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