Amul Xaalis

I asked Awa why, when I was in Dakar last time, people always asked during the obligatory greetings, “Yangi lekk sa xaalis?” (Are you eating your money?) The phrase is really a way of asking whether you are making money and living well. Awa thought about it and then at the same time we both said, “Fii amul xaalis,” meaning, “there is no money here.”

Awa thinks this is the funniest thing ever and tells everyone about my not-so-keen observation that there is no money in Senegal.