Senegal, or the 60 mile radius of Senegal that I have seen is one giant and continuous dust storm. Sand blows everywhere in gusts, coating arms, legs, and getting stuck in teeth. It’s certainly made interviewing people a challenge! The other day I was in the middle of a great dialogue with a Senegalese guy about the work he’s doing in a small village called Ngolla when two clumps of sand flew into my right eye – I could feel one grain on each side of my eyeball. Eyes draining wildly, and trying to blink out the dust particles, I tried to finish the interview. Challenging to say the least.
But in this land of dust and dryness, there are blasts of color. The women wear the most gorgeous colors. Head scarves frame the beautiful faces of men and women. Mango and other fruit trees burst green out of the dry, parched ground. What a beautiful country.
