My first solo "djebu jen"

this is Brook and Balla Diallo.

Brook's brother from his village in Peace Corps has come to visit. He came in last night. Today I made my first local 'djebu jen' without a Senegalese looking over my shoulder correcting me. It was fun to do, but I was nervous! Instead of rice and sauce, I made it with fonio. I sure do love fonio. It's just like moroccan cous-cous but Better!

We invited Binta and Ouli over as well. Luckily I realized before I put the fish in the oil that I needed to take the scales off the fish. Whew. that was quick. Although I forgot to take the skin off the manioc. Binta and Ouli gave me 19/20 points on presentation and taste (they are good friends so you can take their grading with a grain of salt) because I forgot to take the skin off the manioc. I gave them ice-cream blizzards afterwards. A bit of Americana for the heat, plus Senegalese don't really do desserts so the Americans had to come in and save the day. haha

Binta's restaurant is going really well. We ordered pizza from her place tonight. Right now Brook is talking with his 'brother' Balla. I guess he wants to travel to the states or another occidental country. It's a request for help we get all the time, actually. And no matter how many times or how we state the truth that we have no magic card to get someone overseas, they don't understand. I guess everyone thinks we have enough money or clout (ha) to make it happen. Also they believe that things work overseas as they do here: through social capital. As we know, they do not!

Our friend Omar, the chauffeur who drives me to Dakar. He wants to go to the states so bad he can taste it. And both Brook and I have told him that we have no say in the whole visa process. We also try and tell our friends that the US or the occidental is not some panacea and it's just different. yes on one level you can make a lot of money, but there are many things that you give up. Comparative social isolation is the biggest issue. How you live, how you interact in teh states (or how we don't) and that how it's so lonely and difficult for cultures that spend all their time 'around people' with little to no need for private time. Most people don't believe you, or worse give you a look as if to say you're trying to discourage them for trying to get ahead. The answer for so many people here is just getting overseas and make a lot of money, but to explain actual life and its expenses doesn't really translate. It's a no-win situation and I'd better get back in the living room to support Brook in his response to Balla.