Softball and baskets…again

It’s been a little while since I’ve written, but all is well here.  I had an extra long stay in Dakar that involved my mid-service physical, a visit with a high ranking Peace Corps official, softball, and shipping baskets.  Softball has become perhaps my favorite thing about Dakar region.  Once every 2 weeks, we get together and play in a recreational league against other expats and some Senegalese teams.  Being by far the least advantaged team on the field (we are usually barefoot and more often than not, a few too many beers in…), I’m happy to say that we’re sitting on a 3-1 record so far.  I guess talent and youth can prevail over dedication.  These games usually go on throughout the winter and culminate the week before WAIST, when we will be in the playoffs, inch Allah . First picture is of my previously nearest neighbor, Daniel, hitting a line drive to center field.  Second picture is Cruger (left), congratulating my stage mate Ankith (right) on a run scored.

 

The work portion of my trip included an 18 hour debacle that was the packing of our container.  As stated in my previous post, our baskets were done and ready to be sent to Dakar for packing and shipping.  Our U.S buyer had asked that a volunteer be at the location of the packing to oversee the process, which I would have done even if she didn’t ask. Through a combination of miscommunication and ineptitude on the part of the containers supervisor, I found myself in Rufisque (a far out suburb of Dakar, seen here in the first picture) at 6:30AM last Thursday for no good reason.  With 3 large trucks full of baskets on the way (or so I thought), one of them made a quick stop to pick me up and take me to where the container actually was.  It was then that I realized it was going to be a long day.

 

To make a long story short, the container HAD to be filled on Thursday, and someone had to stay with it until ALL the baskets were loaded in order to properly lock it once it was full.  While the 1st truck came into Dakar on time, the 2nd and 3rd were not so lucky, with delays of 6 and 12 hours, respectively.  Thus, after filling the container with 2 trucks worth of baskets (see 2nd picture), we waited until 8:30pm, when the last truck rolled in.  Around 10:30pm, we realized we had yet another problem: there wasn’t enough room in the container for all the baskets.  With 82 baskets not being able to fit inside the container, we had to find a place to temporarily store them, which resulted in a late night transport of the baskets to an apartment in Dakar where 5 volunteers live.  In short, it was a extremely stressful and exhausting experience I hope I don’t have to repeat again.  The good news is that the container will be leaving Friday, and consequently our job was successful, if not messy.  The even BETTER news is that one month from today, I will be making a 17 hour trek across the Atlantic to go HOME.  For 2 weeks, I will be basking in the glory of the U.S.A, enjoying the holidays with my family, and eating myself into a comma.  Anyways, for now I’m preparing to take a bike trip to Kaolack with a buddy from my stage.  Upon return, I will head off to Dakar, where the Ambassador is kind enough to be throwing a Thanksgiving party.  2 days later will come Tabaski, so I will rush home for that.  So I’m off to bed now, hope all is well back home and see you all in one month!  Dinaa gis sama waa ker ci ay vacances yi!