makin' movies

It’s been a month since I started production on this film I’m doing for Peace Corps. I’ve shot three of the five women in their respective homes and places of work and even got a chance to interview Amadou and Mariam (www.amadou-mariam.com). It’s been a blast kickin’ it in the big cities, eating falafel and pizza, swimming, going to concerts. I’m in Tambacounda right now, working on some animation for the film but its slow going. I came back down south to do a shoot in Kedougou with the fourth woman in the film but my camera recently came down with Senegalitis so it’s been sent back to the States for repairs. Don’t know what’s wrong with it, just that it won’t turn on. But really, this break might be a bit of a blessing in disguise for me. I’ve missed my village, my family and friends out there, my garden. Now that the rain has stopped and the fields have been harvested, I’m sure everything looks different. And all those baby trees, I have to talk to a few farmers about making sure they protect them from the animals that are about to start grazing the fields. I do dread going back a little though. It’s just been so long and I know that it will be a big deal when I show up and I have to get gifts (kola nuts, sugar, kinkiliba tea) for everyone. It’s just stressful those first few days back in the village after a long time gone and in this case, I’m only going to be there for a few days until I have to start explaining that I’m about to head back out for another month or two to finish the movie I’m making. I’m not even sure they understand what it is exactly that I’m doing. I try to explain it in Pulaar but they don’t have a lot of words for "makin’ movies" so I tell them I’m "constructing a film" ("mido fewnude show"). Who knows how they interpret that. But I am excited to see how the women’s group’s trees have taken and the Jola family I’m working with in Yero Goli. And I am excited to see if my sister in law, Salimatou, has started the boutique (village store) that she’s been talking about. Oh and one of the kids (one of my favorites), Hawa, should be back by now. She went to live with extended family in a different village for the rainy season but now that school’s started, I’m guessing she’s back home. Well, life in Senegal is less hot these days and even though I still get sick every once in a while, I’m doing great. I miss home, especially with a lot of my friends here going back for the winter holidays, but I think I’d rather spend my vacation on an adventure; whether that’s a family trip to Israel or just me and some friends traveling West Africa on public transportation. Hope all is good over there in the land of AC and TV. Peace Only ya’ll.