I never thought my formal education would mean so many mani/pedis. Or rather, I thought that the mani/pedis would be for me, not me doing them to someone else. Now that someone else has become two other someone elses.
Between yesterday and today I've done 20 toes and 20 fingers. It has not been easy. I've needed to negotiate with Gusi--just the toes today Mami, later we'll do the fingers. And with the baby I've just had to wrestle him into submission which he hates just as much as I do. At least they can't scratch me very hard if they decide to turn on me.
I'm good for about 48 hours before the process begins again. Lucky me.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
End of the Season
Two of Gusi's classmates have already left Dakar. Their parents' jobs brought them here and have now taken them away. And most of his classmates are leaving Dakar before the end of the summer. It will be the last time he sees most of these children. It will be the last time I see most of their parents who have come to be my friends as well. It feels weird, like the day after Christmas when you wonder "now what?"
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
I Kid You Not
The baby is starting to walk. Yes. Walk. Already. He's nine months old. He's taking 6 to 7 steps. He can stand up for 10 seconds at a time by himself without support. I wasn't prepared for this. At all. At all.
Monday, May 18, 2009
It's Starting to Boil
The weather is getting hot again. I'm just glad I'm not pregnant at this go around. Luckily, we'll be going to the US in about a month for two months where people will complain about the heat and I'll count my lucky stars that every place you go into is air conditioned.
I look forward to being able to take the kids out and about and not have to worry if there will be a bathroom, changing table or high chair around. I'll be able to take my kids to parks, museums, the zoo, and so many other places that I used to take for granted.
It's not that I don't like it here in Senegal. I do. But I need a break. A break from negotiating every little detail--like how my tailor (normally very reliable) wants to jack up my prices and make me pay for his cab fare even though I'm almost certain he took the public transport to get to my house. Dealing with all the minutia of life here is boring and tedious, but it is what folks like to do here. I want to go where people are more efficient with their time and can cut to the chase. I want to prepare a meal for my family with ingredients like blueberries, portobello mushrooms, or salmon. I am so tired of apples and bananas and sorry, no mandarins this week or we don't know when we'll be getting grapes again. I want to binge on bing cherries, watermelon, peaches, kale, edamame, wild rice, turkey, tofu, sweet potatoes, Wisconsin cheddar, bagels, sour cream, raspberries, cream cheese, apricots, root beer, cottage cheese and so much more.
I want a reminder of all that I miss out on by living abroad. I hope it doesn't scare off my kids though. I know they will miss their home here in Senegal, their dad who won't be with us at the beginning, the staff that we see every day of the week, and Gusi will miss his friends. Still, I want a break; the heat is getting to me and flu pandemic or not, I want to go home and feel that I know how things are supposed to work. I want a break, even if it means giving up the comforts I've grown accostumed to in Senegal.
I look forward to being able to take the kids out and about and not have to worry if there will be a bathroom, changing table or high chair around. I'll be able to take my kids to parks, museums, the zoo, and so many other places that I used to take for granted.
It's not that I don't like it here in Senegal. I do. But I need a break. A break from negotiating every little detail--like how my tailor (normally very reliable) wants to jack up my prices and make me pay for his cab fare even though I'm almost certain he took the public transport to get to my house. Dealing with all the minutia of life here is boring and tedious, but it is what folks like to do here. I want to go where people are more efficient with their time and can cut to the chase. I want to prepare a meal for my family with ingredients like blueberries, portobello mushrooms, or salmon. I am so tired of apples and bananas and sorry, no mandarins this week or we don't know when we'll be getting grapes again. I want to binge on bing cherries, watermelon, peaches, kale, edamame, wild rice, turkey, tofu, sweet potatoes, Wisconsin cheddar, bagels, sour cream, raspberries, cream cheese, apricots, root beer, cottage cheese and so much more.
I want a reminder of all that I miss out on by living abroad. I hope it doesn't scare off my kids though. I know they will miss their home here in Senegal, their dad who won't be with us at the beginning, the staff that we see every day of the week, and Gusi will miss his friends. Still, I want a break; the heat is getting to me and flu pandemic or not, I want to go home and feel that I know how things are supposed to work. I want a break, even if it means giving up the comforts I've grown accostumed to in Senegal.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Need to Pay More Attention
When did that third tooth pop out? It's gotten out almost as much as the second one. Will keep an eye out for the fourth which is sure to come soon. Right?
Friday, May 1, 2009
It's Here!
The second tooth is finally here! I thought I felt it yesterday, but today I know it is definitely out. Also, today the baby took his first two crawling steps...does that make sense? Well, he crawled and then flopped on his belly and cried. The point is, he's moving around and is communicating more. I swear he can make the sign for "light" now, in a babbling sort of way, but I get it nonetheless. Brilliance, sheer brilliance.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Catch Up Time
Life has been hectic. So, here are the top ten things that have kept me from blogging for the last two months.
1. Gusi's birthday. Actually, birthdayS. He had two birthday parties, one at school and one at a park to celebrate with his non-school friends. The park party had a capoeira group, a pi~nata, pizza, appetizers, cake and party favors. The school party had the same thing minus the capoeira. I was bogged down but they both came off without a hitch.
