I went to the main market today in Thies to buy a new outlet/ extension cord for my room. When I went to buy the one that broke last night, I paid 2500cfa or about $5. Today I paid 1700cfa, no more than 50 cents above what even a skilled Senegalese negotiator could have gotten it for. It’s this type of gradual improvement that makes my days enjoyable, that make my training bearable. Where one day I may have barely cracked the afternoon glaze on my language trainers’ faces, the next I will pull off some phrase or expression that sends them into bursts of laughter and shouting.
Danke danke, moy jap golo ci niay: Bit by bit, the hunter catches the monkey in the forest. That very important Senegalese proverb has brought levity to so many situations and broken conversations.
The subject of teranga, or Senegalese hospitality came up again today in my tech class with Bamba Fall. As we discussed the four Ps of marketing—product, price, place, and promotion—the other trainees were wilting at the simplicity of the lesson. Their frustration with the lack of “substance” in what we learn in our tech classes is palpable. When Bamba asked how things were going so far during training, he probably didn’t realize the can of worms that would follow. The echo of “this is such simple subject matter,” and “when are we going to hear the real story about the Senegalese economy” bounced off of Bamba’s kind face. Mary Beth and Molly, the two current PCVs that are visiting the center this week looked knowingly at Bamba as my class bitched. They attempted to interject with comforting comments like, “I know it really seems basic to you guys right now and that you want to really get into more detailed information, but trust me, that will come as you get into your service.”
It was amusing to watch how the slightly sweaty, sunburned and reddish skin of those bitching and moaning drew such a stark contrast to the smooth, tanned skin of the volunteers, and of course of Bamba.
Bamba attempted to underscore just how important the four Ps would be to our actual work by repeating that the Senegalese simply don’t understand marketing, product placement, pricing, and even the creative drive that fuels entrepreneurialism the way Americans do so naturally.
Danke danke, moy jap golo ci niay: Bit by bit, the hunter catches the monkey in the forest. That very important Senegalese proverb has brought levity to so many situations and broken conversations.
The subject of teranga, or Senegalese hospitality came up again today in my tech class with Bamba Fall. As we discussed the four Ps of marketing—product, price, place, and promotion—the other trainees were wilting at the simplicity of the lesson. Their frustration with the lack of “substance” in what we learn in our tech classes is palpable. When Bamba asked how things were going so far during training, he probably didn’t realize the can of worms that would follow. The echo of “this is such simple subject matter,” and “when are we going to hear the real story about the Senegalese economy” bounced off of Bamba’s kind face. Mary Beth and Molly, the two current PCVs that are visiting the center this week looked knowingly at Bamba as my class bitched. They attempted to interject with comforting comments like, “I know it really seems basic to you guys right now and that you want to really get into more detailed information, but trust me, that will come as you get into your service.”
It was amusing to watch how the slightly sweaty, sunburned and reddish skin of those bitching and moaning drew such a stark contrast to the smooth, tanned skin of the volunteers, and of course of Bamba.
Bamba attempted to underscore just how important the four Ps would be to our actual work by repeating that the Senegalese simply don’t understand marketing, product placement, pricing, and even the creative drive that fuels entrepreneurialism the way Americans do so naturally.
posted by Nat Parker | 6:40 AM
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