By Skyler Casey

Home’s always been defined to me as the place with your bed, family, and belongings.  My room at my house is kind of an isolated place.  My parents work a lot and half of my family lives in a house two hours away.  I usually come home, do work, and go to sleep.  It’s like that most days.  So I always thought about home as a place where I could just be me on my own.  I was a bit nervous entering a village.

Getting off the van into Niognani, I was afraid I would make mistakes revolving around the culture or overall offending our hosts.  I thought of the home we were entering and thought about my own experience at home, where it would be unheard of to welcome 31 people, especially most of them being strangers. Walking through the fence and meeting everyone for the first time slowly lifted the weight of nervousness off my back. Somehow I felt they had already accepted us into their community.

In the village, homes are open spaces.  There are no private rooms to hide in.  The sound of people is everywhere.  When I walked into Kecouta’s compound, it felt like entering a swarm.  Kecouta’s two wives were talking to everyone.  The kids were greeting everyone.  There was no-one left alone and no room to be isolated.  No room to feel awkward or make cultural mistakes.  But we weren’t being forced to be together – it just felt right.  We didn’t want to seek isolation.

Kecouta and his family are the most generous and trusting people I know. The first morning there one of the sons walked over with the baby and just handed him to me and trusted he was safe before walking away. No one freaked out, where in America you’re lucky if you even get within a foot of peoples kids. Not only did they trust us with their family, but with their lively hood. Brining us into the National Park was a huge deal, not just because of its historical value or because it had cool animals, but because Kecouta trusted us that we would follow the instructions and make it so the following years more kids like myself can come have this wonderful experience. Opening their home to me is something I am forever grateful for.

Most importantly, everyone was so full of contagious joy. The wives danced and hugged some of the returning students and adults, Kecouta cracked jokes, but the ones with the most joy were the kids. Walking in the first night, the kids automatically swarmed us. Sitting on the bed I learned hand games, while others braided or brushed my hair and occasionally getting ganged up on and tickled by a few. They helped alongside with the rest of the group to unload vans, carry bags, and even basic needs around the village. I mean even the last night there two kids ran up to me and offered to fill my water before coming back to tickle and braid hair. Always with a smile or a joke to follow, never a complaint. 

This village like many others in Senegal is full of a way of life thats almost impossible to achieve in America. It’s simple, they use what they have, hold nature close but family closer, and always have room for laughs. They live in the moment with the people they love. While in America, I find myself constantly stressed. The pressure from school and home to constantly excel is always right by the next corner. It’s always about the future and I constantly need to remind myself to stop and look at the moment not the ahead. Here I haven’t had to do that once. This place is full of a contagious energy that has lifted the stress and helped me stop and realize the small moments like the hair braiding, laughter, and trust are what make a community whole. Home is no longer defined as the place I sleep at night, but by the people who trust, support, help, and most importantly laugh with you. 

Now I don’t think home is just a place.  It’s a community. Going back to the US, I intend to spend more time with my family.  It’s only a two minute walk to my cousin’s house and I am going to try to make that walk more often.  I am going to try to push away the urge for isolation.  Work and stress will always be there but I want to build a home that is welcoming, just as homes are here in Senegal.

Thank you.