Yes, I changed the name.

I couldn't bear the possibility that I was unintentionally teaching my readers an incorrect spelling of my almost new home. And, since I am Schwamily, and I will be in Senegal, I thought that made sense too.

I also should submit an official apology to the French language. Je suis désolée.

What's in a name?

There are several things wrong with the name of this blog, which I feel I must acknowledge before I go any further. If it is any comfort, the mistakes are purposeful.

Let's just say that Sénégalə is the correct French spelling with schwa along for a ride. This name has an unintentional double entendre (quelle surprise! français!). Schwa is both my nickname and a phonetic letter, used in linguistics, and I am going to Senegal to learn a language. Voilá.

If it was possible I would have put the schwa in Senegal, instead of on the end, but I haven't found a way to type that. So, in summary, I am sorry. The title, I know is incorrect and insufficient, but perhaps that is the troisième (third) entendre- when learning a language through immersion, failing is the best way to improve.

To make reading this worth your time, here's a link on how to type French accents on a Mac.

Introduction

Hi, I'm Emily or əmily or Schwamily (hence the name of the blog).

This blog will chronicle a semester abroad in Dakar, Senegal. I hope that it can be more than a description of one person's experience but rather a reflection of what it is to travel and live abroad in West Africa as an American. I hope that I can describe what it is to travel and live abroad and share lows, highs, and "best practices", if they exist.

You'll notice I'm starting two months early. In my other travels, I have only written while away which leaves out a substantial amount of the (pre)preparation and (post)processing. In any case, half my brain is already in January, so why not?

I hope that I can make these blog entries interesting, relevant to a diverse audience, at least a little amusing, and meaningful. I also hope to teach a little bit of language, which is most of what I will be learning this semester. So be prepared for the occasional French or Wolof lesson.

I also hope to perfect the art of the hyperlink. We'll see if the internet is good enough in Dakar to support this habit.