I got hit by a car

Technically. So I'm taking it as a sign that I have become fully accustomed to life here in Dakar. At the beginning of the semester one of the SIT staff members told us that bad things don't really happen to SIT students, until closer to the end of the semester. They say that during this time the SIT student tends to get very comfortable here, and forgets to take necessary precautions with security and safety issues. This is generally the time things get stolen...(knock on wood I still have everything I came with)...
So to get to the important point, the other day as I was walking to a library, I got hit by a taxi. Well, the car was moving, and the side-view mirror did touch my arm. In summary, I'm a real traffic accident survivor. I wasn't even texting or anything! There's just a lot of people and cars and no sidewalks, so it creates a "Frogger" like atmosphere. You know the game...you dodge through the lanes to get to the other side, and have about 3 chances. That's what I think every time I cross the street. Except for the three chances thing...
But a word of advice. If you think texting and walking/driving in the US is dangerous...well...don't try it here. Too many rocks, sand piles, vendors, people, goats and car rapides to do it. So don't worry Grandma, I only text when stationary.
This is the road right in front of my apartment. On the right, where the wall first becomes white, is my door. Fortunately, at the end of this street there is a boutique that sells hot sauce, chocopain, shaving cream, and 10 liter bottles of water, among manner other things. And if you continue directly across the street, theres a great Moroccan restaurant, La Halana - I guess we've become regulars because we now get free drinks.
Yesterday I wanted to take a car rapide downtown so I could feel real legit and comfortable with the city, but I think I took the wrong road - a road that the car rapides don't really go down - so I ended up walking about an hour and a half to the downtown (Plateau/Centre Ville). Saw some pretty cool grafitti along the Corniche.
When I got downtown I tried to by some t-shirts and jewelry, but got overwhelmed and ended up at the Institute Francais. There's a library, media center, outdoor movie theater and restaurant there. I decided I deserved lunch there, after my journey through Dakar, so I treated myself to the goat cheese, lettuce, apple and pita salad with fresh squeezed grapefruit juice.

This is actually not in downtown - it's in my neighborhood, Point E, just across from the University of Dakar (UCAD) on the avenue Cheikh Anta Diop. I went there the other day to talk to some students. And since I'm technically enrolled there (just for paperwork reasons, not actually taking classes there), I thought it would be appropriate to start becoming familiar with the campus.

This is the UCAD library, hidden within the endless city/campus of 60,000 students. I tried to check out books here, but was a little intimidated by all the people and books. So I just go there now to feel cool by flashing my library card at the security guard.
Since my independent study project is related to marriage, I went to a salon school near the SIT office. I came a day before they were learning marriage ceremony styles, so they invited me back the next day. This woman is in the second - and last - year of the school, showing off her style for a bride. Big, with flowers, glitter and a lot of fake hair seemed to be the preferred style.
This is just a small, small portion of a long mural of an interesting collection of world leaders and important figures. (Bin Laden is further to the right, Martin Luther King to the left, and many Bob Marleys). It's along a wall in the industrial zone of Dakar - which means it's on my way to one of the beaches I frequent in order to really learn about and appreciate the Dakarois culture. I'm pretty sure I need at least a few more trips to the beach in order to complete my comprehension...