Tostan Trainings

Today started off with the plan of coming into Thies to meet with the womens groups that I plan to work with here, pick up my two new dresses from the tailor and give a session on training Senegalese to work with IT at a training being put on for a local NGO. In true Senegalese fashion, one of those has worked out. My dresses arent ready yet, the woman I was supposed to meet with at the womens groups didnt show up, but luckily the NGO training went really well. There are 6 new volunteers in, one of whom was a pcv in Morocco recently, all of whom are really great, so Chris and I went over to their training and put on a two hour training session. We mostly discussed cultural differences that have to be taken into account when preparing training sessions here. It went really well. Afterwards had a nice lunch and then hung out before coming over to Chris's to use the internet and then planning on going home for some much needed rest.

Spent the day in Tivaoune yesterday with Daniel meeting with a womans group there who might be interested in doing some basic business trainings. One of the things the Senegalese have mastered is asking for things. Its mostly in jest, but if the Senegalese like something (say an article of clothing) they ask for it. I always tell them I will give them what they asked for as I keep on walking. Its really a kind of joke. So, thinking that I have this whole joke figured out, I comment on a womans earrings and ask for them. To my surprise, she takes them out of her ears and puts them in mine. To take them out would be a huge insult to her, but these are her earrings, I dont want to steal them!!! So now I have a brand new pair of pulaar earrings that are really cool, but I feel like I stole them from a woman who sells mangoes on the side of the road. I feel like such a jerk!! I was only kidding!! This speaks wonders about Senegalese generosity, as it should. People here truly will give you the shirt off their back if you ask for it. Or, as in this case, the earrings out of their ears.