Stupid Assumption #1

I’m titling this post “#1” because I’m sure I’ll make many more. Stupid assumptions are kind of my specialty, but it’s a bit worse when traveling because they become stupid American assumptions J  

My professors had been mentioning quite a bit that the easiest way to get money out is just by using your debit card at an ATM, but there would be a transaction fee charged per international withdrawal. Somewhere in my mind, I never understood that the money would come out of the ATM in CFA’s (the currency used here). I assumed that the ATM would give me American dollars, which now seems somewhat of an arrogant assumption. Why would this Senegalese ATM have American dollars inside to give me? The point of using a debit card then, was that the ATM would automatically exchange the money for you. The withdrawal fee would be a better value than the time spent finding a person to exchange the money for you and the lower exchange rate you would be given. I was able to finally exchange some of the cash I bought with me today at a good rate so hopefully it will last me a while.

Also, it’s always an adjustment to a non-American culture’s sense of speed and urgency. We move at a very fast pace and expect things to be done in a timely manner. Things move much more slowly here. I consider myself a fairly patient person, but if things aren’t being done in my timeframe, I tend to take over. So taking a step back and just trusting the experience – that I will receive what I need, when I need it – will be a time of growth for me. 

Picture from our walk to the ocean yesterday