Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
Africa: Sub-Saharan	DENIED at 2. interview	QUOTE (Omoba @ Oct 28 2008, 06:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thanks, I like your " Love like rain....." thoughts. And I definitely agree with everything having a reason, even though we may not understand it at the time we go through something..........but in hind sight it becomes clearer. I think so too. My fiance said to me last night "Jen, take courage. People who take visas easy have other big problems and they fight beaucoup. You and me take time to understand each other good." I love his English, it's so simple but really to the point. It's true, if he had been here in April it would have been too soon and too easy and we would not have had the time to figure out there really important stuff (like how I need to deal with that firey Guinean temper hahaha). Now, I know we'll never take each other for granted!	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-10-28 18:06:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	VT W. African Dance and Drum Festival	QUOTE (Yardiewife @ Oct 31 2008, 04:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Wow I couldn't watch all the videos cause I am at work but I am in awe of what I have seen. Absolutely beautiful! I was touched to see all the races/ethnicities come together and celebrate culture. Very touching. Just for curiosity sake I checked to see if we have anything in our area - fully expecting not to find a thing but to my surprise there is a class in the town where I work. How cool is that. Maybe I will have to check it out. WanTanNara I hope that the process is over for you soon. You sure have been waiting a while Thanks for sharing. The dances and drums are a wonderful expression of the African culture I'm happy to share Yardie. I would be a lifeless lump without my Guinean community here. I hope this AP is over soon, too. I know there are others that have been waiting a lot longer than me but it's still a challenge to get thru each day. One foot in front of the other...	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-11-01 22:44:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	VT W. African Dance and Drum Festival	QUOTE (stevi1123 @ Oct 31 2008, 04:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I'm so sorry WanTaNara, I pray that things speed up for you soon. My heart breaks for you. Hugs, hugs, and more hugs to you. Thanks Stevi, I appreciate the hugs very much. At the very least I will see ma koumi (my honey) in another six weeks. I can't wait to smooch him like a crazy woman.	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-11-01 22:39:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	VT W. African Dance and Drum Festival	I'm so sad today. When we were put on AP back in April I could not imagine that my fiance would not be here for this conference. Now, it's here and he's not. Next week there will be over a dozen W. African artists here in Burlington, VT but the one I really want to be here is stuck in Senegal waiting. Six months of AP in the grand scheme of life is a relatively short period of time, but it feels damn long right now! Waah!	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-10-31 08:35:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	VT W. African Dance and Drum Festival	QUOTE (LovinLiberia @ Oct 25 2008, 11:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Mohamed Diaby, of Guinea, began playing the djembe at age seven, under the supervision of his elder brother Moustapha. By fifteen, he was asked to join a group sponsored by the wife of Guinea's infamous President Sekou Toure. Encouraged to continue by world famous djembefola Mamady Keita, Mohamed joined Africa Djole, led by Fode Yulla. Mohamed later joined Les Merveilles de Guinea as lead drummer, touring all over West Africa, including Sierra Leone where he stayed for five years. While still away from home, Kemoko Sano, Artistic Director of the world famous troupe Les Ballet Africains, had approached Mohamed's father saying when your son returns, I want him to join my group, because I love his drumming. In April of 1995 Mohamed arrived in America to play at New York City's Symphony Space and within a few years he was in Atlanta directing Africa Sogaye, a Guinea style Dance and Drum Troupe as well as organizing Atlanta's annual WAH WAH Drum and Dance Conference. He currently travels throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe teaching drum and dancing and promoting the music and culture of Guinea. Yes! You should definately go take classes with Mohamed and come to our conference next year in VT! My dance teacher used to dance in Africa Djole too. This type of dancing absolutely can get you into the best shape of your life but it takes a while before you can dance full-on. The rhythms and movements are very different from Western rhythms, but if you stick with it and don't get frustrated, pretty soon you'll be havin' the time of your life. I would not have met my fiance if it were not for my dance community here, and now that we're stuck in AP, it's my community that is keeping me going. I can't help it, I have to move when I hear a drum!	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-10-25 13:14:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	VT W. African Dance and Drum Festival	QUOTE (stevi1123 @ Oct 24 2008, 08:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thanks again WanTaNara. I will go back to the first video and try to find you I am really getting excited about the possibility of finding a class here in my town. And I also just saw the pictures of your wedding rings. They are exquisite. I have not yet looked at the second video, but I am going to do so as soon as I post this. You have such great info to share. Whenever my SO gets here, we might have to look into Vermont as a possible relocation spot Ohhhh our rings, I'm so happy about them! Who'd a' thought, but we have a really strong African community here in Vermont. We have artists from Guinea, Senegal, and Ivory Coast. A couple from Ghana runs our African market, and I don't know any of them personally but I know there are several Nigerians and Sudanese here too. Ah, there's a couple guys from Togo too. We'll be here if you ever need help relocating or want to come visit! Insh-Allah... our men will be here soon.	