When I first arrived in Kerewan, VSO supplied me with a large gas canister which I attached to my gas stove. Though I'm a little ashamed to admit that I don't actually know how much gas the canister holds I can tell you that the canister itself is about a metre high, exceptionally heavy and that it lasted a whole 6 months (being used daily) before it finally ran out. But run out it did so I had to look into getting it refilled.
Despite the fact that refilling the canister sounds like a relatively simple task, it really isn’t! The empty canister has to be taken to the nearest big city to fill it (Farafenni) and it is far too large and impractical to transport around. So after much negotiation I managed to get somebody to agree to do the transportation and I handed over the rather large sum of money which was required to fill the canister.
When I finally got the canister back in my house I reconnected it to the gas cooker only to find that the tap at the top of the canister (which turns the flow of gas on and off) would not turn. I tried several times but was unable to turn the gas on. So I gave Nathan a call and asked him if he would come over and give me a hand.
Despite his best efforts Nathan too was unable to turn the gas tap on therefore I decided to ask a couple of the men on my compound, perhaps there was a knack to it which Nathan and I just didn’t know about?
Well the compound men came in to help and there didn’t seem to be any special technique to it at all, they just went for the sheer force approach. Within minutes of being in the house one of the men did something to the gas tank which suddenly caused the tap to blow off altogether and the gas to come bellowing out of it.
Everyone’s instincts are different and as soon as I heard the bang of the gas tap hitting the ceiling I ran to the nearest exit (which for me was at the rear of the house). The two men from the compound who had come to ‘help’ also ran for cover (out the front of the house), one of them pulling the door closed on the way out leaving poor bewildered Nathan stood in the middle of a gas-filled room! I don’t want to spoil the end of the story but for the sake of all those who worry about my well-being - both Nathan and I survived this ordeal!
Within seconds the whole house was full of gas as the entire canister just emptied there and then in the middle of the living room. (That’s 6 months worth of gas!!) Intrigued by the noise and commotion a whole crowd of people quickly gathered round the front of the house and once they had seen and smelt what had happened they all started shouting at me (who was stranded at the rear of the building) not to enter the house again.
Well I stood out the back for a few minutes but then the gas was all around me so I had no choice but to run back through the gas-filled house to the front of the building. For the remainder of the evening I sat outside the house with all the doors and windows open however the gas just wouldn’t disperse. Needless to say I couldn’t sleep in the house that night. I did have to go in to get some overnight essentials and the whol ordeal left me a little delirious and light-headed.
So how do I feel about wasting so much money, time and effort and having a house full of gas? Well to tell you the truth I feel bloody lucky because if the gas leakage had happened only half an hour or so later than when it actually did then it would have coincided with the electricity coming on and that initial surge of power could have been disaster for all of us in the house. On reflection we were all very lucky indeed!!
Wednesday, 9 March 2011
Friday, 4 March 2011
Pigtails?
For some time now a few of the girls on my compound have been putting pressure on me saying that I should braid (plait) my hair. The girls (and women) frequently plait their hair and every few weeks they will have new and wonderful styles.
Usually friends/sisters/mothers will braid each other’s hair but occasionally if there is an event coming up, a special occasion or you just feel like something different, then there are people in the town who you can go to who are known for being able to do good plaiting.
So recently I caved in to the pressure and went to see Julde (a really nice girl who stays in the compound opposite me and who is known for her plaiting ability!) to see if she would be able to braid my hair. Apparently a few years ago Julde braided a 'toubabos' (white person) hair (a previous VSO) and was up for the challenge!
I sat on the floor in Julde's compound whilst she set to work. Four hours later Julde announced that she had finished and all those around (a small crowd had gathered to see the toubab hair show!) were suitably impressed. Though I hadn't actually seen my hair, about half way through I realised that Julde was creating 'pigtails' (something Westerners like myself usually associate with children!) so I was happy to see that Gambian's clearly didn’t have the same perception of pigtails as we do in the west!!
After the initial shock of looking in the mirror and realising that I was now a 31yr old woman with pigtails, the hairstyle really grew on me (excuse the pun)!!
I've had my braids in for almost a week now and I’m actually starting to really like them. I love the fact that I don’t have to wash my hair (or even think about it)! Admittedly putting my motorbike helmet on was a little tricky but I seem to have mastered that now!! I'm even starting to think about what style of braids I will have next!!
