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

Very Superstitious?

The topic of this blog is something I’ve been meaning to write about for some time.

A selection of juju bracelets and necklaces

Scratch underneath the surface, and the influence of traditional religions is still present in modern day Gambia. For example, many people wear a variety of bracelets and charms, collectively called jujus.Each juju is supposed to confer upon the wearer different properties, such as extra strength or luck, or even invulnerability to knives and bullets.  I’ve seen babies crawl around with charms attached to their legs, to ward off evil spirits. It’s interesting to see how the “more modern” religion of Islam has been mixed into the juju tradition, with people now wearing bracelets containing parts of the Koran.

Kankorans – another sight that regulars in The Gambia will see are kankorans, spiritual protectors who guard off evil spirits. Kankorans are very easy to spot as they are masked and dressed in menacing costumes, and brandish large machetes (which, despite some Western preconceptions, is not an everyday look in the centre of Banjul!). They often make their appearance at circumcision and child naming rituals; a presence to make sure devils and jinns stay away.

Recently I had my own kankoran experience, and whilst I know it makes me sound silly, I can honestly say I felt something very strange. I was jogging through my neighbourhood and passed a particularly hairy kankoran on the road. He stopped, looked at me and then pointed at my arm. Suddenly, I felt a strange pain in my hand and lower arm. I started to panic a bit, as the pointed hand of the kankoran seemed to be having an effect on me. I politely said goodbye and then rushed along the road, all kinds of thoughts in my head. I then proceeded to ask any bystander I knew “are kankorans good or bad?”.  To my relief, the official explanation is that kankorans are good, and that he was probably trying to ward off evil spirits from me. Anyway, I returned home feeling as if something very strange had just taken place...

Witches – I enjoy exploring the minds of the Gambian friends I have made, and often ask them questions to hear their views about things. A recent topic (due to my own kankoran experience) has been whether magical forces are at work in The Gambia. Many people say they have met witches, and by that they mean evil people who can use magic. A clear sign of a witch, according to the people I have spoken to, is that all the children in their family have died. “The witch obviously stole their life power”. The Western perspective would say that labelling someone a witch during what must be a very traumatic time must be a horrible experience, but nevertheless that’s what goes on in some Gambian villages.

Vampires and Dragons – I was surprised to hear that some Gambians believe in dragons too. I had an in-depth discussion with a driver, who was telling me that dragons come to destroy homes and roads during the heavy rains. If one is unlucky enough to see a dragon, a sort of showdown occurs. Every human and dragon has an Arabic word written on their foreheads (which magically appears during this showdown), and whoever can read their opponent’s word out first survives. Dragons are particularly good at quickly reading out the words, so very few people have actually lived to tell the tale of the dragon’s word challenge.

The driver proceeded to tell me that toubabs (the white people) killed many of the dragons by ingeniously taking mirrors out with them when going to face the creatures. The dragons would see their own face and read out their own Arabic word, thus condemning themselves to death. Clever toubabs!

It’s not only dragons that have been mentioned. I’ve also had a couple of people asking me about whether I’ve seen vampires, as many of the Western films they have seen contain vampires. My serious response causes sadness, as I inform them that I have never seen a vampire. It really is fascinating to explore people's views though, and I love any excuse to share my own interest in folk tales and monsters.

Ok, that's it for this week. Love and best wishes to you all,
Robert

Tobaski-Tastic

Sunday was Tobaski, one of the most significant days in the Islamic Calendar. In Gambia, Tobaski is THE big day of celebration, when families get together, eat loads of food and exchange gifts. I was lucky enough to be invited to a gathering with a local Senegalese family I have met. My first duty – to help with the slaughtering of the rams. I’m of the opinion that if I’m prepared to eat meat, I should be prepared to participate in the slaughter of the animals. However, it’s not a particularly pleasant process! Holding down an animal, feeling its last struggles and the last breaths leave its body is a strange sensation. Even more so is just watching a living thing becoming an object, all in under a minute. It really brought home how fragile life is.

