Insanity

I just did what I'm pretty sure is the craziest and most spontaneous thing I've ever done. Before I tell you what it is, though, I want to give some context. I was sitting at my friend Lynn's house with her and my other friend Kylie. All three of us are in circus together, and Kylie wants to go to Senegal for study abroad next year. Last night, I hosted a Senegal reunion/informational dinner, for which I made ceebu jen (the fish and rice dish that everyone eats about three times per week for lunch). Eating Senegalese food and telling stories and knowing that Alyssa got a grant to go back over the upcoming break made me really nostalgic and made me miss Senegal even more than I already do, which is a ton.

So I was sitting there with Lynn and Kylie, and I said, "Man, I feel silly, but I found these tickets to Dakar for pretty cheap, and I keep just staring at them. I really want to go back."

Kylie asked me, "So why don't you?"

"I don't want to travel alone."

"I'll go with you!" she said.

So we both called our families to make sure we weren't totally insane, and we booked tickets. Just like that.

I've decided not to tell anyone (not Alyssa, not my friend Ellen who's studying abroad there right now, not anyone at the Baobab Center or at SenCirk', not any of the neighborhood boys...). I want to just show up and surprise them all.

Also, my housemates pointed out, "That's really soon." I leave in less than a month. Just like that!

My heart won't stop pounding, I'm antsy and excited, and I'm pretty sure I won't be able to sleep tonight. I keep formulating more and more plans.

It's going to happen!