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: 2009.07.12: July 12, 2009: Headlines: COS - Senegal: Colby Magazine: Chris Andrews began his
two-year service with the Peace Corps in September 2007 living with a Senegalese family, speaking
Wolof,and adopting the lifestyle of his neighbors
Chris Andrews began his two-year service with the Peace Corps in September 2007 living with a
Senegalese family, speaking Wolof,and adopting the lifestyle of his neighbors
The Vermont native didn't speak any Wolof when he arrived in Nioro. Now Andrews speaks the local
tongue not only with his family but also with dozens of women he's helping build small
businesses. "People accept you quicker and are more open to you, more willing to work with you,
if you're doing the work in Wolof instead of French," he said. Using loans from the United
Nations and Senegalese government, the women's groups are creating restaurants, sewing shops,
and Internet cafés with the Colby economics major's guidance as they learn to price goods, track
expenditures, and market their products. The job requires an understanding of cultural and technical
obstacles, such as frequent power outages. "You have to slow down your expectations for
everything," Andrews said. "If someone says something is going to get done tomorrow,
there's a good chance it won't." In Nioro Andrews has running water, electricity, and
even Internet access, unlike his peers in nearby villages. But he's still an hour-long bush-taxi
ride away from other amenities: other English speakers, a bank with an ATM, a "proper"
restaurant. He eats with his host family in traditional Senegalese-style, sitting on the floor
around a large bowl that everyone shares. Although he sometimes uses a spoon, he has mastered the
technique of eating with his right hand, rolling food into a ball in his palm before bringing it to
his mouth.
Chris Andrews began his two-year service with the Peace Corps in September 2007 living with a
Senegalese family, speaking Wolof,and adopting the lifestyle of his neighbors
chris andrews '07
Helpful to the Corps
Chris AndrewsMost Caucasian foreigners who stroll through the town of Nioro du Rip in central
Senegal elicit cries of "toubab," the local slang for "white person." But residents
greet Chris Andrews '07 far more personally. "Moussa," they say, echoing his Senegalese
name, "Nanga Def?" (How are you?)
Andrews began his two-year stint with the Peace Corps in September 2007. Living with a Senegalese
family and speaking Wolof, he has adopted the lifestyle of his neighbors.
The Vermont native didn't speak any Wolof when he arrived in Nioro. Now Andrews speaks the local
tongue not only with his family but also with dozens of women he's helping build small
businesses. "People accept you quicker and are more open to you, more willing to work with you,
if you're doing the work in Wolof instead of French," he said.
Using loans from the United Nations and Senegalese government, the women's groups are creating
restaurants, sewing shops, and Internet cafés with the Colby economics major's guidance as they
learn to price goods, track expenditures, and market their products.
The job requires an understanding of cultural and technical obstacles, such as frequent power
outages. "You have to slow down your expectations for everything," Andrews said. "If
someone says something is going to get done tomorrow, there's a good chance it won't."
In Nioro Andrews has running water, electricity, and even Internet access, unlike his peers in
nearby villages. But he's still an hour-long bush-taxi ride away from other amenities: other
English speakers, a bank with an ATM, a "proper" restaurant.
He eats with his host family in traditional Senegalese-style, sitting on the floor around a large
bowl that everyone shares. Although he sometimes uses a spoon, he has mastered the technique of
eating with his right hand, rolling food into a ball in his palm before bringing it to his mouth.
He can never eat enough to satisfy his host mother. She uses the French word for "eat"
familiar to speakers of Wolof, French, and Italian: "Mangé!"
-Alexis Grant '03
Links to Related Topics (Tags):
Headlines: July, 2009
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Peace Corps Senegal
;
Directory of Senegal RPCVs
;
Messages and Announcements for Senegal RPCVs
When this story was posted in August 2009, this was on the front page of PCOL:
Peace Corps Online
The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
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Director Ron Tschetter: The PCOL Interview
Peace Corps
Director Ron Tschetter sat down for an in-depth interview
to discuss the evacuation from Bolivia, political appointees at Peace Corps headquarters,
the five year rule, the Peace Corps Foundation, the internet and the Peace Corps, how
the transition is going, and what the prospects are for doubling the size of the Peace Corps by
2011. Read the interview and you are sure to learn something new about the Peace Corps. PCOL
previously did an
interview with Director Gaddi Vasquez
.
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Story Source:
Colby Magazine
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