The most exciting thing about being in Dakar is without doubt staying with Momar, a classmate of mine from the Kennedy school, and his family. Aside from the unique experience of staying with a friend, it just so happens that my host aspires to one day become the President of Senegal. Needless to say we have had some fascinating discussions about Senegalese history, economics, and politics. He's also one of the nicest guys in my class, and as soon as you meet his mother it's clear why. And that's not just that she so patiently tolerates my rusty French.
Momar's mother Maimouna shares her rather large home less than a block from the beach with two young live in maids who make incredibly delicious Senegalese food. But right now she has a full house. Her mother is staying with her after just having surgery, Momar's home for two weeks, Oyebola (another classmate from Nigeria) and I are visiting for the week, and today Nina arrives. Nina is yet another classmate who is spending her summer interning with UNICEF in Dakar and will be staying at the house. Maimouna's three sons are studying in France and the US, so she doesn't mind the invasion at all. In fact it's Momar's careful orchestration.
Momar, Oyebola, and I are all interning in Liberia this summer. Nina is one of my closest friends at Harvard and will be meeting up with me after our internships to travel in Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Mali. So here I am at Momar's childhood home starting this remarkable summer with the people who will share it with me.
It is not so much my newfound expertise in economics, but times like these that make studying international development at Harvard so extraordinary.
Momar's mother Maimouna shares her rather large home less than a block from the beach with two young live in maids who make incredibly delicious Senegalese food. But right now she has a full house. Her mother is staying with her after just having surgery, Momar's home for two weeks, Oyebola (another classmate from Nigeria) and I are visiting for the week, and today Nina arrives. Nina is yet another classmate who is spending her summer interning with UNICEF in Dakar and will be staying at the house. Maimouna's three sons are studying in France and the US, so she doesn't mind the invasion at all. In fact it's Momar's careful orchestration.
Momar, Oyebola, and I are all interning in Liberia this summer. Nina is one of my closest friends at Harvard and will be meeting up with me after our internships to travel in Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Mali. So here I am at Momar's childhood home starting this remarkable summer with the people who will share it with me.
It is not so much my newfound expertise in economics, but times like these that make studying international development at Harvard so extraordinary.
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