Usually friends/sisters/mothers will braid each other’s hair but occasionally if there is an event coming up, a special occasion or you just feel like something different, then there are people in the town who you can go to who are known for being able to do good plaiting.
So recently I caved in to the pressure and went to see Julde (a really nice girl who stays in the compound opposite me and who is known for her plaiting ability!) to see if she would be able to braid my hair. Apparently a few years ago Julde braided a 'toubabos' (white person) hair (a previous VSO) and was up for the challenge!
I sat on the floor in Julde's compound whilst she set to work. Four hours later Julde announced that she had finished and all those around (a small crowd had gathered to see the toubab hair show!) were suitably impressed. Though I hadn't actually seen my hair, about half way through I realised that Julde was creating 'pigtails' (something Westerners like myself usually associate with children!) so I was happy to see that Gambian's clearly didn’t have the same perception of pigtails as we do in the west!!
After the initial shock of looking in the mirror and realising that I was now a 31yr old woman with pigtails, the hairstyle really grew on me (excuse the pun)!!
I've had my braids in for almost a week now and I’m actually starting to really like them. I love the fact that I don’t have to wash my hair (or even think about it)! Admittedly putting my motorbike helmet on was a little tricky but I seem to have mastered that now!! I'm even starting to think about what style of braids I will have next!!
Wednesday, 23 February 2011
The Family Visit!!!
I've been in The Gambia for just over 6 months now and I'm still having a wonderful time. I'm learning new things every day, meeting new and interesting people and I feel like I’m really getting to know the place.
A couple of weeks ago my Dad and sister (Cathy) came out to visit. It was really great to see them and we had a super time. They had an action-packed week and even managed to do an overnight stay in Kerewan!
During their stay here we went to church in Bakau and then to Bakau fish market and watched the fishermen bring in the evening catch. We went on a long (but lovely) boat trip to Juffureh, an old trading post and slave factory (made famous by Alex Haley's book 'Roots' and believed to be the home of the legendary Kunta Kinteh) and learnt more about the slave trade and the historical role that Gambia had during those days. We took a smaller boat over to James Island (recently renamed Kunta Kinteh Island). We also went to another fishing village called Tanji and also strolled on one of the beaches in the Senegambia area.
Like I mentioned earlier we went to Kerewan so dad and Cath got to experience the ferry crossing (Banjul/Barra) as well as getting to see where I live and meeting some of my friends and compound people. We also got to eat two home-made Gambia dishes, chicken yassa and benachin (courtesy of Aja Ceesay). We wet for strolls, evening drinks, saw crocodiles, visited craft markets and local gardens and fended off numerous bumsters!
We had a great time and I really enjoyed their visit (and that's not just because I got to stay with them in the luxury hotel with running hot water and an unlimited power supply)!!! Both Dad and Cath are talking about coming out again and I really hope they do!
I want to thank everyone who sent things out with Dad and Cath, the bats, balls etc were really popular and the children love them. Thank you as well for the luxury items that were sent out for me, they are fantastic and you've been so generous. Luckily Nathan doesn't eat that much chocolate and the taste is far too rich for the locals so more for me!!
A couple of weeks ago my Dad and sister (Cathy) came out to visit. It was really great to see them and we had a super time. They had an action-packed week and even managed to do an overnight stay in Kerewan!
During their stay here we went to church in Bakau and then to Bakau fish market and watched the fishermen bring in the evening catch. We went on a long (but lovely) boat trip to Juffureh, an old trading post and slave factory (made famous by Alex Haley's book 'Roots' and believed to be the home of the legendary Kunta Kinteh) and learnt more about the slave trade and the historical role that Gambia had during those days. We took a smaller boat over to James Island (recently renamed Kunta Kinteh Island). We also went to another fishing village called Tanji and also strolled on one of the beaches in the Senegambia area.
Like I mentioned earlier we went to Kerewan so dad and Cath got to experience the ferry crossing (Banjul/Barra) as well as getting to see where I live and meeting some of my friends and compound people. We also got to eat two home-made Gambia dishes, chicken yassa and benachin (courtesy of Aja Ceesay). We wet for strolls, evening drinks, saw crocodiles, visited craft markets and local gardens and fended off numerous bumsters!
