I came, I saw, I ate

Alas, the prodigal daughter returned to America. Unfortunately, for those of you who didn't get a chance to pop over and visit, I am back in Senegal. However, being home was absolutely amazing despite my newly discovered oddities and socially unacceptable behavior. Upon going to Trader Joes with my mom, I managed to take pictures of the produce, hold a really awkward conversation regarding my food choices in Senegal and managed to do a double take every time I heard someone speaking english. News flash Sarah: everyone speaks english. But, in response to the awkward conversation with my mom, I really didn't think my food choices were so terrible until I got "the look" from her. Granted, I guess you could say that meat standards in Senegal and America are not quite equal. To be clear, Senegal has no meat standards. While in Trader Joes, lurking around the meat section and admiring how pretty it was (sounds strange, I know), I turned to my mom and asked:

Me- "So, you know how sometimes, the meat has that green stuff on the outside?"
Mom- (insert horrified look here) "No Sarah"
Me - "No, sometimes there is that green--"
Mom- "No. I dont." (another horrified look)

Then, she walked away from me. God help me, I actually thought that was normal! Despite a few minor set backs, like picking my nose in public, saying Alhumdoullilah in situations where no one else would understand, shooting dirty looks to people who hand me something with their left hand and eating salad with my hands, I managed to successfully convince people that I was a normal American girl. Alhumdoullilah (crap there I go again).

After a few days at home, I made the long trip down to Kentucky to stay with some friends. Hannah came in the second night, and like a true friend, embraced my awkwardness and went face first into a watermelon right along side of me. Apparently that is not a normal thing to do either. Kim also flew in the next morning, so it was off to the airport for bloody mary's and then some shopping with my girls. Since there were a few other friends coming in (Andrew and Tara I love you guys), we opted for a hotel rather than staying with friends again. Naturally, when the receptionist asked if we wanted two beds, we said yes. But.... since Louisville is stuck in 1950, we were surprised to walk in and find that our "2 beds" were actually 2 TWIN beds. We had 5 people. Anyone up for snuggling? Really louisville? Really?

But after a fun weekend, it was time to go back up to Chicago and freeze my butt off. Christmas was great, I got what every girl dreams of: a snuggie. What could be better you ask? Why a book light of course, thank god it came with one!

I have to say that the best part of my trip home was how clean everything is! Myself included, I didn't realize just how dirty living in a mud hut actually is until, well, I was not living in a mud hut. The first night, I went to bed and my mom tripped over a box in the hallway. She peeked her head in to make sure that she didn't wake me up and said I was smiling into my pillow mid- REM cycle.... If that doesn't tell you Americans have it lucky, I have no idea what is. You can sleep in beds!!!!! real beds!!! Mine in the village right now probably has a bush rat living in it. No kidding. Before I left, a giant creature (my guess being mutant rat) actually ate a hole through my water filter. That is some seriously hard, thick plastic people! Freakin mutant rat!!! I kept hearing it in the middle of the night and shining my flash light over to see it and it would jump up to the roof. Actually, it probably could have stepped up to the roof from my desk it was so huge. So yea, to answer your question, I'm looking forward to going back..... Bring it on parasites, looks like ill be drinking well water.

Any way, actually getting onto the plane was a challenge. I was dragged kicking and screaming onto the plane, Goose Island Honkers Ale in hand and refusing to step off the plane in Dakar until they put a starbucks somewhere. Ok so maybe thats an exaggeration, it was more like sulking as I got onto the plane and letting the man next to me buy wine until we almost emergency landed in Ireland. Geez. Despite the horrible turbulence, late flights and so on, i showed up in dakar looking sassy in my heels in beautiful 75 degree weather. Jealous? But tomorrow I am off to the village. Sira Ba returns, get ready Pakane. Your crazy toubab is back! 8 months and im done, crazy right! Yikes!