After the ritualistic killing had ended, we moved onto the cooking stage. Everyone sat out, preparing the various ingredients for the upcoming feast. I’ve never seen so much garlic chopped, enough to fight a whole army of vampires! Everything is done in a slow and relaxed manner, so food was actually served about 5pm (a long wait since the ram sacrifices at 10am). A huge amount was prepared, but we only ate a third of it. Tradition says that the remaining two thirds should go to neighbours and those too poor to buy food themselves.


All were dressed in their finest traditional clothes, and the chatting and eating went long into the night. Whilst the day had a Muslim feel to it (the day started with mass prayers in the nearby field), most families had Christian friends come to visit. Gambia is a religiously tolerant society, and any excuse for a party is generally well-liked by the population, no matter what religion they belong to!

As evening approached, I made my excuses and wandered back home, happy that I had experienced something new. Things will take a while to get back to normal after Tobaski, as many people have left to visit their families in the countryside. I’ve been told to wait for the radio to announce when I (a government worker) should go back to work. Let’s see how many days holiday I will get...

Many Tobaski wishes to you all, lots of love,

Robert

There and Back Again

On Wednesday evening I returned back from a great trip to the very end of Gambia, the intriguingly called “Region 6”. My base: Basse, a bustling market town to the very east of the country. My mission: to make a promotional film for the Rural Support Organisation for the Disabled (RSOD). The trip took about four days in total, a time period which included the large 7/8 hour long trek along the rural roads (often punctuated by the many police and army checkpoints). In my round trip I took in about half of Gambia, travelling along the south bank of the River Gambia. Have a look at the map, you can see how I travelled from Banjul all along the south of the river to Basse Santa Su. Whilst we're looking at maps, you might be interested to see that The Gambia is the smallest country in mainland Africa.

Filmmaker Extraordinaire – Upon arrival in Basse I got to work pretty quickly, camera in hand. Whilst I have done filming work in the UK, this was my first proper project in another country, so I was a bit apprehensive as to how it would go. However, the filming was great fun! It led me to meet some really inspiring people and find out about some really great projects that RSOD is running. The staff and volunteers who work there really are hardworking and kind people, many of whom had to get over the difficulties and stigma that their own disabilities present them with. Amongst many things my film will cover the school for the deaf that RSOD runs, the women’s support group, the handicraft workshops they run and the rural support projects they have started. I’ve got to get the film ready for mid-November, and will try to put it up online shortly afterwards. Keep your eyes peeled...

Rob’s Country Bumpkin Thoughts – My trip also offered me a chance to taste a bit of life “up-country”, away from the big city’s more Westernised way of life. I’ve got to admit that I always feel happier and calmer when in rural locations, and Basse was no exception. The people seemed kinder and more approachable. Personally speaking, it was also so great to be able to drop the suspicion of overly-friendly Gambians that one gets from living around the Bumsters in Kombo. I could just enjoy the warm-heartedness of the local people with no creeping doubts at the back of my mind.

Far away from the office environment and the bureaucracy surrounding city work, everything seemed to be much more “honest” and “simple” in Basse, things actually got done. VSO volunteers based there might well say “try living here more than three days” and they’d most probably be right though. Anyway, I left questioning exactly how much I’d like to see the development of Gambia going in the way that the World Order would like. Do I really want to see Basse become like the capital city, and thus lose some of the real beauty and community spirit that I saw in the town?

Many people would say that it must be difficult to live in an “undeveloped” place like Basse. For example, Basse experiences power cuts all the time. I’m sure for many people it really is challenging. However, most of the local people have adapted to this situation, and seem to be content finding other ways in which to go about their lives. The power cuts are mostly a problem for Westerners like me, who come in with certain needs like “regular internet access” and the desire to always have an electric light to read to. Obviously there is a balance, as people need the basics such as a job, food, healthcare, education (things that sometimes can’t be delivered without the tax money that the big city generates). However, I’m not entirely convinced that the Western way of life is what everyone in the world should be aiming for (and when I write that I also include Westerners). Feel free to write abuse to me if you feel I’m being completely idealistic / insensitive with my views though, I’ll welcome any thoughts you have!

