To all-

I will be coming home very shortly. I was picked up from my village at 5:45am March 27th and was driven to Banjul from there with all of my stuff. My host family took it well. My host mom started to cry but turned away and acted like she was washing her face with water. My host father just sat there looking angry. I was later told that Gambians save face and make it easier from them to cope with loss by showing anger towards the person that is going/passing. No biggy, I understand. I got what I wanted out of them. I didn't come here to live with a host family so I could feel like I was actually a part of their family, I already have a family in America. I respect my host family here, they did a great job of taking care of me, being patient, making me meals, doing my laundry, and keeping me safe for two good years. The tie was severed when I drove away, time for all parties to move on. The fact that I am not coming back mostly likely ever to see my host family here ever again wont hit me til I am home, I'm still pretty numb at the moment. Prior to leaving I attempted to say last minute goodbyes to all of my friends and people I've worked with in my community, as well as wrapping up projects and buying gifts and cultural souvenirs from local markets. Yes mom, I took pictures and had my friend take pictures and videos of me my last few days at site, but still no pictures of birds. I got a lot of support from my PCV friends who live near my village, I stayed with a few the weeks before leaving, had a few brews with a few in Basse for the last time, and then had a friend stay with me a few days before getting picked up. I feel fortunate to have found great people here you understand and support me, knowing that we all need that support when making another huge transition in our lives. All volunteers leave here at some point, either earlier then expected or after 27 months of service, it is the way it goes.

I now live at the PC hostel house in the greater Banjul-area until I fly home for good. Now, there is amble paperwork, last minute reports to type, and final project hand-over. Overall, I will walk away from The Gambia with a great sense of accomplishment and knowledge that Peace Corps paved the way towards my future career in international development abroad.

Looking at jobs now for the spring and summer, hope to make some money for grad school and to support myself so I'm not another college grad living with her/his parent's couch (which will most likely happen more or less when I first get home, ha. Terrified to come home, but excited to simultaneously. Having to re-tell my tale to the many people back home without upsetting folks (unlike Aug) will be difficult. I will practice my story telling abilities on the flight home, I am sure there will be a lot of people asking questions after I am detoxing from rice and peanut sauce.

URGENT!-- Ill come home some time in April. Between that time and the fall, I would love a job so I can support myself for grad school. I know there a handful of people who read this. Shoot my name out there to whoever. Return PCVs have many skills. Now to the actual blog: By the way, I am currently typing this while at site on my internet phone. I just ate some of my super mac-n-cheese, and am sitting full in my local chair, which i hope to saw into pieces soon so I can take it home to America with me and maybe have my dad enjoy it. Lets see how much I can type before the phone wont upload any more. Last blog read I was being sent to Dakar. I made it there and back safely. I am sure if one types in 'dakar' into google they will find enough images to fulfill their interests, for I didnt take any pictures. (I think my future wife will have to like photography). I was going to take up my bike machine with me but I could not seem to get it put back together for the trip, thus I presented the device to volunteers from all over West Africa thru PowerPoint and a projector. I presented to 6 small groups for 10 minutes a piece =talking fast and some good times. My liaison project was not presented due to lack of time but the info was given to all volunteers who attended this conference. After the event, 40 volunteers from The Gam and many more from other countries near by traveled also to Dakar for the annual Waist softball tournament. Three days of games on American style fields on the water, complete with hot dogs and cheap beer. Pc/The Gambia had two teams: one serious and one non-serious. Our serious team took first place in our division, my team- -the non-serious one-- did not win a game, maybe that is because I had a brew in my hand playing short-stop every game. . .it happens. Overall good trip. Good food, good people, and being in Dakar makes you feel like you are in a major city in America or Europe. Too bad they all spoke French. Hope this blog will upload now. With much love and peace. T ps: no more packages or letters please, i dont want them to be sent here and me gone. Love all your support over the last two years. Thank you again!

URGENT!-- Ill come home some time in April. Between that time and the fall, I would love a job so I can support myself for grad school. I know there a handful of people who read this. Shoot my name out there to whoever. Return PCVs have many skills. Now to the actual blog: By the way, I am currently typing this while at site on my internet phone. I just ate some of my super mac-n-cheese, and am sitting full in my local chair, which i hope to saw into pieces soon so I can take it home to America with me and maybe have my dad enjoy it. Lets see how much I can type before the phone wont upload any more. Last blog read I was being sent to Dakar. I made it there and back safely. I am sure if one types in 'dakar' into google they will find enough images to fulfill their interests, for I didnt take any pictures. (I think my future wife will have to like photography). I was going to take up my bike machine with me but I could not seem to get it put back together for the trip, thus I presented the device to volunteers from all over West Africa thru PowerPoint and a projector. I presented to 6 small groups for 10 minutes a piece =talking fast and some good times. My liaison project was not presented due to lack of time but the info was given to all volunteers who attended this conference. After the event, 40 volunteers from The Gam and many more from other countries near by traveled also to Dakar for the annual Waist softball tournament. Three days of games on American style fields on the water, complete with hot dogs and cheap beer. Pc/The Gambia had two teams: one serious and one non-serious. Our serious team took first place in our division, my team- -the non-serious one-- did not win a game, maybe that is because I had a brew in my hand playing short-stop every game. . .it happens. Overall good trip. Good food, good people, and being in Dakar makes you feel like you are in a major city in America or Europe. Too bad they all spoke French. Hope this blog will upload now. With much love and peace. T ps: no more packages or letters please, i dont want them to be sent here and me gone. Love all your support over the last two years. Thank you again!

URGENT!-- Ill come home some time in April. Between that time and the fall, I would love a job so I can support myself for grad school. I know there a handful of people who read this. Shoot my name out there to whoever. Return PCVs have many skills. Now to the actual blog: By the way, I am currently typing this while at site on my internet phone. I just ate some of my super mac-n-cheese, and am sitting full in my local chair, which i hope to saw into pieces soon so I can take it home to America with me and maybe have my dad enjoy it. Lets see how much I can type before the phone wont upload any more. Last blog read I was being sent to Dakar. I made it there and back safely. I am sure if one types in 'dakar' into google they will find enough images to fulfill their interests, for I didnt take any pictures. (I think my future wife will have to like photography). I was going to take up my bike machine with me but I could not seem to get it put back together for the trip, thus I presented the device to volunteers from all over West Africa thru PowerPoint and a projector. I presented to 6 small groups for 10 minutes a piece =talking fast and some good times. My liaison project was not presented due to lack of time but the info was given to all volunteers who attended this conference. After the event, 40 volunteers from The Gam and many more from other countries near by traveled also to Dakar for the annual Waist softball tournament. Three days of games on American style fields on the water, complete with hot dogs and cheap beer. Pc/The Gambia had two teams: one serious and one non-serious. Our serious team took first place in our division, my team- -the non-serious one-- did not win a game, maybe that is because I had a brew in my hand playing short-stop every game. . .it happens. Overall good trip. Good food, good people, and being in Dakar makes you feel like you are in a major city in America or Europe. Too bad they all spoke French. Hope this blog will upload now. With much love and peace. T ps: no more packages or letters please, i dont want them to be sent here and me gone. Love all your support over the last two years. Thank you again!

University of Denver: Master of Arts- - International Development

-Location: Denver

American University- -MA International Development

-Location: DC

Brandeis University- -Dual Master of Arts in Sustainable International Development

& Coexistence and Conflict Dual Degree

-Location: near Boston

George Washington U- - MA International Development Studies

-Location: DC

International Development= "International development or global development[1] is a concept that lacks a universally accepted definition, but it is most used in a holistic and multi-disciplinary context of human development – the development of greater quality of life for animals They like to stral (i.e developed healthcare means longer life which is greater quality of life). It therefore encompasses foreign aid, governance, healthcare, education, gender equality, disaster preparedness, infrastructure, economics, human rights, environment and issues associated with these.[2] International Development is different from simple development in that it is specifically composed of institutions and policies that arose after the Second World War. These institutions focus on alleviating poverty and improving living conditions in Third World decolonized countries.[3]

International development is related to the concept of international aid, but is distinct from, though conceptually related to, disaster relief and humanitarian aid. While these two forms of international support seek to alleviate some of the problems associated with a lack of development, they are most often short term fixes - they are not necessarily long-term solutions. International development, on the other hand, seeks to implement long-term solutions to problems by helping developing countries create the necessary capacity needed to provide such sustainable solutions to their problems. A truly sustainable development project is one which will be able to carry on indefinitely with no further international involvement or support, whether it be financial or otherwise.

International development projects may consist of a single, transformative project to address a specific problem or a series of projects targeted at several aspects of society. Promoted projects are ones which involve problem solving that reflects the unique culture, politics, geography, and economy of a region. More recently, the focus in this field has been projects that aim towards empowering women, building local economies, and caring for the environment.[4]"

I will hear back from the schools as soon as beginning of Feb or latest by March

Wish me luck

T

To all-

So I have been here in The Gambia for almost two years (it will be two years beginning of Feb).Crazy to think that I am living and working in Africa, still to this day I have surreal moments where it dawns on my again again that I am here. I am currently attending a 3 full day Close of Service (COS) Conference here in Banjul, regarding what I can do in the future with my experience and reflecting on the past two years. Crazy. Where did this time go? I know my parents are happy the time has gone by fast. After the conference I am supposed to wrap up all my current projects, hand over projects to other PCVs or my Gambian counterparts, and not start any new work or continue working. Hard to go from working nonstop for two years, no weekends, working on project plans and presentations write-ups til 10pm, and dreaming in Pulaar about work or my host family--to not working and just chilling. This will be tough. My father raised me with a strong work ethic, sitting and breathing will not be easy. But I am sure I can utilize that time to do some personal research for myself for grad school and personal curiosity (eg sitting in my village reading).

I had the Engineers Without Borders come to my area again this month to work on the bush road reconstruction project I took over a year ago from the PCV who applied for this project. The engineers altered their plan to focusing on well/water pumps in the area. Their road project proposal was not approved by the EWB big bosses, and the NGO on the ground we are 'lacing' with seemed to have taken over the road project to take credit for themselves. Overall the EWB's visit was a positive one. Together we taught 8 villages how to repair their bush road after it was fixed, as well as surveyed all water sources in those 8 villages. EWB will now attempt to find a way to bring up water from the ground easier and in a cleaner way. It was that time that a new PCV was posted in that area, so I handed the project over to her.

