I moved to my new home on Saturday and got settled right in...after declaring war on the population of spiders currently calling my kitchen and bathroom home. War was waged and I am going to declare myself the victor. It took many a spray of Bop, the local version of Raid, but I survived. The same can not be said of the spiders. Next on the agenda? Death to the cockroaches. It would be best for them if they raise the white flag and move elsewhere, because I will find them all and destroy them! Lucky for me, they are not in the the house, but in the patio area between my house and my kitchen/bathroom. But it doesn't matter to me...they must die. Once the area was free of spiders, I spent some time unpacking and becoming familiar with all the goodies left to me by Hanna. I am very happy with my new (spider free) house!
On a side note, as it turns out, I actually live in Youndum. I have been saying Busumbala all this time, but I was wrong! I am right on the border and I guess I fall on the Youndum side. Life in Youndum is pretty much the same as in Busumbala. Really, there is not much of a boundary between Youndum, Busumbala, or Farato. Together, they are quite large. You would think that life in a village would be quiet? You would be wrong! Youndum is probably too big to be called a village, but even so, I was surprised with the level of activity on my street. While my compound is very quiet, just outside, there are people talking, babies crying, goats crying, cars, airplanes (I live right near the airport), and the baker next door with his bread dough. It doesn't really bother me, but it is interesting just how much there is going on all around me.
On Sunday, I have explored my village, met the akalo, and spent an evening with my host family. I feel like my first weekend in village was a success with one small misstep. There was a slight problem with my village tour guide. When he introduced himself to me as Alagie, I assumed he was Awa's son. Awa is the head of my compound, a very motherly woman. This Alagie took me on a rather long tour of of Busumbala and only eventually showed me to the akalo's house like I had asked. I was not very happy since he kept saying it was just a little further, and after walking around for two hours in the hot sun, I wasn't terribly happy when it was actually very near my house. I think he really just wanted to be seen in the village showing me around. When I arrived home, no one in the compound knew who he was and I actually met Awa's Alagie. The volunteer who had the house before me was robbed once when she was in the house. She was in the back doing laundry and someone walked in and packed up her computer, phone, camera, and backpack and left without anyone knowing. So my host family was very worried when this person who they don't know came around saying he knew me, waited for me to get up in the morning and then introduced himself and volunteered to show me around. It is hard to know if his intentions were sincere or if he was really just waiting for a chance to have access to my house and belongings, but I will definitely be more careful in the future. Most Gambians I have met have been wonderful, opening their homes and lives to me. So it is sad that I have to be so on my guard in my own village and compound.
This morning was my first day of teaching. I wanted to be on campus bright and early on my first day, so I set my alarm early. When it went off at 7:00 am, it was still dark! I know, I know...many of you scoff at that being early...but for me it is quite the change. Something in me just refuses to arise before the sun has risen. So I hit the snooze and decided that a shower was not that important after all. As it turns out, it was really too cold for a shower and I am glad I didn't take one. It must have been 65 degrees when I got up, brrr! Very cold! Typically, it is up into the 90's outside during the day, and down into the 60's at night. Inside my house, it ranges from a high of 85 degrees to maybe as low as 75 degrees at night. I have a fan so it is not too bad.
I was on campus by 8:15 am and had time to settle into my office, have a cup of tea, and start to figure out my internet situation. I think I have it worked out, now I just need to see if it will work at home too. Otherwise, I might be spending a lot of time on campus in order to have access to the internet. Class went well, although I didn't feel prepared as I would like since I didn't have print outs of the assignments and wasn't sure how to go about getting assignments to the students. I have worked that out and it should go more smoothly in the future. This first week will be an adjustment, as I learn how to fit in and work within the established system.
Tomorrow is the opening of the University of the Gambia's (UTG) GeoHealth Center at Faraba. This is my friend Edrisa's project in conjunction with the University of Iowa, School of Public Health. I will have a chance to say hi to the three visiting faculty from Iowa before they head home.
Congratulations to Sam and Erin on the birth of their son, Owen!
On a side note, as it turns out, I actually live in Youndum. I have been saying Busumbala all this time, but I was wrong! I am right on the border and I guess I fall on the Youndum side. Life in Youndum is pretty much the same as in Busumbala. Really, there is not much of a boundary between Youndum, Busumbala, or Farato. Together, they are quite large. You would think that life in a village would be quiet? You would be wrong! Youndum is probably too big to be called a village, but even so, I was surprised with the level of activity on my street. While my compound is very quiet, just outside, there are people talking, babies crying, goats crying, cars, airplanes (I live right near the airport), and the baker next door with his bread dough. It doesn't really bother me, but it is interesting just how much there is going on all around me.
On Sunday, I have explored my village, met the akalo, and spent an evening with my host family. I feel like my first weekend in village was a success with one small misstep. There was a slight problem with my village tour guide. When he introduced himself to me as Alagie, I assumed he was Awa's son. Awa is the head of my compound, a very motherly woman. This Alagie took me on a rather long tour of of Busumbala and only eventually showed me to the akalo's house like I had asked. I was not very happy since he kept saying it was just a little further, and after walking around for two hours in the hot sun, I wasn't terribly happy when it was actually very near my house. I think he really just wanted to be seen in the village showing me around. When I arrived home, no one in the compound knew who he was and I actually met Awa's Alagie. The volunteer who had the house before me was robbed once when she was in the house. She was in the back doing laundry and someone walked in and packed up her computer, phone, camera, and backpack and left without anyone knowing. So my host family was very worried when this person who they don't know came around saying he knew me, waited for me to get up in the morning and then introduced himself and volunteered to show me around. It is hard to know if his intentions were sincere or if he was really just waiting for a chance to have access to my house and belongings, but I will definitely be more careful in the future. Most Gambians I have met have been wonderful, opening their homes and lives to me. So it is sad that I have to be so on my guard in my own village and compound.
This morning was my first day of teaching. I wanted to be on campus bright and early on my first day, so I set my alarm early. When it went off at 7:00 am, it was still dark! I know, I know...many of you scoff at that being early...but for me it is quite the change. Something in me just refuses to arise before the sun has risen. So I hit the snooze and decided that a shower was not that important after all. As it turns out, it was really too cold for a shower and I am glad I didn't take one. It must have been 65 degrees when I got up, brrr! Very cold! Typically, it is up into the 90's outside during the day, and down into the 60's at night. Inside my house, it ranges from a high of 85 degrees to maybe as low as 75 degrees at night. I have a fan so it is not too bad.
I was on campus by 8:15 am and had time to settle into my office, have a cup of tea, and start to figure out my internet situation. I think I have it worked out, now I just need to see if it will work at home too. Otherwise, I might be spending a lot of time on campus in order to have access to the internet. Class went well, although I didn't feel prepared as I would like since I didn't have print outs of the assignments and wasn't sure how to go about getting assignments to the students. I have worked that out and it should go more smoothly in the future. This first week will be an adjustment, as I learn how to fit in and work within the established system.
Tomorrow is the opening of the University of the Gambia's (UTG) GeoHealth Center at Faraba. This is my friend Edrisa's project in conjunction with the University of Iowa, School of Public Health. I will have a chance to say hi to the three visiting faculty from Iowa before they head home.
Congratulations to Sam and Erin on the birth of their son, Owen!
You really are having quite the adventures! Don't despair, that mysterious Alagie is fairly rare. You've already figured this out, but most Gambians are really very friendly and if anything, I'm sure he was trying to befriend you. Take it as a compliment but do be careful :-) Pickpocketing and theft aren't as infrequent as anyone wishes. Eventually, people will recognize you as a regular and less of a toubab ^_^
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