Guinguineo

I visited my permanent site this past week and it's awesome. I'm fairly central in the country in the Kaolack region. Guinguineo has about 30,000 people, but no one would guess it has that many. I feels much smaller than my hometown with a population of 6500. I have many options for work partners ranging from artisan groups, microfinance banks, a brand-new high school, a radio station, several boutiques and tailors, etc etc. Much that can be done. My new house is really nice with a lot of potential. I have a screened in porch, a *probably 15'x15' living room and likewise bedroom, and a bathroom. My host-dad, Pape Diop (though is called Pape Baye Fall or simply Baye Fall), is a butcher and spends a lot of his time grilling meat in his grill/stove. He has one wife who along with being a mom of three and house wife makes and sells soup. His mom also newly lives in the house too. There are three kids: Two girls, Ouly (4) and Soda (3); and one boy: Fallou (1). He is in the Baye Fall brotherhood/sect of Islam; and he doesn't pray 5x/day or fast during Ramadan (which works incredibly to my favor). He is super nice and fairly intelligent, so after I learn French better and Wolof I can have some nice conversations over the next two years without going crazy. All is well, save a day or two of not feeling up to par. Nothing major. I'm back in Thies right now until Saturday. Then it's back to Mboro for more language training for a while. Swearing in is in less than a month! I pick up my boubou (Google it. it's easier than explaining) from the tailor tomorrow (inchallah). It's silver bazin, and only cost 7000 (450 = 1 USD).