04/27/25: My last day in Senegal. It is hard to believe that this part of this amazing journey is finished. Today we had one last chance to visit an artisan market in Dakar before packing up and heading to the airport. One thing I have appreciated about Senegal is the amount of handcrafted items you find. From hand-painted signs and scenes for advertisements on buildings, carpenters working on bed frames, metal workers crafting doors, and tailors creating beautiful clothing without patterns, I have been in awe of the creative skills I've seen throughout Senegal. I told my host teacher that many of these are skills we have lost in America with everything being factory made and imported. At the market, I watched woodworkers creating intricate designs in ebony and mahogany and couldn't resist the chance to bring a few pieces home. We had the help of another teacher from Senegal who had participated in the Fulbright program to be our local guide and negotiator (haggling expert) in the market. I have slowly learned the art of negotiating with vendors over purchase prices while in Senegal, but I can't say I am very good at it, yet. After shopping we continued to talk about education, Senegal, and the US over lunch. Then it was time to say goodbye and thank you to our wonderful in-country consultants and head to the airport to begin the long journey home.

There’s a saying, “You can shake the sand from your shoes, but it never leaves your soul.” Most people think of this in reference to the beach, but I will always think of the sands of Senegal. Saint-Louis and its surrounding areas were all sand. I didn’t see grass for a week while I was there. One time I wore socks and tennis shoes on an excursion and when I got back to the hotel there was a small mountain of sand *inside* the toes of my socks! My experiences in Senegal will stay in my soul forever. My fellow Fulbrighters, the IREX staff, my always-on-the-go host teacher, our driver/tailor/jack-of-all-trades, the hotel receptionist with amazing clothes, the incredible students we interacted with, my Saint-Louis teacher crew, and my talented teaching partner, these extraordinary people will be in my heart and soul always. I may shake out the sand from my clothes and shoes, but my time in Senegal will always be part of my soul. Goodbye, for now, Senegal. 

04/22/25: Today we started our school day by visiting a private school that focuses on business education in St. Louis. Julie taught the students about entrepreneurship and I discussed the engineering design cycle. Students worked in teams to identify problems they see in their city or country. After sharing those, we chose one problem to focus on and brainstormed ways they could work to solve the problem. One of the problems the students identified was plastic pollution. This has been one of the biggest shocks to me as I have traveled around Senegal. There seems to be a lot of littering of single-use plastic, especially plastic bags. We talked together about how the students could start to make a change and stop this from continuing. I've already started thinking about how I might make connections with this back at my own school and am hopeful we might find ways to collaborate on this issue that affects us all. We had time for the students to ask us questions about the United States and I was able to share photos of my school and students via my school's yearbook. After two classes, we headed back to our host school, Charles de Gaulle, to meet with some of the students we had seen last week. In this class, we asked the students about stereotypes or things they thought about Americans. We talked about the stereotype that "Americans are rich." To combat this thinking, I had students use the currency converter on their phones to change current costs of things in the US to the equivalent amount in West African CFA franc, the currency of Senegal. I shared with students the average monthly income for someone living in Concord, NC. They thought this was a large, crazy amount of money for one month! But then I started sharing the cost of normal expenses like taxes, rent, food, gas and clothes. The students were equally shocked at these costs compared to what they pay for similar items in St. Louis. After doing the math, they understood a little better that, although Americans do make more, the cost of living is also much higher in the US than in Senegal. Then I asked them for phrases they think of when they think of Americans. I found it interesting that the number one phrase they associate with Americans is "Time is money." As I talked with the students about this phrase, I began to see that it really does fit American culture, especially my own life. We are constantly busy, filling every moment of our day, trying to fit one more thing in. We don't like to waste time and sometimes work until late at night. This is very different from what I have experienced in Senegal. The pace is much less frantic. They seem to "go with the flow" more and have no problem with downtime. Please don't think this relates to laziness, it definitely does not! The Senegalese are very hard workers! They just have no problem sitting down before or after dinner with friends and family, enjoying their time together. They aren't tied to a clock or a minute-by-minute schedule, which is so different from the way I structure my life. We have jokingly started referring to "American time" versus "Senegal time" for our daily schedules. This relaxed pace and release from a clock is something I hope I can take back and remember in my own life when I get home. While I don't think my principal will want me late for every clock in or meeting, I do hope in other areas I can remember this stereotype and start to move away from "Time is money."  