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-10-24 20:18:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	VT W. African Dance and Drum Festival	QUOTE (stevi1123 @ Oct 24 2008, 06:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That was OUTSTANDING! Vermont is rockin' I especially enjoyed seeing all the different races/cultures of people all together, dancing, enjoying, and really getting into the meaning of the dances. Why can't the WORLD be this way? Can you imagine a world where everyone celebrated each others cultures so openly and freely? I have faith and hope that we will oneday see that day. It also looks like a workout that burns thousands of calories. I would love to join a class around here now. But I don't know if my old bones could do some of those moves. This seems more strenuous than my Tae Bo, Step Aerobics and Walk Aerobics by far! Thanks for sharing. I really enjoyed the video WanTaNara.....which lady were you? Ah Stevi I'm so happy you enjoyed it! We are definately blessed here in Burlington, Vermont. Everybody seems to get along just fine and it makes the winters well worth it. I just wish my fiance had been able to come this summer to have a little time to adjust, have a feeling he's going to be arriving in the dead of winter! And yes, dancing like this burns a zillion calories. I always come home exhausted after class. Here is a link that lists classes by state, maybe there is something in your area. African Dance Teachers by State Here is another little ditty about our conference last year. In this one you can see two of our Guinean artists up close and personal and some really cute little girls with attitude! As far as which lady I am, you'll have to come to Vermont to see! Hee hee... really, the only spot you can see my face clearly is in the first video in one of the still shots under the classes section. We're all in class in the studio and I'm wearing a brown and ivory lappa w/ an ivory top. Dark brown hair, all slicked back from sweat! I've been so sad the last few weeks waiting for our AP to be over and sharing this has perked me right up, so I thank you for your interest! Won tan nara (it's Susu and it means we walk together).	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-10-24 19:31:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	VT W. African Dance and Drum Festival	QUOTE (Omoba @ Oct 24 2008, 04:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Very cool, thanks for sharing . Man ,I find it very, very difficult to dance around the drum and keep the rhythm going with the drum so I just drum. It will take years for me to get advanced like that . My teacher is African American and was taught from the split away group who learned under K. Dunham. She is a stickler for authenticity which is good though but oh my poor feet and legs......... I am just there to get some exercise and learn and not into performing all though they are insisting I go along for the performances which I have not done yet. I think it's awesome you are dancing! It really is hard on the feet. One thing that helps are these nifty little half socks called dance paws. I don't wear them every class because I want to keep my callouses for dancing on that darn concrete in Africa, but they allow me to dance 3-4 times a week without bruising my tootsies! The African rhythms are so different from our Western music and it does take years of practice. Your hubby will be so happy to see you dance I'm sure!	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-10-24 15:40:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	VT W. African Dance and Drum Festival	QUOTE (Omoba @ Oct 24 2008, 03:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I started a couple months ago and have not even got one single dance down from start to finish to have an opinion. It will take me much longer to even begin to differentiate between the rhythms. Still trying to " listen " to the drum talking to me and interpret what the heck it is supposed to be saying to me as instructed by the teacher Making baby steps progress but sorry I can't answer your question......yet. The jumping is extremely difficult for me , especially the quick turns of direction. Am jiving more with the slow to medium pace. The group is looking into going on youtube soon so I will post a link when that happens. I will do whatever I have to not to be on there Where is your teacher from? If you can find a teacher from Mali, Malian dance is a lot less jumpy and more grounded than Guinean or Senegalese. The jumping really is tough and it's taken my feet years to develop good callouses. I always have to soak my feet after class but it's so worth it! Here is a link to our group!	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-10-24 14:51:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	VT W. African Dance and Drum Festival	QUOTE (Omoba @ Oct 24 2008, 01:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> http://www.nathaniel...hamdancinge.htm I am enjoying West African dance and drum lessons for a donation ( $ 5 to $10 per week ) about 30 min from my home. Our group performs for schools, libraries, events, state fairs etc. and is an offshoot from a group that was under the great Katherine Dunham. Nice! What countries rhythms do you study? I find similarities yet very distinct difference between Guinean, Senegalese, and Malian rhythms. Music from Ghana and Ivory Coast seems to be totally different. My preference is obviously Guinean, I think it's because it's what I am most familiar with. I've tried Senegalese sabar and it's tough! They make it look so dang easy.	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-10-24 12:15:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	VT W. African Dance and Drum Festival	QUOTE (MrsJibowu @ Oct 24 2008, 11:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thank you for sharing! When I was exploring options for hotel accommodations, which were few, I discovered a drum school that offered overnight accommodations and lessons for $1000 for a week. I am so tempted to go, but I will have to wait until next year. Hopefully my husband will be here and we can make a weekend of it. Yes yes! Come next year! It's so much fun. There is also Camp Fereta in California in July. This is the link for the 2008 camp but they will update it soon. Camp Fareta We are blessed to have so many incredible W. African artists here in America. If it wasn't for my dance teacher here in VT I would not have made the trip to Guinea and subsequently met my fiance. Getting connected in your community might help some of you that are waiting to pass the time! I know I'd be a lump w/out my community here.	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-10-24 10:19:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	VT W. African Dance and Drum Festival	Hi everyone, did you know that Vermont has the longest running W. African dance and drum festival in the country? Check it out! Jeh Kulu dance and drum festival	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-10-24 09:58:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	How much $	QUOTE (Omoba @ Oct 24 2008, 12:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Nanga def ? Dieure dieuf. ...................