Crossing the finishing line

Well, that's the end of my adventure in The Gambia. I've returned home, and am now doing my best to reintegrate into life in the UK. In many ways it's good to be back - back with my friends and family, back in a culture that I can understand and more fully connect to. However, it was a privilege to be invited into a completely different world. The many challenges I faced, whilst often being difficult, did add colour to life!

The Brufut Half Marathon - My last day in The Gambia was coincidentally the day of the big race, the Brufut Half Marathon. I'd been training for the last few months, braving the heat (and the bemused stares!) of the big city. Finally, the day had come. I was quite nervous, wondering how I'd cope over the 13.1 miles, and wondering how well organised the event would be (would we get the much needed water stops along the way?). Arriving at an obscure location on the outskirts of the city, true to form the only people who had arrived before the scheduled start time were the foreigners. Gambians, it would be fair to say, have a more relaxed attitude to time. I should have known that getting to the start time at the stated hour would be a mistake, but I was caught in the situation of wondering "will this be the one time when everyone is on time, and I get left behind?". After an hour waiting, the thirty participants had arrived, and we were ready for the off...


Thus, one of the toughest two hours of running I had done began. I say toughest, as I struggled at various points. The heat was tough. However, worst of all was the lack of participants, together with the lack of a clear route - after the first ten minutes each racer had spread out. Now I was on my own, with no real idea of where I should be running, what speed I was doing, or how far I had run (there were also no distance markers). I also had to stay out of the way of moving cars, as many of the roads were kept open to the busy traffic. All a bit crazy, but part of the experience too!


The loneliness of the long distance runner was broken at various points along the route, with local people fascinated to see a "toubab" running along the streets. As nice as this was, feedback from the locals was not always encouraging! "Come on, you're losing!" or "you can do better! Try, try, try - you're not as quick as the others!". After running over 10 miles in +35C, this was not the best way of motivating me!


Doing my best to focus on getting to the end, I finally saw the welcome sign of Brufut, the village where the race was due to end. Yet I had not counted on experiencing the final hurdle - the last mile of the race was on Brufut's sandy paths... Racing the last mile is always tough, but having to suddenly change from concrete paths to deep sand was almost unbearable! I must admit I did part of the last mile half-running half-walking! It was such a relief to reach the finishing line, and the thought that I had not just finished the race, but also my time in The Gambia certainly crossed my mind. Plenty of challenges along the way, plenty of things I was not used to, but I managed to get to the end. 


As many of you may remember, I signed up for the race to raise money for various charities. A very big THANK YOU to all of you who donated, that's really kind of you. I was very touched by your generosity! If you have yet to donate, but would like to, feel free to visit my fundraising page. 


A marathon race to the airport - being the ambitious type of person I am(!), I ran the half marathon the same day as my flight back to the UK. I had a good 10 hours between the race and the flight, but nevertheless was glad that I finished the half marathon in one piece, fully able to carry heavy luggage! Arriving at the airport, I had a strange mix of emotions. I was very glad to be getting back to my family and friends, and getting away from some of the problems I faced in The Gambia. However, I couldn't help reflecting that I wished things had gone differently out here. "C'est la vie", I guess every experience in life is something one can learn from.


I'm now back at home, trying my best to find a job. This is the downside to international work - it often takes a while to get back into work again. Anyway, keep your fingers crossed for me, hopefully I'll find something soon... I hope all of you are well and that 2012 has been kind to you so far. Love and many best wishes from the UK,


Robert

Pros and Cons - Part 2

Following on from last week's post, I'm using this blog entry to focus on some of the positives of life in The Gambia. Enjoy...