Ram Shopping – Our return journey back home took longer than expected, mainly due to the wishes of the Gambian VSO staff members I was with (two excellent and very friendly people bytheway). Ebou wanted to make the most of the bargain prices in the countryside markets, and was particularly on the lookout for rams. Every Gambian Muslim family wants to have a ram to slaughter as part of the upcoming Tobaski celebrations. However, rams are very expensive and as such out of reach of many people. Tobaski is a time when the wealth divide hits home – the “haves” and the “have nots” surface clearly, and many families and individuals face shame at not having enough money for a ram or new clothes.

Ebou’s ploy of buying in the countryside was a wise one. A price for a normal sized ram in the countryside can be around 2300 Dalasis (£50 / $75), a far cry from the very expensive prices near the capital (around 6000 Dalasis, or about £130 / $195). With three rams in the back of our jeep we returned heroes, delivering one to each of Ebou’s colleagues. The rams, however, were less joyous, needing to be carried around as they stubbornly refused to walk. They were probably aware of what awaits them in a few days time...

You can see some images of my trip at https://picasaweb.google.com/schliner/AdventuresInBasse. Enjoy!

Now that I’ve returned to Kombo I’ve got to sit down and edit the four hours of film that I took, should be fun... However, I’ve got the small matter of the Muslim festival of Tobaski tomorrow, which should provide a nice distraction – expect a full report on that soon. Lots of love to you all,

Robert

Tobaski Fever Hotting Up

Everyone is getting ready for the celebration of Tobaski, the Festival of Sacrifice (otherwise known as Eid al-Adha). It promises to be a big celebration, with all Gambians (both Muslim and non-Muslim) going back to their family homes to celebrate. Tobaski is due to fall on the 6^th of November , so everyone is in preparation mode, buying new clothes and amassing lots of tasty food (most families will try to buy a live ram to slaughter and eat on the day). It’s an expensive affair, and so can be a real struggle for people. This is particularly true for the head of the family, who may lose face if he doesn’t have enough money to provide the necessary goods. Thus, promotional offers like the one in the photo above are very popular. I’ve never seen live animals offered as prizes by mobile phone companies before!

Diwali in The Gambia  – Last Wednesday was Diwali. As one of my fellow volunteers, Soumita, is from India it was the perfect excuse to do a party!  Soumita decorated her house with lots of candles, doing her best to do justice to the Festival of Light. We had some nice food and I was treated to a bit more of an explanation as to what Diwali is all about (in particular, the fascinating story of Rama and Sita). I guess this evening illustrates an interesting side to life out here. Many of the foreigners here do their best to support each other, knowing that most are in the same boat of being a stranger in a foreign land, someone who is far away from home. It also shows the randomness of how things can be – a British person celebrating a Hindu festival in Africa! Anyway, it was a lovely evening and I was honoured to be part of it.

Off to the countryside – yes, finally I’m escaping the city and will be going off to rural Gambia for a few days. Horaay! I’ve been asked to do some work on creating a promotional film for a rural disability organisation, based in Basse (to the very east of the country). I’ll be covering the support the organisation offers and the lives of some of the disabled people there, should be fascinating.  Anyway, I depart on Sunday and a six hour car drive awaits. I’m really looking forward to seeing more of the countryside and experiencing a bit of rural life. Expect some photos next week... 

Lots of love and a big hug from an excited volunteer! I hope all is well with you, take care,

Robert

Never Smile at a Crocodile

Last weekend I went to Katchikali Crocodile Pool, a swamp which holds special importance to local people. Women who are having fertility problems will go bathe in the waters, believing that this will help them to conceive. My own interests lay more in the reptilian inhabitants of the pool, rather than its baby-giving properties, but nevertheless this tradition is fascinating.