04/21/25: Today we visited a fishing village outside of Saint-Louis. When we arrived in the community, many of the children came out to greet us. As I stood on the sand watching a fisherman and a teenage boy check and repair their fishing nets, curious children started to make their way closer to me. Finally one child spoke to me in English and said, "Hello." Thankful for our airport-to-hotel Wolof lesson, I introduced myself in Wolof, which delighted the children. One by one I asked the children what their name was in Wolof. Then I tried to explain in English with gestures that I was watching the fishermen check the nets. After a little while I asked my new friends if they would like to take a picture together before I joined my group. They of course loved this and gathered in for a quick photo. We took some time to relax in hammocks while the children played soccer on the sandy shore. Soon it was time for lunch. We ate a traditional Senegalese-style meal, seated together around the communal platter filled with rice, chicken, vegetables, and egg. We headed back to the hammocks to rest and digest with a traditional after meal mint tea called Ataya. This tea is poured from high up away from the small glasses to create a frothy layer on top. After a little digestion, it was time for an adventure! We finally got the opportunity to ride in one of the traditional fisherman's canoes called pirogues. The long slender nature of the boat made it seem like we would capsize at any moment, but the captain of the boat and the young gentlemen he brought along to help, knew exactly what to do to keep the boat steady. We rode out to the embouchure where the Senegal River meets the Atlantic Ocean. Along the way we passed a lighthouse, which made me think of home and the many lighthouses along the NC coast. While in this canoe, I also couldn't help but think of the emigration issue we had been told about in our introduction to Senegal. With Senegal's waters being overfished, many young boys/men set off in these canoes for Spain and what they think will be a better life. Unfortunately, this is not the case for most of them. Many of the boys will not survive the journey and they will never reach the shores of Spain. This BBC article tells the sad fate of 30 boys who thought they'd find wealth and a better life in Spain. This is just one of the environmental and social issues Senegal is currently facing. The captain let us off on a barrier island with a closed inlet that we could walk around to get back to the village. We stood at the ocean watching the fishing boats passing by. I took a moment to think of all of you reading this acoss the Atlantic as I waved from the other side. Along the beach we saw many interesting shells. I picked a few up and I'm hoping they make it home. We also saw a lot of debris. Trash, clothing, and the most interesting find, many sandals, littered the beach as we walked. Closer back to the village we saw two concrete houses in ruin. When we asked what had happened we were told that flooding had caused the houses to collapse. The captain told us that this community is very concerned about global warming and the rising sea levels, another environmental issue facing Senegal. The barrier island and his community could easily be wiped off the map should the sea level continue to rise. More houses would end up looking like the ruined ones we saw and his way of life would change forever. We worked up an appetite with all that adventure, so we had quick meal of freshly-caught grilled fish and a porridge with banana and millet for dessert. After that we started back to Saint-Louis, dodging monkeys along the road. Earlier in the day, before our fishing village outing, we had gone to visit a photography museum in Saint Louis. While we were there a wonderful man came out to speak to us in English (rather than the French we were trying to understand) and told us it was his museum and his house was connected to it. He invited us to come back for dinner tonight. We accepted the invitation and it was an amazing experience. Along with us, there was a French couple from Kenya and an Italian couple from Milan. Our art-loving host had just met all of us today! When I say this is one of my favorite parts of travel, I mean it! Sharing a meal and good conversation with people from all over the world is incredible. Our host is from Saint Louis, but has traveled all over the world collecting art. He decided to come back to his hometown and start purchasing buildings in need of repair, fixing them up, and turning them into galleries to display his collections. Terranga is a Senegalese term that means hospitality, but more than just a word, it’s a mindset. He embodies Terranga to the fullest! Definitely a dinner I won’t forget!