Another new volunteer is posted near my village, only 8k away. I got her started playing HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention films at her local middle school. The films are made by Africans for Africans in local language, so we showed the films in Pulaar and English for the students. We had our local nurse facilitate and explain the material, as well as field questions. The school's headmaster assisted as well. "But Travis, how do you play educational films in a rural area with no electricity?" you ask yourselves. A willing and motivated Gambian who has a tv, dvd player, and a small generator allowed us to borrow his prized possessions to show these films for free, as long as we provided fuel. "But Travis, who paid for the fuel, I bet that is costly?! And we know you make only $250 a month there" you now ask. Well, this headmaster is VERY motivated to assist both the school and the community he works in, so he bought the fuel out of his own pocket (equiv of $4 for two litres = 2 hours of film time)(and the usually never EVER happens here). Overall, we showed 2 short films in both languages and had many questions from the students. I feel that knowledge is as sustainable as one can get, as no one can take that away from a person, so this project went well. We then did a similar undertaking with the films but showed it to representatives from 3-or so surrounding village members and younger kids. The adults took well to the material, as we showed it in local language, and discussed with them in local language the material to ensure they understood. Cute to see young men ask question, and you can tell they are blushing. ha. Overall, I got my new sitemate started on sustainable work in her area.

I planned a grass-weaving bee hive demo in my village for Feb 9th for 3 PCVs in my area to do in my village, I hope that goes well.

During that time I will be en route to Dakar, Senegal because my head boss (country director) is sending me and 2 other PCVs from The Gambia to attend the annual West African All-Volunteer meeting in Dakar. (I was nominated to go) There, I will be presenting my bike-pedaled powered millet milling machine as an 'applied technology', and my liaisoning project between PC/The Gambia and PC/Senegal...which I hope after this meeting could spread to West Africa-wide! fingers cross. If this happens, I may have started a link between all PC West African countries.

Grad schools applications are done on my end, just waiting for all materials to be sent from other sources, and then waiting to hear back. Scary, my entire future rides on 4 schools accepting me or not, for all careers I want to get into require a MA degree.

The picture above is from when the EWB team was here. The NGO we are working(ed) with found an orphan monkey, and we tried to find it a new family in the bush. Being a fellow primate, it was friendly. Luckily, PC requires that I have all my rabies shots. I think it's a good pic.

I'll try to write more soon.

love you all

t

To all who read this- many thanks and greetings to the students at Arcadia school, I hope you read the letter/email I sent your teacher. I hope all your questions were answered, if not please ask more. To the rest of America, I figured out how to write blogs on my internet phone. I just want to write a small small note while I am thinking of you all, as the holiday season is coming now now. This, inshallah, will be my last christmas in Africa, or for at least a while. (forgive my english, I've been gone far too long and have adapted Gambian english). I know Thanksgiving was the time of giving. We, as people living and working in Western societies, would like to give to others who are in need. But how to give and what to give is often the problem, am I right? (As i type this, I have a young man asking me for lunch, which is kinda funny.) Where to send the money or what organization to give to to assure your hard earned money goes to the actual people in need? Do I give domestically or abroad? All good questions to ponder, which leaves some of us not giving at all, because of the many questions to ponder prior to the act is even made. Well, Ill give you my opinion. I have seen where aid goes, if it is UNDP or World Food Program or USAID, here in The Gambia. This Christmas season, if you want to give, give to the UN or Peace Corps. From what I gather these two major organizations will utilize your donations more effectively then others. So enough talk about money. How are you all doing back home? I am well, hanging in there. Holidays are not fun when you are hot and away from people who love you. Still trying to get my work in a position that is stable so when I leave it will continue. Also I am still trucking along planning out my future after pc. Anybody out there want to offer me a full-time job in April til end of summer?? Almost every night now I must use a blanket to stay warm enough to be able to sleep. It is nice to have that option to alter the temp of my surrounding, if only just a little. Ill make this short so I am able to up-load this via my phone. With much peace and love. Trav

Folks-

I have not written on this thing for a while, for that I apologize. I went back to America for the month of Aug, saw many people and ate some good food. I may be difficult to live and work again in American after being here for so long. I got back at the beginning of Sept after spend a few days in Dakar, Senegal- -having meetings with PC staff and volunteers up there in hopes of creating a volunteer based collaboration between Senegal and The Gambia (which I am told after the fact is basically already in place but I don't see it because that only involves the 'higher' volunteers in country).

When I got back to The Gambia, it was really hard to adjust back to life here after being in America for 30-ish days. In America, one can purchase anything of need at any time of the day at nearly any story near your house of record. That doesn't exist where I live here; I have to plan weeks ahead of time to buy a package of noodles to make spaghetti. Think about it if you have ever traveled to even Mexico, it's a shock to come back home, to your couch or your pet dog and your latte at your nearest Starbucks. Needless, I still haven't recovered from after I got back, and it may be difficult coming back when I am done in April.

Since Sept, I've been getting my work restarted and off the ground again, at the same time trying to get the work and project sustainable so I can leave it behind in 5 months, and at the same time thinking about, reading about, and starting to apply for my life after Peace Corps- -which that in itself is a terrify thought. Getting a real job? Grad school? Extending here? Extending somewhere else? Volunteering for the UN or some of aid agency? As of this past week I am pretty certain I will get a MA in International Sustainable Development, and get a certificate in Peace and Conflict Studies. (by definition it means this, hit this link: http://www.iisd.org/sd/). 'So, what will you do with this Travis?' you rightfully ask yourself as you read this. Well, I have no clue. I have ideas, but my grad schools will most likely keep me in the States, but work and my passions may take me abroad. Work may be working for USAID or for UN (like UNICEF or WFP), I feel that aid money is being utilized is unnecessary with costs us as American millions a year. I want to change how aid money and community development is implemented. So there's that.

Work is going. My Boys Club fell apart, simply because the boys don't want to meet anymore. My road project in my village is still at the beginning stages, and will most likely be that way til I leave. The road project with Engineers Without Borders is going as well, with the engineers coming in Jan to start fixing the road. Overall, the powers that be are not utilizing my experience and knowledge of being here and in development work, so I will just put in my time with the project and wash my hands of it. The bike pedal powered millet milling machine, well, I had a meeting about that with my counterpart today actually. Turns out that I don't think we can reproduce the entire machine here in this country, this creating another road block...I think I have a solution because that is what my Dad taught me and that's how my brain works...but it that project is, like the others, are still in the beginning stages. My main projects here never lifted off the ground, funny how much that happens in West Africa. I wont blame anyone or anything. I feel accomplished. Just tired, burnt out, ready to move on with my life. I've been here from almost 2 whole years now, away from the people that love me the most and who understand me the best. I am sure you all have missed me as much as I've missed you.

The rainy season is done, then it get really got in sept and oct. Nov should be cold, like 85 during the day and 75 at night, thus using a blanket at night which will be nice. My host family is well, my parents back in the States are helping me to assist two of my host siblings pay for their fees,putting them through school...education is above anything else is invaluable, which anyone can carry with them throughout their lives. (thanks mom and dad!)

what else is going on. oh, I am assisting in training the new PCVs that are coming tomorrow, they will replace my group when we leave in April. I am training the Trainees in culturally appropriate condom demonstration, and bed net dipping and how to make a local mosquito repellent. should be good times, hopefully leave a mark on new volunteers as the embark on their 'saving the world' journey just before I end my own.

there is an All Volunteer meeting mid this month, and then a few days later i'll do my session to train the new Trainees, then go back to site. I will most likely spend Thanksgiving at my village, we will have a big Thanksgiving dinner during out All Vol meeting. Nov is busy, it will fly by. Dec may calm down a bit, but a lot of volunteers will go home for the holidays.

i'm drinking cold water right now. it tastes amazing. earlier I had a cold water, a cola flavored juice mix and some gin from a local gin packet (which are rancid). I may invest in some cashew liquor. anyway, cold water is lovely, I'm tired of semi-cold water.

love you all, keep me in your thoughts

Trav

We just an an All Volunteer meeting during the 4th of July, where we found funding to stay at the Sheraton, The Gambia. This is my room...WAY different from my hut at my village.

This is a video of a main street in Kombo area within the city of Faraja, where the PC office, US Embassy and the PC hostel (where I stay). The video was taken while I was walking (sorry Dad) thus is a little rocky but I think you can tell what is going on. Hope the sound turns out ok. I wont be writting very many posts because the Gambia government is really cracking down on people 'slandering' the government and the president...I just don't want to go to jail.

1 Year Officially in The Gambia!

Holy cow, I’ve been an actual volunteer now for a year, and gone for a year and three/four months. How crazy is that?! Nuts, I know. On to the blog, lots has happened since I last posted

I have two road projects currently. I took over a road project from a volunteer who was done with her third year of service here (she extended for one year). This is a road that is in the middle of the region in live in—Central River Region (CRR). The volunteer, Kellee, applied to have Engineers Without Borders (EWB) come and fix the 14-ish k. stretch of road leading from the river to her village. EWB came in January 2009 to do an initial survey, I met the engineers at that time to asked questions about what they were going to do here because I am interested in doing the same thing to the road coming from my village to the highway (more on this later). It was then that I and another volunteer, Bill, agreed to take over the project when Kellee would leave. The EWB team is actually a group comprised of one comprised of a university professor and three students. This project is going. Bill and I are working with the country’s National Road Authority (NRA) to find where we can rent heavy machinery, local quarries, etc. My job is to play liaison to EWB and the village on the ground. In the next few weeks I will travel to the village and find the local quarries, take pictures, and gather rocks to be tested by the NRA so we can give this information to EWB. I also have to conduct a Health and Transportation survey to all compounds in eight villages. This is no easy task, and will take at least a week. Lets see how far I get. EWB say they will come back January 2010 to start fixing the road. This will be an exciting time.

The other road project, that I will dub ‘my road’, has just lifted off the ground. My road is a 9k bush road that is all dirt and gets hammered during the rainy season and blown away during the dry season. After trying to meet with local government officials to ask for assistance, we finally got through. The governor of the region agreed to have two tractors (w/ trailers), that are owned by the president of The Gambia and were currently assigned to plow local rice fields, come to my road for two days to ferry gravel to bad spots along the 9k stretch. Well, do to miscommunication or something, we only could get the tractors for one day….but on that one day the tractors showed up at the site at 1:00pm = way late. By the time we got the tractors to the local quarry, everyone had to eat lunch. (oh, the road committee for my road took it upon themselves to travel to Bansang a few times to gather donations to pay for food for the volunteer workers involved…yet I am not sure where all that money went to). Needless, we only got 6 trailer loads of gravel put in specific places at the beginning 1/2k. It was really cool watching the villagers of all ages and both women and men hand loading these trailers. In the states we would at least use shovels to load gravel, or most likely a tractor with a bucket. But all the villagers had were maybe buckets to load gravel, put the buckets on their heads, and dump it in the trailer. Luckily, many hands make small work. We plan to apply for assistance from EWB as well, but EWB has recently posted a notice that they are suspending applications from Africa and Asia, and we will reopened later in the year…hope there is time.

