To sum up... Go for it!

To sum up the blog about my trip, I can only encourage you to experience something similar!

This trip has simply been great whether talking about the atmosphere, visits, cultural aspect... I had so much fun (in a different way to how I have fun in Belgium for example), I met a lot of big-hearted, generous and honest people, no matter their social status, income, history... The Senegalese are clearly people who have inspired me with a great trust and respect. I would also like to say that during three months I never had a problem with theft (I did actually, three days before going home but it was a pickpocket and I wasn't shocked in the slightest), violence or anything else of the sort. It was also rewarding from a personal point of view. This trip not only partly changed my vision of the world, of certain problems, my way of thinking; but it also -I realize this now, in hindsight- gave me a totally different vision of work.

The Léonardo stay that I am taking part in now reinforces that idea. Working is above all (for me and in accordance with my subject) helping others learn, to give the best of one's self and to improve in various areas, not only linguistically speaking but also in areas such as education, behavior and especially on a human level. This behavior change in others (the children that I taught for example), can only take place if you too change your own behavior.

Hitting children at school is an act that I have never been able to take up myself. Of course, this led to certain consequences: dissipated children, who stand up without asking permission, etc. I had to face a discipline issue that I had never before been faced with, and find an alternative to violence. The fact that I managed to more or less maintain order in a class after two months is, in my point of view, proof that the teacher's behavior can be reflected in that of their pupils.

I am not going to list here all the advantages of living with a host family, but of course, living with locals allows you to really soak up the culture of the country, their traditions and also allows you to gain in tolerance. Yes, you have to abide by the family's rules, but you learn step by step to introduce your own, to get them to understand them and to create a real exchange. Verbal exchanges of course, but also love exchanges, as the affection that you receive from your host family will stay in your heart and theirs forever. Finally, it is obvious that having a host family has its material advantages. You have your own space, even though it may be limited and shared and you really feel at home.

I would like to add a little something about the people who will try at all costs to hold you back, the people who have never traveled because they are too scared of being faced with a reality far from their own. Don't listen to them, make your own choices by yourself and give yourself the means to carry them out. I went away, for example, with the Wep association (World Education Program) that is clearly not accessible to all as my trip cost a lot of money. But it is possible to go away with the help of this organisation for less (to Australia or Canada for example); or to do volunteer work in which case you only pay for your plane ticket and you are provided with accommodation and meals. And yes, in Africa, there are mosquitoes; and yes, there are other diseases; and yes, the health services are minimal... but where you live things can happen too. I was very surprised to notice that I felt safer in Dakar than in Liege, the city I was studying in. If you always look for excuses, you won't do anything. Be careful though, I'm not saying to leave without any preparation and without any vaccinations, but whatever happens you always have money saved up to buy a ticket home and you will gain so much in return that a mosquito bite will seem like so little compared to the extraordinary adventures that you are going to experience!

If I had to conclude my blog in one word, it would be: Go! Go! Go!

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