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The Senegalese Go on Strike!!

January 27th will be the defining moment in Senegalese politics, of this decade. It seems like every time you turn on the TV someone, somewhere is protesting, going on strike, and/or launching complaints at the current administration. Teachers have gone on strike at least twice since the school year started in November, students are going on strike because the teachers are on strike. There has even been a country wide public transportation strike, protesting the high gas prices.
 
Political unrest grows with each day as we get closer to the 27th. Lately peaceful demonstrations have

Tea time here in Senegal is nothing like you would expect it to be, no crumpets and fancy dresses, and definitely no elaborate china and pinkies in the air. It’s more like a group of 6 or 7 people sitting around a coal stove for nearly an hour drinking Chinese green tea called Ataya from two shot glasses.

I have a love hate relationship with Ataya. People love inviting me to drink Ataya and I hate drinking it! I’ve burned off taste buds, ruined taste buds, and lost too many hours of sleep because of it. My French teacher is…

Today started just like another day; it was laundry day, midway through my second bucket of clothes I heard what sounded like a stampede of children charging down the streets. I ran out to see the streets flooded with over 300 students yelling, waving signs, chanting, and blocking traffic. My house is directly opposite St. Thomas primary school, the crowd stopped there and began chanting for the students to be released, and two minutes later about 150 children came pouring out of the school.
Confused, excited, and curious I ran inside, put on my shoes, grabbed my  camera, and joined the…