Glitter

Yesterday was the first day of school here in Senegal. Being a good volunteer and older sister I decided to walk my siblings to school. They thought this was really funny so I explained it is a tradition (of sorts) in the US. I was feeling really good about myself because I was doing something kinda special for the kids and also keeping up a mini American tradition. My excitement was slightly dashed when I got ready with them and realize Fatou was coming too. It is a normal custom here too...waah waah.. Looking back it was pretty silly for me to think that they didn't do the samething. My siblings were just amused by thier silly toubab walking with them. Everday I discover a new thing I misunderstood either because of language or culture....it's kinda like christmas, minus my mom's cinnamon rolls.
Despite this mini let down, I am really glad I thought to go even if my reasons were totally off base. I took pictures and will try to explain but just know there is absolutely no way I can do justice to how funny the kids here dressed for thier first day. So there is the normal complets and a few boubous, which makes sense since that is thier fancy clothing. But now that things are getting more westernized many of the kids, mainly boys had on western outfits. It was these that were so great; they were all over the board. My brothers were "normal" in thier polos and jeans. The jeans are sengalise knock-offs, which i know because they always have a few random and often mispelled logos placed haphazardly on them. Babakar's said Dolce and Gabbana on them, he also had an awsome Obama belt to hold him up bc he is just so darn skinny. Abdu had jean shorts with D&G on the front and Heiniken on the back pocket.
As I said though these were the normal standard, but then there were some fun boys that had fun 70s outfits, obviously bought at the second hand shops. The best is they are perfectly put together, matching, clean very sharply dressed just 40 years too late. My personal favorite, and I am not sure if he knew he was so awesome, was the boy who had a silver striped suit, with a black shirt and knockoff converse sneakers. He looked like a mini will smith. There were also girls in prom dresses, leather skirts and matching vests, or the winning I am Sexy t-shirt.
Thier style here gives me endless amusement because it is so crazy. They never all dress in the same fashion except for when going to the mosque. Otherwise almost anything seems to go. It is like being at a TG everyday, but no one is really sure of the theme. Nightclub dresses, cowboy vests and silver stripped suits are all welcome. If I can be sure of one thing in Senegal it is that i will never be able to guess what people will wear. I will say they are probably on to something here. It can be beautiful just walking into a busy market because you see such an array of colors and patterns. All in all I brightens my day, figuratively and a lot of times literally; they really like their glitter here too.