SEE SENEGAL

African Renaissance Monument

Maimuna, my friend from youth, told me that she'd been smitten by the beauty and opportunities in Senegal. She is a businesswoman, and I agree with her that the attractions and business opportunities, the promise of good living in Senegal entices. This West African country is bordered by Mauritania in the north, Mali in the east, Guinea to the southeast, and Guinea-Bissau to the southwest. Senegal also borders The Gambia, a country occupying a narrow sliver of land along the banks of the Gambia River, which separates Senegal’s southern region of Casamance from the rest of the country.

The official language is French. As of January 2017, the population of Senegal was estimated to be 15,837,555 people.Dakar, the capital city is modern and vibrant. Get ready to practice your French language, and dance moves here. Clubs and local dance troops are easily found in the city.

 

 

Senegal is home to one of Africa’s most unique and sexy dances – Sabar dancing. Performed to the beats of the Sabar drum, Sabar dancing incorporates feelings of feminine sensuality and flirtatiousness. It is a dance of expression that uses every part of the body, from the arms and legs to the eyes and incorporates lots of hip twisting, jumping, arm swinging and high knee lifting. Not to be attempted without supervision. 

If you are a beach lover, Senegal is your place, as endless miles of underpopulated beaches abound in the Region of Cap Skirring,. It is located in southern Senegal in the Casamance region of the country. 

 

Animals and bird lovers can visit the parks devoted to rare species.The Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary lies on the southeast bank of the Senegal River. It provides a range of wetland habitats which prove very popular with migrating birds, many of which have just crossed the Sahara. Of almost 400 species of birds, the most visible are pelicans and flamingos. 

 

GOOD TO KNOW:

The William Ponty School in Senegal was the first institution of higher learning, in the modern sense of higher learning, and not linked to Africa’s traditional institutions, in French sub-Saharan Africa. It was founded in Dakar in 1912 for the training of teachers, and by 1919 a medical school was attached to it. The school was named after Amédée William Merlaud-Ponty, the Governor General of French West Africa (1908–1915).

Senegal is the only West African country not to experience a military coup. It has also been touted as a democratic success story because it has only had democratic transitions of power, and the last two have been between candidates of different parties.

Prostitution is legal, but comes with rules: prostitutes must be over 21 years of age, carry a sanitary card, and register with the police. It’s still nonetheless very surprising for a predominantly Muslim country. Legalized in 1966, Senegal’s government has been registering prostitutes for decades and the card-carrying system allows them to have medical checks frequently and the World Health Organization says this has contributed to one of the lowest numbers of AIDS cases in Africa.