According to a friend of my mom’s, my family earned the nickname “Team Turk” after embarking on a series of week-long hiking adventures while we were living abroad. From France to Italy to Switzerland to Iceland, we’ve been hiking up mountains, around glaciers, during blizzards, through valleys, you name it. And we pretty much take the same adventurous approach to every other vacation and non-hiking related adventure we do too.
All of our adventuring together as Team Turk has made me very close to my family, so I was extremely excited when my mom, dad, and younger brother booked tickets to visit me for the first half of my week-long break between the classes and internship sections of my program. Since they would only be in Senegal for four days, I knew Team Turk would absolutely be making the most of our time together. However, there was one important difference in this Team Turk adventure: I was now the team leader, not my parents. I had the cultural, logistical, and language capabilities to navigate the city that my family simply did not. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more capable in my life!
Before my family even arrived, my planning had begun. I arranged for a car service to pick them up from the airport when their flight arrived at 7:00am, and woke up early to call the driver when my family couldn’t find them. Certainly, my family could have done this by themselves, but it would have cost over double the price to use the hotel car service and taking a taxi without speaking the language or possessing CFA (the Senegalese currency) would have been very tricky. Therefore, it made far more sense for me to do it!
At around 9:00am, I met my family outside the mosque in the neighborhood. As soon as they got out of the car, I gave them all huge hugs. Since I started college, my family has begun a competition in which they always try to get the first hug, and this time, my brother got it. I felt myself truly relax for just a moment in my mom’s arms, and then had to pay the driver and help my family go to my host family’s house.
My Senegalese host mom was incredibly kind and graciously welcomed my family into her home. My American mom speaks some French and was able to communicate basic pleasantries, and then the majority of the interaction was through me as I translated for my brother and dad’s benefit. My host mom offered my family breakfast, which we were not anticipating but appreciated. I ensured my family knew the etiquette: only eat with your right hand, finish all your food, and always tell the host it was delicious (in Wolof: “neex na”) after you’re done eating. My American mom also gave my Senegalese mom an odd assortment of gifts she had specifically requested from the U.S.: Neosporin, Kraft mac & cheese, and a hot water pouch I use in Senegal to help cramps and knee pain that she liked to borrow. My Senegalese mom thanked my American mom and we all thanked her, and then she invited us to come back for lunch another day.
After breakfast, Team Turk was off! I ordered us a Yango (Senegalese version of Uber) to go to the hotel. When we walked in, I spoke in Wolof with the hotel receptionist and he smiled so widely, clearly not used to having foreigners (“toubabs” in Senegal) who spoke even basic Wolof at the hotel. After checking in, we sleepily made our way up to the room and all took a nap. I was exhausted from little sleep throughout the week and my family had just gotten off of a red-eye flight, so we definitely needed it.
Then, the adventures began! The next few days were a whirlwind of exploration. On Saturday, we walked by the Gare de Chemin de Fer (train station) on our way to the Museum of Black Civilizations. We walked around and then ate dinner close to our hotel. I took a hot shower for the first time in nearly two months and was so excited to sleep in AC. After my family went to sleep (early because of jet lag), I called my boyfriend before going to bed. Being with my family and being in my own space for the first time since being in Senegal definitely made missing the comfort of being around everyone else back home a little bit harder. I particularly missed my sister as well, since she had started her freshman year of college this fall and was unable to join the rest of Team Turk in Dakar. Nevertheless, I was so excited for the adventure!
On Sunday, we spent nearly the entire day at the Île de Gorée, an island located off the coast of Senegal that was used as a strategic point during the colonial period. I guided my family around the island as we visited museums, exploring the town, ate lunch and crêpes, and bargained in Wolof for a few souvenirs for my mom. That night, we went to a fancier restaurant on the water and I ate a delicious shrimp pasta! They had a menu in English but the waiters didn’t speak English, so I tried to translate into French to order and still incorporate Wolof to the extent possible. My brother even got so confused with languages that he began his order while speaking Spanish! We got some delicious pastries for dessert and then headed home.
The next day, we visited Monument de la Renaissance Africaine in the morning and the Île de Ngor in the afternoon. At the monument, they only had a French-speaking tour guide available, so I spent the entire tour translating the guide’s words into English for my family to understand. At Ngor, we swam and ate shrimp and took a “pirogue” (fishing boat) to and from the island. My brother and I especially enjoyed another round of eating crêpes! We went back to the hotel and had a very relaxing movie night all together, which had been my only request for their trip in Senegal. I cuddled up next to my mom and felt my whole body relax as I laughed at the ridiculous movie my dad had chosen.
My family’s last day was Tuesday, so we packed in all of the remaining activities we could. I took my mom to my favorite market, Marse Sendaga, and we bargained for gifts and souvenirs from Senegal. Then, we left the hotel to visit my neighborhood, Mermoz. I showed my family my school and then we bought some drinks to bring to my host family, who had offered for us to come to lunch! We all gathered around the bowl to eat “ceeb u jën” (rice with fish) together, and I spent the entire meal and time afterwards translating between my American and Senegalese families. After thanking each other profusely and offering even more gifts, my American and Senegalese moms took a picture together with me. I could see the relief in my mom’s eyes that my host mom was so open and caring, and I translated her words expressing her appreciation for the spirit of “teranga” (Senegalese hospitality).
My American family and I then left to go explore the Village des Arts (a small artisan village) and the Plage de Yoff (one of the larger beach areas) before returning to Mermoz, eating ice cream, and saying goodbye. I ordered a Yango for my family, hugged them all, and returned to my Senegalese home. My host mom asked me if I cried saying goodbye and I told her no, I was okay and we had lots of fun and I’d see my family again so soon! And then I went to my room and I cried.
However, they weren’t sad tears; rather, they were just an expression of a whole bunch of emotions that just needed to be let out. My family’s presence in Dakar was so wonderful because I got to show them my daily life and everything I’ve learned in a mere eight weeks. It truly puts into perspective how capable I am of navigating through life in a foreign country, how I can connect to the people I interact with even if I stumble through their language, and how being in a relatively constant state of various degrees of discomfort has made me so resilient to challenges that arise.
I feel like I am really good at this! Being in a new culture, learning a new language, exploring, adventuring, and learning how to adapt to living in a new place is definitely challenging, but my family’s visit made me realize how capable I am of not just living through these experiences but thriving. It really makes me want to take Team Turk on more adventures and travel with other people I care about, and use my intercultural skills both in my personal and professional life.
Part of me felt momentarily ready to be back home, but the overwhelming sentiment remains to be happiness and excitement to be in Senegal. I am really excited for starting my internship next week and for traveling with my friends for the second half of break! I have so much more to do and explore in my 16 weeks in Senegal, and I am determined to make every day a great one.
Ba ci kanam / À bientôt / See you soon,
Caitlin
DU Abroad 