The visit offered me an amazing opportunity to get up close to the crocs – what amazing creatures they are! What struck me most is just how still they lie; they are like statues standing still with their jaws wide open. They blend into the natural surroundings, so it’s quite easy to wander near one without noticing... I eventually got the courage to stroke one of the “more tame” ones, and quickly retreated as soon as it started moving (much to the amusement of the on looking Gambians). I was impressed by the courage of the local cats, which seemed quite happy to wander past the crocodiles – they put me to shame!

Bakau Fish Market – Say hello to Captain Lamin! Lamin is a retired fisherman who still enjoys wandering around the docks. He approached me whilst I took a stroll around the fish market, and very kindly offered to show me around. First up was a running commentary on all of the different types of fish (kingfish is apparently the biggest earner!). He then took me “behind the scenes” to the area in which they preserve fish (either by smoking them or by covering them in salt and drying them in the hot sun). The smoke houses were paid for by Japanese traders, who in return get a guaranteed supply of some of the jellyfish and octopus the local fishermen catch. After my 30 minute tour I bade a fond farewell to the Captain and made my way home feeling happy. The life of a fisherman always appealed to me after childhood encounters in Cornwall, the Gambian variety also seem to have a nice lifestyle too.

Visit to GOVI – my search for extra work has led me to some of the local disability organisations. First up was a trip to GOVI, the Gambian Organisation for the Visually Impaired. I have a particularly soft spot for work with the visually impaired, having taught several visually impaired people whilst in Eastern Poland. I have to say that I was impressed by GOVI, and the school it runs. The staff seemed dedicated and hardworking, and the children were studious and very welcoming. It was just a shame to see how under-resourced the school was – they had hardly any tactile resources, and even lacked the basics such as wax-sticks (used to create shapes that blind people can feel). All of this did leave me feeling like I could have a real role here though; hopefully I can find ways in which to help [watch this space].

Last week’s blog began with facts from the United Nations. I thought I’d end this week’s blog with a few opinions that some local people have about The Gambia:

·         “Women make up about 80% of the population, whilst men the other 20%”. Unless every household is hiding away vast numbers of women, this statement is most likely untrue. However, it is seemingly a handy trump card some male Gambians have used with me when trying to justify polygamy.

·         “We have this problem because this is Africa”. This is a commonly used excuse for any problem that occurs (e.g. power cuts, inefficiencies, over-bureaucratic work practices, etc). I’m really glad that I’ve had the chance to see life in another developing African country, as otherwise I might fall for this catch-all excuse. No doubt the surrounding conditions are difficult, but some African states have managed to make the best out of challenging circumstances. The “it’s like that because we’re in Africa” argument doesn’t wash particularly well with me. Harsh words I know!

·         “Groundnuts are an aphrodisiac”. This statement may be a cunning plan to increase groundnut exportation (or the birth rates!)

On that note, it’s time for me to go. Many best wishes from The Gambia, take care of yourselves,

Robert

Stat Attack

I think it’s high time that I write some introductory information about The Gambia, so that you all have a bit of a better idea as to what life is like out here. According to the United Nations:

The Gambia is ranked 151 out of 169 countries on the Human Development Index

The average per capita income over a year is approximately $400 (about £250).

Poverty is increasing – in 2003 59% were classed as “poor”, living on less than $1 a day. Now 61% live on less than $1 a day.

The mean length of schooling stands at 2.8 years.

25% of women are literate, compared to 48% of men.

65% of the population have access to safe water.

Youth (0-25 years old) makes up approximately 60% of the population. 40% of the youth of working age are unemployed.

As one can see, The Gambia faces many challenges. There is a lot of work to be done to help ensure that Gambians have the same life opportunities and access to education that other nations enjoy. Organisations such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have been active in The Gambia for many years, but as one can see the levels of poverty have actually increased under their watch. Policies, such as the setting of a 24% interest rate (as stipulated by the World Bank), have often been seen as misguided, leading to calls from development charities for a re-think.

So what else for this week’s blog entry?

