My Cape Verde lovefest drags on.
Yes, I’m still here– but I really don’t think there’s much left for me to say about this tiny island nation. It’s a cool place, but what I have enjoyed most has been the ability to continue my quest of seeing as much as I can in this lifetime. The Olmsted Scholar Program is a phenomenal opportunity to see new places and meet exciting and unusual people (and in this case, not to kill them). I can think of no better way to spend my time.
My blog postings are largely divided into two categories: random travelogues and unjust doses of cultural bewilderment while in my country of residence. I probably have a lot of fences to mend with Senegal, so in that spirit I want to take a step back and affirm my appreciation for living there, as well as for the people that I have met up until this point.
Did you know that the word Senegal comes from the Wolof word “sunugal”, which means “our boat”? This is one of my favorite fun facts about that country- because its description of togetherness is a ubiquitous concept. Even in Cape Verde, even in America.
To travel and live abroad holds value because it underscores the reality that you can’t get through life alone. As much as you want to be independent (and trust me, I do), sometimes you have to depend on some sketchy African dude’s decrepit taxi in order to get home in the middle of the night. Without some kind of a support structure- be it local transportation or friends and family- life is pretty hard. And boring.
We’re all just trying to make our own way, but it’s the relationships and experiences in life that make things worthwhile. My trip out here, just like all of the other ones, have more than validated this idea.
Kind of like a deployment, my tour in Senegal has been challenging on a day to day basis- but in the grand scheme of things the weeks do fly by. I know that I’d be having a much harder time if it weren’t for the good people surrounding me wherever I go: the people who I look forward to seeing, people who are there to help, and people who are looking to be helped equally. As I think about all of this I am reminded of the fox chapter in The Little Prince
– a really great commentary on the human condition and what we are all looking for.
– a really great commentary on the human condition and what we are all looking for.I know I’m not even back in Dakar yet, but already I am looking forward to my next trip abroad. That said, I have also formed a lot of valuable relationships with the taximen people in Senegal. I look forward to seeing them again and continuing to cultivate the friendships that make this experience so enjoyable- because it’s not only the destination of your travel that matters, it’s the boat that you occupy as well.