Salaam Aleekum chicos!
I have had quite the language exchange since I landed in Senegal! Salaam Aleekum or "Peace be unto you" is a commonly used greeting in Senegal. It is the tradition Arabic greeting and is widely used by both Muslim and Christian people in Senegal. Isn't that cool?! As you know, I had prepared to speak in French (shout out to the French/Operation Senegal club!) However, there are over 20 different local languages spoken in Senegal. The most common is Wolof. Although French is used as the language of instruction at schools, it is linked to the colonization times and there is a large push to keep the local languages alive and even teach them in the schools! Because of this, I am doing my best to speak in Wolof. Some of my favorite phrases are:
*Merhbe (welcome)
*Na nga def (pronounced Naga def... and means kind of like "hello" or "how are you?")
*Mangi fi (which is the response to Na nga def... aka "I'm good")
*Ba beneen (goodbye)
Don't you worry... I will definitely be teaching you these phrases when I get back to school.
I am super lucky to be traveling with a group of awesome teachers from around the world and we are all working together to practice the language. Below are some pictures of the group and our hotel. Check it out! Comment below on your favorite picture and why!
Miss you guys already,
Senora Traub
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