Whoa Crazy Update

Hello Readers,

SO MANY THINGS HAVE HAPPENED SINCE I LAST WROTE. it's insane, really.

So, My mother and sister came to visit and I showed them around Senegal. It was so fun being a host. I got to stay in a nice hotel in Dakar and take them to the touristy places like Goree Island and the renaissance statue. Then we went to St. Louis, Lompoul (camel riding!), Mbour (beach!), Kaolack (garbage!) and then finally my site, the good old Keur Madiabel. By the time we arrive in KM it was Tabaski time, the holiday where each family sacrifice's a sheep in honor of God's mercy towards Abraham about a zillion years ago. Anyway, no one in my family really knows what its about so we just have lots of sheep and call it a day. This year my family killed FOUR (4) sheep which was so much meat. I had Senegalese outfits made for my mom and sister and we all looked so funny dressed up after eating all that meat.

After that, I received an exciting text message from a friend letting me know that the Global Smile Foundation was doing a collaborative project with a Thies hospital to repair cleft lips. So I showed up in Thies, not knowing what to expect and I had the most amazing week of my service. The team that arrived in Senegal did an amazing job on 30 patients, even though all their equipment had been lost by the airline. I had the honor of helping out in the operating room (just like my good ol clinic days!), helping out in the office organizing photos (just like my good ol library days!) and translating occasionally. It was so inspirational to be able to help to change someone's life so drastically in such a short period of time. The American team used their own vacation time and money to be able to go on this mission and I felt so lucky to be able to talk to them about their experiences in the medical field both stateside and abroad. I can't wait to make medical missions part of my career.

Then I went to Dakar to finish a bunch of office work and to visit a friend who had recently moved into her apartment there. She has a gorgeous place that looks out over the ocean.

I just spent a few weeks in village and while I love everyone there, the kids find it impossible to leave me alone. I'm the designated kid washer now. :) So, I escaped my village and visited my neighbor, Jennie's, village where the kids didn't leave me alone there either. HA. I love the toddlers but I never realized the destruction they could leave in their paths.

I always feel like I'm in a frantic rush now that I only have a few months left of my service. I'm looking towards the future and getting ready, emotionally, to leave the home that I created for myself almost two years ago and create a new one, someplace else will a whole new cast of characters. I'll let you guys know how that goes.

I miss my readers and friends and I miss America. BYE BYE.