Thru the contact of have with EWB, they introduced me to another professor at their university that has developed a wonderful device, well, at least I think it is. This professor, Beena, and her students have come up with a bike powered millet milling machine. Here in The Gambia we eat coos, millet, peanuts, rice, and corn. To prepare some of these staple foods, they have to be pounded or ground. Women and girls spend hours a day performing back breaking work using a mortar and pistol to pound the above materials (see video from months back). To ease their workload, aid agencies donate fuel-powered milling machines that greatly reduce the women’s work load. This is all fine and dandy until people have no money to pay for fuel and/or the machine itself breaks and there are no funds to fix it or no one locally can fix it. You see, this creates an issue for items donated being sustainable. With my work with the Community Driven Development Project (CDDP), every village we go to and asked ‘what is a problem for you?’ they always state that they want a milling machine because theirs is broken or they already have one that works but they want another one. My hopes is to, instead of giving the CDDP villages big milling machines, to propose to the villages that maybe we can give each compound within the village a bike powered machine. (*see specs for more info on the machine at http://users.rowan.edu/~bacher60/My%20Web%20Sites/Grain%20Crusher/EIWB%20Home.htm). I plan to meet with the country’s head of Community Development in Banjul with my PC boss Gibril to go over this idea. I want to make sure that we will not reinvent the wheel, so to speak, by trying to implement this bike machine. This meeting would be huge and go past my counterparts who I work with on the ground back in my village. I also want the head honcho guy to give me permission to go to local blacksmiths in Bansang and maybe Basse to manufacture the device so to have it sustainable here in country, and to give the blacksmiths guaranteed business. All in all, yes, this looks great on paper and I am waiting for a snag to hit. There is always snags in projects here. I may hit a wall soon.

Right after last rainy season my village nurse and I heard that our region and few other regions in the country would be sprayed with DDT. You may have heard about this chemical. This particular spray substance was developed, apparently, in Cuba. (There is a tight bond between the two countries here *cough). The plan is to spray every house in every compound in every village with this spray. When mosquitoes come into the houses and land on the inside walls, the insect would die on contact…well that’s the theory any way. Well, for some reason it was decided to spray other regions that don’t have many mosquitoes last season when we were promised it…which was bad news for us. Good news is that the spraying campaign came back! There was a three day training for spraying supervisors in Bansang one long weekend; the village nurse wanted me to be a supervisor but somehow I was not invited to the training. So how can I supervise a team of volunteer sprayers if I was not told what this campaign is all about? So I went out with the spraying team for three days and hit 10 or so villages, then I quit because my job was to basically baby-sit = not my job here as Peace Corps. The chemical spray was nasty stuff, but when I worked with the team I was not involved with the actual spraying, just asking questions to each compound and telling people not to enter the sprayed houses for on hour. Overall good experience but I won’t do any more volunteer work here that doesn’t involved training if I don’t know what I am doing.

People who know me back home know that I have a unique ability to listen to people and to give back feedback/advice from many different angles. I did this a lot in the States, and in turn it followed me here to Africa. I was/am the shoulder to cry on for many volunteers who need some support. Here within the Peace Corps circle, there is what is called Volunteer Support Network (VSN). These people are asked from fellow PCVs and PC administration to volunteer their services and give support to other volunteers when asked/needed. Well, some volunteers nominated me for a VSN spot, and I was voted in. Basically volunteers call or text me when they need a help or advice or support. Easy enough, right? It’s not a big job, just a new title within my job here as PC. Thus my job as VSN is to keep other volunteers from early termination (ET) = quitting PC and flying home. The ET rate for this country is pretty high compared to other African countries so my job is somewhat important…to keep volunteers who are already here to stay in country. I also will be expected to setup fun activities for PCVs I my local area so we can go out together and feel American again.

I recently had a birthday. Turning 25 in Africa didn’t seem like a big deal. In our society, turning 25 is the last right of passage; we can now rent cars. Yet, while I am here, I can’t even drive a vehicle…go figure. The actual bday was laid back, I tried to do as little as possible and listen to music. My family back home called around the day and that was nice. I traveled to Kombo on April 30th, and then on May 1st my girlfriend took me to an off-the-beaten-path lodge place. Basically we went camping on the ocean. It was amazing, cold, windy, and I was totally surprised. The next day some friends came, another huge surprise!! Hanging out on the ocean beach, making mac-n-cheese over the fire and laughing about the good times of being here = great African time. Hopefully I’ll be back in the States by my next birthday.

An ‘elementary’ school 9k away from me called me to their campus one day while I was traveling about the bush. They needed assistance to get their school funding/money for school development and to fix their water pump. I made it clear that I did not come here to give out money. They understood this….for the most part. So I gave then an idea to meet with them a few days later, when I would bring in an Environment PCV, and we would teach the school how to make mud stoves. (Mud stoves are made from cow dung, straw, termite mound dirt and water. Mixed together in equal parts and let to ferment for a few days, we molded the mixture around a cooking pot and left a little space for firewood to be fed thru. The idea behind the mud stove is to save wood, save time, save work, and not cut down trees in a country that has a huge deforestation problem.) During the mud stove demonstrations, we had the local women’s group come to support what we were doing and to approve the stoves. We would need them to approve the stoves so they would tell all the other women to buy the stoves and state why. The idea was to have the boys and girls of the school make the stoves for people who wanted them and then get paid for their services, and the money going to the school. I hope this is what happens.

I recently had my mid-service medical and dental checkup. As of now, I am free of : parasites, worms, bugs, cavities, and gum disease. Good times. Odd going to a dentist in Africa, yet the ‘dentist’ was a med student from Sweden, what the?!

My goat TJ died, or we think he has. He has not been seen for weeks. My family thinks we was eaten by a hyena while hunting for grass in the bush with his mom. I was so looking forward to eating TJ just before I’d fly home next April. Oh well, it happens.

And no bamboo trailer or bamboo grown, yet. I tried to grow bamboo in my compound but my host brother never watered it and it all died. And I still can’t find second-hand bicycle wheels here, which is crazy since the main way of transportation in my area is by bike. BUT a PCV in Kombo recently asked me about my bamboo ideas and now we will try to make the trailer here near the capital (there are more resources here). I’ll keep you posted.

Hello folks! I know it has been a long time since I’ve typed something out. Know and understand that I would have liked to type a little blog for ya ‘ol sooner, but the internet nearest to me—Bansang—is not reliable and is dial-up. Remember dial-up? The ancient way of checking your email? Yeah, very slow. I can get maybe two emails out within one hour time, if that. I’ll post when I post. I will post when I go to Kombo/Banjul, where the internet is free and much faster. I only go to Kombo when my ‘to-do’ list is long enough, due to the fact that it costs 1/8 of my monthly allowance roundtrip to go there, then paying for food and going shopping while I’m there. I now have a phone that is able to have internet access, so I can email you from the bush but that’s about it. Hang on if you haven’t read a blog in a while, I’m busy working. J

I local councilor in my region came to me after a meeting and told that he had a colleague who was working with PC to fix their village road. He wanted to see what I could find out what that PCV was doing, so possibly we could get help with our road. My village (which I cannot name on here) is 9k off of the main road. The road to my village is dirt and sand. When the rains hit, the road at times is nearly impassable for vehicles; when the hot season hits the winds blows the entire road’s sand everywhere but on the road. Somehow addressing the road has been a concern of mind since day one of me living in my village. Villagers living that far off the main road have only one clinic—in my village—which only has a nurse and a few medical supplies. While I’ve lived here, one person has died from complications because they could not get to the nearest hospital in time.

After finding out what PCV was working on their road, I did some research. Turns out the volunteer is in my region, and has applied for Engineers Without Borders (EWB)http://www.ewb-usa.org/ . Turns out the EWB team was coming in January for an initial assessment of the road and to do a health assessment. The PCV—Kellee—invited me to meet and help the EWB team when they came. Kellee’s village is populated mostly by Fula’s but their dialect was a little different than mine, but I got by with my Pulaar. Their team consisted of a university professor and three engineering students. The prof and one student assessed the road, and the two other students worked on the community health assessment. The road survey consisted of using GPS tracking every 50 yards over the length of a 10k road. The GPS data, I am told, would be taken back to their university and put onto a cad computer program to show all the different elevations and bad parts of the road. During the survey, I asked the university professor many questions…I wanted to know as much as possible so I could get a similar group to come out to fix my road. At the same time, I acted as translator of the team, which made me feel proud to show up my language skills. Saw a big family of monkeys cross the road, and then some dried hippo tracks as well…nature is exciting!!!! I was nice to interact with American’s fresh off the boat. Kellee was busy doing the health stuff for the team. It was a good experience. Glad to be of service. Kellee is an extendee and is almost done with her third year here. She leaves in May and the EWB tea has just started. It will take them a few months to come up with a few plans to reconstruct and fix different parts of the stretch of road. The team need a liaison at the village level, and Kellee’s village will not be replaced by a new volunteer for a while. So I made the huge commitment for the second year of my service ( I have officially been gone for a year this past week, oh wow). The village is not far from mine, I speak the village’s main language, and I’m interested in road construction at the village level here.

I went back to my area to talk to my people about the road. We set up a meeting to discuss how to approach the application process and to form a committee to sensitize the community about the road being fixed. Well, at this meeting, the people has other plans and just asked me to find them funding for other project. Thus, I’m not sure if my road will be fixed…but I’ll help fix the other road.

In my last blog, I mentioned harvesting of the groundnuts. Well, the people—we call them the ‘Cooperative’ and its funny to hear Gambians say that word in English—came and are now buying. Funny this is is the Cooperative buys the groundnuts right outside of my compound, at the outskirt corner of my village. All the area’s villagers come to my village to sell their groundnuts. For most people in my community, the main source of income comes from selling their nuts. A vehicle containing two armed policemen, a driver and two Cooperative workers came to the area where men bring their nuts. In the back of the truck was a metal trunk. The trunk contained 600,000 dalasi (Gambian currency), which is 20,000 USD. All of this money was gone within a week. More money came soon. This means there is/was about 40,000 USD floating around the area I live in = the villages will have enough money to sustain them until next harvest, that is, in theory. That’s a lot of money. The nuts will be brought to Bansang, where they are put on a barge, and then shipped to Banjul harbor and sold on the international market. I think the US buys from here; you may be eating peanut butter from nuts grown by my host brother.

My teaching at the school dropped just after the holiday break started and never picked up again. The Headmaster at my school just keeps asking for money/funding and that’s something I don’t want to do/give/find for them. It’s a good thing that the groundnuts are abundant, for another simple reason—my sweet tooth. After eating rice and coos all day, I need something sweet. I resorted to eating peanut butter sent from home. But that only lasted a few days. So I bough locally made peanut butter. I put it in a jar and mixed it with local honey. Oh wow is that good! I just eat it straight, spoon full after spoon full until I can’t move and have to take a few tums.

