Hi all! For this post I had my PCV friend Anna from the north give some information about what it's like to live in the North, and she also gives a little information about living in a city!
The Fuuta refers to the northern regions of Senegal, where I have been living
for the past 10 months. I am a Peace Corps health volunteer and my name is Anna
Adams, though my family here calls me by my given Senegalese name, Halimata Sow.
Specifically, the city I live in, Ourossogui, is in the northeastern region of Matam only
about 10 miles away from the Mali border.
Although Senegal is roughly the size of the state of South Carolina, the northern
and southern regions of the country vary greatly. The most notable difference is the
climate. Whereas the southern region has a lush, moist and tropical climate, the north is
a dry desert landscape with temperatures that regularly exceed 110 degrees Fahrenheit
during the summer months. Multiple showers in a day are very important! There is
minimal vegetation due to the sandy soil and rain only occurs for one month out of the
entire year. Sand storms are also a frequent event throughout the spring and into the
month of June.
My site is also different from the traditional Peace Corps site since I live in
a fairly large city with a population of around thirty thousand people. Unlike many
volunteers, I have electricity and running water from a spigot on a daily basis, though
usually not for the entire day, especially during the hot season. Due to the heat, water
shortages and power outages are common. The city is divided into 11 neighborhoods,
each with a chief de quartier that serves as a community leader. There are two main
national paved roads that run through the city and smaller unpaved sand roads throughout
the neighborhoods. Along the main road, many sellers set up stalls to sell fruits, sandals,
and other household goods. There is also a mayor’s office, daily market, and small one-
room stores that sell food products, hardware goods, and cleaning products. Even though
my city is large, there are no chain grocery or clothing stores. All produce and meats are
purchased at the daily market and for clothing, people usually buy meters of fabric to
be taken to a tailor. The city also offers recreational activities and every summer there
is a soccer league that takes place at the local stadium with teams representing all the
neighborhoods. My city also has five schools, eleven mosques, a youth center, hospital,
and radio station.
The northern culture is a unique blend of Senegalese customs and Muslim
religious traditions, which is reflected in their daily lives. The kids in my family attend
Koranic School, where they study the holy book of Islam the Koran, to receive a religious
education in addition to elementary school. Both men and women are also more reserved
in their dress, for example, long pants and skirts past the knees are required despite the
heat. Shorts are only acceptable when exercising or participating in a sport activity.
But don’t let the harsher climate, sand storms, and more restrictive dress code
scare you. The Fouta is my home and I really do enjoy it here. My family and most
people in my region are ethnically pulaar and speak a dialect of pulaar that resembles
the language spoken in the south. Pulaars are fun, outgoing, and welcoming people that
above all believe in respect and “teddungal” (hospitality). A guest will always be invited
to stay for lunch and three cups of tea will be served after the meal as another sign of
hospitality.
Traditionally pulaars are herders tending to cattle, sheep, or goats. Since I live
in a larger urban city there are many herder families, as well as those that own food
stalls, shops, or work as clothing tailors or mechanics. Even if a family does not work
as herders, they may still own several cows or sheep as a financial investment to be sold
later or eaten at a holiday celebration. The frequent presence of cattle also allows for milk
production and one of my favorite treats, kosam. Kosam is a sweetened milk drink served
cold or over ice similar to frozen yogurt or a milkshake. It is by far the best thing to get
you through a hot day in the Fuuta.
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