Gambia #2

Rested and ready to go, we took off for the local bike shop about a 20 minute walk. The shop is run by a man who has connection with a NGO that sends crates of old bikes & bike parts from UK. He and 2 other mechanics fix them and sell them for a very reasonable price. He also will house volunteers who come to work. Omar took us along with his own bike that needed repair. It didn't take Rog long to find his groove and soon was working right along with the others. He had Omar's bike fixed so he and I headed back as Rog now has a bike to ride to and from the shop! Happy boy! Omar filled me in on more Gambian culture info: men can have more than one wife, extended families live together in a compound—many owned by a family member who works in UK/US, very little alcohol as over 90% Muslim, only one university in Gambia, virtually no industry, farming is just to feed family with a bit left to sell to buy fish. Gunjur Project sponsors a women's garden which we walked through. Several wells had been hand dug complete with pulley & bucket to lower and then water rows & rows & rows of crops. Last rain was October & drought will last until July-Aug.
I took a dip in the cool pool, ate a chicken fajita sandwich, French fries & a cold Coke while I waited for Rog to get back. My plan to be at a school today was cancelled as school was closed for teacher training. Tomorrow…as they say in so many hot countries!
Next mornin Adana walked with me the km to the Kulukochi Community Pre-School. The headmaster gave me some background information about the school which opened in 2015 thanks mostly to the help they got from the Gunjur Project. Kids 4 - 8 who live in this area get a rich foundation in well-equipped classrooms. Curriculum is theme based with all four classrooms focusing on the same. Headmaster had a chart listing # of b/g and their tribes. Mandinka is the majority, Fula next with 5 others. He was enthusiastic and obviously loved his job. He had me join a Lever 1 class where a young girl, Laura from Germany was there fulfilling her volunteer obligation for 10 months. She was easy to talk to. I slipped in where I could and time flew. Adana & I headed back after the kids left around 12:50. We got picked up by is buddy driving a cab. A quick dip in the pool and another good lunch then some catching up in my blog filled the afternoon. Rog had a good time at the bike shop. He's enjoying working with the local guys and riding Omar's bike back & forth though it's a trick to ride on the sandy, rough roads & alleys but he's up to the challenge! He comes back tired but satisfied. The kitchen has been sending him a sandwich to take with him but he doesn't eat it til he gets back & then he jumps in the pool.
We've been eating dinner around 7 pm. Food is delicious & plentiful. We've had dessert every night—no weight loss for sure! Last night a kora player entertained us. It's an instrument with 11 strings. We go to bed tired and happy.




Gambia #1

We made it…48 hours after leaving home!  Let me say from the get go…this blog will NOT be polished or spell checked or anything checked as I have spotty internet if any and therefore, I just want get 'er dun.  

We left home on Fri the 13th…always a lucky day for us.  We'd wondered since it'd had been such a worrisome fiasco getting our visas which ended with our passports in the lake…but that's another long story.  We left our house at 10 am and Ben took us to the airport.  Our first flight was canceled.  Warning 3.  We choice to take another flight to Montreal know our 2nd flight wouldn't be until tomorrow.  Montreal had a snow & ice everywhere.  We took an Uber to a hotel & slept well.  Woke late & read until noon.  Our next flight was to Paris which took off at 6 pm, 6 hours flight, 6 hour layover and then 6 hours to Banjur arriving at 9:30 PM, Sun 1/15…very tired.  Lemin was there to take us to Gunjur Project.  This is run by a family from UK who worked with at risk kids and thought they'd truly benefit from seeing how many other live and let them have the experience of helping those less fortunate.  Since they couldn't find a secure and adequate place in Gambia…they decided to build one and then host groups & others who want to volunteer while they travel.  Perfect fit for us.  
Our room is quite nice with flush toilet, warm shower & fan.  We slept well and ate a bountiful breakfast of omelets, potato sauce & orange juice.  We met the owners;  Jo, Butch, Brandon & Jenny who have been here 16 years and improving the community in so many ways!  Omar took us for a walk around the neighborhood.  We walked by hoes & stores where poverty was loud and clear.  Trash was abundant.  So sad plastic, cans & pampers replaced baskets, clay pots & cloth.  Our walk took us to a gorgeous mosque which looked over the ocean.  Most Gambians are Muslims.  The ocean breeze was welcomed!  A few kids frolicked naked in the waves Then we meandered through the fishing center.  So many fish in humungous plastic bowls being cleaned by mostly women many with babies strapped to the backs or running about.  Somehow many were carrying those bowls on their heads without holding on.  How did they get them up there???  Hundred of colorful boats painted with unique designed were in the water and on the shore.  Some being pushed onto the shore by men using chants to move in sync.  Fish was being fried over coal fires & sold as we watched.  In another cement building, thousands of fish were being smoked…can't imagine a hotter job.  I felt like I was walking through a National Geographic documentary.  Omar told us most were Mandinka and they didn't want us to take pictures so I tried to let the scene sink deep in my memory.  
We got back to our room, laid on our solar beds with the fan blowing on us and it seemed even nicer than when we got here!  Last week we were at the height of luxury in an all-inclusive resort in Cancun.  Such a vast difference!  Pizza & Yassa for lunch and Sweet & Sour chicken (fresh pineapple was divine) and benachin for dinner…you can guess who ate what.  No Diet Coke so I drank Coke…poor me.  We have weak or no internet but did get a few pictures sent to our kids.  All is well in Gambia!