04/20/25: This morning the Saint-Louis TGC groups decided to take a walk to explore our host city a little more. Saint-Louis was formerly the capital when Senegal was a French colony. I loved seeing the French influences on the architecture. I also enjoyed the beautiful colors and vibrant murals we found on our explorations. After our walk, we were invited to our host teachers' home to enjoy a traditional Senegalese dish, Thieboudienne, made of vegetables, red rice, and fish. We had fun playing with our hosts' two youngest boys and I gave them some of the collapsible fans (which doubled as frisbees) I brought with me from the RBM PTO. We spent time just talking and enjoying some downtime together as the meal cooked. When it was time to eat we joined the family on the floor to eat together as is customary in Senegal. We used spoons to eat, but it is normal for this dish to be eaten by hand, scooping up bits of rice, vegetables, and fish together, and rolling it into a rough ball. To say thank you to our hosts' for welcoming us into their home and classrooms we brought a cake from a local patisserie that said "Jërëjëf," which means "thank you" in Wolof. After our very filling meal there was time for a little "football" aka soccer in front of the house before heading back to our hotel with hearts and bellies full.

04/19/25: Today we headed out of the city to visit an innovative STEM community. The village of N'Guelack faced many challenges including a long-lasting drought starting in the 1970's. The Guélack Integrated Development Project started in the 1980's to restore and revitalize the community. During our tour we learned about this incredible, sustainable community. They operate a dairy and make yogurt that is sold commercially in Senegal as well as making goat cheese. The community opened a kindergarten school and an agricultural school to continue to educate the next generation. They have a hydroponic system to raise fish and solar panels to charge batteries that help power parts of the community. Even the animal waste isn't wasted and is used for composting and biogas! This community is also working to empower women through a fabric workshop. Women in the community are taught to dye fabrics, make wax prints, and sew patterns, giving them a way to economically support their families. Thanks to this growth, the community was able to open a medical clinic to help pregnant women in the surrounding areas. It was so awesome to see the collaboration and creativity used by this community to overcome their environmental and social problems! After the farm, we came back to Saint-Louis to change clothes and put on our amazing wax print dresses to head to the host school of the other Saint-Louis TGC cohort, Cem Pinkine Junior High. The students and community children were gathered to celebrate our arrival and partnership with their school. We enjoyed dancing and singing along with the music leaders and students. The students were so welcoming and seemed genuinely excited to have us there celebrating with them.

