Hello Clarice…

Deciding for sure, a week before ISP starts that I was going to stay in Dakar was really stressing me out. When possible I like to have details planned out so this was driving me crazy. Now, because I had thought I was going to be leaving Dakar, the group of people staying in Dakar had figured out that they'd be a group of 4 and they'd get a two bedroom apartment. Nice for them. Anyway I can't join the group because 5 people in a two bedroom would be a bit tight, and five people in a three bedroom would be a bit expensive. This leaves me to find my own lodgment, which will be kinda lonely.

So apparently Papis, the office assistant, has a cousin who lives in Kedougou, but lives here too, and he is like a room finder—I guess he works on commission to find rooms and apartments (mostly, I think, for us Americans). Anyway Karim was helping me and another girl look for apartments or rooms. This is where you say "wait wait, if you're both looking for a place to stay why don't you share a small apartment, that'd be cheaper!" to which I'd reply "thank you!!! I agree completely". Anyway apparently the other girl is very set on being on her own. Something about she doesn't like to mix friends and living situations. So Karim is helping us both look. The other girl actually ends up renting Karim's room from him, but his whole family is there too and the neighborhood is far from school—so I didn't really want it.

I was really worrying that I wasn't going to find anything seeing as it was Friday before we start ISP on Tuesday. GARRR. Luckily one of the two boys on the program lives in a host family that also rents rooms to travelers and students have rented rooms there during ISP before. Perk: wifi and food included. downside: he'd still be there in his "family" and I'd be a boarder. But it was a good back up option. For our "budget" we are looking to spend around 100,000 CFA for housing, this place would have been 150,000 CFA but INCLUDED at least one meal—therefore a really good deal.

Friday, Karim stops by school and says he has a room for me to look at. It's in Point E (the same neighborhood as school—also one of the fanciest neighborhoods) and we can go check it out. This is where I meet Clarice. (it's unclear whether this is really her name or if this is her "western" name, people tend to introduce themselves using names like: Pierre, Elisabeth, or Gerald). Anyway, Clarice has crazy hair. I am sure that she is not crazy but if you were to judge her from her hair alone you'd say "whoa that lady is crazy" and by 'crazy' I mean legitimately loony. But she's a very nice lady from what I can tell so far and her house is really nice.

She lives there with her brother (from what I can gather). I can't be certain, because I wasn't listening that closely, but I think she said her husband comes in the evenings—leading me to assume it's a polygamous marriage. So she showed me "my room" and it's fine. She was talking about moving the huge armoire in but I was thinking, "I've been living out of my suitcase for two months, I think the dresser is fine!!" so I don't think she'll be putting the armoire in my room. There is also a mini fridge in my room—not sure it works—and it looks like it's from 1973. The bathroom is SO nice. Exciting that 1) there is a "chaise Anglaise" (English Chair= porcelain toilet) 2) there is a BATHTUB!! 3) there is a bidet <--probably won't use it but it reinforces my attempt to explain the fanciness.

Moving in on Tuesday.