I thought the key-sized cockroach who lives in our staircase had permanently (and somewhat magically) relocated to our balcony, where Pablo had whacked it with something and sent it to die on the sand below. Alas, my joy was short-lived. I was running down the stairs last night to get Tom from the airport and who do I run into but my old friend the roach. Just chilling on the steps, all cool and key-sized. Like those keys that open castles, not little scooters or teenage diaries.
This weekend also featured some sort of mutant fly that had sprouted extra long back legs and had super strength. I have a picture, but I will spare you. What will next week bring?
My camera disappeared from the office, so I’ve been recycling older pictures for the past few weeks. This one, taken by Jo-Lind, is one of my favourites of late: Clémence clutching her bowl of Corn Flakes and looking like she’s reading Roberto Bolaño.
Plans for tomorrow include a long screaming match with a 100-kg woman from the Ministry (not pictured). I remember Sonia, after her visit to Madame Mb., saying over and over ah, Senegalese women… they sure are strong! But I will not be coerced. I refuse to back down.
Over the weekend, the neighbourhood celebrated the baptême of Bousso Fall’s baby. As Jo-Lind said, if you judge by the loudness and length of the party, he must be the new messiah of Yoff Ngaparou. We never saw the baby, but had first row tickets to all dancing, praying and singing ceremonies, since they all took place in the patch of sand in front of our house. For the first hour we tried to stay inside and tune out the thumping music, but after a bit Pablo came over and we had to join in. I thought we were being graceful dancers but video evidence has proved me wrong. Who would have thought.
From BBC News:
Senegal's national assembly has amended the country's constitution to allow the trial of Chad ex-leader Hissene Habre.Mr Habre, dubbed "Africa's Pinochet", is accused of human rights abuses during his eight years in power.
He has been living in exile in Senegal's capital under nominal house arrest since fleeing Chad in 1990.
Bird's eye view of a refugee world:
Google Earth's new mapping programme takes you on a virtual reality tour with the UN refugee agency of some of the world's major displacement crises and the humanitarian efforts aimed at helping the victims.
Hm… wondering how we can use this for work as well…
We spent our Sunday at Malick’s house, the usual way: eating, cooking, and then eating some more. Ndieme and her daughters helped us make tortilla; one of the only times when everybody’s been supportive of my drowning everything in oil.
It’s been a quiet week. I was on mission in Bissau until Thursday, then Independence Day was off, then the weekend, and today our office is moving. All our computers and documents were in boxes, so I spent the day working from home. This webmail thing is somewhat of a mixed blessing: it is handy, but I find it hard not to check my work email every five minutes, even at 10 pm. I can’t disconnect.
From BBC News:
A former slave is suing Niger's government, accusing it of failing to implement laws against slavery introduced in 2003.[...]
The government says it has done all it can to eradicate the practice and says the problem has been exaggerated.