So congrats to us all American’s, we have a new leader. On that day he took office, I was listening to his speech on the BBC but was interrupted and had to assist in the finishing touches of building a pit latrine. I stayed in my village and didn’t travel to Basse or the US embassy in Kombo to watch the event on TV because I wanted to answer any questions my fellow villagers may have. Gambians LOVE Obama. I have scene, and purchased, locally printed Obama posters. Babies are being named Obama, and streets and roads are being renamed ‘Obama road’. People here say that he will bring change to the world and The Gambia, and I respond with ‘if god wills it’ (inshallah). And I do truly hope he does change; we know the globe needs something to happen soon.!!!

My pet goat, TJ, is still alive and kicking. I talk to it in Pulaar, which makes my host mother laugh. I joke with my host father about the goat being stubborn. I talk to TJ in both Pulaar and English but the punk doesn’t listen. Before I left for Kombo to type this up for you all, I think my compound gave me a puppy. I’m not sure. I’ll keep you posted. I don’t want a dog, Gambian dogs are dirty.

Just before our Christmas, we had Tobaski here, another Muslim holiday. This is the big big holiday where each compound has to kill a, preferably, a ram (but a goat will do if you can’t afford a ram), and eat meat all day long. My family bought a goat, I help slaughter it, no worries. We used most of it. Are the head. Ate the feet. Liver, ribs, and whatever else was edible. We don’t eat meat that often beside dried or fresh fish, so we ate what we could of the goat. I was given my own portion of fresh, and still warm, meat and I cooked it my way. After a little while the everyone got dressed in their new clothes that had to have made and went to pray. After prayer, we ate. I was invited to many many compounds and ate meat over and over again. I swear my body went into protein shock. I usually have to drink a protein shake and eat tuna sent from America to maintain a healthy lifestyle but on that day I ate straight fresh PROtein. Simply amazing.

The other day I was at another volunteer’s house visiting. He speaks Mandinka and is in a Mandinka village. But near his village is a Fula village, so we went there. Every time I am in a Fula village, I greet and then ask one question, “Do you have milk?” (A hebi kedam?) The rains have ceased thus there is less greenery for the cattle to eat, thus less milk production. The village said they didn’t have any. So we sat with a few families to shoot the breeze for a bit. As we got up to leave, because it was getting dark, one man said stop and wait a minute. The man came back in 10 minutes with a covered bowl, and handed it to me, the fellow Fula. The bowl was still warm. We took home to bowl and opened it: fresh cows milk. We pour it in cups and added chocolate milk mix. Instant surreal moment, drink straight fresh chocolate milk!!!

I may add more to the post soon

>>Happy Thanksgiving All! I am so thankful for all the love and support I receive from my family and friends back home. Without you, my life here would not as sane as it is now. I think I mentioned that I was going to be teaching a little at the school at my village. At first it was just for Grade 6. I found out a few weeks before I started at the school that my youngest host sister—Grade 6, age 12-Fatou—could not read. This is a major problem if she is going to ‘middle’ school next year where everyone is expected to speak and read English. So after talking to her teacher, we came up with the plan of doing a joint after school study class. The teacher-Mr. Kieta-talked to the school’s Headmaster, and then talked to all of the student’s parents to get approval. (Usually when the kids are done with school for the day they do chores or just play). Before I had fully assessed at what level the kids were at, I just started with the basics = ‘Raise your hand if you know what sound the letter A makes?” Most of the kids got the easy ones, but when it came to Q,W, I, E, and etc, no one knew. I had them write in their notebooks “A is for Ant” and then draw a picture of an ant. Etc etc. We did like 8 of these each day, then played the Whisper Game = kids break into teams, sit side by side, I tell the first person in line a sentence, and then each kids whispers to her/her classmate to the left.…usually the sentence gets messed up somehow in translation/transition. I had them say ‘The ant is in the tree’ for the letters A and T, for example. We did this through to whole alphabet, and then started with compound letters: Th, Br, Sh, Bl, etc. I can only do this job after school when I am not working on my other jobs, so sometimes I only teach for two hours once a week. I am not a teacher by trade, and I told myself when I applied to the Peace Corps that I did not want to teach English for two years, but I feel that this is one of few ways to ‘get to’ the younger generation here. After a month of this, the Grade 5 teacher straight up asked me “So Lamin, why are you only teaching Grade 6, my Grade 5 could use some teaching as well?” I didn’t like this approached but agreed to help out with Grade 5 anyway. So sad when these students are pushed from grade to grade without learning much; I can point the fingers toward many factors of why the education system here flawed. Overall the teaching is going well. The past few weeks I was assisting my village nurse-Modu Saine-with two campaigns: the giving of deworming medication to all school ages students to all the schools in our area, and then another campaign to do give Vitamin A and deworming medication to kids (not going to school) above the age of 6 months to under age five. Overall the kids did not like this, and since there were children at these remote villages that I have never seen before, a lot were scared by the white guy; understandable because white folk are not very common at all in these neck-of-the-woods. And the medication did not taste good, they said 'leki ma na welani' = your medicine is not sweet. These campaigns were funded by WFP and UNICEF, I believe. At times we had to lie to the children and tell them it was 'minties' (candy) but after one kid at it and then spit it out and started to cry, the jig was up and they were all afraid now. Now that the rains have ceased, it is time to harvest. To harvest the coos depended on the grower and when the grower planted to seeds to when he/she would/must harvest. But the groundnuts (peanuts) were mostly harvested at the same time by everyone. People would gather up all of the groundnuts into big mounds. The groundnuts are the same as we have in America, peanuts, and are then gathered in rice bags and sold. This, from what I can gather, is my villages main source of income, which only comes once a year. I am told that buyers will come soon and buy the bags of groundnuts. There is a storage building that I guess they work out of when they come. Hopefully they do not rip off my village, their own people. I don’t help with harvest; I have too many meetings and campaigns to help in the field. The men, as well as the women, go out early in the morning, come back in the late morning to rest and eat, and then they may go back out again. It’s back breaking work; they always tell me ‘the work is too much’ and ‘my body has pain. (‘ligge ko hewi’ and ‘bandu ma fof hebi mussa’ respectively in pulaar). And on the note that the rains have finished, now it is the cold season. Therefore, I wake up from a malaria medicine induced dream to having goose-bumps and being cold. Its at that point that I must cover myself with a sheet and fall back asleep before a rooster jumps on my thatched roof and starts to cry out his territory. Oddest thing, really, being cold in Africa. But cold here is hot where I come from in the states--Seattle. I tell the villagers that the coldest it gets here, is the hottest it gets where I come from (those of you know what that temp is--bout 90F--at most)...and they don't believe me...even if I say 'in the name of God almighty' in Arabic, its tough for them to believe. me. I hear the coldness will stay with us until Feb., and then it will started getting hot again. Now, it's only cold in the wee hours of the a.m., then at 11am you can feel it getting warmer, one starts to sweat. In all honesty, I have no clue what the actual temp here is at times, I just guess. My body has acclimated to the intense heat, and my med-kit thermometer only goes up so far.

I spent Thanksgiving with friends here. One of our American administrators hosted all the volunteers to come to his house and cook a big and fantastic meal. It was nice to be able to eat turkey and mash potatoes even if we were not at home. Yet, it could never compare with being with family during Thanksgiving, and the turkey was not as good as my mother’s. This was my first major holiday away from home, but there will be another year of missed holidays before I come back. I knew this part of my service would be the worst; I knew that being here during this time of year would make me reflect what I left behind back home more. Family is big here as well; when we have Koriteh and Tobasky (major Muslim holidays), everyone goes home to visit family and not work really gets done for like a week. So I think they’d understood why I’d be away with other PC friends or sad around these times here. Most volunteers received phone calls from loved ones back home, thus the international phone lines were all busy and clogged. My family was one of the unfortunate ones to not get threw, but I know they tried and tried to call. All of you back home reading this, know I was with you in spirit during your turkey dinner. This year I am thankful for all of you, reading this now, and for your support (I really cannot stress that enough) Yesterday was an All Volunteer (All Vol) meeting, where all PCV came to the capital area. The date was fitting, right after Thanksgiving. We all met as a big group (about 100 volunteers), and then in separate sectors. It was good to see everyone, and to get everyone together for an event like this. Crazy how many volunteers we have in this small of a country. The meeting was only one day, and now we are all dispersing back to site. Today is National Cleaning Day, always the last Saturday of the month, so to travel farther then the Kombo area is nearly impossible. The roads will be closed from 11am-1pm, and all/most the businesses close and the employees clean the environment and the roads.

So Ramadan was good. I fasted for a total of 20 days-ish, while the entirety of it was like 31 days. I figured I’d fast to be more accepted into the culture, also it would be being asked if I was fast, saying ‘no’, and then having them ask me why. I thought fasting would just make the whole thing easy on all of us, right? No. So I was asked if I was fasting…I said ‘yes’, expecting that the conversation would turn positive and/or end…no. Then I was asked “are you praying”, I would say “no”, then they ask “why”, I say “because I am Christian”…and then they laugh and say to fast and not pray is pointless and doesn’t make any sense. Give me a break, I am trying my best to integrate. I guess it goes with religious intolerance, in general and with most big religions, that are told to get others to convert and/or show other ‘non-believers’ that their religion is the ‘correct’ one. I just had to smile and go with it, nothing much I can do without getting totally frustrated with the whole situation. I was healthy the entire time I was fasting, but really really tired after a long bike ride for meetings and such. The day that Ramadan ended is called Koriteh, which is based upon if people can see the new moon the night before. So I was in Basse the night before, and I saw no moon. But people in Kombo, and Dakar, and Mali sad they saw the moon. I don’t get it, how can a few people ‘see’ the moon and the rest cannot? I guess what happens is people in Mecca that see the moon call governments in West Africa and tell people that Koriteh (day of prayer) is the following day. So on Koriteh, we prayed = ate ALL day! Oh man it was amazing. People were laughing and playing music and dancing. People say here that a hungry man is an angry man, which is true because when we all ate, we were all overjoyed!

FYI I posted some more pictures on my Picasa account, so go to the ‘pic’ link from a few postings ago and you can view ‘em. I haven’t been able to take very many pictures with my camera due to the fact that I fried my AA battery charger and the batteries I can buy in my village wont ever turn on my camera. But now I have a charger so hope to take more soon!

