Life here is full of different sounds, some relaxing and pleasant and others not. I am amazed at how quiet it can be at times and how noisy at other times. I have learned to identify the new sounds of sifting peanuts, pounding grain, horse or donkey carts and much more. Some nights the batsContinue reading “Sounds of the Gambia”
Category Archives: Blog
Gambian Road Trip: Getting Home
Some of you have heard me mention the challenging ferry situation here. The Gambia is a very interesting country, completely bisected by The Gambia River. I live on the North Bank side of the river and the city with groceries, etc is on the South Bank side of the river. Despite this river being almostContinue reading “Gambian Road Trip: Getting Home”
Spring Cleaning and Christmas Decorating
It is a holiday here and much of the country has traveled to Senegal for a celebration of the birthday of Mohammed. So, that means it is pretty quiet around our compound. When it is quiet you have to take advantage of it. For me, today started as a day to do my Christmas decoratingContinue reading “Spring Cleaning and Christmas Decorating”
Off the Grid
Several years ago a few friends and I started backpacking short sections of the Appalachian Trail. Honestly, despite the rain, blisters, bears and pain involved these were some of my favorite vacations. I love getting off the grid and being away from everything. Well, for the next month I am going off the grid again,Continue reading “Off the Grid”
The Village Experience
Yes, I survived the month Hello everyone, I am back on the grid and easing into the busyness of the life I put aside for the last month. I have completed a month of living with a Gambian family in another village and I am currently in the city getting some rest (and a niceContinue reading “The Village Experience”
Diaries of a Wimpy Tubaab Volume 1: Cooking
I have always known The Gambians, especially the women were tough but after living in a village with them and experiencing more of their life I truly do not know how they do it. I am definitely a wimpy tubaab as they reminded me on a regular basis while they were bringing me chairs toContinue reading “Diaries of a Wimpy Tubaab Volume 1: Cooking”
Diaries of a Wimpy Tubaab Volume 2: Parties
The Gambian women work hard, but they also love a good celebration. Living in the village this wimpy tubaab had the opportunity to spend the entire day at several events and attempt to party like a Gambian. The ladies all outlasted me and I did a lot of sitting while they danced and worked. TheContinue reading “Diaries of a Wimpy Tubaab Volume 2: Parties”
Diaries of a Wimpy Tubaab Volume 3: Selling
A big part of this month of a village experience was to have many new adventures. On my daily visits, I met a woman who actually recognized me from my village as she comes to our market on some Saturdays and sells lettuce and my teammate who I shop with at that market loves lettuce. Continue reading “Diaries of a Wimpy Tubaab Volume 3: Selling”
Diaries of a Wimpy Tubaab Volume 4: Farming
As I have mentioned, The Gambian women work hard and many of them in the village I resided for the past month had a garden and/or a farm in addition to working on their compounds or outside the home. Now, the men will work the farms also as they are larger and definitely require moreContinue reading “Diaries of a Wimpy Tubaab Volume 4: Farming”
Diaries of a Wimpy Tubaab Volume 5: The Art of Sitting
If you haven’t noticed a theme through my prior posts is that the wimpy tubaab is sitting while the Gambian women are working. The Wolof enjoy what we Americans would call “stating the obvious”. So, dozens of times each day someone would come up to me while I was sitting at a compound and sayContinue reading “Diaries of a Wimpy Tubaab Volume 5: The Art of Sitting”
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