Inter-faith relations - This was the first time I lived in a predominantly Muslim country, an experience in its own right. I could go on for hours about poligamy (a widespread practice in The Gambia), or how it felt to have Arabic prayers being the soundtrack to much of my daily life. However, what I'd like to focus on in this blog is one of the success stories for The Gambia - the way in which religions respect each other. Whilst The Gambia is largely Muslim, it is still home to many Christians. One hears a lot about the problems and tensions between religious communities around the world (and even closer to home, in the UK), so I was curious as to how the communities would interact. All the guidebooks state that Gambia is a peace loving nation, in which everyone gets on. I'm delighted to say that generally this seems to be true. Muslims and Christians do get on, and their religion is not a barrier for friendship. Many Christians join their Muslim friends to share in Islamic festivals, and the vast majority of Muslims are happy to join Christians in their celebration on Christmas. There is real friendship there, and a great deal of respect. Gambia has a lot to teach the world in this regard.

Life in the countryside - I'm generally a real sucker for the simple life, and really enjoy time out in the countryside. The Gambian countryside is particularly beautiful, full of flora and fauna. My encounters with crocodiles and monkeys were particular highlights, but really every chance I got to get close to nature was special. It's such a shame that most people's holidays in the Gambia revolve around the beach resorts and the city's bars. If any of you get the chance to go to The Gambia, make sure you go for a trek up country!

Connections - Gambian people really do seem to support each other, and place a lot of importance on friendships and family. Everyone seems to stick together, and much time is spent doing work around the house/compound as a family. People will stop in the street to find out how their neighbours are doing, and if anyone needs help with something the locals will generally rally round. It is a refreshing change from the lack of community that we can sometimes feel in the West. As a toubab I was not able to fully integrate myself into this culture, but it really does seem special from the "outside looking in".

Tapalapas! - my daily bread. I would indulge in a filled "tapalapa" baguette most days, and just thinking of them now makes me start to salivate! My local vendors would provide a range of delicious fillings, from fishballs to spicy beans. The "breakfast bap" of scrambled eggs, onion and stock cube scratchings was a particular favourite. And all for the price of about 30p (approximately half an American dollar). I also developed an unhealthy love of coffee with condensed milk - super sweet and super delicious, but my dentist would not be happy... Whilst living on a Gambian diet for life would not be healthy (vegetables are few and far between), it was actually quite satisfying. I hope a tapalapa shack will open up soon in the UK!


So, many things for me to take back home and ponder about. Thank you Gambia for sharing so much with me! And many thanks to you all for journeying along with me the last few months. Lots of love and a big hug,


Robert

Pros and Cons - Part 1

I thought I'd use this blog post to reflect a bit on the pros and cons of life in The Gambia. Throughout the past four months, I've been able to get a small overview of what life is like for a toubab (a white person) in the Kombos, and thought it a good idea to share these with you. For this entry, I'm focusing on the negatives. Next week I'll look at some of the positives...

The walking dollar sign - I have been to a few developing countries before, and it is fair to say that I have always encountered people wishing to make the best out of the situation of meeting a seemingly rich white person. That's normal, and I usually try my best to just grin and bear it. However, The Gambia is the first place I have felt this on a daily basis. It's not just the shopkeepers who see you as a potential source of income, or the beggars on the street. Unfortunately, it fast became the local children in my area, or people around my workplace. Having no respite and being constantly seen first as a "walking dollar sign" rather than a potential friend was draining, and at times a bit sad. That, together with the constant problem of bumsters, often made me feel wary of talking to people in the street (such a shame). Many other foreigners seemed to have different, more positive experiences though, particularly those who lived in the countryside.

The working culture - the biggest daily problem for me was that I really struggled to adapt to the working culture. It is fair to say that Gambia has a relaxed pace of life, and this often spreads to the work environment. Ominously, I was told by a supervisor that I should be expected to achieve very little during the first three months of my work. This, combined with a bureaucratic structure (and the accompanying myriad of reasons as to why things cannot be done), was extremely frustrating. My mood was not improved by some colleagues who were either too busy to work because of pressing Facebook-related issues, or who simply just needed to catch up on a bit of sleep. It was a real test of my patience at times!