( Wolof ) Don't know any Wolof (except waw waw) but I know lots of Susu!	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-10-24 12:18:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	How much $	QUOTE (WhidbeyGirl @ Oct 23 2008, 12:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (WonTanNara @ Oct 23 2008, 08:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (WhidbeyGirl @ Oct 23 2008, 11:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (WonTanNara @ Oct 23 2008, 07:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (WhidbeyGirl @ Oct 22 2008, 09:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (WonTanNara @ Oct 22 2008, 05:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (WhidbeyGirl @ Oct 22 2008, 04:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Merci WonTanNara. Everything everyone has said has be so valuable! De rien ma souer, bonne chance! Too bad you will be leaving before I get there but I cannot wait to hear about your experience! Je parle français un peu. Mon fiancé dit que je le parlerai couramment avant que je parte. (translation courtesy Babel Fish ) I could "miss" my flight....LOL! Your fiance might be a little crabby if you miss your flight tee hee... I am really hoping to be in Guinea during that time, Insh-Allah! Actually I was talking about missing my flight home - think my husband would actually like that HA! Well yeah that makes a heck of a lot more sense! Stay a few weeks longer! In 3 weeks you will just be getting settled and used to the heat. You will be amazed at how quickly the time passes. You will be a the same latitude as Honduras in Central America. Senegal ca c'est tres sho et troi semen c'est tres rapid! OK so my French is failing and babel fish SUCKED. Here is what I got: Senegal ca it is very sho and troi semen (three weeks?) it is very rapid WAIT I think I figured it out - with the help of my son who doesn't speak a bit for French. Le Sénégal il fait très chaud et trois semaines est très rapidement! Yeah my French spelling sometimes leaves much to be desired especially if I am in a hurry. I spell fenetically HAhahah! But, the online translators do in fact suck. I'm no expert, but I can also tell you there are two very big differences between African French and Canadian/Parisian French: Africans use very simple grammar and syntax and their speech is much more open mouthed. I like it better. Be careful with the online translators, they can twist your words into something you don't want to say. Doh!	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-10-23 11:33:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	How much $	QUOTE (WhidbeyGirl @ Oct 23 2008, 11:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (WonTanNara @ Oct 23 2008, 07:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (WhidbeyGirl @ Oct 22 2008, 09:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (WonTanNara @ Oct 22 2008, 05:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (WhidbeyGirl @ Oct 22 2008, 04:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Merci WonTanNara. Everything everyone has said has be so valuable! De rien ma souer, bonne chance! Too bad you will be leaving before I get there but I cannot wait to hear about your experience! Je parle français un peu. Mon fiancé dit que je le parlerai couramment avant que je parte. (translation courtesy Babel Fish ) I could "miss" my flight....LOL! Your fiance might be a little crabby if you miss your flight tee hee... I am really hoping to be in Guinea during that time, Insh-Allah! Actually I was talking about missing my flight home - think my husband would actually like that HA! Well yeah that makes a heck of a lot more sense! Stay a few weeks longer! In 3 weeks you will just be getting settled and used to the heat. You will be amazed at how quickly the time passes. You will be a the same latitude as Honduras in Central America. Senegal ca c'est tres sho et troi semen c'est tres rapid!	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-10-23 10:44:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	How much $	QUOTE (WhidbeyGirl @ Oct 22 2008, 09:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (WonTanNara @ Oct 22 2008, 05:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (WhidbeyGirl @ Oct 22 2008, 04:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Merci WonTanNara. Everything everyone has said has be so valuable! De rien ma souer, bonne chance! Too bad you will be leaving before I get there but I cannot wait to hear about your experience! Je parle français un peu. Mon fiancé dit que je le parlerai couramment avant que je parte. (translation courtesy Babel Fish ) I could "miss" my flight....LOL! Your fiance might be a little crabby if you miss your flight tee hee... I am really hoping to be in Guinea during that time, Insh-Allah!	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-10-23 09:44:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	How much $	QUOTE (Omoba @ Oct 22 2008, 10:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> 2–3 cups of bissap flowers 1 cup sugar sprig of mint 1/2 cup lemon juice Preparation Jus de Bissap Preparation: Method: Rinse the flowers under cold water then set aside. Meanwhile add 2l cold water to a saucepan and bring to the boil. As soon as the water's boiling add the flowers. Immediately remove from the heat and allow to seep for ten to fifteen minutes. After this time pour the tea through a strainer into a pitcher (make sure you don't pour any of the flower sediment in). Stir in the sugar and lemon juice. Add the sprig of mint then transfer to the fridge to allow the drink to chill completely. This tart drink makes an excellent accompaniment to any West African dish Omoba merci beaucoup!	