No More Fasting!

The title is a little misleading, I wasn’t anyway but I take my hat off to all those who did. No eating or drinking during daylight hours for the whole month of Ramadam. At least I don’t have to feel guilty anymore when stuffing my lunchtime sarnies and gallon of water needed to replace all the moisture pouring out of my leaky skin. Going to a watch Gambia play Namibia in the national stadium last week was very different not a soggy meat pie or a steaming cup of Bovril to be seen anywhere. The little lady selling cashew nuts managed to get rid of a few to the smattering of Christians and toubabs (white people) in the crowd.


I ventured into the college this week to meet my colleagues and find out where I would be working. A little different from UK colleges. There’s not many institutions that have donkeys and a herd of goats grazing in the grounds. Before starting to organise the classroom I had to chase out the stray dog that thought it would be a good place to shelter from the torrential downpours and midday heat. How we will fit 60 students (normal class size) onto 45 chairs, I’m not sure but I have been assured that it can be done. Looking forward to starting a new challenge – it will certainly be different and that’s what I signed up for.

I have been exploring the local area with a couple of my fellow volunteers Jane and Rachel. We set off on our push bikes down a potholed muddy track to a nearby village which lived up to expectations. Like the guidebook said it was very tranquil away from the hustle and bustle of town and a bird watchers paradise. On the way back we deviated to buy some local honey and got a little more than was bargained for. Just as we cycled into the compound the guys were slaughtering a cow under a tree ready for the feast the following day. I’m going to have to toughen up a bit because at the moment carrots are looking like the better option. Eventually we got our freshly squeezed honey and we were back on the road again a little bit more worldly wise.

We were invited for Koriteh lunch (Eid) by a colleague at the college and his wife and four girls plus numerous aunts and uncles. We shared a food bowl of noodles, potatoes and mutton all very tasty. I lied about turning vegetarian. To finish off the day we were dropped off at Kartong the most southerly village on the Gambian coastline, the next stop would be Senegal. Myself and Jane walked along the beach with not a ‘bumster’ in sight, followed only by two stray dogs and a donkey. We ended up at Boboi lodge, somewhere to stay in the dry season the tree houses looked a little leaky under threatening black skies. That will be a future adventure!

                                                            Our local baker and his oven

                                                                  One of the neighbours

My classroom is behind the goats somewhere

         The heavens are just about to open