04/18/25: This morning we started our school day at our high school being interviewed by class in English. The students came prepared with questions to ask us...a lot of questions! Many of the questions showed the students interest and curiosity about America. We were asked about American holidays, weather, food, politics, school systems, tourist destinations (of course I mentioned Disney World!), and nicknames for Americans. We were also asked more thought provoking questions like what we like best about living in America. After that class we hopped in our car and headed to school #2 for the day, a private elementary school and nursery. I was so looking forward to seeing these students and interacting with them! We met up with the other Saint Louis TGC group and started in a Kindergarten class. We sang songs, read a short story, and just exposed the students to the English language. Students learn in French in lower grades. In 2nd grade, students start to learn English while continuing most of their lessons in French. From there we moved to observe some 2nd and 3rd grade classes. We played some simple English learning games and gave out small gifts to the students (erasers, stickers, books, bracelets, bookmarks, candy). Most of the classes we visited were using lecture-style learning and memorization with the students. The students wrote on individual chalkboards and the teachers used chalkboards at the front of the classroom. Very different from our chromebooks/iPads and Promethean Boards! The students took a short break mid-day and went outside in the courtyard to purchase snacks and move around a little after sitting for so long in their classrooms. One snack they love to get - Senegalese ice cream! We tried a little too with tamarind fruit. Then we moved over to visit the adjoining nursery. Children can start attending nursery as young as 3 months old and leave nursery at 4 years old to school. It must have been nap time because my little friend fell asleep in the middle of our playing! Then it was time to head back to the primary school to visit the upper grades, and they really were "upper." Their classrooms are in wooden woven structures on the roof of the building! We played another English game with these students where we challenged them to tell us the name of the item in French and we would tell them the word in English. The students caught on to the game so quickly and did a great job of being respectful to us and their classmates while learning. Though the style of learning and classroom environment was much different from our own, I loved the visit to the elementary school and was so glad they were so kind as to allow us to visit them. After our visits we headed to the market to do a little shopping with the other Saint Louis group! Since we are a group of 5 women, fabric shopping was the first thing on our agenda! In Senegal most people purchase fabric in the market and take it to a tailor to have their clothing handmade for them. As someone who appreciates the time and craftsmanship that goes into making clothing, and I was thrilled to have this opportunity! Anytime I visit another country, I like to get clothing, so eventually I will have clothes from around the world in my wardrobe! 

04/17/25: Do you remember that kind-of-excited-but-kind-of-nervous-too feeling of the first day of school? Well, that was me this morning! Knowing that I was going to meet students who were much older than I am used to working with and who are still learning English (their 3rd language 😮) made me have the first day jitters. Dominique, my host teacher, helped to ease my nerves and encouraged us that the students would be so happy to have us join them, no matter what! For today's class we introduced ourselves to the students in slow English, writing out important words on the chalkboard to give them visuals. I can say, I am not good at writing with chalk, and ended up breaking the chalk at least once every time I tried to write! For my observations, I wanted to focus on how Senegalese classes use STEM practices like the 4C's (communication, collaboration, creativity, and crtical thinking) and how teachers incorporate real-world problem solving into their classes. Just after today's observations, I can see how adept these classes are at communication and collaboration! After our introductions, students were able to discuss with their groups and come up with a question or two to ask us in English. The students naturally put themselves into groups and started to work together. The level of engagement in their tasks was so high! I did not see anyone just sitting back, letting the rest of the group brainstorm. After our Q & A in which I was asked the name of my cats, how old I am, if I have a boyfriend, and what are American schools like, it was time to introduce their larger task for the day. The students had to work together to develop a presentation for us on Senegalese culture and traditions. Again, the students jumped straight to work, rearranging their desks so they could talk with their groups more easily. And again, students were actively participating. Some groups even divvied up the work and I saw some students researching, a recorder listening to their peers, and others sharing ideas for what the recorder should write down. How were they researching? The students used their cell phones! You might think having their phones in class would be a negative or a distraction, but no! These students were using technology as an appropriate tool for their learning! The oral presentations were absolutely wonderful and I applauded each group for overcoming their own nerves and speaking out-loud in a language they are still learning. In addition, I learned so much about Senegalese culture and what they thought were important topics we should know about. During a break between classes we met with the poviseur (principal) of Lycee Charles de Gaulle and presented him and our host teacher with certificates of appreciation on behalf of Fulbright, IREX, and the US Department of State. Too soon our day ended and we headed back to the hotel for a late lunch. I tried the national dish of Senegal, Thieboudienne, a one-pot dish of jolof rice, fish, and vegetables cooked in a tomato-based sauce. It was so filling, I understand why they only eat this at lunch! This afternoon we took a horsedrawn carriage ride around Saint Louis island with a historian. We learned about the history of Saint Louis from native inhabitants to colonial French rule to its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We also saw several projects underway to refurbish and restore buildings of historical value.  