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-10-23 09:35:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	How much $	QUOTE (Tiggi247 @ Oct 23 2008, 12:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Good advice I will be be there Dec 14th until Jan 11th, I hope to see you there, My Fiance will be taking care of all of my living arrangemets when i get there I will be renting a apartment, She has a very big family and I am meeting more and more of her Family here in states people that I have known for years but didnt know that they were her peeps. But I know that I will have a good time there, The hard part will be me coming back home alone and going through the visa process again. I dont know how you do it going and coming and being away from your Fiance like that . I will have you in my prayers that you can get everything cleared this time . Hi D, I guess we're OT but c'est la vie! I hope to see you in Guinea too! It would be nice to have somebody to speak English with. Our visa situation is completely out of our hands, and it's even out of the embassy's hands. Our fate rests with Washington now and not even a congressman can help us. The good news is that we don't need another interview and once that security clearance comes through we are good to go. Hopefully it will come before the middle of December because I don't want to spend a month in Senegal. I want to go to Guinea and see our friends and my fiance's family and watch Les Ballets Africains rehearse and dance with my Bijioux! Insh-Allah... Nonetheless, we are not going back to Guinea unless my fiance has his envelope in his hands. As far as leaving your fiance, it's tough, I won't sugarcoat that one. I've had to do it 3 times in the last year and I cry on the plane every time. But, our love is very strong. You will be ok. You will be hitting the Vermont SC at a good time, winter is always slower. I really don't think you'll have the same AP problem as us because your fiance is female. If we had not gotten stuck in security clearance, we would have had our visa in 3 months from when I filed the petition. FYI Guinea is a LOT cheaper than Senegal so your budget will be significantly less. The prices in FG are the same (ie 2000 for a 20 minute taxi ride, 500 for a bowl of rice or a cold drink, 6000 for 6M of fabric) but there are about 4000FG for $1. Your money will go 100 times further in Guinea (another reason I don't want to stay in Senegal for a month). Cons: Don't count on having running water, and electricity usually comes on only at night. Usually. Be careful with the things you plug in, sometimes the current is too strong and it blew out one of my voltage converters. One night my fan caught on fire (THAT was an experience). The mosquitoes are horrific in Conakry, you will want a net for sleeping and malaria pills if possible. Once people understand you are American, you will more than likely constantly be asked for money. It's hard, I'd love to help each and every Guinean but it's just not possible. I have a vision in my head that will haunt me forever, walking across a bridge mobbed with people and this crippled man looking up at me with his hand stretched out. My fiance was carrying the money and was walking too quickly for us to stop so I wasn't able to help him. After that, I would keep a few small bills or coins in my pocket to give as I'm walking by somebody like that who really needs help. Roads are rough, take good shoes for walking. Pros: MUSIC! If at all possible you should take drum classes. PM me I can set you up, my fiance's cousin is the lead djembe soloist for Les Ballets Africains. It would be a shame if you did not experience the music in Guinea. Classes are about $15 for 90 minutes and you can bring home a really nice djembe for $150. At the very least, go watch a ballet rehearse. MADINA! It's the craziest market I've ever seen in my life. You need to see Madina. SORO! If possible, take an overnight boat trip out to one of the Islands. Ohh I'm getting goosebumps remembering our trip to Soro. KINDIA! It's where all that fabulous indigo fabric comes from and site of one of the most beautiful waterfalls I've ever seen. Street food is great, try anything and everything, especially BISSAP (pronounced BEE-sap). You can't leave Guinea without tasting this yummy red drink, almost always served cold because they freeze it in little baggies the night before they take it out to sell. I strongly suggest taking gifts for your fiance and her family. You don't need to spend a lot and a little gesture goes a long way. From our PM talks it sounds like your fiance's family is better off than most, but most of the people in Guinea are so heartbreakingly poor... take little gifts. I have found that the guys love T-shirts with US logos on them and the women love big bling earrings. I brought little matchbox cars and lipglosses and gave them out to kids on the street. One thing that I absolutely loved was all the kids running up to me saying "fotay nara fotay nara ehhh fotay!" and wanting to shake my hand. It basically means "here's a white person." The kids are SO CUTE. You are foray though, so they won't be calling you fotay. I should teach you some Susu so you can surprise your fiance, assuming she is Susu? I don't know any Malinke or Fular. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh now I wanna go back to Guinea sooooooooooooooooo badly! Insh-Allah we will be in Guinea at the same time...	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-10-23 09:32:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	How much $	QUOTE (stevi1123 @ Oct 22 2008, 05:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Oh how I LOVE Bissap..... I fell in LOVE with this "tea" about 4 years ago when I was dating a man from Senegal. This is the most refreshing, delicious, delectable, wonderful drink in the WORLD to me. I now buy Bissap (which is known as Zobo in Nigeria) each and every month, and I make a batch of it on Sundays to last me through the week. I can't believe someone else has finally written about this heavenly beverage. It is SO delicious. It is also very, very CHEAP to make. I get a month's supply at the African Market for about 5 US dollars. I make it exactly as I make tea, but I also add pineapple juice to it, just like the guy I once dated made it.......It is a well-known drink in other cultures too, but it has various different names. But, as you mentioned, it is from Hibiscus flowers. It makes a beautiful, deep red tea that tastes just like fruit punch. Yummy... I'd love to know how you make it! My fiance gave me a little bag of hibiscus flowers but I'm not sure what to do with them! A little OT but everybody could benefit from drinking bissap! Tee hee.... QUOTE (WhidbeyGirl @ Oct 22 2008, 04:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Merci WonTanNara. Everything everyone has said has be so valuable! De rien ma souer, bonne chance! Too bad you will be leaving before I get there but I cannot wait to hear about your experience!	