The past month or so has taught me that time, at least for me, functions kind of strangely when living in a foreign environment. Most often, the days here in Senegal pass rather quickly — a combination of school and studying, trying to stay active, and spending time with friends and host families mean that we keep ourselves pretty busy. I find myself satisfied and tired enough to fall asleep around 11 p.m. each night within just a few minutes of my head hitting the pillow. Each Friday thus far, I’ve been surprised at just how quick the week went by. All this would lead one to believe that my time in Senegal is just flying past me. Interestingly, I don’t necessarily think so.

There have been times in my limited life experience where trips, semesters, and even school breaks seem to just eclipse me with how short they seem. As in the Woah, where did that time go? kind of way. Here in Senegal, however, I feel that the sense of constant unfamiliarity keeps me grounded in the current moment pretty regularly. Around the clock exposure to French, interacting with new people all the time, and eating unfamiliar food for every meal often gives me some pause and reflection. Are my words making sense? Did I greet that person properly? Have I ever tasted something like this? These are some of the questions I find myself constantly asking.

So, even though days and weeks seem to move at a pretty steady clip here in Senegal, it would suffice to say that has often been an involved experience both physically and mentally. To be clear, I think this is a good thing! It would honestly probably be disappointing to arrive at the airport in December and come out of some sort of travel-induced time warp where three months felt like three weeks. Part of the reason why I came to Senegal was to seek some sort of personal growth within myself; as it stands about one third of the way through this semester, I believe some of that has begun to take root. To let these metaphorical seeds continue to grow, I know that I must mentally settle in for the long haul, even knowing that my time here is relatively short.

As much as I’m looking forward to seeing my family and friends back in the air-conditioned United States, I’m committed to making the most of my time here — not always seeking out convenience and comfort whenever possible (though certainly sometimes), but living out the spirit of open-mindedness and adventure that helped guide me here.