WAIST 2009

Mike and I spent the past week visiting Dakar, Senegal for the West African Invitational Softball Tournament (WAIST). Neither Mike or I actually played softball this year, but we had a great time cheering on our teams from Peace Corps Mauritania and relaxing in this beautiful city.

Peace Corps Mauritania took three teams to the tournament this year. There are apparently two divisions: competitive and social. All three of our teams were in the social division, meaning that teams must be co-ed (and have to follow some other rules too, but I'm not sure what they are).

Our A-team was very impressive, especially considering that there are very few opportunities for them to practice together as a team throughout the year. Peace Corps Mauritania has won the WAIST social division frequently over the past few years, but were beat in 2008 by a local team from Senegal. This year, we played the same team in the final game and WON! Yeah! It was very exciting!

For pictures of our team playing (and winning), check out our pictures on Picasa. For many Mauritanian PCVs, WAIST is a time for crazy haircuts and outfits...so don't be surprised by the silliness you're about to see.

Pardon, avez-vous tugaduga?

PROM #5: Tuga-duga, gerti maffe, PEANUT BUTTER!
(small sack ~6oz. = 100um, 40 cents)

Okay, apologies first. I know I missed January. But my mom had the great idea of making Katie's post on the new mail box the missing PROM. So PROM #4 - RIM P.O. Box (6,000 um for the year/key). There...I know it's a cop-out, but tuff.

Second, thanks Carl! Our friend from Chinguetti gave us the following recipe for maffe a traditional RIM dish of peanut sauce over rice.

1 cup rice
meat (optional)
1 med. onion
1 small can tomato paste (~6 oz.)
3-4 cloves garlic
~6 oz. peanut butter
2 tblsp jashtini (ground-up okra, good luck with this one in the states)
salt, black and red pepper to taste
1 1/2 cup water

Saute the onion and minced garlic with the meat in large pan. Once onion tender/meat cooked thru, add tomato paste, water, jashtini and some spices. Simmer to a boil. Start rice in separate container (just cook rice the normal way, and when I say normal I mean normal for the RIM people, not you crazy microwave people, if you don't know how to cook rice...sorry). Mix peanut butter with a little water until it turns from a paste into more of a suace, add to pan, reduce heat, add more spices as desired. Put cooked rice on large plate, add sauce on top, bon appetit!

This is probably my favorite local dish, so those of you at home, try it and let me know what you think, or wait 1 1/2 years because I will definitely be cooking it a lot at home. It's a massive shot of protein! The only downside, not being able to ask for tugaduga at your grocery store. I love that word, it is Pulaar. That language is so rhythmic and cool!

Hope all is well.

Mike

P.S. - the spices are the salt, black and red pepper and anything else you may want to add, just to taste.  I know there isn't a generic cannister just marked "spice." I learned that lesson long ago...Damn you streetside spice vendors!! I shake my fists in rage at you!