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-10-22 19:21:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	How much $	Hi WB: It looks like you got some great suggestions. I posted this on another topic I was reading first but I'll put it here too (sorry, a little behind the 8-ball so to speak). I have been in and out of the Dakar airport (which is actually in N'Gor) a few times and can offer you a few suggestions. Airport: You'll have to take a bus from the plane to the terminal. You'll need to fill out a quick little form for entry and they will definately ask you where you are staying. I've always flown in at 5am so baggage claim is pretty much deserted. Depending on when you are flying in it might be a crazy scene so be ready for that. The first time I flew into Conakry, Guinea I just about had a heart attack it was so crazy! At baggage claim, the men will descend upon you to help you with your baggage. The first time I went into that airport I accepted the help but then the guy argued with me that my 2000CFA ($5) tip wasn't enough! Are you kidding me? That's food for a day for you to push a cart 100 yards. Now, I always politely decline but they are pretty persistant. The last time I went, some guy grabbed the handle of my suitcase and would not let go. I was almost outside the airport, walking, holding onto my suitcase, he was holding on too, and I was saying No, sil vu plait NO, merci, NO and then my fiance came over and he let go. Also, before you exit the airport you will need to put your bags through an x-ray machine, and the guards may or may not ask you to open your bags. I try to look confident and so far they have not asked me to open my bags. Money: I would advise against wiring yourself money or bringing traveler's cheques. Take crisp, new $100 bills with you to exchange at the airport and carry them in a moneybelt under your clothes. They will see you coming from a mile away and will try to take advantage of you. Be prepared and don't let them! The first thing to be aware of is that they will try and give you a crappy exchange rate. The exchange rate right now is about 443CFA for $1 but it fluxuates. Before you go, check the internet for the most current exchange rate and be firm in your negotiations. The other thing they will try to do is take a commission. The first time this happened to me I couldn't believe it. We exchanged $800 for the month I and they tried to take almost $250 in "commission!" I could not believe it. We were counting the money and I said c'est tu? Ehhh, NO. I seriously thought my fiance was going to blow a gasket as they don't even try that in Guinea. You might have to haggle for a while but you can get a fair exchange rate without them taking commission. If you go to the bank to exchange money, you will not be able to negotiate the rate and they will take a commission. Do it at the airport, and be confident and firm. It will be very helpful if you understand French numbers. Taxis: Negotiate! Your SO should negotiate on your behalf and I'm sure he understands that when they see you coming they will jack up the rates. You should be able to get a taxi from the airport to the embassy for about 2000CFA ($5) and it's about a 20-30 minute ride depending on traffic. Point of interest: There is a very large and very beautiful mosque on the beach on the way to the embassy. It's really quite breathtaking. Market: I know you mentioned your funds are limited, but if you go to the market, once again be prepared to negotiate. We automatically cut any given price in half. You can get 6 meters of cotton wax print fabric for 4000CFA, but when you ask they'll first tell you 8000CFA. If you buy nothing else, you should find a good tailor and have one embroidered outfit to bring home with you. (I posted this before but it looks like your SO is having outfits made for you so that is very nice!) PM me and I can send you some photos of the outfits I've had made. The most expensive outfit I have is my wedding outfit, it's embroidered high quality bazan (cotton w/ a subtle design woven in) and the total cost was about $40. Side note: While you are there you should pick up a couple of the calling cards to call visa services at the embassy. Your fiance will need that card to make his appointment for his interview when the time comes. Clothing: I was only in Dakar/N'Gor and did not travel to the interior but I mainly wear tank tops and lappas (long wrap skirts). You can go to JoAnn's and pick up 2 yards of quilter's batik to wrap as a skirt. I cannot bear to cover my arms in that heat and I don't cover my head either. In Guinea I dress the same. You've already received good advice, at the very least keep your legs from the knee up covered. The only sun-screen I've found to be sweatproof is No-Ad. I live in Vermont so I too have a difficult time with the heat. Make sure you have good sunglasses. Mosquitoes: When I was in Guinea I was eaten alive, it looked like a rash! In Senegal not so much, but again I never went to the interior. You might want to consider a malaria medication. I took Malarone and my insurance covered it. At the very least, bring some deet. A mosquito net is a good idea if it's possible. Insurance: You should definately purchase at least a travel medical plan. You can typically get really good coverage for a $30 or $40 premium. I use American Express travel insurance. In Guinea I burned my leg on a motorcycle and was really happy I had the medical coverage because it got infected. Er... good idea to wear jeans if travelling by motorcycle but it's so damn hot! Budget: If your SO is taking care of the expenses, I think a budget of $20 for your own personal expenses is a good plan. You probably won't be able to use a credit card outside of Dakar but it's good to have one just in case. As a point of reference, we pay 70,000CFA a month for my fiance's room, which is in a private house and he has his own bathroom. You can get lodging for more or less depending on where you are. A lot of people say "well the MAN needs to pay for everything" but I totally disagree. As Zee said, everybody's situation is different. I pay for everything because my SO comes from a family who has absolutely NOTHING. He contributes in other ways (like waiting on my hand and foot when I'm in Africa and massaging my feet after dance class). Just take care of each other in whatever ways work for you. Food: Restaurants are really expensive and I find the food to be not worth the expense. I budget about 5000CFA ($12) a day for us both to eat. We don't always use that much, sometimes we use more. We stay in N'Gor and eat street food served in little "tent" restaurants, things like omelet sandwiches, rice and sauce, roasted chicken with onions and french fries, or sometimes a beef sandwich. You can get a bowl of rice and sauce that will serve two for about 500CFA. Cold drinks cost that much too, sometimes more depending on where you buy them. I've never had any problems eating meat over there because they cook it to oblivion. I'll eat fruits and veggies while I'm there but if I can't cook or peel it then I wash it with a mixture of bottled water and a little tiny bit of bleach. If you use too much bleach you can taste it, all you need is a little splash to kill any critters that might be lurking. The mangos are huge! Enjoy the tea. They cook green tea with spearmint and lots of sugar, then they shake it so it gets foamy on top. So nice! I also love cafe touba, it's coffee with some sort of funky sweetness. I don't know what