Dandimayo Kololi

Heiss, heiss, heiss! Der Regen hat jetzt endgueltig aufgehoert, stattdessen haben wir taeglich mindestens 35 Grad und die Sonne wird langsam unertraeglich. Selbst wenn man nur auf einem Stuhl im Schatten sitzt, schwitzt man wie ein Schwein, ganz zu schweigen davon, wenn man sieben Kilometer in der prallen Sonne laufen muss. Aber dazu spaeter. Die Woche ueber war der uebliche Gerichtsalltag angesagt, nur dass es am Montag und am Mittwoch zwei Abstecher zum High Court nach Brikama ...

... aufzustellen, als ueberall eine Leitung hinzulegen. Deshalb auch der Handywahn. Maria hat es mal so gesagt: Jeder Gambianer hat ein Handy; jeder Gambianer, der was auf sich haelt, hat zwei; und die, die es wirklich wissen wollen, haben drei. Anbieter gibt es aber trotzdem nicht allzu viele, lediglich Africell, Gamcell und Comium (letzterer ist meiner). Diese drei Unternehmen machen auch die meiste Werbung im Land: Man kann keine halbwegs befahrene Strasse ...

... in den Wald hinein sah ich dann auch noch einen der noch wenigen in Westafrika stehenden Riesenbaeumen, doch war selbiger im Vergleich zu den Sequoias im Redwood Forest eher eine Enttaeuschung. Eintritt fuer das Ganze betrug auch nur schlappe 10 Dalasis (=33 Cent). Abends besuchte ich dann Renate, eine gute Freundin Marias, die seit zwei Jahren in Gambia lebt und urspruenglich aus Gera stammt. Knapp zweieinhalb Stunden haben wir miteinander gequatscht, war sehr nett. Ausserdem ...

... meine deutsche ging seit mein** Landung in Dakar nicht mehr) Chris, den Typ, bei dem ich die naechsten vi** Wochen wohnen wu**de. Er und seine beiden Kumpels **warteten mich dann 50 Minuten spaet** am T**minal in Banjul und fuhren mich ins einige Kilomet** entf**net Manjai Kunda. Manjai Kunda ist ein recht klein** Ort, d** fast ausschliesslich aus Compounds, also aus von Mau**n umgebenen "Villen", besteht und gehoehrt zum etwas groess**en Kololi, was wied**um im urbanen Zentrum, das ...

... art activities, to our group discussions, to the salad we served with lunch (mixed fresh vegetables is a strange idea for Gambians). But our expectations were flexible, and the children were remarkably open enough that, besides the salad that largely ended up in the trash, the Gambian and the American seemed to mix quite well. I'd been a little terrified that we would be left with a small, blank faced, silent crowd for the whole day, but almost every students who signed up arrived ...

... 2 freshly cooked baguettes filled with bean source and onion. 30p in total. Carried on to see monkeys crossing the road in front of me. The landscape is more arid here with woodland and bush taking over. Its getting drier and the population density is low. There is just no traffic on the road. The wind is sapping my strength. Made it to Kolda and the last 20km dragged. Found the Hotel Firdou. Nice set of round huts, pool ...

... to do. However, in this economy where even educated adults can't find jobs, an after-school job is not typical. If there are no responsibilities to attend to, you have a free afternoon to enjoy, and The Gambia is a great place to while away an afternoon. Younger brothers, sisters, and cousins will be playing in the compound or in the streets. They may be playing tag, or they may have even decided to do a masquerade, an adaptation of a traditional custom also performed by ...

... sicknesses, my current good health has made me willing to be a bit more patient, even if I do get sick again. Also, now taking the time to look back on this week reminds me that even if I lit**ally cannot see, it is impossible for this place to not be int**esting. Take the football game, for example. Gambia was playing *****ia, and it was a qualifying game for the Africa cup. Hope for Gambia was more or less low; Gambia had to win by three goals and still depend on oth** teams ...

... to the Green Mamba. (a local restaurant/bar that came specially recommended by past students) We were then able to make it all the way back home (one of the longer distances we'll typically have to maneuver on weekends) by ourselves without getting lost or ripped off. I for one was quite happy to say that I hailed my first taxi late at night on a crowded West African street. So all in all, we are still tubabs in the highest sense of the word and often wear that confused, blank expression ...

Good day all, wherever you are and whatever mischief you are up to. I write to respond to those of you who emailed expressing surprise that I had made it to yet another anniversary of my glorious entrance to this world. My 26th Birthday was a memorable one - spent with other volunteers on a deserted beach under the stars, dancing around a campfire with the musical backdrop of West African drumming. It sounds idyllic and it was although in truth our fire-building skills drew ...