National Volunteering Network – whilst my work is primarily with the Ministry of Education, I’m also starting to become involved with Gambia’s national volunteering network (something I should be able to contribute to, having worked with a similar kind of network in Mongolia). The Network is in its infancy, but is hoping to do a variety of things to promote volunteerism in Gambia. The Red Cross, the UN and some small Gambian organisations are aiming to jointly organise an event for International Volunteers’ Day on December the 5^th. Watch this space...

Blackout at the Office - I guess the main thing that characterised this week for me was the five day power cut that we faced in my workplace. As a result, pretty much all work stopped in my department (the work of about 30 people). I do not feel like I should discuss the details of exactly why we’ve had a lack of electricity over the internet, but anyway – this is a good example of some of the problems that a developing country faces. It’s frustrating, but also a good educational experience for me. I just hope that power is back in time for next Monday!

Lots of love and a big hug to you all, take care and have a good week ahead,

Robert

Football's Coming Home

On Saturday I had the pleasure of going to see Gambia take on the mighty Burkina Faso in the national stadium. I live relatively close to the stadium, so I was glad to finally have the chance to step inside and see a match. True to form, we were treated to a football match “Gambian style” – no pies and hot dogs here! Instead women and children walked around the stands with oranges and groundnuts, doing their best to make a few extra Dalasis. As Gambia is a predominantly Muslim country many supporters got their prayer mats out during the first half to say their five o’clock prayers. It was a strange but equally heart-warming sight to see supporters praying whilst the players on the pitch continued playing. The more fervent fans (football-wise) waited until half-time to pray though.

The game itself was quite fun. It was an international match so there was a bit more pomp and ceremony; we were treated to the national anthems at the start. Tiny Gambia almost sprang a shock, scoring in the 50^th minute with a headed goal. However, party poopers Burkina got a last-minute equaliser to deny the “Black Scorpions” a famous scalp. Gambia’s Belgian coach Paul Pot should be pleased with the performance though. Fingers crossed it will be enough to help him temporarily forget the cruel joke his parents played when naming him.

Daytrip to Banjul – As some of you may know, Banjul is the capital of The Gambia. However, due to Banjul’s small size (it’s basically an island) all the administration buildings, tourist facilities, shops and workers’ houses that you would normally associate with a capital city have spread out to the surrounding area, commonly known as the Kombos.  Up to this point I had yet to set foot in Banjul itself – high time to correct this!

Banjul is usually a buzz of activity, a complete nightmare to get around. Thus, I decided to visit on a Sunday, when things were a lot quieter. The first thing one notices are the quality of the roads. Everything is nice and smooth, very few potholes. The President and dignitaries are ensured a comfortable journey to and from the parliament building. Upon arrival one is greeted by Arch 22, a large monument commemorating the coup which overthrew the previous regime on the 22^nd of July, 1994.

Aside from all the government buildings Banjul has a relatively busy port, transporting goods to and from The Gambia. The port is also home to a transporter ferry, taking people across the River Gambia. This ferry is a must for the Senegalese traders, anxious to take a short cut when transporting things from one side of their own country to the other (the “hot dog sausage” of Gambia separates the North of Senegal from the South). Traders rush to be the first in the queue each morning – a wise idea as latecomers have been known to wait around for 10/12 hours...

It was nice to see a bit of Banjul, but I’m pleased that I don’t work there myself. The journey to and from the capital is quite long and tiring during the rush hour and it can probably be quite a hectic and stressful place at times. I’m happy enough as it is in the Kombos, away from all the crowds...

Family Trees – After several weeks of being confused when people mentioned they had 16 brothers, 18 sisters and 3 mothers I decided to get to the bottom of this mystery. My Wollof language teacher kindly obliged, and as such I am now in the possession of a clear diagram explaining all (please feel free to click on the photograph to the right).

The traditional family unit in The Gambia is worthy of a lesson in its own right. Most striking of all is the potential pool of wives that a son in a family has. Traditionally he would be expected to marry either one of his father’s sister’s children or his mother’s brother’s children. I don’t think my cousins Tiffany and Genevieve would be too impressed with this system, and as they are both “tradition traitors” (they’re already married) I’m in a tricky situation. The children of my mother’s sister and father’s brother are all no go areas, being considered “brothers” and “sisters”, so that’s another avenue closed off. Hmph!