We had a great time and I really enjoyed their visit (and that's not just because I got to stay with them in the luxury hotel with running hot water and an unlimited power supply)!!! Both Dad and Cath are talking about coming out again and I really hope they do!
I want to thank everyone who sent things out with Dad and Cath, the bats, balls etc were really popular and the children love them. Thank you as well for the luxury items that were sent out for me, they are fantastic and you've been so generous. Luckily Nathan doesn't eat that much chocolate and the taste is far too rich for the locals so more for me!!
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| Me and Dad at Calypso (one of our favourite hangouts) |
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| Dad with his feet in the Atlantic Ocean |
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| Bakau fish market |
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| The fishermen bringing in their catch (Bakau) |
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| The hussle of the fishmarket (Bakau) |
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| Juffureh/Albreda |
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| Statue at the slave museum at Juffureh |
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| Juffureh (at the museum) |
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| Cath and I meeting the Alkali of Juffureh (this is the village leader and this lady if one of the two female Alkali's in The Gambia) |
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| Dad and the Alkali |
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| James Island (now Kunta Kinteh Island) |
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| Bakemo (Ceesay), Dad, Buba (Ceesay) and Cath at Tanji fishing village |
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| Tanji fishing village |
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| Some of my Kerewan friends (from left to right, Lamin, Famara, Sainey and Famara) |
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| The fish at Tanji (they smoke them like this until they are brown and almost burnt looking and then they last a long time) |
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| The fish being smoked (Tanji) |
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| Me and Cath at the hotel (Ocean Bay, Cape Point) |
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| Dad and Dad (Dad with Dembo Fula Ceesay, the big dad on my compound) |
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| Me with two of my Kerewan friends, Sainey and Famara |
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| Nathan helping to start the fire so we can brew green tea |
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| The ferry (loading ready for the crossing from Bajul to Barra) |
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| The ferry loading (from Barra to Banjul) |
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| Buba, Me and Bakemo outside my house in Kerewan (Buba currently lives on Ceesay Kunda and Bakemo grew up here but now lives in America) |
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| Up-country housing (near Tambana) |
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| Dad outside my house fanning the attayah burner |
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| One of the crocodiles in the water next to Calypso bar |
Friday, 21 January 2011
Hyena and attayah!
I want to begin by thanking people for their Christmas cards and the Christmas gifts that I have started receiving. I know that Christmas has finished but it's really cool getting post and when I do I put the cards up in my house. I know I haven’t got them all yet but thanks again for sending them - it's greatly appreciated!
Well the new year has been a great one and already I am embracing the new experiences of 2011!!
A couple of days ago I was out visiting schools and once again I encountered motorbike problems! The rear tyre got a puncture. I was quite impressed with the fact that I realised there was a problem so soon! The bike started swaying from left to right as though there was a huge wind pushing me from one side of the road to another! It was scary!!
I pulled over and called riders for help! It was whilst waiting for the tyre to be fixed that I got talking to some local people and they told me about a man in a nearby village who went into the 'bush' and killed a hyena! I was keen to see this hyena so I left my bike by the roadside and went to investigate.
It wasn’t long before I saw a crowd of people all gathered round the gate of a compound just off the road. I walked into the compound, greeted everyone and then made my way over to the group of men kneeling over something on the floor. When I saw the hyena I couldn’t believe my eyes - it was huge!
Even though the hyena was dead (and in the middle of being skinned) it still looked terrifying! I was both excited by what I was seeing but also petrified to think that these things live in the bush and so close to me!!!
The guy who had killed it (he shot it) was a hunter (a hardcore little man who roams the bush at night). As I got talking to people about hyenas it became apparent how difficult they are to kill. Apparently they move around in groups and they are really intelligent? Also they are supposed to have very strong jaws and once they bite they don’t let go!
There is quite a degree of superstition and myths surrounding hyenas here in The Gambia and people's beliefs vary dramatically considering where they live (my Gambian friends in Kombo for example think that eating hyena is bad luck whereas here in Kerewan the prospect of eating this unusual meat seems to excite people)!
