AUTHOR: Nancy TITLE: Dakar, Senegal DATE: 2/08/2009 11:58:00 AM ----- BODY:
(Sunday evening)

Leslie and I arrived in Dakar, Senegal this morning at 5am, were met by RELAX and taken to Chris and Jen's beautiful home. We're hosted by the Director of Peace Corps Senegal and our first day was absolutely perfect! This area reminds me of a dry Southern California in late summer with dust. We're on the southern edge of the Sahara and the weather is a perfect 70 with clear blue skies. We started the day around 11am with a visit to a local artisan market with wonderful bronze sculptures and paintings. t reminded me of the Blair Street open studios and if it not been too difficult to arrange, I would have bought some art too bring home.

After our tour, Chris took us to the beach for lunch…sauteed garlic shrimp and a green juice called something like Detox! We talked stoves for a bit and Chris' adopted son may be interested in starting a stove factory in the south eastern part of the country. They have good access to clay and the area is perfect for stove distribution.

After lunch, Pete and Daniel, two PCVs, came by to talk basket importing and Leslie gave them the advance information on the Peace Corps training session she's giving tomorrow near Thies (say Cheese). I learned quite a bit about accounting and import/export issues and in the meantime monitored Elke in Guatemala and her difficulties in contacting Gustavo in El Salvador.

By the end of the day I had heard from Don that an African stove had been molded, insulated bricks were being designed, and Elke had been found and was on her way to El Salvador. All of this and a potential factory site in Senegal combined to make my first day in Africa a great one!

It's about 8pm and I am turning off the computer while listening to a call to prayer in this beautiful Muslim country.

I wish you were all here to share my experiences!

Nancy

PS I'll be in Theis for the next four days before returning to Dakar, and I may not have internet services.

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