2. My mom's "visit". For Christmas my husband asked me what we should get my mom. I said, a ticket back to Senegal! So we got her a ticket with frequent flyer miles and she was set to come for 10 days right around Gusi's birthday. Well, one week before her departure she was informed that after 15 years at the same company she was being laid off. We told her that she should stay with us as long as she could--she would get some rest and the children would be thrilled. So, she'll be here for a total of three months before going back to the US.
3. Lack of transport. We have one car and Papi has been super busy lately. Plus, my mom is here and she's delved right into Dakarois life. I find myself chauffeuring more than I ever thought possible. Now I get why mom's complain about carpooling.
4. Finding a new school for Gusi. His teacher will be leaving Dakar this summer, so I need to find a school for him. He got into several schools, but after observing some of the classes, I decided that I'm not entirely happy with any of them...not like I have been with his present school. I've put down deposits on two schools and will contemplate which is the best one over the summer.
5. Home search. We are going home for the summer and I've been busy looking for a place to plant our little bodies. Easier said than done. It will be expensive, so expensive that I keep rolling my eyes...the US is almost as expensive as Dakar!!!
6. Soccer. I mean football. Whatever. Gusi is big into his football classes. BIG into them. We go twice a week, but it has taken over our entire household. Cleats thrown in the corner, footballs all over the front porch, whistles being blown as Gusi pretends he's the coach. Football fever.
7. Teething. The baby is now teething. He gets himself all worked up and into a fit and finally calms himself down by knawing on his fingers. I've tried lots of tricks but it's just something he's going to have to get through. And yes, he's bitten me, and yes, it's happened while he was nursing, and yes, I yelled, and yes, I felt horribly guilty afterwards.
8. Papi's travels. I don't know if it's really so, but it feels like he's been traveling more and more lately. Of course, this throws Gusi off and he becomes more clingy and I just try to keep juggling our life.
9. Dinner dates. When our schedules permit, we like to get together with some friends of ours. They are a Kenyan-Swedish couple who love to eat out. The weird thing is that most of our friends don't go out for dinner that much. The ones without kids prefer to go dancing until the wee hours; but most with kids go out only occasionally. It's nice to chat with folks over a nice meal and a glass of wine.
10. Saying good-bye to friends. As is usual for this time of year, lots of folks are getting ready to move on to their next post. So, we're trying to figure out how to say good-bye--yet again. Gusi doesn't understand why one of his classmates is off to Bangladesh and another to Nigeria, but he just shrugs it off and goes with the flow. I suppose I should do the same.
1. Gusi's birthday. Actually, birthdayS. He had two birthday parties, one at school and one at a park to celebrate with his non-school friends. The park party had a capoeira group, a pi~nata, pizza, appetizers, cake and party favors. The school party had the same thing minus the capoeira. I was bogged down but they both came off without a hitch.
2. My mom's "visit". For Christmas my husband asked me what we should get my mom. I said, a ticket back to Senegal! So we got her a ticket with frequent flyer miles and she was set to come for 10 days right around Gusi's birthday. Well, one week before her departure she was informed that after 15 years at the same company she was being laid off. We told her that she should stay with us as long as she could--she would get some rest and the children would be thrilled. So, she'll be here for a total of three months before going back to the US.
3. Lack of transport. We have one car and Papi has been super busy lately. Plus, my mom is here and she's delved right into Dakarois life. I find myself chauffeuring more than I ever thought possible. Now I get why mom's complain about carpooling.
4. Finding a new school for Gusi. His teacher will be leaving Dakar this summer, so I need to find a school for him. He got into several schools, but after observing some of the classes, I decided that I'm not entirely happy with any of them...not like I have been with his present school. I've put down deposits on two schools and will contemplate which is the best one over the summer.
5. Home search. We are going home for the summer and I've been busy looking for a place to plant our little bodies. Easier said than done. It will be expensive, so expensive that I keep rolling my eyes...the US is almost as expensive as Dakar!!!
6. Soccer. I mean football. Whatever. Gusi is big into his football classes. BIG into them. We go twice a week, but it has taken over our entire household. Cleats thrown in the corner, footballs all over the front porch, whistles being blown as Gusi pretends he's the coach. Football fever.
7. Teething. The baby is now teething. He gets himself all worked up and into a fit and finally calms himself down by knawing on his fingers. I've tried lots of tricks but it's just something he's going to have to get through. And yes, he's bitten me, and yes, it's happened while he was nursing, and yes, I yelled, and yes, I felt horribly guilty afterwards.
8. Papi's travels. I don't know if it's really so, but it feels like he's been traveling more and more lately. Of course, this throws Gusi off and he becomes more clingy and I just try to keep juggling our life.
9. Dinner dates. When our schedules permit, we like to get together with some friends of ours. They are a Kenyan-Swedish couple who love to eat out. The weird thing is that most of our friends don't go out for dinner that much. The ones without kids prefer to go dancing until the wee hours; but most with kids go out only occasionally. It's nice to chat with folks over a nice meal and a glass of wine.
10. Saying good-bye to friends. As is usual for this time of year, lots of folks are getting ready to move on to their next post. So, we're trying to figure out how to say good-bye--yet again. Gusi doesn't understand why one of his classmates is off to Bangladesh and another to Nigeria, but he just shrugs it off and goes with the flow. I suppose I should do the same.
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