I really wanted to take a photo but I didn't know how appropriate that would be so I politely asked the crowd if I could take a picture. The gathering were also excited by the kill (it's not a common thing to kill a hyena) and they were keen to let me take a photo. A little later the mechanic (who had arrived to fix my puncture) showed up and he purchased some of the meat.
Later that evening one of the guys from Riders cooked hyena and Nathan and I joined him for dinner!! Paul didn't seem keen on trying the meat so he stayed at home.
It tasted good! Quite salty and a bit gristly (but that's just because they don’t prepare the meat cuts properly here)! Not all Gambian's have tasted hyena and from what I can gather it's quite a 'bush' thing to eat! So not only am I becoming a Gambian woman I’m now a Gambian bush woman!!!!
As a side I also want to mention that I can now brew my own attayah (that's the green tea that people drink here). The brewing process takes some time and the little tea pot and the glasses that you pour it in to get really hot but I’m slowly burning away my fingertips and soon I won’t feel the pain at all!!!
Well the new year has been a great one and already I am embracing the new experiences of 2011!!
A couple of days ago I was out visiting schools and once again I encountered motorbike problems! The rear tyre got a puncture. I was quite impressed with the fact that I realised there was a problem so soon! The bike started swaying from left to right as though there was a huge wind pushing me from one side of the road to another! It was scary!!
I pulled over and called riders for help! It was whilst waiting for the tyre to be fixed that I got talking to some local people and they told me about a man in a nearby village who went into the 'bush' and killed a hyena! I was keen to see this hyena so I left my bike by the roadside and went to investigate.
It wasn’t long before I saw a crowd of people all gathered round the gate of a compound just off the road. I walked into the compound, greeted everyone and then made my way over to the group of men kneeling over something on the floor. When I saw the hyena I couldn’t believe my eyes - it was huge!
Even though the hyena was dead (and in the middle of being skinned) it still looked terrifying! I was both excited by what I was seeing but also petrified to think that these things live in the bush and so close to me!!!
The guy who had killed it (he shot it) was a hunter (a hardcore little man who roams the bush at night). As I got talking to people about hyenas it became apparent how difficult they are to kill. Apparently they move around in groups and they are really intelligent? Also they are supposed to have very strong jaws and once they bite they don’t let go!
There is quite a degree of superstition and myths surrounding hyenas here in The Gambia and people's beliefs vary dramatically considering where they live (my Gambian friends in Kombo for example think that eating hyena is bad luck whereas here in Kerewan the prospect of eating this unusual meat seems to excite people)!
I really wanted to take a photo but I didn't know how appropriate that would be so I politely asked the crowd if I could take a picture. The gathering were also excited by the kill (it's not a common thing to kill a hyena) and they were keen to let me take a photo. A little later the mechanic (who had arrived to fix my puncture) showed up and he purchased some of the meat.
Later that evening one of the guys from Riders cooked hyena and Nathan and I joined him for dinner!! Paul didn't seem keen on trying the meat so he stayed at home.
It tasted good! Quite salty and a bit gristly (but that's just because they don’t prepare the meat cuts properly here)! Not all Gambian's have tasted hyena and from what I can gather it's quite a 'bush' thing to eat! So not only am I becoming a Gambian woman I’m now a Gambian bush woman!!!!
As a side I also want to mention that I can now brew my own attayah (that's the green tea that people drink here). The brewing process takes some time and the little tea pot and the glasses that you pour it in to get really hot but I’m slowly burning away my fingertips and soon I won’t feel the pain at all!!!
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| The kill!! The guy knelt down is the hunter. |
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| This man wanted to show me how sharp the teeth were!! |
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| Me brewing green tea! |
Tuesday, 4 January 2011
Christmas, New Year and new friends!!!
I decided to spend Christmas and the New Year in Kerewan rather than heading for the bright lights of the city. Many VSOs return to England for Christmas or go to Kombo. Some stay in a posh hotels and lots of VSOs had family around who had come over to visit them (escaping the cold weather in the UK!)So my decision to stay 'up-country' on 'my own' came as a surprise to many!
Christmas kind of crept up on me! As I have mentioned before there were no signs of Christmas here in Kerewan, not a single sparkle of tinsel and it was actually quite refreshing! I think it will be unlikely that I’ll ever have such a 'commercial free' Christmas again!