Some observers, including little old me, feel that The Gambia has been over-saturated by foreign aid and foreign workers. This, in my humble opinion, has led to the development of an attitude of a "well, what's the point of doing this myself? Someone else will do it" type of thinking. Some of the meetings I observed were perhaps the best illustration of this. The majority of the Gambian participants would be very keen to share their opinions about what should or should not be done, but would sometimes be unwilling to give their time up to enact any of the decisions. Thus, some projects depended largely on the foreigners to drive them through. Needless to say, the development of sustainable projects was extremely difficult - once a key foreign worker decided to leave the country, a project would often falter and fail. This is obviously not how international development work should be carried out. 

Politics is a no go area - from day one, it was clear that local politics was something not to discuss. Due to this climate of self-censorship, Gambians have developed a keen interest in foreign politics. It seemed bizarre to an outsider that the majority of people I met had a strong opinion about global political issues (for example, the fall of Colonel Gaddafi), but very few were willing to question the way their own country was being run. Ultimately, I felt both sad and frustrated about this. Sad that many Gambians seemingly felt scared to talk about local politics, and frustrated that I could not really get deeper into a topic that I'm fascinated about.


Phew! I've got that all out of my system now! Ok, the next blog post will be much more positive. I hope you're all well, lots of love,


Robert

Journeys in the North

Last weekend I boarded a ferry and ventured into new territory, the other side of the River Gambia... The journey was an experience in itself, with the ferry ride across the river a great chance to take in the beautiful sea. I then boarded a minibus to take me further eastwards, which would have been another chance to take in more scenery, had it not been for all the bodies around me – the minibus was filled up to the brim, with about 20 people in a vehicle meant for 10. At least I got a closer view of the various fashion styles in The Gambia!

After a journey of about 3 hours I finally arrived in Kerewan, one of the main towns on the north side of the country. I spent a great time with some of the VSO and Peace Corps volunteers there, with whom we had a lovely bonfire by a nearby pier. Lots of happy memories! Waking up with sore heads, we bundled onto another minibus (this time not so packed) to head for Farafenni, a market town by the border with Senegal. I got to see my first “lumo”, an open-air market filled with hundreds of market sellers. The travelling experience was completed with a horse and cart ride back to the town centre. 

I had a great time and saw many beautiful things – I love going to the Gambian countryside, it’s so peaceful, the people are friendlier and the surroundings look beautiful. To see a few of the photos I took please feel welcome to see my Picasa photo gallery. 

A Gambian Woman on the World Stage - this week a Gambian made the international news. No mean feat for the smallest country in Africa, with a population of only 1.5. million! Fatou Bensoud has been appointed the new Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminal Court, a big role considering all the high profile cases that are coming our way in 2012. Many commentators seem to approve of an African becoming the next Chief Prosecutor, considering all the African ex-leaders and politicians that are likely to be tried in the Hague in the future.

The Gambian Government has been pushing for more women to take higher roles in society, and has been encouraging more girls to stay on at school. Hopefully Fatou Bensoud will be another role model for young Gambian women, encouraging them to aspire for more. You can read reports on this story on the BBC and the France 24 websites.  


I’m soon going to be heading back to the UK for Christmas. However, I’ll continue to write up my musings on The Gambia though, so keep your eyes peeled for future postings! There should also be another film on the way too... For now though, many best wishes from a hot and sunny West Africa,

Robert

Christmas is Coming

Just two weeks to go before I go back to the UK, so I’ve been busy buying Christmas presents and writing festive letters. It feels strange to do all of this and hear Christmas songs being sung in my local church, when I’m living in temperatures of +34C! The Gambia seems a world away from the dark and cold days of the British wintertime that I’m used to. I’m sure it will be a big shock when I get off the plane at London Heathrow...

The Fatou Show – As the International Day of the Volunteer is fast approaching (December 5^th), my colleagues and I have been doing our best to organise a variety of events to celebrate volunteerism in The Gambia. On Thursday we managed to get a slot on the #1 show on Gambian television, The Fatou Show. Fatou is the Gambian version of Oprah Winfrey, and her show is the most watched by Gambians (although bear in mind that not all can get access to a TV).

We managed to pack the studio full of volunteers, and Fatou herself interviewed a couple of the staff of local volunteering organisations. The show was a success, with many Gambians getting a better idea of how they could volunteer as a result. I got a taste of just how many Gambians we had reached, as many people in my own neighbourhood came up to me saying “wow, you were in the audience on the Fatou Show!”. A great result for volunteerism, and the start of a promising media career for me in The Gambia no doubt.

