Nothing new... some pics

Not too much going on here... several tests and papers due in the next few weeks. Took one test that I didn't have to! The professor scolded me today for taking it... I just misunderstood and thought he was telling me random things.

Anyway. I also just found out an hour ago that I have a test tomorrow morning at 8am. SUCK.

Oh well. I just got my package slip from the lovely Carol Wilson (I'm not actually sure it's from you, but I"m assuming it is, unless someone else sent me one). So I'll be heading in to town this afternoon. :)

Here's some pictures thanks to Ms. Karolina Something. Her last name is too complicated, yet it's Kopacz. Itwas on the top of my screen.


The Mosque in Touba. Top ten most beautiful things I've seen in my life.


A picture of the whole gang, including our advisor from Wisconsin. I'd say we're pretty good looking, wouldn't you?
Joleen Hannah and me in our milfeus... to enter the mosque or anywhere near the mosque, you have to be fully covered (or at least your hair)
This picture is slightly more graphic that the one on facebook, but this is naked baby, the kid who would SCREAM when his clothes were going to be put on. So, he generally hung out naked. This was him watching us eat... naked. Not us, him.
This is the line to see the tomb of Cheikh Amadou Bamba... around the whole mosque. We decided not to wait. Men and women also have to be separated. CRAZY.

TOUBA... BU BAAX

Well, I have now successfully experienced my first pilgrimmage. Although I am not actually sure if it is technically called a pilgrimmage, I am dubbing it as such, because I travelled to Touba for a religious reason. Thus a pilgrimmage, n'est pas?

The trip started late. 11pm. I walked out the door, to the gate of the University to sit and wait at least an hour to get into a car. Car obtained a little after 12am. We were taxied over to the gare routiere, where all 7 places leave from. 7 place is a station wagon-like car with 8 seats, so there are 7 places to fill and the driver. The men were mean and were trying to charge us 2000cfa more than usual, which no one wanted to pay. After trying to barter and bargain for 45 minutes, we decided that it wasn't going to work. And then we found out that he was doing that for everyone, including Senegalese. We paid, and were off... around 2am.
Arrival to Touba around 5am. We set our stuff inside, covered our hairs and went to the mosque. Now, if I had a computer, I would put my pictures up righhhhhhhht now, but I don't. I'll steal some from google, or give you a link at the end.

The mosque is quite possibly the most beautiful thing I've seen. ever. It was constructed by a marabout (the religious leaders of Islam), and looks way better than anything built by an architect.

Anyway, after that, we hopped back on our horse cart and went to Modou Fall's aunt's house to sleep. The girls spent the next two days peeling potatos, cutting onions and doing general "woman things" while the boys were treated like kings. RIDICULOUS. :)

It was a lot of fun although there have been some intestinal issues that have followed (not for me, alxamdulilah!) but those will clear up, inch'allah (happy Justin?) soon.

http://www.google.sn/images?hl=fr&q=Touba&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1024&bih=490

There are the search results. I think, personally, that my pictures are better. :)

Good day!

Kate

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