On Christmas morning I got up nice and early and rode my motorbike to Farafenni (about an hour and a half ride) so that I could attend a Catholic Church service. Farafenni is much bigger than Kerewan; it has a huge hospital, a market, gelly (transport) park, immigration office, police station etc. Consequently it has a few 'ghetto' like places on the edge of town and it was in the middle of one of these that the church was situated.
I parked my bike in a more secure area in the town itself and then walked to the church. I got quite a few stares!! Needless to say I was the only white person at the church! The service itself was in Jolof (one of the local languages here) with occasional bits of English thrown in.
After mass I purchased some material so that I could make some cushion covers for my house (I love the material here, one of my neighbours recently commented that my house was decorated with so many random colours and materials - it wasn't actually intended as a compliment but I took it that way!) and then made my way home.
My bike broke down (again) on the way home but luckily it was very close to 'Riders' (the garage) which was really convenient! I finally got home around 3pm!! When I got in I gave out some sweets to the people on the compound (this is a traditional thing that you do on special occasions, I’ve mentioned it before but to remind you it is called 'saliboo') and wished them all a merry Christmas. This went down really well and for the rest of the day every time I saw someone from the compound they started singing merry Christmas to me (in the tune of happy birthday!!)
I then made mash potatoes and gravy (I'd purchased a bisto on my last trip to Kombo)!! I made enough for everyone to try some and then sat eating it whilst listening to Christmas songs. The people on my compound were intrigued and many of them now think that this is what white people 'do' at Christmas!!!
In the evening time I sat outside my house and brewed 'lait' (this is a sweet milky drink made out of condensed cream and it's absolutely gorgeous - you brew it in a similar way to 'attayah'). Me and my compound people (or my compound people and I) sat outside until late evening chatting and drinking lait whilst listening to Bob Marley. It was really nice. A very spiritual Christmas. Good for the soul!!
Which brings me on to new year!! I had intended to go to the big city for New Year because apparently that is where the party is at! However due to circumstances (namely Nathan's indecisiveness - but that's a whole different story) I ended up staying in Kerewan.
Though I had a lovely time at Christmas I felt that I wanted a change in scenery (people wise) for the New Year celebrations! Conveniently just before the New Year I made some new friends here in Kerewan! A new set of people and a new place to hang out! So on new year’s eve I went to my new friends 'spot', drank lait (the pass-times are quite similar!)listened to music (I have appropriate music for every occasion and my new friends were suitably impressed with my music collection and knowledge of particular artists!!)and then chilled with them for the evening. They were great company and just what I needed for the New Year!!
So I had a 'different' Christmas and a 'different' New Year experience but both were wonderful! The only thing lacking of course was family! (Oh and good food, presents, board games, alcohol, crackers etc).
There were no holidays for Christmas and the new year as they fell on weekends and now things are pretty much back to normal in Kerewan (or 'the wan' as Paul and I affectionately call it). I have noticed that I seemed to have gained a lot more respect from many locals here for staying around at Christmas and New Year, (I don’t think many VSOs do that) and now, as well as my 'new friends', I also have lots more people wanting to greet me, talk to me and inviting me to drink and eat with them! I'm becoming quite popular!!
Christmas kind of crept up on me! As I have mentioned before there were no signs of Christmas here in Kerewan, not a single sparkle of tinsel and it was actually quite refreshing! I think it will be unlikely that I’ll ever have such a 'commercial free' Christmas again!
On Christmas morning I got up nice and early and rode my motorbike to Farafenni (about an hour and a half ride) so that I could attend a Catholic Church service. Farafenni is much bigger than Kerewan; it has a huge hospital, a market, gelly (transport) park, immigration office, police station etc. Consequently it has a few 'ghetto' like places on the edge of town and it was in the middle of one of these that the church was situated.
I parked my bike in a more secure area in the town itself and then walked to the church. I got quite a few stares!! Needless to say I was the only white person at the church! The service itself was in Jolof (one of the local languages here) with occasional bits of English thrown in.
After mass I purchased some material so that I could make some cushion covers for my house (I love the material here, one of my neighbours recently commented that my house was decorated with so many random colours and materials - it wasn't actually intended as a compliment but I took it that way!) and then made my way home.