During Ramadan not much work happened, due to the fact that no one had to energy to do much of anything. Then the month after Ramada, people were recouping from fasting for so long. I wanted to make sure that all the moms went to clinic to make sure their children were all still ‘healthy’ and not too much under weight. I attempted to tell pregnant mothers not to fast because the Koran states that then can opt to eat for the sake of their unborn child but they have to make up for the missed fasting days after the birth. But people like eating, even in The Gambia, and to fast while others are eating freely at a later day is difficult and ‘not sweet’ as they say here. So thus I could not sway any mothers. So yeah, during the recouping stage after Ramadan, I felt like my “getting to fully understand my place/job here” fall to the curb. I didn’t know what to do. There has been, since I swore it and was at site, an ongoing battle in my head, involving questions. These questions will run around in my brain throughout the day. Questions such as: How is my language skills? Should they be better? Am I working hard enough? Should I be out chatting/socializing more? Why I am here? I am really making a difference? I am wasting my time? Should I be doing the same kinda work as other volunteers? Etc. It’s a constant battle in my head, everyday. Some days are better then others. One thing I have to get myself to do is to become content with being content with my service here, and fully coming to grips with the fact that development work, especially in West Africa, is slow and that I will not see the benefits of my work…because it will most likely affect future generations.

This past week the Community Drive Development Project had another round of meetings, the first in like 2 months. So I was busy showing my face there. The committee I am working with oversee four villages in the area, but I only see two due to the traveling distance. I am still trying to figure out my place with this project. The meeting with these two specific villages are spoken in Mandinka and Wollof, but there usually a few Fulas around to talk to. (I guess overall I am still trying to find myself here, and what I am (supposed)to be doing.) The villagers figured out how much money they get to work with on their projects and were overjoyed (about $12,000 USD each). Attempting to say the big numbers converted into dalasi (D350,000) was difficult for even native speakers; when the languages were developed many many moons ago I’m not sure they had a need for big numbers like that. So the four villages now have selected problem areas within their village, and how to put the money towards solving those issue- -sense most of their problems stem more lack of funds. I hope this project is sustainable.

I recently figured out that my 12 year old host sister, Fatou, who is in grade 6 cannot read. This is most likely her fault for, as they say, ‘not serious’ and ‘foolish/not wise, and not her fault for being the youngest child and the fault of the school system here. I have spoken with her teacher at the local school in my village and he says that many of his students are at the same level as she. He wants to keep this students after school to make them study and do their assignments. The students after school will play up until, mostly for the girls, it is core time. So I have been asked to help with this after school program. I told the teacher that I am not a teacher by trade but can assist where I can. During the evenings, after dinner, my sisters will come to my house because I can a table and a candle and they study…well Mariama (age 17 grade 9) studies while Fatou wants to color and not study. Other kids come to my house to study as well; I have a chalk board and chalk and we got over math problems and how to spell specific words. We have little study nights, its fun. I make juice for them and/or give them candy for studying hard. Students can only come if they are to study, no fooling around because that will distract other students, it’s a rule. Its good to see students eager to learn, especially for the boys who have to pay full price for their schooling.

So either then that life is going well. I am still getting AMAZING packages from people. My ongoing support system is still grand!!! I am still living day by day, still playing ‘save the world’. My host sister’s goat had a baby and she gave it to me, so now I have a goat. I named him TJ. Yes has a goat. Fatou found the black finger polish sent from home and she painted my left hand fingernails…so that’s interesting. Not sure what else to write here….maybe I’ll think of some more later before I go back to site. I love and miss you all. Cheers!

ps- wish list is current. :)

Dakar

(mostly straight from my journal) Eugene, Steven, Alex and I, along with two med-students that Steve met at his hospital, went to Dakar Sept 21. I thought I brought enough identification but I was wrong, I’ll explain. PC The Gambia and PC Senegal have a good relationship. With our PC ID cards, we can, in theory, cross over with only these ID cards and have it be no problem. Thus, I didn’t bring my passport. So we get all the way to the border and the Senegalese border patrol wont let me pass. So I got on the phone and called my Country Director (on a Sunday) and he helped me out. He got my PC Passport from the office and had a PC employee drive it to the Banjul-side ferry. So Alex and I had to pay a taxi to go all the way back to Barra from the border to retrieve my passport, and go all the way back. We crossed and on our way we went.

Got to Dakar a 5pm and were supposed to meet the personal driver of a family Steve knows in Dakar (the personal driver should give you a hint that this family has some money). We met him at the carpark and followed the drive in another taxi to the house. The house was more like a one bedroom apt, on the top floor of a 5-story apt building. Very nice compared to what we are all used to. We were so tired we just showered and crashed. Funny how the family only spoke French and Wollof, but luckily Eugene was trained to speak Wollof, and the two med students traveling with us are from Holland and spoke enough French to get us by.

The next morning we told our host we wanted to see downtown. After walking around on the water front/ beach road we found downtown and stopped for coffee and breakfast. (You see we’re in Dakar, we should be able to enjoy sitting down at a small café for a coffee, right…BUT they were so hard to find, believe it or not. I know!) Alex went outside right after we ordered from the menu and by luck met up with a Senegalese PCV. turns out he’s been working here from two years and is on his last few days in country. He agreed to show us around the city! We went to an annex building of the US Embassy to show us what he was currently working on before he bounced out—and agfo video in French. Pretty sweet. Visited a market—which was much more organized than any vendors market in The Gambia. Dakar, overall and as a whole, was MUCH more developed than any part of The Gambia; big(ger) and much more organized. There are actual streets and sidewalks---who would have thought. We stopped and got ice cream…like a shop just like 31 Flavors…and oh god was it good! Real ice cream for once…something cold and tasty!! WOW. I went to the bank next to take out some $ from the ATM because I wasted so much money traveling to get my passport, but the ATM ate my card AND the bank was closed…so we had to come back tomorrow. Went to dinner at an institutional park thing, very cultural. Afterwards went to a hotel that has a bar, which has a happy hour that PC’s go to often. We met other Senegalese volunteers there, nice to talk with them. Also met a fellow American that just flew in to Dakar on a whim to do community development work, kinda random to meet up with her.

The following day, after going to the bank to get my atm card, we want to go to a private-reserve island that is right off the coast of Dakar. After going to the market to get lunch-type food, we went to the beach to get a boat to go there. On the island was just us and the ‘tour guide’, which was basically a man to make sure we didn’t get into much trouble. The island has its own private lagoon, and big hills to walk up and view the sites. We went swimming and got sunburned and just relaxed. I ate watermelon on a beach in West Africa, that’s hard to beat my friends. After getting back to the main land we walked back to happy hour for a few drinks again. I felt so dirty from not showering prior but I am used to being dirty back at site. But after a beer on an empty stomach all was well. That night we had Korean food, which was a nice change of pace.

Next day we decided to split up from the girls and we each do our own thing. So we walked across down to the beach.. (part of the day I cannot put in this blog, but it was all legal). Found a small café for lunch, then I got lost trying to find another bank. When we regrouped we found dinner, met another Senegalese PCV and his visiting brother (you can always tell when you see another white person within a sea of non-white people…and then from there you can tell if the person is a tourist or a PCV because PC are usually dirty and can speak the local language, it’s a subtle rule we go by). Dinner was Lebanese.

Overall the Dakar trip was wonderful but kinda hard to go back to site after stay is such Westernized conditions for a few days…it puts things into perspective. So, we don't have this in The Gambia. So, this is a part of a sidewalk that vendors can sell things. I turned on my video camera and just walked with the camera at my waist..so sorry for the bumpy ride. If you listen closely you can hear vendors calling us to buy things and asking us annoying questions (ie: "What is your name"). This is common, in both Senegal and The Gambia.

So been gone for a month or so from internet, AC, and cold water. Came into the Kombos this past Saturday for supplies, maybe get my Razor phone from home working, and for a birthday for a lady in my group. Nice to be back in the city but already I want to go back to my village to get back to the ‘routine’, Its funny, you know when you travel for vacation and your body isn’t quite right; you don’t sleep in the same bed, eat the same foods, and do the regular things? Thus you don’t feel all there. That is what I feel like when I travel to Kombo, my body is all out of wack. Which means that I’m “at home” at my village, in my mud hut, eating out of the family food bowl. I guess one can say that this is a good thing, right? Ha.

First off, wanted to apologize if I offended anyone with my last blog post (the part at the end). At times throughout my stay here, I’ll most likely get negative, feel like “why am I here”, and maybe write an email or two and post a blog about my feelings. Just fyi. I’ll have my moments, just got with it. So sorry if you were troubled by my last post, just understand where it came from.

So a few guys from my group (whenever I refer to ‘groups’ or ‘my group’ is the people we met in DC at staging before coming to The Gambia. We came here at the same time, and are in the same sector.) are planning a ‘guys weekend’ and going to Dakar at the end of this month. One of the guys is flying home for a few weeks and wants some company. He flies out of Dakar, Senegal some time at the end of Sept. In Senegal, people speak French and Wolof. If one doesn't speak those, you're kinda out of luck. So the idea was formed to have a 'guys weekend' so to speak and travel with most/all of the remaining guys in my group, since one of the guys speaks Wolof. Should be a good time, excited to actually visit Dakar, I hear its much more developed than Banjul...with actual roads and Ben 'n Jerrys and whatnot.

Yesterday, marks the start of Ramadan, one major Islamic holidays. It goes on for the entire month. Apparently people wake up before dawn and eat bread, drink tea, go back to bed. Throughout the day there is no eating and no drinking: fasting. At night we feast. So, I'm obviously not Muslim, but I feel the need to attempt to fast (I know Mom, I know). I think I may sneak into my house and have some water and some snacks but I feel the society would respect me a little bit more if I at least attempt to fast. I think my host mother has already told me she'll make me little meals for each day. But I may tell her to not. In my opinion, fasting is one of the "safest" (compared to drugs or other dangerous activities) ways to enlightenment. I know of many faiths, including Christianity, who fast at times. It should be interesting, and possibly fun!

It has been raining here on and off for about month and a half. After I got back from IST I started to attempt to teach people how to make neem cream; the locally and cheaply made mosquito repellent. Neem is widely use in America for many things (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neem) and is very common is this area of West Africa. In the past few years, PC has gotten a hold of recipe to use the neem to make a repellent. I’ve demonstrated the procedure at the clinics I attend, for my host family, and a village I’m working with on a community development project. The cream has three ingredients: neem leaves, soap, and regular cook oil. The procedure is as followed for all of you who are curious. Take one liter of neem leaves and boil them in liter and a half of water. While the water is boiling, take a bucket or large bowl and cut two bars of soap into small pieces. When the boiling water reaches a nice green color, pour the water (only) into the bucket/bowl with the soap and stir fast. Be careful not to burn yourself! After the soap dissolves, add one cup of cook oil. Keep stirring for a bit and leave set. It will take a bit for the cream to cool. Its finished. I tell people to wash, pray, and then put on the cream. It actually works very well. A few villages think I am a god, I swear. In fula I call the cream ‘leki bowdi’—medicine/tree mosquito. I have demonstrated this technique at the clinics with a fellow PCV who is in the same sector but has been here for a year plus. He’s the neem cream guru here currently, maybe I’ll pick up the title when he leaves in 7 months (at that point I’ll be the old one here, wow time flies! Eek). The particular volunteer helped me with the demo, as well as my job at the clinics: weighing babies and checking their health cards. He speaks wolof, and the villages we went to speak Mandinka and Fula. But we found a few Wolofs for him to converse him. With him being there, it kina forced me to attempt to tell the mothers that their child(ren) are under weight and need to eat more nutritious food. There is a specific tree that is grown here is it’s leave are jammed packed with vitamins and minerals: moringa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moringa). I think I got the point across to a few mother’s but I’m still working on my Fula. Maybe I’ll have the nurse in my village help me with a few medical phrases.

