Dakar, Senegal

Why I chose to go to Senegal: Ever since I learned about Kalamazoo’s Senegal program, I knew that I wanted to go there. The program combines many of my interests: the desire to improve my level of spoken French, the desire to learn more about the challenges facing peoples of third world or developing countries, and the desire to live in a tropical climate. In addition, I have wanted to experience what it can be like to be a racial minority.

What I identified as the greatest challenges facing me as I began my study abroad program: Senegalese culture is so strikingly different from American culture in almost all aspects of daily life; it is likely that many little things will end up being great challenges. It will be challenging, too, to explain my spiritual beliefs to people in Senegal; I don’t belong to a religion, something that is practically unheard of in Senegal, and is possibly looked down upon. Getting used to the different roles of women, to relationships between men and women, and to being a racial minority should all be both interesting and difficult at times.

My ICRP: Life at the Jeweler’s “El Hadji Malick Sow”

I am apprenticing at a jewelry shop located in the main artisans’ village in Dakar, Senegal. All of their jewelry is hand made and designed by the artisans.

I spend approximately 15 hours per week at the bijouterie (jewelry shop). I observe the artisans at work, learning all of the steps that go into making many different styles of jewelry; I eating lunch around the communal bowl with this, my “second Senegalese family;” I have the opportunity to practice and improve my Wolof language skills; I learn more about Senegalese culture through conversations with the jewelers; I help sell jewelry to English-speaking customers, etc. Not only am I learning how to make beautiful, intricate silver jewelry by hand, but I am also learning a tremendous amount about the lives of Senegalese people—their culture, their everyday life, their joys and their struggles. I feel truly blessed to have been surrounded by such caring, intelligent, curious, and helpful people

See contact page to arrange a speaking engagement.

Read excerpts from my letters home.