the little things

sipping an ice cold coke in the computer lab in brikama under a lovely fan, on a dell hard-drive built this century, with a relatively quick internet connection. it doesn't get much better than this (where emailing is concerned) in the gambia.

again, i find another week has gone by, only two more weeks here in the gambia. i'm now starting to think about things i haven't done, or still want to do. kaddy gave me a lesson in making attaya yesterday, and i've bought the supplies i'll need to do this at home (though making tea on a barbeque might be slightly awkward!). i'll head out to the river tomorrow with sandra and possbily a few others to go for a ride down the river gambia with the same guide who took us through abuko last weekend. and sunday COULD be one of the last on the nursery, but equally it may not be as the villager's trial is looming and that has, again, resumed pole position in priority! if we aren't going to work, then i may treat myself to a night at the hotel i stayed in on my first weekend here, just for a change of scene in fajara.

as most of the building is finished, the remaining work is up to others that know what they need to do. the tailor is working on the uniforms, the carpenter is finishing the benches and tables, the artist is finishing up the badges (which look GREAT by the way) and is beginning the artwork/murals on the building and in the classrooms this afternoon (after friday prayers). so my focus for the next two weeks is really the finishing touches (buying teachers' desks, a supply cupboard, paint for the doors) and the internal administration of the school. i'd like to take the newly appointed teachers to the nearby nursery schools so they can see what they are like and how they are run. i'm trying to get a meeting with CCF (christian childrens fund) the co-sponsor for this project (at least in theory, if not in reality) to find out what their intended involvement/follow-up will be. and lastly, i'm trying to organize a makumbaya (only) nursery committee to make sure i am leaving this project with owners to ensure its success. sustainability is a problem here, as you might imagine. they have committees for everything here and it seems that there are always SO many people involved and from SO many villages - they like to be inclusive here and make everyone feel a part - that things don't actually get done. so i want a small committee focused solely on the nursery in makumbaya, made up of makumbaya people, so that things will happen when they need to and the teachers and headmistress have somewhere to turn if they have issues. and that should see me through the next two weeks.

i am now officially certified in jolly phonics - though how useful that will be to me upon my return is questionable. still, it was VERY useful for the teachers who came! i ended up recruiting 10 teachers from the makumbaya area (4 different schools!) and 6 teachers from 2 other mondo schools. 16 total. so fingers crossed they found it just as useful and will really take this back to their schools. they were very appreciative of the opportunity, materials and transport stipends i was able to give them (thanks to YOU!) - so i'm hopeful it will stick.

after the training on wednesday, i treated myself to a double scoop of gelati from the ONLY place in the gambia that sells ice cream (least that i've found). mint chip (surprise!) and chocolate. and it was 10 minutes of heaven as i walked with it up kairaba avenue to get the gellah gellah back to makumbaya. i felt like a three year old with the ice cream melting so fast and dripping all over my fingers and hands. but i was smiling the entire time.

hope you are smiling wherever you are today!

happy birthday a day early to my mother! and happy anniversary to ruth and charlie who have survived their first year of marriage!

and to those friends based in london - hope you're saving saturday, may 3, for a night out! likely to be somewhere on the river - so be in touch with me if you've not heard when and where by then!