04/16/25: This morning all of the Fulbrighters broke up into our host city groups and hit the road for our new locations. My Fulbright partner Julie and I are one of two groups that headed north to Saint Louis. It was a long drive, 110 miles, but it let us see some of the landscape of Senegal. We passed through many smaller towns along the way and it was very interesting to see people working and shopping as we rolled through the town. We finally arrived at our hotel and had a chance to unpack in our new home away from home. We also got to meet our host teacher, Dominique. It was nice to talk with him over dinner and plan out our week ahead. 

04/15/25: This morning was another full morning of learning with our in-country consultants Ousmane and Mouhamadou. They are doing such a wonderful job of laying the groundwork for the next stage of our experience. How can you get to know a group of people without first at least attempting to learn their history? In addition to history and important figures, we learned more about the food and eating customs of Senegal. When I was young, I was not an adventurous eater, but as I have begun to travel I always love to try the foods that the locals eat. I have discovered some of my new favorite dishes this way! I look forward to tasting Senegal in the week ahead. After lessons we loaded our bus and headed to lunch. We enjoyed another delicious meal, this time by the beach. Senegal is known for its seafood and fishing industry and the fish was absolutely delicious! We spent the afternoon at the African Renaissance Monument. This monument is the tallest statue in Africa. We were able to visit the museum inside the monument and were led by an interpreter who spoke in English and French. Over several floors we admired art that represented many countries and traditions across the continent. We also learned more about the building of the monument. The child is pointing to the future, the torch of the Statue of Liberty in America. The woman is pointing to the past, with the idea that although many left the shores of Africa, they must stay connected to the place they came from. The monument is made of copper, so as it ages, it will oxidize and turn green, just like the Statue of Liberty. The highlight of the tour was the elevator ride to the 15th floor to see the monument from and observation area inside the hat of the man. It was wonderful to see the statue closeup and to see the panoramic views of Dakar. After a quick group photo, it was time to return to the hotel to pack our bags and get ready to head to our host communities tomorrow.

04/14/25: We started the day with a session with our in-country consultant Mouhamadou to learn about the educational system in Senegal. It was very interesting to compare and contrast the similarities and differences between the US and Senegalese educational systems. For example, Primary schools are not funded by the government, but instead are funded by the parents. Like our STEM school, there is a focus in the school curriculum for problem solving and critical thinking. They also have a specialized STEM school near Dakar! After our session we loaded our mini bus and headed to the US Embassy in Dakar. At the embassy we met with several American and Senegalese Foreign Service Officers. They discussed safety information to make sure we have a wonderful experience in Senegal. They also shared about programs they work on in Senegal, like distributing materials and providing information to help teachers in Senegal teach English to their students. The officers also shared what duties they perform with the embassy. I had no idea what Foreign Service Officers do, so I thought it was a very interesting and informative meeting. After a lunch break, we headed back to the hotel for another learning session with our in-country consultant, Ousmane. This time the focus was on Family and Values in Senegal. We learned about roles and responsibilities in families and eight key values children are taught. Terranga, hospitality, is one of the values Senegalese people are most known for. Ousmane said, "What is in the heart will show on the face." I really took some time to think about that saying and its truthfulness. I hope as I meet and start to work with new friends in Senegal that they are able to see the excitement and appreciation I have in my heart on my face.

04/12/25-04/13/25: On Saturday morning, I left Cabarrus County to start making my way to Senegal. After flying from Charlotte, NC to New York City, NY, I met up with the 20 other teachers that make up Team Senegal. Saturday evening we left the USA and woke up to sunrise over Senegal on Sunday morning! 21 teachers packed a LOT of luggage, so all of our suitcases had to be strapped down on top of our bus to get from the Dakar airport to our hotel. Every opportunity can be a learning opportunity, so our in-country consultants Ousmane and Mouhamadou used the hour-long ride from the airport to the hotel to teach us how to greet someone in Wolof (a West African language). After settling into our rooms and a little rest, we had our introductory meeting to go over important information and procedures for our time together. Then we had our first true taste of Senegal! We walked to a nearby restaurant where I tried a mixture of juices made from bissap (a purplish-red juice made from hibiscus flower petals), ginger, and bouye (a sweet and tangy juice made from fruit from the baobab tree). I also had Mafé Yapp, a traditional dish with beef and vegetables in a peanut sauce. Senegal is one of the top exporting countries of peanuts!

