Village People

Today we took a walk out to a smaller village close to the bigger village where we are staying. Before leaving the bigger village we noticed an unusual number of students milling around the roadways. We stopped to ask what was going on and were told students from neighboring villages were gathering to protest "L'annee Blanche". I translated that as "The White Year". Soon there was a street march coming down the road at us. Being one if 4-5 white people in town I noticed a bit of concern creeping up in me. We stopped and asked a man about "The White Year". He explained it was a problem with the teachers being on strike for 5 months this year and there being no school. Now the government is saying the students are still responsible for the whole year's worth of material. The students are angry about that. Phew. Not my fault.
We then walked about 3 miles to the smaller village. We were greeted by an older topless and toothless woman who could have really used a bra and some dentures. Welcome!

We met a bunch of really nice people along the way, including the purported oldest man in the Ziguinchor Region. He is around 95 years old. He seems to like peanuts and owns a pig tied up by its back foot. I don't think that pig is going to be around long.

Our day ended being serenaded by children and driven back to the larger village by a 2Pac Shakur look alike. Maybe it was him? He may have checked out for the quiet life here in West Africa.