Either than that, just living day by day. I got a bookshelf finally so now I can get organized and FINALLY not feel like living out of a suitcase (this took 7 months but so it goes). Here you learn to ‘just go with the flow’ of life. Smile and shrug with people ask you for money, a visa to the US, or when young boys ask you to buy them a soccer ball. The plan is to go back village tomorrow. No crazy stories that I can remember

July 8th- Hello to all at home. I trust your 4th was fantastic. Mine was spent traveling. On the 3rd I met a fellow PCV (who lives near Basse) in Bansang, and together we traveled to Kerewan to stay w/ another PCV. The following day (the 4th) we got a free ride to our PC hostel in Kombo. We could have traveled one day to get to Kombo but that would have taken the entire day and our bodies would be mush by the time we got there…so making the travel in two days makes is less stressful. I have come into Kombo for a few reasons: 1) there are new PCTs here who are for the Education sector…so I wanted to meet them because I know what its like to be the frosh-rookie and I want to make them feel welcome. 2) I have an In Service Training that runs from July 8-17th-ish…where I’ll get more training on how “to be a more successful volunteer”. 3) The US Embassy here has a little bank account for funding for community projects. The Headmaster at the school in my village got a hold of the form to request funding and I am responsible to turn in this form. The funding is for a brick fence that will encompass the school’s campus and three gates with locks. The school will have 1 new school building and 2 new teachers quarters finished w/in months, inshallah (if god wills it). Thus a new fence would finish off the schools new additions nicely. And, a gated compound will hinder animals to enter the schools campus and wind cannot blow in trash = a cleaner compound for children to learn. And it will make theft from the school less likely. 4) Buy supplies, get $ from bank, type a blog for you all to read, and have a cold one.

I have received a generous amount of letters and many packages which is all greatly appreciated and a loving gesture. It’s amazing how much support I have back home. In the letters/notes I’ve gotten, a few questions come up more than once…which is perfect so now I know what to type on these blogs. All boxes that I knew were en route have come, in one piece and not open on purpose from theft or inspection (one box had a rip in the corner though). Sending tuna and also protein powder is much appreciated. Also, sending any magazines my way that you feel would interest me would be awesome. Basically, any and everything I receive in the mail just shows how much support I have back home…which is vital to know when I have my bad days/moments. My fan club keeps me going. My village (which most of you know where that is by now) is a fula village--which people speak Pulaar-but ¼ of the population there is Mandinka--who speak Mandinka. So, I was trained in Pulaar…but I am forced to learn the greetings (at least) in Mandinka…I can also respond to being asked my name and where I’m from. Fulas will learn/speak other native languages (ie: Mandinka and/or Wollof), but in my personal experience…Mandinkas wont budge and wont speak other languages. Which makes it tough when I greet some people in my village (and the response normally to the greeting is ‘jam tan’) but the person I’m greeting just stands there and looks at me like I spoke German to them…it can get frustrating. So, I turns out that I’m now learning two languages. Here in The Gambia there are 3 major languages spoken (Wollof, Mandinka, and Pulaar) and 3 minor ones (Serehula, Jola, and Jahanka- -if I remember correctly). AND different regions of West Africa AND different regions of The Gambia may have different dialects of specific languages listed above. Luckily the dialect difference from what I was trained in wasn’t too much different from what my village speaks. (There are hundreds of dialects of Pulaar) No need to send over bug repellent. I will be conducting a community meeting when I get back from Kombo on how to make a local mosquito repellent (which is cheap and easy to make) and I should be seen putting on this cream to set the example. The lotion itself works fairly well so no worries. I’ve received a few questions about if the music on my ipod is being over played and ‘getting old’,and if there is any way for people back home—if they send music cds—for me to be able to play the music. I have found a way to put music from a cd on my ipod…I actually stole a bunch of music from other PVCs. THUS, send over any new music you think I would like. Speaking of music, the only type of music I had in my little hut at village was the radio and my headphones hooked up to my ipod. Well, radio is used from the BBC, and putting on headphones can only be done at specific times…because then you cannot hear one name being called or something going on near my compound when headphones are blasting ‘Karma Police’. Basically, I was going crazy with having no music. The last time I was in Kombo I vowed to myself that I must find small speakers for my ipod…for some background music when I’m writing in my journal or making coffee in the morning. I found small speakers but they take 4 AAA batteries. The ‘having ‘em take batteries’ is a bummer but I have my music. I’ve always said that my music is my savior…and is really is here….to hear something familiar, something you can jam out to, something you can sing along to now and then later on (because only a small population of people in my area speak English), something to drown out the chickens crowing and donkeys braying and children yelling. I am a little less crazy with my newly purchases speakers. (I hope this isn’t a repeat of anything I’ve posted on here before).

So my three month challenge is up…so now I’ve proved to myself and my bosses that I can live at site and have no worries (yet). With the new PCTs here, I am no longer the ‘newbie’ in the PC community…and that feels pretty good. Its been 5 months folks—only 22 more months to go. The days go by slow but the weeks go by fast…which is a plus.

July 19- I stopped writing before because I couldn’t figure out what else to type. My In Service Training (IST) is finished, and I plan to travel back with some friends tomorrow morning. We have to leave very early if we want to make it back to site in one day. Plus I need to stop in Bansang to pick up some gifts for my family and my new bike! (When I started trained as a PCT, I got a ‘training bike’- -which is a Trek bike but is a few years old and hammered. My group was supposed to get brand new bikes right after we swore-in but the shipment was late. So finally, after being a volunteer for 3 months, I have a new bike. For folks back home who knew my bikes…my new bike is very comparable to my mountain bike back home (I miss my bikes, single tear L) ) So the entire day of travel will be costly and long…but it happens. As they say here, ‘it’s not easy’.

During IST we learned about community assessment, grant writing and where to find funding, met the rep for the World Food Program for The Gambia, etc. Lots of info and now I feel better prepared to be a PCV; and I have many new ideas for my community.

When I was in training, I was thinking of how I could transport items via my bike. The bikes come with a platform that is just above the back tire but that can only hold so much. I thought about how to make a bike trailer. I could buy one online from REI.com and have it shipped over but it would most likely be hammered w/in a month here and then I’d be out of luck. And it would have shown that the toubab (white person/stranger) has too much money- -a topic I’ve discussed before. So, I thought about hiring a local welder (yes, welding does happen near my village, in Bansang) to piece together a metal frame for a trailer. But then I’d probably have to pay a lot and it would be very heavy. Plus, if I had made a trailer and people in my community liked the it, they couldn’t copy the idea because they most likely afford to do so = isn’t helping. So I was determined to find a way to make a bike trailer made from local materials. I researched online and sure enough I found instructions on how to make a bike trailer from BAMBOO! “But where is Travis going to find bamboo, he’s in Africa not Asia?” you all are asking yourselves as you read this. There is a compound in my village that has a bamboo tree in their backyard, and I am friends with one of the young woman in the compound (I make sure her 6 month old son is healthy), and I hope to get some saplings from her. I want to start growing bamboo, lots of bamboo, in my village/area. I had a meeting with the director from the Agfo-sector in the PC office and he told me that few PCVs have attempted bamboo growing. He felt it would be a good idea, and was an untapped resource in this country. Bamboo does and can grow here; you just have to water it during the dry season. Gambians living in the middle-north region of the country make bamboo beds and furniture but I think all of that bamboo is imported. For the trailer, I need two bike wheels, some nuts and bolts, and sheet metal…all of which I think I can find in Bansang or Basse (there is a thrift store in Basse- -a man fills a huge container with stuff from Holland and ships it here to sell…in the shipments are bikes that were taken from a University campus that no one claimed…I think I can find tires there). SO, if my plan goes well…I can make a trailer out of local materials at a cheap cost, thus others who are interested can follow. This will be beneficial for people (if they copy my idea) in my area because: it will cut down on cost to bring supplies from the main road to the village, one can make the trailers and sell them (micro-enterprise!!!), and possibly this may be solution on transporting people quickly in an emergency, for healthy reasons, to the main road (by making a trailer fit for transporting a person). There are many possibilities with this idea; I just hope people are receptive.

During my stay here in Kombo, I received a random phone call from the PCV who was in my village prior to me. He said had come back to The Gambia to visit and found out there was another PCV in the village he was in and wanted to meet me. We arranged to meet in Kombo; the meeting was brief but good. The village we both stay(ed) in speaks highly of him, so it was good to put a face to all the stories. I hope to keep in contact with him during my stay here.

I trust many of you have seen my random pictures and videos I’ve posted online. Hope there is no troubles with that, and if there is, please let me know. I’ve always has a small interest in photography but when it boils down to it, I’m just too lazy to take many photos. So, I’ll do what I can to take pics and post them in a timely fashion. There is currently no internet that I know of up-country...and I have no idea when I’ll make it down to Kombo again…so it may be a while before I post anything more on this blog.

Many of you ask about how the language is going, and I respond “it’s going” or “I do what I can”. I recently had another language test, score: Intermediate High (one level above from 3 months ago). So, its coming. I find myself understanding more of what people are telling me but I just can’t respond. My hut is disorganized…I get a bookshelf this weekend (I hope, inshallah)…so then I can put away books and what-not and then feel organized enough to study my language more.

I was recently asked “at this point in time do you think [I] made the right decision in joining [the Peace Corps]?”. I responded in saying it was the best choice out 2 I had in front of me (after being rejected from grad school). In all reality, I’m living my dream: living/integrating into a foreign culture AND helping others in need. But does this really make me happy? The two above dreams sound good on paper, but when you are actually doing them in a “Third World Country”…it’s a different story. Development work is very time consuming; much patience is require, the whole process and/or when visible progress can be seen could take decades. Undoing years upon years of “fill-in-the-blank-here” seems to be going nowhere…and I think this is pretty much universal aspect that all PCVs will find out. Would I be happier anywhere else right now? Sure! I’d love to be in Lake Stevens with my family…out at the local pub for a brew with friends…eating Taco Bell and meat everyday. But then again…I don’t thing that the basic American life isn’t/wasn’t for me…and I feel that many of the people who know me best (including my parents) would agree to that. I’m not saying that what the average American does on a daily basis isn’t justified, it just not something I wanted to dive into yet. I’m not biding my time…I having the best experience of my life and will use this experience to better myself and other around me until I leave this earth. So did I make the right choice in joining the Peace Corps, I say yes…but I’ll leave that up to you all to answer and you can judge for yourself. I’m sure I’ll be a changed man when I return. Hope this answers the question.

