Em's blog: 2009

Monday, 28 December 2009

Gambia College

So over the Christmas break I was asked to teach trainee teachers at Gambia College in Brikama. I have been teaching Early Childhood Development Maths. It is great fun and the teachers are lovely. Here are some photos so you all believe that I do actually do some work out here… J

My companions on the ferry...

The Soma Ferry

Breakfast in Kerewan

On the way to Soma

Soma: My little adventure (Sunday 6th Dec)

After a painstakingly boring Saturday in Kerewan (completely my own fault, as I could not seem to get myself motivated to do anything that went beyond napping or eating), I decided to visit Soma on the Sunday to see Angela, a fellow VSO volunteer. Apparently this journey was relatively simple: ride to Farafenni, take dirt road to a small ferry, cross the river and then a dirt road to Soma.

The day started bright and early with a tapalapa breakfast hunt. I eventually found some and sat down to wait for it to be made. While I waited a small girl sat next to me with her mother began staring intensely at me with a look that conveyed either utter excitement or pure fear. After much effort on my part to snap her out of this transfixed state (consisting of various greetings, hand waves and funny faces) I eventually had to give it up and set off for Farafenni. Soma is about 15km from Farafenni (7km to river, 1km across river and 7km the other side) and as it is about 60km to Farafenni from Kerewan I assumed that the first section of the journey would take the longest to drive. However, as soon as my bike left the tarmac and began to tackle the sandy gravel which, due to the ridges that had been formed by the sand, made it not unlike riding across endless sheets of corrugated iron- it became clear that the 7km to the ferry was going to be fun but by no means quick.

Most of the time I ride with my front light on for two reasons. One, it helps other road users to see you and two; it aids your own vision when you are suddenly engulfed in a cloud of orange dust. The use of the light during the day for Gambians, on the other hand, seems completely ludicrous. I regularly get friendly reminders that my light is on and I should really turn it off. This can be anything from a couple of headlight flashes from a passing gelli gelli to a frantic wave and point from someone on the side of the road. I often respond with an equally friendly thumbs up to say thanks and then pretend to turn it off as I pass. It keeps me entertained on the journey if nothing else.

I finally arrive at the ferry port looking very orange. I slow down as I approach as I am not sure where I need to get my ticket. This issue is solved very quickly as a man suddenly starts yelling at me and pointing at the ticket booth that I have just passed. After purchasing the ticket and having a conversation about how great England is with the man behind the counter (he used to live in Birmingham) I boarded the ferry. I managed to avoid colliding with the numerous other people pushing past me although I almost ran into a guy who came out of nowhere waving his hands and shouting 'your light!' After a short ferry crossing I emerge on the south bank and prepare myself for a bumpy ride. I headed out onto the dusty road ahead while noticing a man to my left who seemed to be opening and closing his hands in front of his face as if his life depended on it… strange… oh! My light! Thank you!

So I eventually rolled into Soma and waited for Angela to meet me at the petrol station. While I was waiting a man rode up to me on a bicycle and promptly produced a bank note, waving it in a determined fashion under my nose.

"Is it European? From Europe?"

After close inspection my guess was Russian and an antique at that! We agreed that he could probably convince someone it was from Europe and he went away happy. Angela turned up and we went to have beef domoda for lunch. We went to visit her house which was filled to the brim with home-made Christmas decorations. As well as the decorations, we were also greeted with a suspect smell. After much searching we came to the conclusion that something had died in the roof. Poor Angela- she had spent ages cleaning the place ready for some visitors coming that evening and now the place smelt of a dead badger's flip-flop.

Before I knew it I was back on the dusty road heading back to Kerewan. I stopped in Farafenni for a fanta (chatted to a guy who knew about a cool jazz festival in Senegal) and finally turned into my compound in Kerewan, almost asleep, just before it got dark. I then spent the evening sat outside with Ide (my landlord's brother) and his friends drinking attaya. Ate at my landlord's house while watching Senegalese music videos until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer, made my excuses and went to bed. I slept very well that night.

Thursday, 5 November 2009

Home sweet home at last...

Finally in a gelli bound for Kerewan...

donkey cart take 2 ... with bed...

Relaxing on the donkey cart take 1

On the way to Farafenni...

Emma’s Lara Croft moment…

As much as I love my bike, I was beginning to miss the sense of adventure you get when trying to travel in Africa on local transport. So on Sunday, Courtney, Jenny (a peace corp placed in Kerewan) and myself decided to go to Farafenni for the day… the adventurous way…aka… the gelli gelli.

After getting up late and calling Courtney to pick me up an egg tapalapa for breakfast (I swear I am now addicted to those things…) I rushed to the meeting spot we had chosen. As we were all waiting on the side of the road eating over ripe bananas to kill some time, a bright blue van turned up suddenly, as if from nowhere, and screeched to a stop by our feet. The door flung open to reveal a very frantic looking chicken being removed from under the seat. We glanced under the rest of the seats before getting in so that we could be safe in the knowledge that a chicken would not be pecking at our feet for the entire journey. Just over a rather sweaty and cramped hour later we arrived in the colourful, bustling chaos that is Farafenni. Very soon our stomachs began to rumble. No sooner had we uttered the word food and a possible suggestion of chicken, a flurry of women surrounded us, grabbing our arms and shouting "Come! Come! You want chicken! I have chicken!" The sandwich I was presented with was probably the biggest health and safety risk known to man but boy did it taste good! I think the way the woman had broken up the chicken in her hands while mashing it into the tapalapa gave it the extra edge (and yes I did suffer a bit the next day but I feel this sacrifice was worth it!).