they call them in Senegal, but there are two drinks in little baggies that are usually cold and just heavenly. One is made from hibiscus flowers and sugar and it's deep red (in Guinea they call it bisap) and the other is orange and made from sugar and ginger root (they call it ginga in Guinea). Some might warn you about drinking ginga because the water is not boiled, but I believe the ginger kills anything harmful and I've never had a problem drinking it. Oh and they let eggs sit out and don't refrigerate them, so don't eat eggs that have already been hardboiled and sitting out. Gifts: I think it would be a good idea to show up with small gifts for your SO and his family. You don't need to spend a lot and they are always so appreciative. I usually take T-shirts with some sort of logo for the guys (get at Kohl's for $5) and small purses, perfume, or earrings for the girls. Little toys pour les petites. Wal-Mart! Please feel free to PM me if you have any questions about the trip or the embassy. I'm going back Dec 17th but I'm not sure if I'll be in Guinea or Senegal. We've been on AP for six months and if my fiance's clearance comes through before then we're going to Guinea. If not, we're staying in N'Gor. Bon voyage ma soeur!	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-10-22 11:46:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Sali Portugal in Senegal	QUOTE (taurean @ Nov 3 2008, 10:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (AishaandMusa @ Nov 3 2008, 08:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I'm sorry that it took so long for me to respond. Yes, I heard that Saly is wonderful and beautiful...also quite pricey. They have their own market and you should enjoy it as long as you bring along some extra $$. Many blessings! You are really on it Taurean! Great info. Hope all is well with you! Yeah, I had to find that information right when I was thinking about or else I'd probably never get around to posting it. It's good that you mentioned the prices in Saly, Aisha. I stayed in the (ahem) lesser accomodations, so the price tag wasn't too high for me. But any place catering to tourists is going have a premium on everything. Still....I think it's a nice place to visit. I am good! Thanks for asking. But how are you doing? I see you had a little time to post (that's a good thing). Merci beaucoup!	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-11-05 11:57:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Sali Portugal in Senegal	QUOTE (AishaandMusa @ Nov 2 2008, 09:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I'm thinking that Saly Portugal is the place near Mbour? I'll have to ask my husband who is snoozing away enjoying daylight savings time, but from what I remember, it is very touristy, but nice. You should enjoy it. Yes I do think it's near Mbour. Any info you have would be much appreciated! Thanks!	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-11-02 12:44:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Sali Portugal in Senegal	Hi everyone, so it looks like I'll be buying a ticket in the next couple weeks to go see my fiance again. We're hoping he has his visa so we can return to his home in Guinea for a visit but if he does not, he wants to stay in Senegal. The last couple times I've gone we've stayed in N'Gor and I don't want to stay there again for a month. He's heard of a place called Sali Portual to the north of Dakar that is supposed to be really nice. Anyone heard of it, good or bad?	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-10-31 08:29:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Fiance Visa	QUOTE (Omoba @ Nov 11 2008, 04:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Ah yeah Loveland, we spoke with him too. I would trade with you on the security checks if you want my waiver It's his common name that's holding him up. If the approval is pending the checks and you weren't told you will have a 2. in depth appointment then you got it made in the shade. Yup, the embassy has specifically told me that he just needs to drop off his passport and then take his envelope. One half of me says the hard part is over, and the other half of me says the waiting is the hard part... Good luck with your waiver Omoba!	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-11-11 19:23:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Fiance Visa	QUOTE (Omoba @ Nov 10 2008, 10:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Was he ever out of the country or does he have very common name WonTanNara ? joining you in the %^&*$#$#@)&*(&^% !!! frustration He was never out of Guinea before he left to go to Senegal for the medical and interview. He has a very common name. Actually, right after the interview we were not told why our case needed AP. The officer never asked to see all of the evidence I had of our relationship, so the next day we went back to the embassy to talk to somebody. I had to (politely) argue with the Senegalese woman at the window, insisting that I be allowed to speak to an American. She took my passport, disappeared for a few minutes, returned and asked me to come back at 2pm. I did and spoke with Loveland. He said, "I can't give you too much information about our processes, but I can tell you that your fiance's name is very common." Since I've been home I've had inquiries done through both of VT's senators and verified that everything is in order and approved, we're just waiting for the security clearance. He will not even need a second interview. My sweet drummer-man has absolutely no criminal record on file anywhere, so Insh-Allah, soon.	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-11-11 12:20:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Fiance Visa	QUOTE (Omoba @ Nov 10 2008, 10:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Good grief, that was with lightening speed and the fastest USCIS approval I have ever heard of in the 2 years on this board. Did they have dynamite under their butts at that time ? LOL! Dynamite.... Who knows.... but oh look at what good it did us. 11 months later we still don't have his visa! If only the DOS had dynamite under their butts and got our $#$%^&*^%&*%$^%$^&(*&(*)()(_)(*&^%$#@!@ security clearance done!	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-11-10 22:39:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Fiance Visa	I remember when I filed back in January a person at USCIS told me it could take me a year to get him here. I was absolutely devastated. Here we are, in the middle of November, and he's still not here. It's been hard but I know it will be so worth it. In spite of that, I also think a K1 is faster because you do not have to wait for an immigrant visa number. Our petition was approved in six weeks from the date I sent it in and if he had not gotten stuck in security clearance then he would have had his visa inside of 4 months. Good luck.	