So much weekend!

So this weekend was (okay not that crazy) but still very stimulating. We had a number of extra cousins and an aunt around the house, and so there was a lot going on. On Saturday morning we were allowed to have a cooking lesson of sorts - i.e. watch our aunt make ceeb-u-jen (pronounced cheebujen), which is the national dish: it's rice in a spiced tomato sauce with fish and vegetables on top. The idea of tomato sauce however, just doesn't really give you the right feel for it. But it's really good. The cooking here is over cans of natural gas, very close to the floor, though they have a stove that they use for heating water sometimes. As a side note, there's actually a bit of a natural gas shortage here right now, so by later in the weekend, the family was cooking over charcoal.
After lunch (which is usually about two thirty or three), we decided to go to one of the big markets here. We were accompanied by our host brother and it was quite the experience: so much fabric and color! We took the Car Rapide there - which are brightly painted crammed buses where you hop in the back, tell the driver where you want to go and then he signals to the driver by tapping on the outside when to stop and go. They are everywhere, I'll try to post a picture later in the week.
Yesterday we also had lots of people around, and though it was more relaxing (watching silly movies, cleaning out our room etc.) we still wound up with lots of cousins and some informal dance lessons in their living room. We were all trying everything from Mbalax (the national dance style) to tupac. It was really hilarious for everybody, even though the fact that they speak amongst themselves in a mix of wolof and French makes things a bit tricky to fully grasp.
There were other things too, but I want to quickly get some spiced coffee before my next class (ten cents at the stand across the street), so I'll leave you all now.
Ba beneen Yoon (see you later),
Nafe (my Senegalese name)