Wa Ker

I love the Wolof word for family, because family is so much more than the people you're related to.

Wa means people of, and ker means house, so put it together and you get "people of the house"

I also appreciate all the different families I've had here:

My toubab family: the Beloit girls. You don't travel across the ocean together and not bond. It's just impossible. We talk about our difficulties, get language/cultural help, and generally support each other.

My host family (primary): the Samb family. We eat, live, and laugh together. They've provided me a home, and have served as my ultimate Senegal resources. Ask Mamy about Wade, I dare you. It's a solid place to come home to.

My host family (very temporary): the Sere family. This was my family in Sokone, and I just fell in love with them. They were beyond gracious and wonderful, and despite some language barriers (we were both speaking our 3rd languages, and neither of us knew it super well), we had a great time. I just picked up the skirt and tank top I had made out of their gift of fabric and look forward to wearing them and remembering this family. I wish I had Matisse though. Who doesn't love holding a chubby little girl like that?

And then tonight. I was at Yamma's with Djibi and then I said I wanted to go tuck in for the night. Muhammed asked where I was going and I said home, to which he responded why. I said to eat dinner, and he said, we have dinner here. I added to be with my family and he said, this is your family. They've helped pull me out of my shell, helped me perfect my attaya-making, and taught me more about American pop music than I ever wanted to know. I saw the video for Rude Boy for the first time today - YIKES. What trash!