more than just peanuts

I've been pretty tired the last few days and very much annoyed with being called "toubab". Luckily I've found a few ways to combat the situation.

1. Drinking more water -- the heat here is sneaky, I don't realize I'm parched till I have to drink a whole 1.5L bottle. I'm in the air conditioned lab for most of the day (its for the good of the reactants) and when I'm handling blood, urine, or worse, I'm not likely to have a water bottle around to grab.

Number 2 and more interesting, I'm learning how to greet people first. Greeting here is so important -- walking down the street it is expected that you greet anyone you pass whether they're sitting by a tangana (senegal's own version of fast food) even if you don't know the person you're expected to say hello. So by greeting first, they're happy to see that I care enough to say hi and slightly impressed with my Wolof skills, making it easier to say no to invitations to sit down and talk with them.

3. Making jokes. Lots of jokes here, i could write another blog post about it but basically if I can manage to make a joke out of the situation then they're even more impressed and I can move on knowing that I wasn't a jerk for ignoring them and trying to just stay on my own path.

4. Old women selling peanuts on the street make great conversation partners. For example Racheol whom I met yesterday buying peanuts. I sat down to talk with her today and she offered some great advice. Of course she asked if I had a husband (no) and then if I wanted a Senegalese husband. She agreed with me that I should find a man that will help cook. Concerning the young men, she told me to stay away from the guys who are after me-- they will refuse to cook or clean and I need to own myself, protect myself "buroom" --if I understood correctly she was alluding to no sex. She was happy to hear that I wasn't looking for a boyfriend and called me her child. It was a wonderful conversation, we connected, we joked, she was like a mother. Of course I will be going back to sit with her again and munch on some fresh roasted peanuts.
 (*Disclaimer that not ALL the guys here are unsuitable to hang out with, I have made some good guy friends)
 

Conclusion -- avoiding conversations doesn't mean they won't start or I won't be asked to sit down and talk, on the other hand if I say the first words than its much easier to politely decline an invitation. More is less.