I would not be here if it wasn’t for my support group back home… I love you all!! If you want to try to help in the work that I’m doing…donate funds to UNICEF, Peace Corps, and/or World Food Program. Also, drive less (or better yet sell your car), eat local foods (or better yet grow your own garden), and stay informed about global issues. The world is changing, here and now, and it will be written in the history books; it is up to all of us to dictate what is written in those books—for better or for worse (I’d prefer better).

*the above is not preaching….just strong words from your trusted family member/friend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYj_25ZekN4

hit link above for a video of my sister and another girl pounding coos. sorry for the camera angle and the end of the video. below is another video of girls dancing

hope this works...hit the picture below of the children to view pics. while in that page...find My Photos and there you'll find more pics. hope this is ok

africa

So I’m staying near the capital area again, and I’m near internet and computers-both of which are fast and free to use-so why not post up some info. Um, the rains have finally come, its rained a few times the past week. The first downpour came during the morning, I was walking to my house from the local shop and it started…every one was running into their houses…I, however, did not, I kept walking to my house and was completely soaked in 20 seconds= it was amazing! Now that the rain is here, the temp has cooled but that brings along the humidity, and the men are out plowing/prepping the fields. They have asked me to help…so I walk out to the fields and stand behind a ‘machine’, which is a basic plowing device which also places/covers seeds into the ground as it is being pulled behind some sort of an animal-donkey or cattle…one or two depending. So here’s this white guy in this huge field behind a donkey walking white two hands on the plow and walking back and forth…it was good times. This would have never happened in the states…but just imagine in your head that I, Travis, was, but hand-basically, plowing fields…work of which no one back home would ever dream of doing. I had to laugh while doing it, and a little afterwards.

I was asked to be apart of a Community Driven Development project-which is basically the State got some funding and were required to implement some standards on choosing specific villages in each region of the county that the funding would go towards. The criteria was based upon the size of the village and poverty level. The project is to bring funding to assist chosen villages to help locals in ‘helping themselves’ in a project that would benefit them, working with them to solve an issue/problem (sorry if that doesn’t make sense, i’ve been out of college for a year exactly, no laughing). So we had our initial meetings with each of the four villages that my committee is assigned to work with…the committee is comprised of local head of varying depts. that live/stay in my village-the nurse, women’s farmers head, the weatherman (yes we have a weatherman in my village..I laughed at the idea too…like what is the guy going to report “oh its blazing hot today” or “oh, it really raining outside”…I don’t know, ha). My job is to be a consultant; the cool thing is that i have background in the type of work…i took a few classes in college pertaining to just this…so score. This means more meetings and more traveling. So, I am officially a Health and Community Development volunteer; so volunteers in my sector are either or, but i work with the nurse and go to cling and now i’m involved with this comm. Delep. Project…so i guess i have a ‘job’ now, as opposed to just doing some activities around my village for two years. Its nothing major.

Other things: i cut my hair and shaved the sides of my face but left the goatee. Reasons: here in the Gambia there is a sub-culture of rosta/wanna-be jamacias…mostly men who are creepy and really want to get a visa to the US or Europe. I told myself that if i grew out my hair again, i would get dreads…i mean, why not, i have the time and i’m not here to impress any one. But if i got dreads, then i would be associated with the rosta culture and my work would be shot to hell (but that’s of my opinion). AND, me speaking pulaar, thus i am a fula, there are these fula hats that look like little beanies and they look bad-ace…and having long hair doesn’t work with these types of hats. So i got a fellow pcv to cut it short. Shaving: the sides of my face didn’t grow in very well…and i thought i looked like crap and only old men here have facial hair…so i got a crazy idea one day to shave. What an event…having to first cut the long hair with scissors, and then shave the rest. It took awhile but i managed. I look completely different. Now that the hair on my cheeks are gone, i can tell that i lost weight...but i'll post pics and you can decide that for yourselves. So here's some info for you, i'll post some more if i have time later before i leave back to site. love and miss you all

Hi all. Long time, I know sorry but not my fault…the internet at the nearest hospital was not paid for so I could not go on, go figure. I know you are all dying for information so Ill do what I can. I am currently in Basse, look at a map, visiting friends and we found an internet café…run by a huge generator, ha. So, lets try this out. I am just hanging out in my village as much as possible…although I go into Bansang or go and visit friends on weekends to see them and get supplies…I try to cook my own dinners but really what it comes downs to is just a tuna meal and then I eat some dinner with my host family. I, again, am trying to integrate and learn the language…good times, good times. These first three months are just really me trying to assess what the village needs, their resources, and what they are interested in. I will make a garden in my backyard soon soon…the rains will hit mid july…in fact the other morning it rained in Basse and apparently no where else in The Gambia, and it was amazing. All the locals ran into their houses and my PC friends and I just stood outside and took a free bath, ha. The PCs in my area just had a meeting regarding the worldwide impending food crisis, that will affect my area….thus people that I live amongst will be hungry…so im doing what I can do make sure we can construct gardens and have people save money…but time will tell. It is still 120 degrees F but, again, with the rains coming soon…it will cool down equals YES. So I am just figuring out my place in the village and area to see what work I will or be doing for the next two years. Stories….Battery Project. I had this idea when I was in training…people buy and used small batteries for their radios often here…but there is no garbage can or area to throw your waste…so it goes on the ground. Then kids will end up playing with the batteries…long story short…bad news bears. SO, I told a few kids in my village to bring me batteries and ill give them one minty, or candy, for one battery. Sounds like a good idea right, give the kids candy so they wont play with the used batteries. Well…I went thru 3 bags of candy my mom sent over from America and then I bought 2 bags of candy from the local shops in my village…thus showing my wealth as a white person in my village equal not good. And the kids were coming to me with their hands and cloths filthy. So I ran out of candy but had the kids wash their hands with soap as they came with their batteries. I currently have 2,000 D size batteries in my backyard, waiting to be put in my pit latrine. Ill have pics for it soon soon. Its an overall good story to tell, one of many moments that a PC had a great idea but it back fired. 2nd story...Bush Pig. So I live in a country that mainly practices Islam, thus they cannot eat pig. People througout the country now are clearing land for farming for the rainy season that is fast approaching. Also, hunters go out every sunday to rid the area of sqirrels, rabbits, monkeys, baboons and bush pig...because these animals will ruin their crops...sounds bad i know but its africa. so i tell the hunters, when you kill a pig, cut a leg off and bring it to me, because you cant eat it BUT i CAN. so finally one night my host brother brings me a pig leg at like 10pm the other night. i bring the leg to my backyard, really in amazment that i actually got the leg. i cut a few pieces off that night and fried it up...very good. the next morning i cut up half the leg and boiled it and had meat the entire day...i was very full and i got enough protein for a bit. the meat went bad later that night so i tossed it into the woods by my compound later that night. This is just one of man surreal african moments that ill experience while i am here.

Hi all. Long time, I know sorry but not my fault…the internet at the nearest hospital was not paid for so I could not go on, go figure. I know you are all dying for information so Ill do what I can. I am currently in Basse, look at a map, visiting friends and we found an internet café…run by a huge generator, ha. So, lets try this out. I am just hanging out in my village as much as possible…although I go into Bansang or go and visit friends on weekends to see them and get supplies…I try to cook my own dinners but really what it comes downs to is just a tuna meal and then I eat some dinner with my host family. I, again, am trying to integrate and learn the language…good times, good times. These first three months are just really me trying to assess what the village needs, their resources, and what they are interested in. I will make a garden in my backyard soon soon…the rains will hit mid july…in fact the other morning it rained in Basse and apparently no where else in The Gambia, and it was amazing. All the locals ran into their houses and my PC friends and I just stood outside and took a free bath, ha. The PCs in my area just had a meeting regarding the worldwide impending food crisis, that will affect my area….thus people that I live amongst will be hungry…so im doing what I can do make sure we can construct gardens and have people save money…but time will tell. It is still 120 degrees F but, again, with the rains coming soon…it will cool down equals YES. So I am just figuring out my place in the village and area to see what work I will or be doing for the next two years. Stories….Battery Project. I had this idea when I was in training…people buy and used small batteries for their radios often here…but there is no garbage can or area to throw your waste…so it goes on the ground. Then kids will end up playing with the batteries…long story short…bad news bears. SO, I told a few kids in my village to bring me batteries and ill give them one minty, or candy, for one battery. Sounds like a good idea right, give the kids candy so they wont play with the used batteries. Well…I went thru 3 bags of candy my mom sent over from America and then I bought 2 bags of candy from the local shops in my village…thus showing my wealth as a white person in my village equal not good. And the kids were coming to me with their hands and cloths filthy. So I ran out of candy but had the kids wash their hands with soap as they came with their batteries. I currently have 2,000 D size batteries in my backyard, waiting to be put in my pit latrine. Ill have pics for it soon soon. Its an overall good story to tell, one of many moments that a PC had a great idea but it back fired. 2nd story...Bush Pig. So I live in a country that mainly practices Islam, thus they cannot eat pig. People througout the country now are clearing land for farming for the rainy season that is fast approaching. Also, hunters go out every sunday to rid the area of sqirrels, rabbits, monkeys, baboons and bush pig...because these animals will ruin their crops...sounds bad i know but its africa. so i tell the hunters, when you kill a pig, cut a leg off and bring it to me, because you cant eat it BUT i CAN. so finally one night my host brother brings me a pig leg at like 10pm the other night. i bring the leg to my backyard, really in amazment that i actually got the leg. i cut a few pieces off that night and fried it up...very good. the next morning i cut up half the leg and boiled it and had meat the entire day...i was very full and i got enough protein for a bit. the meat went bad later that night so i tossed it into the woods by my compound later that night. This is just one of man surreal african moments that ill experience while i am here.

So...I passed my tech and major lang tests...and passed my final evaluation...so I am ready to swear-in as an offical peace corps volunteer. I got a bank account here, and the PC people "loaded" it with $$; some money for 'settling-in' and some money for site for the rest of april. But...I ran out of money but I made due when I was buying stuff....I bought a mattress, gas and two burner stove, pot/pan, etc etc. There is still more to buy. They give us more than enough $ to live here, but the first three months are tougher because I'll be buying stuff for my house and whatnot.

