my sister and gone with the other blue.

Basically, my 22 year old host sister is designing her dream Korite outfit and having me buy and wear it. She thinks we are going to the market next week to pick out a necklace and high heels, but I have to draw the line somewhere. I have these horrible visions of an 80s prom dress dancing around in my head and am actually dreading picking it up this weekend. The positive: instant halloween costume if I just throw on a sash and tiara.

Pictures to follow.