Delays

I haven't left for the Diourbel yet, although I was supposed to. I've been sort of sick (mostly a cold/throat thing) for a little while. I was hoping it would get better, but it was worse, and I couldn't imagine doing four hours in a crowded taxi over bumpy roads while I was feeling feverish and nauseaous. I'm feeling a little better now, however, so I'm leaving tomorrow instead. I'm also trying to get lots of paperwork sorted out for college, which is proving to be quite a hassle. I've already submitted all my information about 'human subjects research' to the SIT IRB board, but now Conn needs me to do all the same stuff over again. Which also means I'm going to have to translate my informed consent form and questions back into English. I need to be able to use this research in the future and at Conn, so I'm trying to get them all the information they need... but since I could be doing interviews and focus groups as soon as tomorrow, I realize it's getting into a bit of a gray area.
So I'm going to go translate and explain and add new signature lines on the consent form and such technicalities and take some more meds and drink lots of water and hope that it all works out okay!
I've moved out of my homestay and into a small apartment (if you can call it that) with my two girlfriends here. It's two rooms and a bathroom, a rooftop place that another student's homestay family regularly rents out to SIT students during the ISP period. (ISP = independant study project). We pay to eat with the family, too, so it's practically like another homestay, but it gives us a measure of independence that's really nice, and there's wireless internet here. However slow, it's very nice! I'll only be here on and off when I come back to Dakar from traveling, but the other two girls, Zoe and Jaime, are living here for the whole month.
Bye for now, wish me good health!
Robin