I am currently sitting in my room covered by a layer of exhaust, sweat, and oily skin and alone. And alone can sometimes be a scary thing, but right now I am feeling blissful. Although I have enjoyed sharing a hotel room with two girls in my program for two weeks and developing deeper friendships than expected I enjoy these moments of silence, only filled with the steady hum of the air condition and the view where my mind wanders as I compose my new blog posts.
Normally I would write with music plugged into my ears and tap with beat, however today I sit in silence. And while many people struggle with silence, and no silence is not something I am always good with, but I've learned while being here how peaceful it is. When you silence your mind you can take so many things in while walking through the streets here or while enjoying a meal. Silence has allowed me to enjoy many Senegalese meals here, talking during meals is a sign that the food is not good, people savor their meals here and I've come to respect that.
Today was a perfect example of that, as we finished our painting project at Angela Davis one of the administrators invited me into the teachers lounge to enjoy a traditional Senegalese meal and while the thought of having to share in this type of meal was an option while being abroad actually sitting down with a large pan in front of me with a spoon and five others to eat out of the same thing, when you are full you get up and allow for another hungry one to come and eat. It's a new way, its a different way, but it worked.
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