A signing off message....

So my time as a VSO volunteer in The Gambia has come to an end. It's been such a wonderful and amazing experience and a rollercoaster of emotional 'ups' and 'downs'!

I have learnt so much from my time in The Gambia and to have had this opportunity has been such a blessing.

I want to thank my family and friends in the UK who made being away from home so much easier with a series of calls, cards and care packages (and even a visit)!

I want to thank my family and friends in The Gambia for allowing me to immerse into their lives and culture and for treating me as a fellow human being.

Finally I want to thank my wonderful husband. He has brought so much more to my life than money could ever buy. I look forward to the day when we are together again In sa Allah.

“Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”        

Dr. Seuss

The last trip to Kombo

On my last day in Kerewan the Director of Education for the North Bank Region (Saite Saine) called me into the office so that he could present me with a goodbye gift.

After a lovely speech about the positive impact that I have had on the people I have worked with as well as the contribution that he feels that I have made to education in The Gambia, I was given a beautiful Gambian outfit.

And then the time came to leave 'The Wan' (Kerewan) for the last time as a VSO volunteer. I fought back the tears and focused on the rather lengthy journey ahead (there was only one ferry working so we knew we were going to have a long wait at Barra and that when we finally got on the ferry it would be even more crowded than usual).

When I arrived in Kombo we went out for something to eat at a beach bar called Laybato and met up with some other VSOs who had gathered to say their goodbyes and relay their best wishes.

Even at this late stage it still hadn't really sunk in that my Gambian experience was soon coming to an end. I really should say my Gambian experience as a VSO was coming to an end because I hope that my husband and I will have many more wonderful Gambia adventures ahead of us!

Mr Saine, me (in my new outfit) and Paul Mendy. (This picture was teken by Nfamara at the Regional Education office in Kerewan)

Mr Saine, Gareth, me and Suky (at Nfamara's compound)

Me and Gareth at Barra waiting for the ferry

Suky and Nfamara

Barra (not a ferry in sight!)

On a very crowded ferry!

Some friends gathered at Laybato

Nfamara at Laybato

Me (in my new outfit) at Laybato

Our last meal together! (Nfamara and I went for a Chinese meal in Senegambia with Suky and Chris, a few hours before my flight home)

Last night in Kerewan

So my placement has finally come to an end and it's time to say goodbye to The Gambia (for now)!

I spent my last night in Kerewan on the pier with some of my closest friends. We all sat round a fire drinking attayah and lait and sharing fond memories of my 'Gambia experience'. It was a wonderful night with wonderful people and I look forward to seeing them all again sometime, In Sa Allah.

Thank you to all the people of Kerewan - you'll never know how much you've enriched my life.

Foday Ba and Sainey

Suky

Ousman and Nfamara

Family

Recently I took some photos of my family at Sonko Kunda. It's almost impossible to find a time when everyone will be at the compound so this is not an exclusive collection of family members as quite a few are missing!

The lady in the middle with the white top on is Sainabou, Nfamara's eldest sister. The lady sat on her right (with a blue vest top on) is her eldest daughter Mariama and the baby on Mariama's lap is her child Mo Lamin - So here you have three generations! If Nfamara's mother was in the picture that would be four generations!

The lady in the picture is Mimuna (the wife of Saikou, one of Nfamara's brothers) and her two children Ebrima and baby Isatou. Mimuna also cares for baby Assmao (whose mother passed away)

Nfamara's father has two wives (the second wife is called Nkey) so Nfamara has two brothers and a sister from a different mother. The lady on the left of the picture is Fatoumata (she is married to Ebrima, Nkey's son) and on her lap is Assmao (Sheriffo's baby, Sheriffo is also Nkey's son). The lady in green is Binta, she is Nkey's daughter and Nfamara's sister.

The lady at the back of this picture in pink is Nfamara's mother, Sutay. She is surrounded by children, grandchildren and even great grandchildren. In this picture there are four generations!

Two sisters, Fatoumata and Aimee (Fatoumata is Nfamara's sister Sainabou's daughter). Aimee is Sainabou's husbands child to his first wife who is also called Fatoumata.

Fatoumata (Nfamara's younger sister)

Lots of Sonkos. Back row from left to right, Sutay (Nfamara's mother) holding Mo Lamin (her great grandchild), Sulyman (Nfamara's dad), Bakary and Ebrima (two of Nfamara's brothers), Nfamara, me, Saikou and Ba Lamin (two of Nfamara's brothers). On the front row there are the two Fatoumata's on the left of the picture (the fisrt Fatoumata is Nfamara's niece and the second is his siter. Then there is Aimee (with the purple cardigan on) who is Nkey's niece and if you look really carefully you can see Sudaise and Ebrima (Nfamara's nephews)

Me and the in-laws! Nfamara's father Sulyman and mother Sutay

Sulyman with his two wives, Sutay (Nfamara's mother on the left of the picture in pink) and Nkey (in blue). Sulyman has 9 children with Sutay (7 boys and 2 girls) and 3 children with Nkey (2 boys and 1 girl). I now have two mother-in-laws!!!

Sutay with her grandaughter Fatoumata (on the left of the picture) and her youngest child also called Fatoumata (on the right of the picture)

Me and some of the children at Sonko Kunda

Compound life at Sonko Kunda

Commonwealth Day 2012

Today some of the children in Kerewan came to the Regional Education office as part of their 'Commonwealth Day celebration'. The children were all dressed up and the girls had put sweets and biscuits in their hair, all carefully braided and sewn in! Most children wear their best clothes but some get dressed up in traditional costumes like those once worn by their ancestors.

The children only came to the office for a few minutes and then went back to school. Normally on Commonwealth Day children spend the whole day at school cooking food, making flags and banners and learning about the Commonwealth.

I wonder how many children in the UK know what the Commonwealth is?

There are a few interesting websites for children about the Commonwealth. One of the best is the ‘Young Commonwealth’ site at www.youngcommonwealth.org

The girls in this picture are wearing traditional dress

The outfits here are from some of the different tribal groups in The Gambia

Lovely Basi (from my compound)