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-11-10 22:06:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	How To Get An Interview At Dakar Embassy???	QUOTE (Omoba @ Nov 14 2008, 03:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Can you imagine my German genes and his Sierra Leone genes We get pretty heated at times but thank God we apologize to each other when wrong. Yeah but German genes and Sierra Leone genes (and Irish genes and Guinean genes) make beautiful babies!	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-11-14 16:14:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	How To Get An Interview At Dakar Embassy???	QUOTE (Omoba @ Nov 12 2008, 09:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Cultural hissy fits would best describe it. Omoba you make me laugh! We all have our hissy fits, I think the difference is that I find Africans to be much more open about their hissy fits. Nothin' to do with genes, it's just the way they are raised. We have hissy fits too but we usually b1tch to somebody else about it, no? I'm sitting here laughhing because it's one of the things I love about my fiance but at the same time drives me nuts. I love his Guinean fire and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Leedah, I'm really happy to hear your husband has a second interview and is not giving up. My fiance is feeling the same thing, all these people are getting visas and he's had to wait seven months for security clearance. It's tough on all of us. You can probably count on your husband having another hissy fit hee hee. He don't need no stinkin' meds. When he starts getting upset, just let him go with it. Let him say whatever he needs to say and just take it with a grain of salt. Sometimes that's tough to do. Believe me, I am very sensitive and it was no easy feat for me to let him rant and just smile and nod. When you have the time to sit down face to face and you're both in a really good mood, just ask him to try to be more aware of what he says to you because sometimes it hurts. I did that with my fiance and I can't believe the difference in him. My willingness to just let him rant and not give him ####### in return has in turn made him a lot more willing to watch what he says to me. We still have our hissy fits, but we've found ways to make each other laugh when it happens and it's usually over very quickly. Bringing a spouse or fiance here is so hard for us, and it's even harder when they get here because we have to teach them so much. On the other hand, don't ever lose sight of how difficult this is for them, too. It's total culture shock. Add to that the typical gender issues; they feel like their manhood is compromised because we are the ones taking care of them. It's overwhelming, I'm sure. I've said this before, patience is key... getting the visa is just the beginning.	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-11-14 12:08:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	How To Get An Interview At Dakar Embassy???	QUOTE (WonTanNara @ Nov 10 2008, 10:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> How are things going Leedah? When I was reading your earlier posts about your husband procrastinating and not getting out to print the email you sent to him, my first thought was "Welcome to life with a West African!" My fiance and I now openly joke about "African time." I don't know about Gambians, but I know from experience that some Guineans and Senegalese can say horrible stuff that they really do not mean when they are stressed out or angry. I've experienced it not only with my fiance but with several of my friends who are W. Africans. When my fiance was doing all the work required on his end, it was incredibly overwhelming for him. He just snapped when he had to travel to Dakar and get his medical exam by himself. He at one point told me if I didn't get on a plane and come help him RIGHT NOW that he was putting all his clothes in his suitcase, going back to Guinea, and we were DONE. I was due to arrive in 3 weeks from that time for his interview. I was devastated! I immediately called my best friend whose husband is also Guinean and begged for their help. They called my fiance and 10 minutes later called me saying it was not serious. I did not hear from my fiance until the next day but he apologized and now we are closer than ever. I've learned to not take him seriously when he's tired or hungry, and he's learning to not say stuff he doesn't mean. Leaving one's home for a far away land can be a really frightening experience! Add to that all the complications of immigration and it's enough to test any relationship. I try to remember that my fiance has made just as many sacrifices as I have during this journey. Anyway, I really hope that your husband didn't mean it. Maybe he's feeling really overwhelmed and afraid too...? I wish you the best! I should say this, I don't mean to generalize... there are plenty of Americans who say crappy stuff when they are mad too but I just find it to be so much more intense with the W. Africans in my life. That intensity of life is what drew me to Guinea and my fiance in first place!	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-11-10 22:35:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	How To Get An Interview At Dakar Embassy???	How are things going Leedah? When I was reading your earlier posts about your husband procrastinating and not getting out to print the email you sent to him, my first thought was "Welcome to life with a West African!" My fiance and I now openly joke about "African time." I don't know about Gambians, but I know from experience that some Guineans and Senegalese can say horrible stuff that they really do not mean when they are stressed out or angry. I've experienced it not only with my fiance but with several of my friends who are W. Africans. When my fiance was doing all the work required on his end, it was incredibly overwhelming for him. He just snapped when he had to travel to Dakar and get his medical exam by himself. He at one point told me if I didn't get on a plane and come help him RIGHT NOW that he was putting all his clothes in his suitcase, going back to Guinea, and we were DONE. I was due to arrive in 3 weeks from that time for his interview. I was devastated! I immediately called my best friend whose husband is also Guinean and begged for their help. They called my fiance and 10 minutes later called me saying it was not serious. I did not hear from my fiance until the next day but he apologized and now we are closer than ever. I've learned to not take him seriously when he's tired or hungry, and he's learning to not say stuff he doesn't mean. Leaving one's home for a far away land can be a really frightening experience! Add to that all the complications of immigration and it's enough to test any relationship. I try to remember that my fiance has made just as many sacrifices as I have during this journey. Anyway, I really hope that your husband didn't mean it. Maybe he's feeling really overwhelmed and afraid too...? I wish you the best!	