School is over. I’m not even kidding, there are no more classes. Last week we began what’s called the ISP period. It’s a staple of SIT programs around the world, and what sets them apart from other study abroad programs. For the next 4 weeks we’ll be conducting in-depth research on a subject matter of our choice. It’s cool because they really allow us to pick whatever topic we want to study, and support us in finding people who will be able to assist us in achieving the best possible final product. I chose to study the dynamics of slam poetry here in Senegal and what role it plays from an artistic, social, and cultural perspective. I’ll also be using a combination of my own spoken word and photography to try and capture the essence of different Senegalese themes, and I’ll have a presentation for the group when we reconvene in a month. I’m really excited about it. Most people who know me know how much I love slam poetry, and photography is something I’ve really gotten into a lot since being here. So I’m looking forward to using both of those to try and convey what my experience here has been like.
Speaking of spoken word, last week I went to a slam for the first time here at one of the many culture centers that can be found within Dakar. I actually wasn’t even aware that there was a slam poetry culture here until my Senegalese brother (who had watched some of my performances on my computer) showed me a flyer for a competition that was being held that weekend.
Going into the show I really didn’t know what to expect. The slam itself was held in the courtyard of the cultural center surrounded by all type of greenery and lots of sunlight. Definitely a different feel than the dimly-lit café, spoken word scene found in New York. Unlike back home, here the competitors in the slam are determined a week before the actual event takes place. There were ten competitors, but there was an open mic portion between each one. I was surprised by the mélange of languages that were used in the poems, and enjoyed how it added a new dynamic to my experience there. There were poems in Wolof, French, Arabic, English, and everywhere in between. Even though I couldn’t always understand what people were saying, I move still be moved by their pieces. It’s hard to explain but I guess that one of the beauties of spoken word.
As the show was winding down, the host asked for someone to come up and spit a poem between the second to last and last competitors. I had no intention of going up on stage at all, but my brother took my hand out of my pocket and raised it into the air, signaling to the host that I wanted to go on. Before I knew what was going on, I was on stage, standing in front of about a hundred people looking up at me anxiously. I decided that I might as well go for it, and recited one of my poems. This was the first time that I’ve felt nervous when performing any of my poems. I guess it’s usually because I know that I’ll be performing beforehand, but this time I was literally on stage before I could even realize what was going on. After I was done though, I was given a standing ovation, and the director of some publishing company in Dakar gave me his card and asked me to call him. It was one of the most surreal experiences of my life.
As I mentioned in my last post, I moved out of my homestay last week. I now live in a house with my friends Avery, Aurora, Lizzy, Clare, and Sally. It’s a three bedroom, two bathroom, with a kitchen, and nice courtyard. Plus, it came fully furnished and all of our utilities are covered in the down payment. It’s only 10 minutes from my homestay family and is centrally located so we’re not too far from anything in the city. It’s different having to cook for myself but I enjoy it. I make a lot of pasta, rice, and grilled chicken because they’re all pretty simple.
On Saturday night, we all went to a hip-hop concert that was being held in one of the parks near our house. The place was packed, and even though I couldn’t understand the guys rapping in Wolof, the beat was dope and we had a good time.
Easter in Senegal was a cool experience as well. I went to a Senegalese mass with my friend Megan from the program. The mass was scheduled to start at 9:30, didn't actually start until 10:30, and lasted until 1:30. So despite the fact that I was sitting there for over four hours, I had a good time. The sermon was in both Wolof and French, there was drumming, dancing, singing, and seemingly every woman in the place catching the holy ghost in the middle of the aisle.
The entire ISP period is setup in a pretty relaxed way. I actually feel like summer has started already. I’m living in a house with friends, going to the beach, and studying spoken word and photography in another culture. Doesn’t get much better than that.
On another note, I got an internship offer to work with the World Water Organization in New York this summer. It’s an organization that works with the UN and other NGO’s to promote water sustainability in impoverish regions of the world. I think it’d be a really cool opportunity so if I don’t here back from anything else in the next week or so I’ll probably accept the position. If anybody has got a place to stay or extra room in New York City this summer let me know. I’m on the look out.
It’s crazy that I’ll be back home in a month, and even crazier that I’ll be a senior in college. Ba benen yoon.
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