Best of... the best moments - Happy New Year.

 

My favorite moments of this trip are many; here are my TOP best moments:

Meeting the GOOD MOTHER, Queen Dia! With more than 16 people in our delegation, at least 30 other family members and neighbors were present in her home to greet us and offer testimonies about the good mother's Teranga and charitable spirit.  They all professed their love and appreciation for her counsel and financial support over the years.  Queen Dia sat royally as we all greeted her and kissed the ring! Her hug was like my mother- she adopted me on the spot, and I was over the moon, thrilled to finally meet the woman who had raised such an amazing, selfless son, Papa Dia.  A guy who is popular in the State of Colorado and a celebrity in Senegal.  I am so excited to partner with him as family!

I didn't write a specific post about all the shopping we did during the trip because I didn't know how I felt.  Papa asked us to wait to make purchases until we shared the price point with him. I had already been through the school of negotiations with my Chinese family, so I was advanced and understood the assignment.  However, just in case, I observed Papa and made my move when I was sure it would be productive.  I won't revisit that story (I still feel bad), but I will share one that made me smile!  We met a woman on our way to the boat on Goree Island who was selling fabric and some jewelry. As the quiet one in the group, I am rarely approached for sales.  This native started with the guys, attempting to sell them something for their girlfriends/wives, and she was good! She was like a New Yorker hawking her wares, talking trash, and spitting games! My favorite line from her was in response to one of our fellow travelers telling her that she had just given all her money to one of the guys as it was her last day.  The native told her, "What is wrong with you? He don't need your money, I do!  Get your money back and buy something from me! Girl, please!" We all laughed.  She said she learned English while hustling!  All I can say is she learned well!

We always ran a little behind for our excursions, and Papa Dia always yelled, "Let's Go!" It was expected; he would even say it after we were all on the bus and READY to go! After a few days, we would see him coming, and all say in unison, "Let's Go!" We became a small army of do-gooders ready to make the day count! We met many people, saw many interesting sites, and learned a lot about Senegal, the gateway to Africa.

I didn't have a single bad meal during my time in Senegal.  I am a picky eater, and I tried a lot of deliciousness because it smelled so good! I have tried to replicate many of the dishes I ate, to no avail; I couldn't find all the seasonings used in Senegal (or at least I couldn't discern the various flavors). Needless to say, while I don't drink alcohol, I was drunk on the deliciousness of the food--I even had an embarrassing moment while under the influence of deliciousness.

A highlight of the trip was sharing this experience with my new sorority sister, Monique Washington, who had recently been inducted into Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Although I knew she was a special person, I watched her show up; she met people who became instant fans everywhere she went.  During my last supper in Senegal, we were waiting for Monique to come to the van so we could leave, and she showed up with a crew of patrons from the restaurant, whom she had just met, that began to chant her name, "Monique! Monique! Monique!" as she was walking towards our van.  I asked her if she paid them, to which her reply was, "For what?" She is too much, a lot of fun, and a great travel buddy! Grateful she came along for the experience! 

This experience was great because it was with a wonderful group of people. Our hosts, Papa and Astu Dia were absolutely incredible.  Their patience and generosity exceeded all of our expectations. I also met some incredible folks from Colorado who are also fans of the Dia Family! We are now a Senegalese family and are committed to supporting the African Leadership Group in developing programs, projects, and services that support breaking barriers and building partnerships for success! This group was comprised of key Colorado leaders in nonprofits and various industries.  It was great putting names to faces.  I really appreciated the opportunity to get to know each of the members of our delegation. Our mutual humility experienced during this process enabled us to appreciate and admire the strangeness shared by our native brothers and sisters. This delegation is truly Team Awesome!

Although I was gone for less than two weeks, this experience forever changed my life.  I've watched Papa Dia operate so selflessly on behalf of the community of immigrants from the diaspora, and while I have helped, we haven't developed a strategy to create a plan for great impact from his work!  This is my new commitment.  I spoke with so many young, talented, brilliant people who will benefit from an actual strategy to maximize the impact of our delegation's contribution to the gateway to the Motherland. Witnessing the beautiful disposition of my brothers and sisters in Senegal, I want to find joy in my privilege, remember the lessons learned from our ancestors, and use those lessons to do and be better!  New Year, New Me! Happy 2024, Happy New Year!

See all my photos here: https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0gJOFSVFJrhnt2