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-11-10 22:32:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	How To Get An Interview At Dakar Embassy???	Hi Leedah, You do in fact need the magical card to schedule an appointment in Dakar. Your SO can get one in Gambia at Full Time Trading, Kairaba Ave. (Opposite Cedar Club Shopping Mall), Pipeline, Banjul. Here is the link to the list of vendors. Interview card vendors Regarding the medical, your SO will have to have it completed by one of the approved doctors in Dakar. They will seal the results in an envelope that he will need to present at his interview. Here is the list of panel physicians. Panel physicians. I recommend Hassan Bahsoun, he speaks English, French, and Wolof and was very pleasant. Typically there is a one month delay to get an appointment. I think the embassy has been really busy the last few weeks because they have been unresponsive to my inquiries about our case (stuck in AP). That is unusual. I guess if your SO ends up doing his interview in Gambia it will be different, I don't have any experience with that scenario. Bonne chance!	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-10-29 09:56:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Journey of Patience and Faith	You got it Leedah! I loved reading your post. Don't ever forget those things he's done for you. Take good care of him when he comes here. Teach him what you know, and have patience with him because you know it will take some time for him to adapt. In time there will be balance, and you'll be taking care of each other. Let me know if you need any help w/ the Dakar process. Insh-Allah we will be reunited soon...	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-11-14 22:50:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Journey of Patience and Faith	QUOTE (Boaz @ Nov 12 2008, 02:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> LOL @ frickin' machine. Don't worry. When he sees you coming home from work so exhausted, he will lay on the charm very thick. Dinner made, house clean, and waiting on you hand and foot. Boaz He'll probably be handing the baby off to me as I'm walkin' in the door! Hee hee... We were joking about that today actually. He says to me "That time I need to stay home and take my baby every day, you are man, and I am woman!" HA! I'm so happy he's confident enough in his manhood that he can joke like that, though... I don't know if I like being called the man!	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-11-14 12:16:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Journey of Patience and Faith	QUOTE (Omoba @ Nov 11 2008, 05:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Whatcha wanna bet it won't be like that if they are here ? Seriously though I appreciate the hospitality I received and I know it made you feel special. They will be so overwhelmed when they get here that we will be waiting on them hand and foot. Face it ladies, the first few months are going to be rough! Almost like having a child, eh? My fiance and I joke about that. I said are you going to be a big baby when you get here? He'll laugh and say maybe! You gonna take care of me? Oh yes I sure will! The OT is "journey of patience and faith." So true! Honey, don't put anything metal in the microwave or you'll burn down the house, ok? What's a microwave? Hee hee... Hmmm.... he might know what one is, but every time I've been over there I've never even seen one. Anywhere. Now I'm curious and will have to ask him. We were washing our laundry one day and I was complaining about having to wash by hand. I said I want my frickin' machine, my clothes don't get clean this way. Now every time we talk if I say I am doing laundry today he says (quite seriously) in your frickin' machine? In time as they get over the culture shock, I think it will be more balanced but I absolutely am not counting on him to be waiting on me hand and foot when he gets here. It will be quite the other way around for a while.	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-11-12 10:44:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Journey of Patience and Faith	QUOTE (NavarreMan @ Oct 30 2008, 05:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Sometimes things happen in strange ways for unknown reasons. Yup, the universe works in mysterious ways...	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-10-30 16:21:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Denied ....AGAIN!!! ARRRG	Don't give up Leedah. What about what you said before, waiting until January when you file your 2008 taxes? Hang in there.	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-11-25 11:53:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Denied ....AGAIN!!! ARRRG	Hey Leedah, I am going to Dakar Dec 16th. It's 4 weeks away, but I can carry over the documents for you if you want. I plan on making a trip the embassy anyway just to show my face if I can't accomplish anything else. It I carry the docs for you it will save you $100+ in DHL expenses. PM me if you want to go that route.	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-11-18 14:13:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Denied ....AGAIN!!! ARRRG	Hang in there Leedah, Dakar can be a real pain in the a$$. I've been feeling the same way you are, hmm.... maybe I should just pick up and move to another country. You're right, the immigration process is a freakin' nightmare and the US is very egocentric. Don't give up! My thoughts are prayers are with you.	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-11-18 13:49:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	I got my ticket!	QUOTE (Leedah @ Nov 26 2008, 07:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> WOW! Who quoted you that price??? I go to Banjul from Dakar ALLLLLLLL the time. I have NEVER paid that much. You must be getting "taxi quotes". Just get to the bust stop in the morning. It leaves at about 6-7am. (i'll get the rate in a few) It goes all the way to banjul. I have a Delta pass to go and as soon as I get up $406 (my ticket cost), I will be going also. If I get it before you go, I'll travel with you and show you the way. (broke from this whole immigration process & calling hubby lol). When are you going? Thanks Leedah, I am leaving 12/16. I am going to PM you.	WonTanNara	Female	Guinea	2008-11-26 09:53:00