Day 1-2- From BPC To Dakar, Senegal, West Africa!

   The day started out with the shocking realization that by the end of the day we would no longer be in our own country. We all shared mixed emotions of nervousness and excitement but at the same time were relieved that our long fought for goal of helping the children of Barra Village was finally becoming a reality. Meeting at the school that morning was difficult as everywhere you looked people were either crying or giving goodbye hugs to family and friends. Then ant 12:10, the last kisses were kissed and we were on our way!

After we drove to Logan Airport in Boston, the Delta Airlines people gave us our own window for check in and soon were at Gate A-1, the perfect gate for starting our amazing journey.  Overdosing on airport food, we all piled into the first leg of our flights to Africa, waiting for that sudden rush of take off speed. The view from the window no matter how many times any of us fly is always breathtaking and manages to create a different patchwork of clouds every time. 

After a brief flight to JFK, and a nail biting landing, we arrived at our gate and waited for departure to Dakar. It was here that we knew we had our last chance to talk to family and desperately tried to call our loved ones. Not exactly eagerly anticipating our 8-hour flight, we brought the absolute necessities with us into the plane; such as swedish fish, mike and ikes, chocolate, and potato chips. Then we were up, away, and over the Atlantic.

   All right, here's the thing...it's technically, absolutely, legitimately impossible to sleep on a plane. As the hours ticked by and our patience started to wane, the battle to catch a few hours of sleep was being pathetically lost. After surviving the challenge of plane food and NO breakfast . . . oops, it got left behind at JFK by accident!), we tried to lean back and figure out what to do for the next six hours. A bazillion years later we heard the stewardess announce that we were cleared for landing and requested that we buckle our seatbelts. As the plane descended, we glanced out the window and caught our first look at the other side of the world. Africa is majestic in an exotic and ancient way and the landscape seemed to reflect a color palette foreign to America. We had arrived.

Only two people lost their luggage . . . but we soon found their bags again.  Fellow African passengers had taken suitcases that looked a lot like their own, but soon brought them back.  Hmmmm, they did not want 40 pounds of toothpaste and 300 toothbrushes?  They preferred their own luggage.

When we stepped out of the airport, Africa engulfed us.  Street hawkers eagerly tried every approach that they could to help us . . . for hire. . . with our suitcases, with buying simcards, with buying gum, drinks, or snacks.  Then some strong young men loaded our luggage onto the TOP of our bus and off we sped to Nyillan Fye's amazing three-story stone and mortar home big enough to sleep 15 of us. . . . !

At the Fye home, we found wonderful bedrooms on all levels . . . just what we needed after a night on a plane.  Not many homes in the U. S. have room to absorb 15 guests and not even seem full.  And it all comes with a refreshing swimming pool to keep us cool.  Hmmmm, the "third world" is not nearly as bad as Dr. Jarvis and other teachers have been telling us all these years!  We love this place (Dr. Jarvis assures us that things will not be quite the same way out in the village.)

After a bit of rest, some swiming, and a delicious spicy chicken lunch with rice, we were off to our first adventure.  Nyillan's father, Momodou Lamin Fye, is Director of the Red Cross/Red Crescent for 24 countries in West Africa.  He gave us a personal invitation to his regional Red Cross headquarters where they are working hard to get food to 6 million people in 7 nations who are currently experiencing a drought and a severe food shortage.  Children are dying.  This is serious business. It's the "real" third world that Dr. Jarvis has been telling us about.  The village where we will soon be working is on the edge of the drought and hunger zone.  The children at our Sajuka School are at risk.  That got our attention focused.

Mr. Fye's Red Cross Team gave us an informative presentation on the goals and mission of their organization and then outlined the urgent work that they are currently doing to avoid starvation in the large region hit hard by drought and failed crops.  At the end of the presentation, Mr. Fye invited us and any other interested Bay Path students to join his team in the future as interns or volunteer field researchers as part of our Master's Degree Programs.  He is always looking for good help and he has a very high opinion of Bay Path College.  He says that he knows students from there will come ready to help people who most urgently need help.

Oh, we must end this blog.  Nyillan just called us for dinner. . . all 15 of us!  Fresh fish grilled in spicy sauce and "chips" (also known as French fries!) await.  We're starved after our first full and busy day in Africa!

--Blogged by Sarah Azevedo and Dr. Jarvis