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To school

A taxi pulls over right where I try to cross the busy road with Simon on my arm. A head is put out the window asking me if I want a ride… It is the mother of a child from Simon’s class. This mega city does feel like a small village at times… In a whiff of perfume I’m sit myself next to a woman called Aminata. 5 minutes later we arrive (walking had been faster) at the brand new white building.

The director greeting us warmly at the entrance. It is a “maternelle” (combined kindergarten / nursery) with classes per age. It is fairly expensive for local standards school (80 dollars a month) but with the rapid development of the city, more and more of these schools start. Simon is the only western child in his class of 8, and he is well pampered by the teachers. He is a sweet toddler who loves to read, color and points at everything. “Look” one of his first words is also his first French word (regarde!). At 12 o’clock he goes back home. “Vwaa (au revoir)” he waves to the teacher, the other kids call excited: “au revoir, Simon.” He steps firmly home through the rough sand humming “Father Jacob”. It’s quite something to learn your first song at school at only 18 months old!

“Mommy, what does ‘my friend’ mean?” asks Maria when we come home from school. Maria says that the teacher drew the number 11 and nobody knew what it was, except her: “eleven”. “You’re my friend!” the teacher enthusiastically cried out to her. Maria has French and English classes in turn. Mrs. Bintou is a expressive woman with a colorful robe. She tells me after the class – in Senegalese accented English – how poor a listener Maria is. When it is time to clean, Maria calmly finishes her booklet or continues chatting with her Senegalese girlfriend Mamgey. I apologize to her and am in any case glad that they are not allowed hit as punishment at this school. It is a bilingual school in the French system, students are therefore from all parts of the world, but still about half are Senegalese. Maria is really enjoying herself at school. She is a dynamic pitchy girl, who can now verbally express herself quite strong in 3 languages. Fortunately, thanks to her charm and humor, the teachers never stay angry at her. “Give me a hug” says Mrs. Bintou when leaving. Now that’s something Maria understands!


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Familie Kieviet in Senegal