It is Saturday, July 5th and I have still been sick for about a week now. I no longer have traveler’s diarrhea but instead, I suffer from a digestive problem that could be serious since I have not gone to the bathroom for an extended period of time. I have also suffered an acute, lower abdominal pain, occasional fits of fever, and other symptoms. It was getting pretty painful Thursday night so I cancelled some research plans on Friday to go to the doctor, who prescribed me two medications. I also was blood-tested at a laboratory, the results of which will be available soon. I will be returning to my doctor on Monday. I really hope whatever this is goes away soon so I can continue my research project and explore this country. Until then, I am resting at home.

After a busy couple of days, I planned to rest all day on Sunday, June 29th. This was a quiet, important day for Senegal as the local political elections converged with the beginning of Ramadan. Leading up to the elections, caravans full of political volunteers marched through the neighborhoods every day from dawn to 2 A.M., blasting music and chanting slogans. On Sunday, all that noise finally ended with a day of peaceful voting to elect the new mayor and district legislators. The commencement of Ramadan, the annual month of fasting for Muslims, also marked an important change in daily routine. Since 95% of the country’s population practices Islam, the holiday slows down everything in the country. During a typical day, one wakes up at dawn to pray and then fasts until dusk while living his or her normal life. Someone I recently met choreographs modern dance routines for a living and he will be doing his usual 6 hours of rehearsal per day in 90 degree weather without any water. In addition to fasting, adherents pray 5 times a day and do some sort of charity work. The more I read up on Islam and talk to the people who practice it, I realize just how little the average American knows about the fastest growing religion in the world. When one takes the time to learn its fundamental values, he or she would realize that it shares plenty of similarities with Christianity and Judaism including beliefs in a higher being, prophets and angels, as well as values of love, generosity and steadfast devotion. There’s still a lot more for me to learn and I feel disappointed in my public school’s failure to instill in me the basics of a religion to which over 1 billion people in this world devote their lives.

I have been blessed with tremendous people, resources, and immersion opportunities on this trip but not everything has been rosy. In addition to the research-specific challenges I described in an earlier post, walking 50 minutes everyday to commute to and from the research center in 90 degrees, sunny weather has not been pleasant. What makes the heat here different from the US is the notoriously unhealthy amount of pollution and dust in Dakar as well as the consistently 80%+ humidity due to the rainy season.  Also, power outages are very common in Dakar and the electricity shuts off in my home at least once or twice a day. Yet, all of these are inconveniences at best. 

On Sunday, I encountered my first real challenge. In the middle of the day, I suddenly fell sick with food poisoning and traveler’s diarrhea. Staying home all day, I had to go to the bathroom handfuls of times and it was tough to walk around. I am still not sure exactly what I have but I believe it is likely the vegetables or eggs in my home-stay meal since I heard almost everyone traveling here is bound to get food poisoning at least once. After taking antibacterial medicine for three days, I feel better but my stomach and intestines area still hurts. Apart from physical sickness, I sometimes find myself homesick for my friends, family, and communities in Chicago and Northwestern. With Wi-Fi readily available from my room, it is easy to get distracted and feel that I am missing out from a simpler, more enjoyable summer. Then, I remind myself that I am living through the ups and downs of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Kenny

One of the best parts about doing an independent research project has been befriending graduate students and learning about their research projects and their lives. Almost everyday, I am able to meet someone new at the cultural center or research center. People come through at a wide variety of stages in their lives and for a wide variety of purposes including a Columbian woman who has worked for multiple human rights NGO’s, a theater student choreographing a contemporary Senegalese dance piece, and American public school teachers learning the indigenous language Wolof to teach to their students. They are impressive global citizens who work on the front lines of human rights, education, and academia. They are also really fun to go out with. I have experienced the city with them as the token undergrad, surfing by the Ngor beach and attending an international music concert at the French Institute. The other main group of people I have been fortunate to meet are 11 undergrad students in a study abroad program for Virginia Tech. They have included me in their social gatherings and the professor has allowed me to tag along when they do cultural immersion trips throughout the city. This past Saturday, we went to the historical tourist attraction called Gorée Island, which was a holding place for slaves in the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

My surfing instructor and I

Yoff Beach

Gorée Island

Slave House: Up to 40 people would be held in this small room

Slave House

In addition to the friends I have met through the centers, my home-stay family has provided a comfortable source of companionship. In Senegal, “family” colloquially includes one’s relatives and family friends. My new family is no exception: there is <<Papa>> who lives in the top floor and almost never comes down, <<Mama>> who lives in the second floor, their son Moctar who is at least 40 years old, Moctar’s wife, Moctor’s new-born baby, two maids who do most of the housework, and two laid-back, middle-aged renters who are not blood-related but still treated as part of the family. One of them, Sanou, took my new friends and me out to experience the nightlife this past weekend. Side note: People dance more conservatively, love jazz/reggae, and often begin their nights at 2 AM. Finally, two other foreigners live in the house as home-stay students: an American girl my age and a German guy five years older than me. Despite the number of people, I can enjoy the privacy of my own room. 

