The students are about to board their flight to JFK. What a wonderful treat to have them this semester! We know how much you must have missed them. Thank you for sharing their wonderful minds and spirits with us!!!...Read More
Dear Fall 2018 West Africa Semester Families, It is hard to believe that 3 months have passed since your student embarked on this incredible adventure! It won’t be long until students will be boarding their planes back home. We are sure you are......Read More
I’m attempting to bottle up Senegal. Squeeze it Shove it into my suitcase Slip it in among t-shirts or new taille basses So When I return home I can lay it out And say, “This is it, Here it is”, Senegal. I’ll spread it out......Read More
We took on roles in x-phase that revolved around supporting the well being of the group. Shelter, water, health, and upholding relationships with the community are pivotal on any semester course. As Tawkat, the group relied on Shannon to make sure......Read More
Our journey as Borom Xaalis was significant because of our different roles. This allowed us to lean on each other in various times, pooling our skill sets. Kyle helped Chris with conversation factors, for example. Kyle took the initiative to arrange......Read More
Defowo is a very demanding job. you have to feed 15 people, including yourself, 3 meals a day plus snacks. Also this group needs a lot of snacks. You’re in charge of a lot. luckily we had Saliou who could assist us in coordinating meals,......Read More
In my journey throughout Temento Samba, it was a complete blur of beauty. It went by so fast, I never knew it was possible to create a bond so fast compared too my first homestay which was 2 weeks longer. It’s even sweeter because I have a......Read More
During the first week of our semester, our instructor Cam introduced us to six word memoirs. Sitting in the round tower, on the woven mat, in the breeze of Mouit, we learned that sometimes you only need six words to capture a moment, memory, or......Read More
I had a lot of free time in Temento Samba, not having my guitar–the greatest time consumer for me next to Netflix and Youtube. In between visiting friends, I ended up reading a lot. The free time compells me to read, and I had access to the......Read More
I’m sitting under a mango tree, staring at a cow. In none other of my homes could I do this. In this home, I walk through other people’s yards to get home. As I walk, I pass by smiling faces and joyful calls of, “Dienabu!”, my name in this......Read More
The U.S.A is a place of wonder for my homestay family in Temento Samba and it seemed odd to me that they found it to be such. During my free time with my family I talked a lot about my life in the U.S.A with current political conflicts,......Read More
The sun creeps into my hut through the cracks in the door. I can hear the faint sound of the morning news coming from my family’s radio. The sing-songy Pulaar is quickly interrupted by the crow of a rooster, signaling that it is time to wake up.......Read More
I’ve been leaving parts of myself behind in Senegal. I left a bra in Mouit. The brand new crocodile earring that disappeared into the sand one night in Dene. I’ve lost endless, endless strands of hair. A lens cap in the mountains of Ibel. A......Read More
Getting some data from a mountain top! Students (our “new iteam”) are rockin’ X-Phase. On the first day, we traveled into Guinea and an already long travel day turned longer when our car needed some minor repairs. Rather than being......Read More
Your new I-team (the students are taking over!),
Participant
Hello loyal readers! X-phase (student-led expedition phase) is here and the students are taking over as our favorite I-team is finally getting the rest they deserve. As we crossed the border from Senegal to Guinea, the landscape is beautiful, the......Read More
Hi friends and family! Just a reminder that we are traveling to Guinea Nov 18-Nov 28 for our student-led expedition. Connectivity is difficult so we will most likely be without Internet during this time. Our two weeks in Temento Samba went too......Read More