I arrived in Dakar from New York's JFK airport. I knew no one in Dakar and had planned on staying at the Nina hotel, but it did not end up like that. Instead, I met a hotel worker at the airport who helped me with my luggage, protected me from the hustlers, and offered me a room at her home. I gladly accepted, and Mariane took me to her home where I met her family.
Now I know what many of you might be thinking why I just took off with a stranger. Basically, I made sure she had an official badge and that everything was in order before going anywhere. She also had a legit vehicle for the hotel. In the third world, it can be difficult to tell who works at certain places (e.g. airports) as there is a mixture of hustlers and airport staff who do not have badges. I also went with Mariane in order for her to "show me the ropes" since it was my first time in Senegal. It worked really well, especially since her husband Oumar served as my tour guide. He and his wife took me where I wanted to go and were gracious hosts. I also got a chance to immerse myself in the culture and was exposed to many customs that would have been beyond my reach from a hotel room.
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