My bike broke down (again) on the way home but luckily it was very close to 'Riders' (the garage) which was really convenient! I finally got home around 3pm!! When I got in I gave out some sweets to the people on the compound (this is a traditional thing that you do on special occasions, I’ve mentioned it before but to remind you it is called 'saliboo') and wished them all a merry Christmas. This went down really well and for the rest of the day every time I saw someone from the compound they started singing merry Christmas to me (in the tune of happy birthday!!)
I then made mash potatoes and gravy (I'd purchased a bisto on my last trip to Kombo)!! I made enough for everyone to try some and then sat eating it whilst listening to Christmas songs. The people on my compound were intrigued and many of them now think that this is what white people 'do' at Christmas!!!
In the evening time I sat outside my house and brewed 'lait' (this is a sweet milky drink made out of condensed cream and it's absolutely gorgeous - you brew it in a similar way to 'attayah'). Me and my compound people (or my compound people and I) sat outside until late evening chatting and drinking lait whilst listening to Bob Marley. It was really nice. A very spiritual Christmas. Good for the soul!!
Which brings me on to new year!! I had intended to go to the big city for New Year because apparently that is where the party is at! However due to circumstances (namely Nathan's indecisiveness - but that's a whole different story) I ended up staying in Kerewan.
Though I had a lovely time at Christmas I felt that I wanted a change in scenery (people wise) for the New Year celebrations! Conveniently just before the New Year I made some new friends here in Kerewan! A new set of people and a new place to hang out! So on new year’s eve I went to my new friends 'spot', drank lait (the pass-times are quite similar!)listened to music (I have appropriate music for every occasion and my new friends were suitably impressed with my music collection and knowledge of particular artists!!)and then chilled with them for the evening. They were great company and just what I needed for the New Year!!
So I had a 'different' Christmas and a 'different' New Year experience but both were wonderful! The only thing lacking of course was family! (Oh and good food, presents, board games, alcohol, crackers etc).
There were no holidays for Christmas and the new year as they fell on weekends and now things are pretty much back to normal in Kerewan (or 'the wan' as Paul and I affectionately call it). I have noticed that I seemed to have gained a lot more respect from many locals here for staying around at Christmas and New Year, (I don’t think many VSOs do that) and now, as well as my 'new friends', I also have lots more people wanting to greet me, talk to me and inviting me to drink and eat with them! I'm becoming quite popular!!
Thursday, 23 December 2010
Busy Busy!!
Been looking for ages in the newspapers here and also on the net to see if I could find some sort of news report about the Busy Signal concert that I went to. Nothing to be found!
In the end a friend of mine in Barbados said that he'd heard about the concert!!! So I decided to widen my research!! Found the following article (see link below). Apparently there were 50,000 people inside and 10,000 outside who couldn't get in!!!
And finally in response to some of the comments on my blog! - I think Busy is great - wonderful infact but don't get me wrong, Beenie Man is a legend!
http://rjrnewsonline.com/entertainment/busy-signal-performs-gambia
In the end a friend of mine in Barbados said that he'd heard about the concert!!! So I decided to widen my research!! Found the following article (see link below). Apparently there were 50,000 people inside and 10,000 outside who couldn't get in!!!
And finally in response to some of the comments on my blog! - I think Busy is great - wonderful infact but don't get me wrong, Beenie Man is a legend!
http://rjrnewsonline.com/entertainment/busy-signal-performs-gambia
Tuesday, 14 December 2010
Busy Signal Concert
On Saturday night I went to see a Jamaican artist called Busy Signal perform at the Independence Stadium at Bakau.
The crowd was huge and absolutely insane and the crowd-control (by the police and military) was like nothing I have ever experienced before.
That's all I'm prepared to say on my blog!!
Don't really know what I was thinking going to see a 'dancehall/ragga' artist in Africa!
Though I never actually made it home that night I had an awesome time and it was an incredible experience.
Busy is crazy but I think I’m in love with him!!!
The crowd was huge and absolutely insane and the crowd-control (by the police and military) was like nothing I have ever experienced before.
That's all I'm prepared to say on my blog!!
Don't really know what I was thinking going to see a 'dancehall/ragga' artist in Africa!
Though I never actually made it home that night I had an awesome time and it was an incredible experience.
Busy is crazy but I think I’m in love with him!!!
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