Monuments, Museums, Markets, and More!

Today, January 5th, our class had another full day of adventure! We began with a trip to the African Renaissance Monument. This is a project that began with Senegal’s third president, Abdoulaye Wade and was opened in 2010. He hoped that it would become a major tourist attraction. It was meant to symbolize the strength and capabilities of African nations, the three figures looking toward/pointing to, the future of the continent. Interestingly, the monument was constructed by North Korean engineers! The monument was awe-inspiring, and I think it was far bigger than any of us expected. There were also way more stairs to the top than any of us were prepared for! Although the monument was amazing, it has been met with a lot of controversy from the Senegalese people. Many believe that Wade should not have spent millions on this, and instead focus on the infrastructure of the country. It was a very interesting discussion to learn about and hear the opinions of our Senegalese guides.

Inside the monument, we had a tour of the exhibit from a funny guide that sang us the Barbie girl song. The exhibit consisted of gifts from other African nations, given to the President at the opening of the monument. Next, we were able to take the elevator up to the crown of the “father”. It was a pretty small elevator, taking only four people! This experience was a little nerve-wracking for those among us with claustrophobia and a fear of heights, but everyone survived! From the crown, we could see out over all of Dakar.

After the monument, we drove to the Museum of Women. This museum had a temporary exhibit and a permanent exhibit. The temporary exhibit consisted of photos accompanied by quotes from accomplished black women. It was very powerful to see. The permanent exhibit focused on the traditional history of women in Senegal. For example, we saw baby wraps and historical combs.

When we finished at the museum, we headed back to SIT for another traditional lunch of Mafe, which is chicken, peanut sauce, rice, and vegetables. Lunch was followed by a drumming session from Lindsey, Mike, and one of the SIT members, Khadija. The three of them got very into their drumming, it was pretty funny to watch.

When we finished with lunch we headed to a tourist market to find some fun souvenirs. Bargaining is a big part of Senegalese culture, and we relied on the members of SIT to make good deals for us. The vendors were a little overwhelming, so unfortunately I have no market pictures, but I am sure all the parents and friends reading this will receive the souvenirs! After some intense haggling, we returned to the SIT school for a lecture on Feminism in Senegal. Three women spoke on a panel had a discussion with us, answering questions and sharing their experiences. They were all lawyers, but at varying levels in their career. One women was a senior lawyer, while one woman was an assistant lawyer, and the other woman had just joined the field. The three of them were very strong and inspiring. They provided interesting insight as to what it is like to be a powerful woman in a male dominated society. They believed that changing laws and social change were necessary in order to change the way women are treated in society.

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We finished the day by meeting up with the English Club once again for dinner at the restaurant La Calebasse. It was a very nice place, and everyone was dressed up. We had three big tables and thankfully we mostly had the restaurant to ourselves because we were loud! There was loads of dancing, singing and clapping. They are such an energetic and fun group of people, it is impossible to not have a great time with them. I think all of us have formed really awesome connections with the members of the club and we are so lucky to have spent time with them! Once we finished dinner, we quickly turned the restaurant into a dance floor. Lots and lots of dancing ensued, from teaching us some Senegalese dances to the Macarena. We stayed at the restaurant until close because no one wanted to leave. We were all having such a fantastic time dancing with our new friends, we didn’t want it to end. It was definitely a moment of friendship that we will all remember forever. Our experiences with the English Club have really showed us the kindness of the Senegalese people and their compassion for others!

Overall, it was a full day with lots of informational and fun experiences. We continued to learn a lot about the country of Senegal, while also bonding with and getting to know the people of Senegal.

Hayley J