Washington, DC

My mom and I have been having loads of fun in Washington this past week! We're staying in a youth hostel that is within walking distance of the capitol mall and many, many, many FREE! museums, Smithsonian and otherwise. Washington seems like a really neat place, and the history geek in me feels right at home. A week wasn't nearly enough time to do all we wanted to!

We have done quite a bit, though, including walking the mall and checking out all the memorials, visiting the Museum of Natural History, the Freer Gallery, the International Spy Museum, Mount Vernon, and the Holocaust Memorial Museum. I also got to spend a couple nights going to concerts with my good friend Sam from Grinnell, who is here with some other Grinnellians doing an internship and taking classes for the semester. Great fun!

Some photos- James McNeill Whistler's Peacock Room at the Freer Gallery, the Washington Memorial, my mom and I at the Lincoln Memorial, a working farm on GW's Mount Vernon estate, the back porch of the Mount Vernon mansion, shoes at the Holocaust Memorial Museum, and a funny dog Sam and I saw on a walk.








In Senegal-related news, I got an email a few days ago describing my host family! Here is all I know:
"It is a young couple. They have two children, Raïssa (1994) and Pascal (2002). Maman Binta is one of the best cookies, donuts and samussa makers (be careful if you do not want to put on weight). She sells them every evening at the entrance of the house. Papa Anicet works at Cheikh Anta Diop University."
!!!
So very exciting! I already have a pre-facbricated fib to tell the family to prevent morbid obesity from the gross overeating of donuts- namely that I have a mild allergy to sugar, and that if I eat too much of it, I'll break out in hives. (My mom says this is not too farfetched.) (Also, I feel that it's a vague enough story that I can still say that one or two pastries a day isn't "too much" sugar.)

For now, I must go finish packing, and then my mom and I both have long days of travel ahead. I probably won't have internet access for the first week of my stay, but I'll post ASAP!

PS- some people were confused about how to post comments on the blog- as far as I know, you can click on the link at the bottom of each post that says "0 comments," (or maybe "1 comments" or "29385203 comments,") write your comment, and then post using your gmail, AIM, or other accepted user name and password. I think you might be able to post as a guest, as well. Please write back!
PPS- HAPPY BIRTHDAY NORAH DEMING! xo

One more test

Another test, just to make sure I know how to upload photos. Looks like yes, I do! We painted our house white this summer, and are still trying to figure out if this was a good decision or not. A color consultant described the house color as a "rich, warm, buttery white"- though "white" seems like a more appropriate description to me.

Also pictured is the newest addition to the family, Ezra the Electric Car! Very exciting.

My mom and I depart for DC tomorrow morning, and I go on to Senegal a week from today. Packing packing packing...

Testing 123

Hello all,
I'm going to update this blog as often as I can with pictures and stories from my adventures in Africa this coming semester! Please check it as often or seldom as you see fit, and make sure to write back and let me know how things are going in your lives.
I leave for Dakar, Senegal from Washington D.C. on August 30, so expect the action packed tales of lion hunts and desert wanderings to start then.
For now I'll say Adieu, and start practicing the useful Wolof phrases in my summer reading packet : Ponkal, na nga def? ("Hey fatso, how are you?")