With lunch out of the way… the lumo (market) was calling… This is always my favourite part of a Farafenni trip because to get to the lumo you have to get a donkey and cart to take you – what more can I say… wicked fun! I somehow managed to get the spot on the cart that is quite close to the donkey so I ended up jumping up and down like a mad woman while trying to hold onto the corner of the cart (trickier than it sounds I can assure you!). We eventually arrive at the lumo and after swimming in a sea of endless fabrics for a couple of hours it was time for a glazed donut (my 2^nd health and safety risk of the day… but lush!). On the way back from the lumo, while balanced precariously on a donkey cart for a second time, Courtney suddenly spies a bamboo double bed on the side of the road. Seeing as we had been trying to hatch a plan to get some bamboo beds from further up country for weeks (so that we can sleep outside when our house decides to be an oven) this was just too exciting for words! We jumped enthusiastically off the cart and within about 10 minutes of bargaining, Courtney became the proud owner of a double bamboo bed. This is where the fun began…

So we now had to find a way to get this bed back to Kerewan. This happened in a number of stages… more than we actually anticipated I may add…

STAGE 1:

Find a donkey and cart driver to take the bed (with us sat on top) to the gelli gelli car park.

STAGE 2:

Provide entertainment to the locals while traveling on top of a bed, on top of a donkey cart, while trying to prevent small children attaching themselves to various bits of the cart.

STAGE 3:

At gelli park, try to find a driver that will not charge us more than the bed is worth to transport it back to Kerewan.

STAGE 4:

After flagging down an open backed truck (that Jenny had cleverly spied…) try to negotiate a fair price for taking the bed and the three of us in the back of the truck.

STAGE 5:

Try to remain calm as the gelli drivers refuse to let us use the truck and precede to lift the bed onto the roof of one of their vehicles.

STAGE 6:

Allow the gelli driver to convince us that it is not legal for us to travel in the back of the truck anyway.

STAGE 7:

Watch in amazement and slight frustration as the truck eventually drives away… after 4 men climb into the back!

STAGE 8:

After realizing that the bed is now on top of an empty gelli, attempt to stay cool as the driver informs us that it should definitely leave by 7pm (it is now 5pm) while a number of other vehicles are filling up and leaving all around us.

STAGE 9:

Try to convince the gelli drivers to move the bed off the roof of one gelli onto another that is leaving sooner (using a lot of arm waving and pointing for emphasis).

STAGE 10:

In response to the drivers flat out refusal to move the bed (coupled with a hint of a smug smile I may add…) finally lose the plot and announce to yourself that if a job needs doing…

STAGE 11:

Leap in a determined manner onto the gelli in question, climb energetically onto the roof and lift the bed down to Courtney and Jenny yourself.

STAGE 12:

Have a sudden realization that you are in fact not Lara Croft and that you should not really be stood on top of a gelli.

STAGE 13:

Climb down gingerly from the roof of the gelli.

STAGE 14:

Find a gelli that is leaving soon to take the bed and breathe a sigh of relief when it eventually rolls into Kerewan.

Well I got the adventure I was looking for after all… May take Lamin (aka my bike) next time though…

Lower Basic school

A madrassa school (Islamic school)

Visiting schools with Darboe (cluster monitor)

Visiting schools…

So when do you actually do any work I hear you cry! Well here is the work bit. So I have visited lots of schools in the region so far. The region is split into clusters and we work with the cluster monitors. Our main focus is organizing training on Jolly Phonics as the children are struggling to read, write and speak English (The whole curriculum is taught in English, so this is a bit of a challenge!). Here are some photos of the schools that we visited on the bikes.

Angela, Fiona and me...

JJB ferry

Wednesday, 4 November 2009

On the way to JJB...

Trip to Jan Jan Bureh

Angela, Andrew and I decided to ride to Jan Jan Bureh for the weekend and set off early on the Saturday. The ride was beautiful and I felt more than once that I was riding through the countryside in Devon... I should make the most of all this green as apparently it will all be orange dust soon! After a couple of stops under a shady tree we arrived at the ferry port to get to JJB (it is an island). The ferry was tiny and I only realised half way across that you have to get off backwards at the other end... not easy when you have impatient car drivers in front of you trying to reverse off! The island had a lovely feel to it and it was good to see Fiona and Danny. Great weekend all in all...

some unexpected visitors on the beach...

Abi and Bradley's birthday pressie... (the sweetest children in the world!)

Abi, Bradley and me :)

Meal by candle light...

more birthday stuff...

So on the Sat of my birthday weekend a group of us went to an eco resort called Sandele. The ride down to Kartong was beautiful... long winding empty roads... fab! Had an amazing time... we had a delicious meal outside with the sound of the waves behind us and ended the night with a campfire on the beach. Lush! (The next day my bike broke down so had to grab a lift to Brikama for the night... then grab a gelli to westfield ... so had a very long unexpected weekend in kombo waiting for my bike to be fixed... but it was all worth it!)