The issue of having numerous “mothers” and “fathers” also arises. Polygamy plays its part in this, as does the traditional Muslim rule that when a husband dies the brother of the deceased should take care of the now widowed wife. These factors, combined with the fact that brothers and sisters help bring up all the children in the extended family, mean that one’s father’s brother is often referred to as a “father” too, and that your mother’s sister is another “mother” to you. Confusingly, aunties and uncles still exist, but only your mother’s brothers and father’s sisters qualify. Got all of that?!

Ok, fingers crossed some of that is of interest to you. Have a great rest of the week, many best wishes and take care of yourselves,

Robert

Dinner by Candlelight anyone?

The last week has been punctuated by many power cuts. Every single one of the last seven evenings I’ve been treated to a clear view of the stars, as all the artificial, electric lights in the neighbourhood have been off. It’s quite surreal to have complete darkness in the middle of a city. I took a walk around my local streets and could see little candle lights through people’s windows, it's really quite beautiful. My own home is awash with candles at the moment, I’m trying my best to create a nice atmosphere in the evenings. It all feels quite romantic - that is until I spot the lizard that’s sat next to me...

Power cuts are a common feature out here in the Gambia, and a good way of seeing the poverty divide. Anyone who can afford it buys a back-up electricity generator that runs on petrol, so for them the impact of power cuts is minimal – one just takes a short walk to the generator, flicks a switch and normal service resumes. For the rest of us plebs (myself and 95% of the population) we are faced with regular power cuts at work and at home. I quite enjoy evenings by candlelight, but I’m sure the locals would prefer something a little bit more reliable...

My work - So, what exactly am I supposed to be doing here? Well, my job is to help the Ministry of Education with a project that uses national (Gambian) volunteers to fill gaps in secondary schools. The Ministry recruits newly trained graduates and places them in rural schools for an academic year. Rural schools are in particular need of help as they are understaffed. Going to a rural location often entails a drop in living standards (some locations still don’t have electricity or running water) and the distance from friends and family can be tough, thus it is not a popular choice for teachers. Having said that, the Ministry allocates all teachers to schools every three years, so teachers often have no choice where they go! In theory this may sound like a good solution to addressing the teaching gap in the countryside. In reality, however, as soon as teachers find out they are going to a rural school many of them quit their job!

So if going to the countryside is such a tough option why are these young volunteers interested? Well, many of them seem keen to give something back to the nation. Some feel that they are the privileged few, those who managed to get to university. Thus they are keen to give one year of their lives back to The Gambia in order to help other young people get access the same levels of education. Two of the volunteers have separately quoted John F. Kennedy's words “ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country” back to me. Other volunteers are keen to see what life is like in the countryside, having spent their whole lives growing up in the more developed Kombos.

The idea of the project is very good, and the work we’re doing should prove useful as other organisations and government departments gradually start to use national volunteerism in their work. However, it is clear that this work will be difficult for me! Things move frustratingly slowly here... Fingers crossed I’ll be able to overcome this, and the other challenges that may present themselves, so as to make a difference. Wish me luck!

Local music – whilst not necessarily my “cup of tea”, Gambians seem to be very much into reggae, hip hop and Senegalese music. This is the soundtrack to my minibus journeys around the city; every taxi driver seems to let the day pass him by with large doses of reggae beats. One day at work I decided to check exactly how popular Western music was, and asked how many people knew The Beatles. Nobody. Elvis Presley? Nope. It never ceases to astound me how in some part of the world The Beatles are so ingrained into musical culture (e.g. in Mongolia they were massive – Ulaanbaatar has a monument dedicated to them), whereas in other they are completely unknown. Bizarrely enough, my office all seemed to know the obscure 90s pop sensation Whigfield though...

A big hug and lots of love from The Gambia, take care of yourself,

Robert