I've just got back from another late night watermelon run with Marieme (complete with renditions of Jingle Bells and If you're happy and you know it) and I've got to declare that Joal is just a pretty damn awesome place. We may not have a single car that would pass an MOT, any working streetlamps, or indeed, any form of rubbish disposal at all, but who's complaining? What we do have is a load of pretty handshake-happy people and camaraderie to go along with it (as well as much patience for stuttering toubabs). That, and what I think might be the highest strike rate in the history of industrial action (the students and teachers have clocked up 4 strikes between them so far this year - pretty impressive don't you think Bob Crow?), but all in all I can't really fault the place. Dafar neex. Not that you'd know it however; in addition to our usual schedule of teaching English to just about everyone we know, basketball and choir ticking over nicely, Katie and I have been getting Out And About, clocking up the sept-places miles (I wonder if they do loyalty cards here?) and generally having a blast.

We've spent several weekends in Dakar since the end of November; firstly we stayed with Aicha's brother and his family (hence my adoptive Uncle if you're into that kinda stuff) in order to meet some friends and visit a Peace Corps Artisanal Exposition. The evening got off to a roaring start when we decided to go mental and get a bus to meet our maties rather than an 'I'm a toubab' taxi. We were rather enjoying the, ahem, smooth ride, lack of personal space and pungent aromas of general human odour when we realised the journey was going to be about 2 hours to cross Dakar. Being late to meet some other friends already, I decided and did within the space of about two minutes, hop off the (moving) bus, vault over the highway barrier (should've been at the Olympics) and slide into a taxi (chickened out there) to speed back to the other end of Dakar. Luckily my companions for the evening were an extremely patient, and in addition, welcoming bunch - they all work with The Brook, an international equine charity, and included a former schoolmate of my Dad's. We had a great evening before I returned to our lodgings for the night. The evening was topped off with a lengthy discussion about the merits of the Japan-based World Bank Graduate Training Program with someone who I think may be my adoptive half-cousin. Just my sorta thing.

Our next major outing was a big'un to Saint Louis, Senegal's capital under colonialism. We made the 7 hour journey with Amadou and 4 other Joalienne English teachers, to attend a conference with ATES, the Association of Teachers of English in Senegal. We were re-united with Lena and Zoe, two volunteers from Ziguinchor (in the southern Casamance region) which was, as ever, a pleasure. The evening preceding the one-day conference at the first formal high school of West Africa provided a great meal + Senegalese music and 'chic' dancing (as opposed to just crazy dancing). Feeling somewhat like the country cousins amongst the many city teachers it wasn't a hugely participative evening (on the part of the dancing; I did great with the eating and Fanta-drinking) but enjoyable nonetheless. The next day we joined over a hundred teachers from all around Senegal and beyond (including Mali and Mauritania), forming a bundle of enthusiasm so damn enthusiastic for Queenie's Lingo that it turned out to be somewhat of an exhausting experience. However I didn't let this put me off; I fought through to the first break when drinks, pastries and cake were provided, and took on enough to sustain me through to lunch. Saint Louis itself was absolutely stunning; definitely a must for any Senegal traveller.

The most recent expedition was another one to Dakar; we were very generously invited to stay at the British Embassy for a couple of nights in order for me to play the piano for the Embassy's annual Christmas Carol soiree. I whiled away a number of hours on the keys, adding to Dakar's general noise pollution, whilst Katie enjoyed the availability of reading time and armchairs. Later she went to the Goethe Institute to look at some geeky German stuff whilst I enjoyed some time at the amazing Institut Francais, checking out their current exhibitions and resources. I wouldn't have minded sleeping over but I needed to get back for my Senegal pianoforte debut, so skedaddled back to the Embassy for what was a truly lovely, British evening. My thanks to Mr. John and Mrs. Marie Marshall and the Embassy for your fantastic hospitality.

In addition to getting around le Senegal, we've also continued making discoveries in Joal and enjoying life chez Wone. One great weekend was Tamkharit, Islamic New Year, which is marked by the consumption of mounds of cous-cous, cross dressing, and something between trick-or-treating, shouting at the top of your lungs, and general toubab intimidation. As you can surely imagine, this was all right up my street; Katie and I had a whale of a time. The next day we sang (and played keyboard) in an outdoor church service, at which Pope Benedict's 2013 Year of Faith was declared open. Some things here are just bizarre, but we just decided to go with it. A particularly interesting moment was when the conductor decided to try and teach me a new piece as the choir performed it…fun stuff. We went back in the evening for some chit-chat and crazy dancing. Katie did great, waving her arms and legs in an effort to find that sweet middle ground between flailing and stamping. It was sight to behold.

Meanwhile, my various classes have been working through the muddle of mud that I hope to pass for English lessons; my beginners' classes have a big test tomorrow so fingers crossed for me. In addition I've taken up teaching some IT, something about which I was initially hesitant but in fact now and really interested to expand; IT lessons don't seem to have the same connotations here as in the UK; trying to teach a group of 24 kids, most of whom have never touched a computer before, about IT with 6 computers is quite a wakeup call (as well as a bloody great big challenge). Add a power cut and it gets exciting; I end up having to plan two lessons to cover all eventualities. Our literacy program for girls is also coming along; I was on cloud nine today when my mentee completed a page of sums, after only having just introduced her to numbers. Sounds small, but I couldn't have been prouder. YOU GO GIRL!

We're also preparing for Christmas; between us Katie and I have accumulated quite a range of decorations and have been making paper chains for various classrooms till we're blue in the face. We're off to Thies on Saturday for a family wedding (more boubous - TWO in fact) then taking a bone-rattling sept-places ride all the way to Banjul in the Gambia, in order to meet the other volunteers and spend our Christmas together in Serekunda. We've also had TWO culinary successes, this evening I cooked, with no major disasters, so pretty pleased with that.

Hope all is well where you are, keep the frostbite at bay (teehee) and have a great Christmas.

Amee xx