Half Marathon Training – My training continues, and the big day is fast approaching. I have no idea what race day will actually be like, but am praying like crazy that they have regular water stops along the route (running in the +30C temperatures will not be fun otherwise!). Anyway, it should be a really interesting experience, one I am looking forward to. Just as a reminder, I am running the half marathon to raise money for two great charities, GAFSIP and Youth SVP. So far I’ve raised about 25% of my target, but I need more help! If you can spare any money for a good cause, please feel very welcome to donate through my Justgiving fundraising site. It’s a quick, easy and safe way to donate! Many thanks for anything you can do, and a big thank you to those who have already donated.

A couple of my friends are leaving Gambia this week, and it brings home the fact that my own adventure is coming to a close. Got to make sure I fit in a few more exciting trips! Lots of love and a big hug,

Robert

Presidential Elections

The past week saw The Gambia engulfed in electoral passion, with people out on the streets and posters everywhere. Everyone was caught up in the fever to decide who would be the president of the nation, with three candidates competing.

One more person who has been to the polls -
Gambian sources say turnout was 83% 

Thursday was election day itself, with crowds of people queuing at polling stations throughout the city. People cast their vote using an innovating "marble-dropping" technique, and would then leave the polling station with their index finger indelibly marked. Being here and seeing the electoral process was very interesting and exciting - little Gambia even managed to become top story on the BBC's Focus on Africa!


Everyone waited until Friday morning for the results to be read out. Even for a politics graduate like myself, the reading of results was a laborious and at times boring process - the local TV station GRTS needs to take some advice from Jeremy Paxman, et al! Anyway, President Jammeh was successfully returned for his 4th term in office, with 72% of the vote. To read the BBC's report on the election, please click here.  

Now that President Jammeh has been re-elected life is slowly returning to normal. So am I, after a period of being quite sick because of heat-stroke. It's the first time I've been properly ill out here, so I figure I've been quite lucky so far!

On a slightly more "fun" note, have a look at the video below. It's a popular song that can be heard in most parts of the Gambia, but is bizarrely about a presidential candidate in Guinea, Cellou Diallo. Many of the Gambians I've met seem to love this song, even though most of them have no idea who Cellou Diallo is. Have a listen to get a taste of what kind of music is popular here:

 

Lots of love, all the very best,

Robert

My New Video!

Some of you may remember that I went to the countryside a couple of weeks ago, on a mission to do a promotional film of a rural disability organisation. Well, the video is now finished, enjoy! The video gives an overview of some of the projects that the Rural Support Organisation for The Disabled (RSOD) does. It was a challenge to get some of the beneficiaries to contribute, but I think the finished product is ok. Hope you like it!

Zebra Crossings - I've been involved in a network of volunteering organisations for some time now. Last Saturday the different member organisations (and their volunteers) got together to do something that would be a benefit to all. We painted zebra crossings at key locations in the city - for example, by the entrance to the main hospital and near the entrances to several schools. The United Nations kindly supplied the paint, the local organisations brought people-power.

Our own version of the Abbey Road album cover

About 50 volunteers came to help. It was good to do something concrete which should benefit people for the coming months (until the paint fades away!). It was also great to see local people giving their time for free for the benefit of others. There is little "organised" volunteerism in The Gambia, so these kind of events are quite special. The only downside to the day was the lack of care by some local drivers - some were in such a rush that they drove right through our freshly painted crossings! 

The Presidential Elections - This coming Thursday (the 24th of November) sees the presidential elections take place. The Kombos are awash with posters, for example "a vote for XXX is a sacred duty" and "you cannot afford to continue hating yourself for not voting for XXX in 2011". The streets are full of colourful cars and lorries, filled with campaigners trying to make the most noise for their candidate. The incumbent, President Jammeh, is expected to win. I'll post the results in the next blog...


Love and many best wishes, take care,


Robert