Flying with Pelicans

My brief introduction is this: Although I had the intention of keeping a blog the entire semester in Senegal, my first few weeks were so full of excitement and new experiences and so void of internet access that I quickly got overwhelmed and decided to not write a blog at all. However, this past weekend was so inspiring that I guess I've changed my mind...

On Saturday, the entire group of fifty students visited the Djoudj National Bird Park, about 27 km and two hours north of St. Louis. In two motorboats, we cruised through a small corner of the park on the Senegal River, moving slowly so as to absorb the surroundings - tall marsh grasses, morning glories, and not a cloud in the sky. The reedy grasses sang to us as we tried not to disturb the peace. While we rounded a bend, a flock of pale pink pelicans sporting bright yellow and blue bills and intent black eyes flew alongside us, gliding barely above the water in perfect formation. I lost all sense of self in the boat with dozens of pelicans and the occasional cormorant on either side of us and felt as though I was swimming and flying all at once. A heron watched us from the riverbank with a knowing smile, as if he wanted us to fully experience this state of awe.

With every passing minute that we ventured deeper into the park, the smell of raw, rotting fish and bird poop intensified until we turned a corner to see a stretch of marsh filled with birds. This was the town hall meeting of pelicans where I am convinced they were debating the best reforms for Senegalese infrastructure problems and failing education system. Thousands of pelicans were crowded into a tiny space, stepping on one another, squawking, and generally having a good time. It almost felt as though I was overstepping some unspoken boundary to get a glimpse into their intimate lives.

After two hours of magic on the river, we returned back to the dock and back into St. Louis.