Home

Living Room of my homestay (and baby Mohammed sleeping)

It is funny to think about how anxious I was about traveling alone before the trip started. Thus far, I am extremely grateful for the people and the resources I have with me and I am looking forward to experiencing more.

L’Institut Français: holds concerts and other events for foreigners

Concert at L’Institut Français

Senegalese art

With my first full week in the books, I can say that I have settled well into Dakar and I like this place a lot. I began taking French classes at the Baobab Cultural Center and working on my research project at the West African Research Center. First, I should describe some details of my project: My research examines the distant relationship between youth and formal political actors in Senegal since the 2012 presidential elections. Leading up to the elections, the incumbent President of 12 years, Abdoulaye Wade, attempted to change the constitution in his favor which led to massive protests throughout civil society called Mouvement de 23 juin (M23). It rallied all aspects of Senegalese society including social organizations, youth, major opposition parties, and the unemployed. An integral part of M23, a group called Y’en a marre successfully utilized hip-hop and organized rallies to channel youth discontent into effective political aims including voter registration of youth. With over 100 political parties in existence, political coalitions often solidify around charismatic leaders rather than generational values. This kind of plurality poses a weakness to Senegal’s democracy because the common people e.g. young people have trouble identifying with the parties, which have a monopolized influence over economic and social policy. I find this topic important because Senegal is heralded as a model of peaceful democracy for other African countries yet faces these deep-rooted issues of democratization. In addition, youth is one of the hot topics in African academia as they comprise over 50% of the populations of several African countries yet they face disproportionate consequences of economic hardship. My project consists of two parts:

1. 1. Interviews of party officials that ask about their attitudes and strategies concerning youth as a political entity.
2. 2. A written survey comprising 25 multiple choice questions, asking randomly selected youth in 6 to 8 neighborhoods throughout the city of Dakar about their opinions of the events of 2012 and of the government in general.

Thus far, the independent research process and the pace of Senegalese society have presented unfamiliar challenges. I’m only two weeks out of a busy schedule at Northwestern, where academic, extra-curricular, and social activities never seemed to stop. Here, the pace is slower and people never seem to schedule work appointments or social gatherings days ahead of time. Instead, locals tend to schedule their days hours ahead of time so my adviser suggested that I call them and remind them about a meeting a couple hours beforehand. When someone says “let’s meet at 2 PM,” it almost always means I will actually meet him or her at 2:30 or 3 PM. More generally, I already see that my weakness for procrastination will be challenged. With an independent research project in a foreign country, I do not have any specific deadlines nor anybody here to oversee my project’s progress step-by-step. Already having prepared my interviews and survey, I need to finish editing my material, talk to locals who are involved in politics, and find a translator with a reasonable price tag. This can occur at a slow pace because people have different schedules and other priorities. For example, the center was slow to set up my French classes because a study abroad program of 10 students had just arrived. It has been difficult to solicit prompt responses from political leaders whom I’ve established a relationship with.

My most daunting tasks are finding a survey tablet and hiring a translator at affordable prices. The tablet provides an accessible method of retrieving data as most respondents would not want to take the effort to complete a written survey. In addition, I have discovered an Android application that automatically stores and analyzes the data. I originally bought a tablet in the US for a cheap price but for one reason or another, it was missing from my main luggage when I arrived. In addition to the tablet, a translator will be crucial for facilitating discussion with research subjects and advising me of important cultural and logistical factors. I had originally set aside about $600 for 2 weeks of fieldwork, but the standard price at the research center is $600 dollars for 2 days. Because of this price, I have temporarily decided to forgo the party official interview portion of my research and focus on my youth survey, especially since party officials are extremely hard to track down. Despite the challenge, I have been afforded different options due to the help of various people. My new friend, a graduate student, has let me borrow his iPad that he doesn’t use and I will see if there is an application as good as the Android one. If not, my French professor is willing to sell me his Android tablet for a cheap price. As far as the translator, I will look for him or her outside of the research center’s purview. Today, I am meeting with a professor in the nearby public university who should be able to connect with graduate students who may want to assist me. The process can be slow and challenging, but I am also encouraged by the progress I have seen from being persistent and focused on my goals. By diligently editing my material, establishing new contacts, and maintaining old ones, things should work out in the end.

In my next post, I will describe other aspects of my trip including fun excursions and the great new people I have befriended.

The Baobab Cultural Center

 

About four days have past since I arrived in Dakar and I feel like I’ve been here for weeks. Since I essentially arrived on a Friday morning, I was able to enjoy the weekend activities that occured throughout the city. On my first night, I joined my roommate on a night out at a jazz club. Little did I know that he was a musician with over 12,000 views on his YouTube videos, equivalent to hundreds of thousands in USA, and planned to perform that night. The music I heard at the club is best defined as acoustic jazz with a mix of traditional and modern instruments.

