Full Circle & Reflections in Paris
December 19, 2022
Just like that, the semester is at an end! While APA Multi-Country has technically ended for this semester, I'm still abroad. All of us flew from Dakar to Paris early on Friday, then went our separate ways. It was so strange to part with the APA group. We've all seen each other almost every day for the last 3.5 months and we've been through so much together. No one else will ever quite understand what this experience was like. However, our group chat is still alive, and we're hoping to meet up next semester and potentially have a reunion in Morocco after we all graduate! Most of the other students took connecting flights straight home. But way back before this semester, I decided to book my flight home for Sunday morning, giving me two bonus days in Paris. I thought about going straight home later, and almost changed the flight. But now I'm so, so happy that I made that decision, because it's allowed me to return full circle to the beginning of the semester and to reflect on how... Read More
Music/Dance/Culture in Dakar-Part 2
December 16, 2022
I’m back to tell you about the last part of a full and fascinating week in Dakar! Our day trip here was a visit to Gorée Island. Originally inhabited by Lebu people, the Portuguese were the first Europeans to reach the island back in 1444. Dakar and Gorée are at the... Read More
Music/Dance/Culture in Dakar-Part 1
November 28, 2022
It’s now our third weekend in Dakar! Things are moving fast, especially when our days are so jam-packed. I’m dividing last weekend’s events into two posts since there’s just too much to say. We kicked off the weekend last Friday afternoon with a trip to the... Read More
Study Spaces in Paris… and Dakar!
November 15, 2022
One of the most interesting parts of studying abroad is getting to know a city as a student, which is so different from just being a tourist. Tourists don’t need a good working environment with WiFi for multiple hours on a regular basis! All of us have WiFi and space to study... Read More
A Day in the Life in Rabat!
November 14, 2022
As much fun as I’m having in Dakar, I HAVE to talk about the FMS experience in Rabat. I’ll take you through a typical day in my favorite (shhh don’t tell!) stop of the semester. 8:00 am: wake up for class in my lovely room at the top of my host family’s house! I get... Read More
Back to the Beginning in Paris!
November 9, 2022
Hello and welcome to the 2022 adventures of APA Multi-Country! Over the next few weeks I’ll be catching you up about our semester so far and giving you updates on what’s left of this incredibly unique study abroad experience. First, a little about me: My name is Maddy and... Read More
Dakar Summer 2022!
July 19, 2022
Greetings to everyone from Dakar, Senegal! It has been a whirlwind experience arriving in the « pays de Teranga » (country of Senegalese hospitality) and acclimating to daily life here. As someone from a predominantly Catholic, Midwestern area, one of the main questions I... Read More
Goodbye (for now) Senegal!
July 27, 2021
After eight busy, exciting, interesting, adventure-filled (and exhausting) weeks, here I am at the end of my time in Dakar. A lot of people have been asking me what I enjoyed the most, and while there are so many cool things I got to see and do, what’s really stood out to me... Read More
Feeling Hungry? A Glimpse: Senegalese Cuisine
July 19, 2021
My classes and activities are starting to wrap up, and though I’ve had a wonderful time in Dakar, I am starting to count the days until I head home (eight). There are some aspects of Senegalese culture that I won’t miss – the traffic congestion and car exhaust, the lack of... Read More
History, ecology, geology, oh my!
July 12, 2021
This week passed without any major excitement – but I realize that if this was my first week, I would be saying it was full of excitement! I had a literature class, another session of dance and djembe (the best one yet!), a museum visit, and I made good progress on my projects... Read More
What is there to do in Dakar?
July 12, 2021
This week was all about Dakar. A lot of my outings so far have taken me to the outskirts or outside of the city, but there’s so much to do right here! It’s always fun to get out and about, explore different regions, see new places, but I think a lot of times people forget... Read More
Weekend in the Sine Saloum River Delta
June 28, 2021
This week marks the halfway point of my time in Senegal – already?? I’m starting to miss home a little bit, but it’s currently over 100 degrees F in my hometown of Tacoma, and the city of St. Paul where I go to school is covered in mayflies…so I’m happy to be in Dakar.... Read More
Music in Dakar
June 21, 2021
This week I was immersed in the very lively music scene of Dakar. Mostly it was fantastic, but I learned one very important lesson: time is a suggestion, not a rule. For example, last weekend when Yvanna and I went to see Wally Seck, we arrived shortly after 7pm for the 8pm... Read More
Daily Life
June 14, 2021
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Greetings from Dakar
June 7, 2021
Before I write too much about my experiences in Senegal, I should tell you that the program looks a little different this year. I’m the only student! There is a lot of value in a traditional study abroad experience – sharing the newness and discovery of a culture... Read More