04/07/25: The countdown is on and we started preparing our gifts for the students in Senegal. 4th and 5th grade students wrote postcard letters to the students on postcards donated by our Explore Cabarrus Visitor's Bureau. I will deliver the postcards to the high school in Saint-Louis and I am hoping that the high schoolers will have the opportunity to write back! We also signed a book about North Carolina to be given to my host teacher. 2nd grade students completed a Google Earth Voyage I created to introduce them to where I will be traveling in Senegal. The students are getting excited and so am I!

03/31/25: This week my students were introduced to Senegal. 4th and 5th grade students completed a webquest to discover information about Senegal, like what languages are spoken and what is the capital. They even checked the weather in Saint-Louis, my host city, and let me know what clothes they would pack if they were traveling there. Kindergarten and 1st grade students practiced introducing themselves in French, since French is the official language of Senegal.

As a STEM teacher, I was very interested in observing how STEM practices like the 4C’s (communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking) are used in global classrooms. I was unsure how much of these practices I would see in non-science classes, but as many of these practices are just good teaching practices in general, I was hopeful that I would see at least some of them in classrooms. This proved to be true. From day one at the high school, I saw collaborative groups working together on an assignment. It was obvious that this was a standard practice in their classroom because the students knew the procedure for breaking into groups without needing to be prompted by the teacher. The students used wonderful collaboration skills, chunking the task into smaller pieces and tackling different aspects of the assignment. When a student seemed off-task or started talking to students in a different group, it wasn’t the teacher, but a fellow groupmate that redirected the student back to their group and the task. I was also able to see great communication within the classrooms. Students exhibited peer-to-peer communication during group work and asked questions of peers after presentations. The students also demonstrated thoughtful communication with adults when asking us questions during teaching. They used public speaking techniques when presenting their group work to the class, using projection and making eye contact with the audience. I thought that critical thinking may be something I would not get to see in an English classroom, but I was wrong there as well. Prior to our arrival, the students had read texts relating to environmental issues. During our visits, the students were asked to think back on these texts and assess the issues presented. Then they had to identify a specific problem and brainstorm possible solutions. This was a great example of critical thinking at work in the English classroom. 

When I met with the teachers in the English department, they were very interested in talking with me about ideas for incorporating more STEM into their classes. As we talked, several teachers shared how they use a “flipped classroom” model for their classroom and utilize WhatsApp to have class discussions outside the classroom! This was surprising to me because of the lack of computer technology in the classroom, but what an amazing opportunity for students to use their personal technology, their phones, to continue class discussions! 

During my visit, I was also able to visit a private elementary school. I also looked for STEM practices being used in this setting, but during my brief visits to the different classrooms, I did not observe many of these practices being used. In most classes, I observed a lecture-style teaching method and very little hands-on activities or collaborative work. This may be because the focus in these younger grades seems to be on language learning and grammar. 

As a STEM teacher, real world problem solving is another aspect of STEM that I was curious to look for in Senegalese classrooms. Again, I was unsure how much I might get to observe in an English classroom, but once again, I was surprised. During an informational text unit, the students read articles, in English,  about local environmental issues the country is facing. Then they discussed these issues and were asked to brainstorm possible solutions to these problems. Not only were students practicing their English skills, but were also demonstrating problem solving skills as well. When I talked with the teachers in the English department, they were well aware of PBLs (problem or project based learning) and said they did utilize this method of teaching in their classrooms. PBLs center around identifying a real world problem and working to devise a solution while gaining content knowledge along the way. These are such high value learning strategies for students because they hit on so many different levels of learning!