Professional Wrestling Match

Later that night, I attended the biggest music festival of the summer, La fête de la musique. Featuring the most famous Senegalese artists, the event took place in a downtown plaza on a large stage in front of at least 3,000 attendees.

On Sunday, I returned to the airport to thankfully retrieve my luggage and I watched both the Korea and USA World Cup matches at a local bar.

Tomorrow, I begin my work. For now, I love this place.

Free Concert at the Plaza Other pics:   Goats on the sidewalks that I’ve almost walked into several times

Artisans

View from the roof of my home

I arrived safe and sound in Dakar last night after 30 hours of traveling. This ordeal included a 2.5 hour delay from a Chicago storm, a rescheduled flight in Europe, layovers through Belgium and Portugal, and a lost luggage. It is unfortunate that I do not have my main luggage but apparently, this happens all the time with the Portuguese airline I used and I should expect the bag to arrive tomorrow (fingers crossed). As I myself at the Senegalese airport at 1 AM local time without my luggage nor a working phone to call the my pick-up person, my first few minutes in Africa was less than ideal. But through the help of strangers, I found my liaison from the Baobab Cultural Center and took a taxi to my home-stay, where my new <<Mama>> graciously showed me my room. Since most of my toiletries were lost along with my bag, I could not take a real shower nor brush my teeth after 30 hours of traveling. Still, I was grateful to at least rinse and fall asleep safely.

My first full day in Senegal has been great. With the help of the Center, I was able to buy toiletries at the grocery store, withdraw money from the bank, and buy a cheap cell phone. I had my first Senegalese meal prepared by my home-stay mother: a delicious mixture of hot rice, beans, fish, beef and vegetables. Some cultural norms that I am already becoming accustomed to include J-walking the highway and constantly hearing prayers projected through speakers at nearby mosques.

Despite the travel chaos and foreign atmosphere, I find myself as happy as I have ever been in recent years. After working hard and waiting for this trip for months, I feel great to finally live in this country on my own. This coming week, I will finish settling in, begin taking language courses at the cultural center, and establish my partnership with the West African Research Center.

A meal prepared by my home-stay mother

The highway I must j-walk everyday to commute

Friends, family and colleagues,

I am not really a blog person but I decided to do one this summer because I will be traveling to Africa on my own for the next two months (June 18 – August 14). This is my first time in Africa and my first time traveling on my own. Although I have established key contacts and resources, I will be going without any family, friends, or fellow Northwestern undergraduates. So, I figured it would be best to consolidate my experiences in one place for everyone to read.

What am I doing exactly?

I will spend the next two months in Senegal, the Francophone West African country, to conduct fieldwork on an independent research project concerning youth and politics. I will be examining the relationship between youth and political parties in the aftermath of a widespread protest movement two years ago that helped oust the incumbent President of 12 years. In the capital city of Dakar, I will be interviewing party officials and surveying young people on their political opinions. Affiliated with Northwestern, the West African Research Center will support me with a home-stay program, research equipment, and important connections.

Aeriel View of Dakar, the capital city

Y’en a marre, the protest movement that gripped the nation two years ago

Why am I doing this?

1. Growing up in an affluent New Jersey suburb, there has always been a part of me that has wanted to escape the privileges and luxuries of the developed world. In a tightly structured routine of work, activities, and play, it is easy to forget the experiences of people outside your bubble. This summer, I am looking forward to navigate through an entirely different society with different languages (ie. Wolof, French), different practices (ie. 95% Muslim population), and different habits. My entire life has been guided by a desire to meet new people and to have new experiences. After 18 years in the East Coast, I have been introduced to a new home in Chicago and the Midwest. This summer, I will be introduced to another region of the world and forced out of my comfort zone in new ways.

My home for 17 years

2. Originally, I pursued this experience without any knowledge of the research process. Someone recommended the Undergraduate Research Grant Office (URG) because I did not want to attend a typical study abroad trip nor pay the $5,000 sticker-price of programs like the Global Engagement Studies Institute. Instead, the idea of forming my own academic project and getting paid for it sounded both interesting and challenging. Since December, I have taken classes related to my project, read independent material about the global political economy, and talked to dozens of faculty and professors. At an expected slow pace and with unexpectedly fortunate turns, I narrowed my geographic focus to the country of Senegal and my research topic to youth mobilization. In April, I successfully received the grant and one month later, I received supplemental funding from the Program of African Studies. This project has not only been the longest and most fulfilling one I have taken on, but it has also provided me a new attitude of examining and analyzing problems through sound theoretical frameworks.

RESEARCH

It is about 6 AM on Wednesday June 18th, and in 12 hours I will be getting on a plane from Chicago to Dakar, Senegal with a layover in Belgium. I would be lying if I told you that I am not scared. This trip will have its fair share of challenges: the language barrier, culture shock, and homesickness to name a few. But I remind myself that no other internship, job, vacation, or time at home could live up to these exciting two months that lie ahead of me.