For the swearing-in, the head PC director from Wash. DC will be there. He flew in yesterday! So this is big...the head dude will be there...the guy that sends us our 'pay'-checks. PLUS, there will be some other hiearchies within the country there as well. THEREfore, our swearing-in will be televised nationally throughout the gambia= a big deal! We as the group have to do a little skit, sing a song and do some other activity ALL in local lang because of all the press and activity going on. Crazy, I know. After the ceremony, there is a party at the local brewery-JulBrew-and the the beer, so i hear, will be free = good times. i'll post some pics; you'll see me in a native african dress...not going to lie, i look bad ass...but you all probably laugh. rock'n roll. post some comments and ask some questions so i know what to type next time

with peace and love

haa yeeso

14/04/2008

My Randomness-

Sorry prior to anyone reading this but my blogs will be full of random stories and will change topic from sentence to sentence. I know its bad…but when you only have internet once-four times a month and you are being charged for it by the minute, it’s tough to get all what you wanna say down. I know I could write notes about things I want to say before I type the stuff out but I’m too lazy.

Ok, so apparently it costs $0.90 to send letter from the US to me; I don’t know if that is only West coast or the entire country, but there you go. Sorry for the extra cost, but it does have to cross a huge body of water. On the letters, write ‘Airmail’ on the front of it…it may be sent via plane, = shipped faster. I’m not really sure. All the packages and letters I’ve received thus far have taken a months time. I get mail currently as soon as it comes in, because I am in training and I’m special. BUT, when I am a Volunteer (after 18/04), I will only get mail once a month. The mail will come in to Banjul- the Gambia’s capital. PC will pick up mail at the post office 3 times a week and store it in the PC office. Then a truck will load up all the mail for all 125-ish volunteers that live all around this country and deliver it. So my address for packages and mail is:

Travis Warrington , PCV C/O Peace Corps/The Gambia, P.O. Box 582, Banjul, The Gambia, West Africa

No more ‘PCT’ on the address, because I’ll be a Volunteer in a few days, and if you send something now, I’ll be a PCV by the time I get it.

So when you all asked me back home before I left “So, what are you going to do over there?”, my response was “I really have no clue”…and I got some funny looks. I have more of an idea now: There is a Health Clinic in my village that occurs the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month; where mothers with children under five and/or are pregnant can go for to check-up their children’s health- -for free. For me, I can help weighing the babies….and this might seem like I’m not doing much…but clinic days are chaotic and the nurses here can use all the help they can get. Also, my village doesn’t have a garden, so I will inquiry if they want to make one…and I will assist in the building one if they want one. (I speak Pulaar, language of the Fulas…who are known for having cattle, not gardens…so this may not happen). Other activities I’ll be involved with are showing my village how to make soap (either for personal use or to sell to make $) and to make a local mosquito repellent. I also met the Headmaster from the school in my village, and he is very interested in working with me (ie: me teaching a class or two regarding health topics to his students, helping him with his school’s garden, etc). I have counterparts, who are people who I’ll be working with- -Gambians who are motivated and want to change their country…so they’ll have more of an idea of what they want me help them on. The next three months, after I swear-in, are called ‘Three Month Challenge’…because you are officially a Volunteer and you are by yourself at your site/village with no teacher or fellow American to bail you out with your language. SO, my “job” for the next three months (I’ve told myself) is to get my house organized and buy stuff for it and to integrate….learn the language and learn about my village. Sounds easier when I type it out, ha. When negotiating meals with my host family, I wanted them (my host mom/sister(s)) to make me only breakfast and lunch, and for me to make my own dinner (one can only take so much rice and coos on a daily basis.) Plus, lunches here are the main meal, and dinner is basically a snack. And, by me making dinner for myself, I can make “Western type” food (ie: spaghetti). After I swear-in, I get $ to buy supplies and stuff for my house, which will be good because I at least need a bed and a stove.

Few things about the culture/life here:

Somewhat like Mexico, for most items here, you must bargain for the price of the item. Which is fine when you are speaking in English, but attempting to buy an item while speaking the local language from a Gambian who sees you are not a Gambia ( thus = to them you have $) is difficult. I manage…I’ve only had to haggle on a few major items…like getting 6 meters of fabric and THEN going to a tailor to have him make me a Gambian style ‘nice-type dressy’ outfit – or complet.

Greetings are key here….and the greeting change from morning, to afternoon, to evening…and the dialects of the languages differ from region to region. If you mess up on greetings or don’t greet, then you are rude. You basically have to greet everyone you meet while going anywhere (= give yourself enough time to walk to point A to B so you aren’t late for an appointments…which is why I am currently on ‘Gambian time’…= when you say you will be at there certain place at 1…you’ll probably be there at 1:45.) So without offending anyone, I greet when I can and as often as I can. The greetings consist of 3-5 question regarding that time period of day (ei: good morning, how did you sleep), how are the people at home/your village (which the person could ask about each individual in your family), and how is the work. Luckily for me, 80% of the responses to the greetings questions are “Jam Tan” (Peace Only). (Oh sorry, the greetings are the person(s)) ask you are question and you responding, and vice versa). The greetings can take 1 minute to 10 minutes…and, again, luckily for me, not knowing the language…when they ask question that I do not understand, I just default and say “Mi famani” (“ I don’t understand”).

If PC doesn’t transport us from place to place…I have a bike…well…I get a new bike in a month…so I can ride to the nearest city to get supplies and use the internet and maybe have a beer. But if I want to travel more than 45k (because I can ride my bike that far before lunch and have enough time to get home), I have to take public transport. There are two main roads in this country: the North Bank Road and the South Bank Road (guess where they are on the map?). The South road is rancid and horrible…pot holes everywhere…so vehicles go very slow at times to avoid getting a flat, and they drive off-road to avoid the shitty road. The North road is much better; and I hear they are attempting to fix the South one…but we’ll see when that gets finished…and I live near the South bank AND AND AND the actual public transportation is good times. In country, there are basically big vans, that have no power steering and are manuals. The drivers and their apprentices jam pack these vans full of people inside, and load the tops of the vehicles with goods (ie: luggage, rice, goats, and maybe some more people). So, if I want to get one, I must flag one down on the main road, if/once they stop, ask them (in local lang) where they’re going, is there room, how much is the fare to where I’m going….and if I think its too much, have them reduce it…and if I have a big bag that needs to go up top, to haggle with a price for that as well. Overall, good times. The vans are called ‘gele geles’ or ‘geles’ for short…and tend to be hammered vehicles because of the conditions of the roads and drivers not caring for their vehicles well being. You may sounds surprised and scared that I take these type of transportation to get to place to place, but PC thinks its safe, so it’s safe.

To all who read...friends and family...and/or curious folks-

So I have a myspace blog, and I've kept up on that for the past three months since on left DC...but then again, I really haven't had access to a computer that much, let alone running water and electricity. I attempted doing a mass email, but there's just too many addresses to copy/paste and Internet is slow and usually it costs. So here's my blog. Sounds like I'll have access to Internet more like either once a week to at least once a month. So there you go. I've received a few letters and a package thus far, and they all made my day!! Send more and as often as you can..if you'd like.

So I left from DC on the 7th (some of this info may be a repeat from my myspace blog, sorry). Before I left, I was told, sorry- I was urged, to cut my hair and take out my earrings. So I cut my long hair (but left my bangs) and took out my earrings (see pic(s)). So, there you go for all that hated my hair and/or my earnings. Um...I flew into the capital and stayed in the main capital area for the first week (there were 17 from all over the US that flew over in my training group). Then after finding out what language we'd learn (me- Pulaar), we were assigned training villages. The Pulaar group had 4 trainees (me included). So, we headed to our designated villages, and we stayed there for two months, give or take a week. In those weeks, I stayed with a host family in a compound of 7 huts, in a village with 7 compounds = small village. The other three trainees in the village with me (one + one married couple) each stayed with a different family/compound. We also had a Lang. and Cultural teacher living in the village...who would teach us how to live in the Gambia (hence their title) Life wasn't hard...just different. I woke up every morning at 7, walk to my teachers house to get the watering cans, walked to the pump to pump water for my garden, watered my garden. At 7:30am my host-mom would send over my breakfast, which would either be rice "oatmeal" or coos in warm water...with or without sour milk. Then, we had class from 8-1....which was mostly language. At 1 we had lunch (Peace Corps (PC) paid a village woman to cook lunches for us...which the five of us would each out of a huge bowl with our right hand only, while sitting on the floor = bad ass!). After lunch, it would be freak'n hot and I'd be really full (sorry, lunches would consist of rice, with either chicken, liver, beef or spam), with assorted veggies, with a sauce = I won't be eating rice again when I get home, sorry mom) so I'd take an hour nap. After napping, I'd study, attempt to interact with my family/village. Two of the other trainees were males, so we'd go for bike rides, or climb trees, or do other 'manly' things. The four of us would also by food to make westerns style food (french fries) some nights or have movies nights (the couple brought a laptop). I'd leave a bucket of water out on my back porch all day long, so at 7pm, after watering my garden again, I'd take a bucket bath with the warm water and listen to the BBC. At 8:30pm, my host-sister would bring me my dinner, which would be more rice, and maybe a small fish and some sauce. There is a video that I'll try to post that shows my hut at my training village (which doesn't compare to my permanent site's hut). There is a lot to put in here that happened between the gaps...but I can only type so much here....but more stories will come to me. Oh....my training village was near Tendaba...so google that and you'd find me.

This last Wednesday, we packed up our shit at training villages and had a site visit to our permanent sites!! Holy crap, talk about scary and awkward. I've been here from 3 months now and am at a Intermediate Low on my lang scores for Pulaar...and they want me to visit my village!?! So...my site is near Bansang, in fact 29k away from it (again, google that and you'll find where I'll be for the next 24 months) = middle of no where; AND since its far from the coast, its really hot, fyi....good lord hot!! I had a lang/cultural teacher with me the whole time I was at site; which help ease the awkwardness of me just being able/willing to only say greetings, I'm going to the pump, dinner was good, and i'm tired. My teacher also assisted in negotiating my rent, meals, and laundry for my with my family. My new host family consists of a dad and one mom (which a male having one wife in the gambia is UN-heard off...so its cool in my fam), 2 sisters, and a brother = small family = easier for my to learn their names...or not forget them at least. My hut is one bedroom, round and spacious, 2 windows....WITH a big backward with a mango tree AND its mango season....hell ya!. My hut also has a thatched roof = shit will fall down on me at night but as a opposed to a metal roof, it will be a lot cooler at night. My village has 47 compounds and 1500 people, with a school and only a few water pumps, but we are 1k away from the river. Wednesday, PC drove us out there from our training villages, but I left with my teacher on Friday to go back to the capital area (Kombo) via public transportation = good times but looks like I wont be coming to Kombo very often because it was a pain in the ass. SO...currently I am in Kombo...I have some more classes and have my final language test ( = scary because if I don't pass it with Intermediate Mid, then I stay in Kombo for 2 more weeks to me tutored = I don't swear -in with the rest of the group = not cool....so no pressure there). I swear-in as a PCV on the 18th and then I get $ to buy stuff for my house...then I'm sent back to my village up-country and there you have it. This is my first blog..but I'll be near a computer for the next few days...so I'll think of some more stuff and type it up. Miss home...the Western style of life and the ease of it all.