"I woke up this morning in Senegal, a developing West African nation of nearly 12 million people. 95% of the population is Muslim; more than half live in rural areas. Senegal is a peaceful, democratic country with a growing economy. HIV/AIDS is a problem, although Senegal has one of the lowest infection rates in sub-Saharan Africa. I spent my day in and around the coast city of Dakar, where the humid summer air is refreshed by occasional sea breezes off the Atlantic...The president of Senegal is Abdoulaye Wade...President Wade, his wife, Viviane, and his daughter, Syndiely, welcomed my daughter Jenna (who's also on the trip) and me with Senegal's famous "teranga," or warm hospitality...After the meeting, Mrs. Wade and I went with our daughters to the Fann Hospital, which treats Senegalese men and women who are living with HIV/AIDS." Read Laura Bush's complete journal entry here

NEXT: Gardening at the Fann Hospital

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Credit: Shealah Craighead