Ugh. Africa Poops in a squat toilet. Not the most exciting way to spend a Saturday night. And I had been so proud to have avoided the dreaded Africa Poops thus far; too proud, it seems. Alas, such is the fate of the American in Africa.

Speaking of being an American in Africa; no, I don't want your phone number or to give you mine guy standing next to me at the supermarket; no, I don't want to go to your house for dinner at midnight guy at the next to empty bar; no, I don't want you to show me the sights of Dakar by night guy walking in the same direction as me; no, I don't want to be your girlfriend guy I asked for directions; no, I don't want to "share cultures" with you guy who has memorized when I go to and from school; no, I don't care if you love me I don't want to be your third wife hired photographer of my friend's sister's baptism. For a people that seems to hold their own women in such high regard and treat with such respect, it is remarkable how differently American women are treated. It's not that people are being rude by making lewd gestures or comments, or even trying to touch me. What is surprising is how oppresive it feels to be told "Je t'aime" at least three times a day by strangers in passing. As if every Tubaab wants for nothing but a Senegalese husband/boyfriend and we will jump at the first chance to have one. When I tell people who inquire as to how to "get to know be better" that I will be here for a week longer, I invariably get a response along the lines of "Hey, a lot can happen in a week." What are they expecting? Do they want to sleep with me? Do they want to marry me? Do they want to help them get a visa? All of the above? All of these seem equally possible considering the conversations I have had.

And here is where it gets touchy. I certainly don't want to be uncurious about the culture or impolite, and the vast majority of people here are so overwhelmingly friendly that is entirely possible that a person initiating a conversation wants nothing more than to converse. It is almoist impossible to forsee when and if a conversation will shift from "Let's teach this Tubaab some Wolof" to "Let's see if I can get this Tubaab to go home with me." Don't they know I just want to make friends with people and learn about stuff not in a sexual way(insert sad and slightly frustrated face)? Coming soon: the challenges of negotiating a sense of identity and relations with no cultural reference points!