Wednesday, November 11, 2009

last post in the gambia

howdy all,
my time in the gambia is finally coming to an end. i will be back in texas at 10pm on monday, nov 16. i look forward to catching up with everyone back home. but know that i will miss my friends and people i have come to consider my family here. it's a bitter sweet time. but i am looking forward to eating american foods, speaking english, being inconspicuous, not sweating all the time, driving a car, listening to new american music, seeing new movies in a theater, and many many other things.
see yall soon soon!





my fence was blown over by the wind. so i fixed it.
this is how sweaty i was after working on it for twenty minutes


this is one of my host sisters. her daughter was named after
me. she is getting SO big! she can even run now.



another child that was named after me. this is how
women carry their children around. it's actually extremely
practical. they can do all their work and still keep an eye
on their child.



my friend seedy. we worked on lots of projects together
over the last two years: rabbits, chickens, sheep
fattening, cereal banking, ducks.




this is the family i ate dinner with every night. words
cannot describe how attatched i am to these folks.





cracking peanuts



this girl put peanuts all over her face. they were
trying to get as many on their faces as possible.
when you don't have a lot of toys, you play with
hat you have.



typically how i spent my afternoons. hanging out
with the family in the shade.


this is the family i ate lunch with. i spend a lot
of time hanging out with these guys.



this is mo lamin. he's working on learning how to walk.




this is manjang. he is in charge of the livestock camp
that i lived it. we worked a lot together. he has a lot
of ideas on how development work can benefit his
fellow gambians.



this is maam, my host brothers wife. therefor she
is my wife.




hanging up the laundry on the grass fence to dry.



the herdsmen at the camp. they tie the cows up
at night and then herd them throughout the day.



using a straight razor to give a hair cut.



a traditional fula hat. old men usually wear these.




my friend fatou was making me traditional fula
anklets. women wear these for their wedding.








whenever i was away from site, my friend fatou took
care of my dog. she said she was dixie's mom.



the women of my family. these are amazing hard
working folks. they were always welcoming and
very giving.



this is my favorite way to roast peanuts. they take
an entire bush, dry it in the sun. they set it on fire.
it cooks the peanuts in the shells. so good!









auntie cooking lunch.







Monday, October 5, 2009

rainy season is coming to an end

check out the obama shirts.



my host mom and sister.


one of my host dad's wives (he's got 3). she's
telling me i am not good because i am not
helping her work. it's a joke.

taking beans out of pods.

another one of my dad's wives. she's sorting through beans.


my host brother's wife. she's taking the corn off
the cob. then they will try it out and take it to the
mill to be ground up.



ladies coming back from working hard in the rice fields.


eating a little pre-dinner snack.


getting hair extensions put in for the big
prayer day at the end of ramadan.

dressed up in nice clothes for the end of ramadan.




mam finished braiding my hair and wanted a picture.


this kid is yelling my name: tida! kids yell my
name a lot. they think it's fun. i do not.








VIDEOS:

Monday, September 7, 2009

the rain makes things green

howdy all. the rains are in full force here, so everything is beautiful and green again. allowing for animals (both domestic and wild) to increase in number. i've seen two snakes this season. one of which i almost ran over on my bike... yikes!
things are winding down work-wise and so i am just trying to enjoy these last couple of months in my village. here are a few fun pics and videos.


my friend tobo resting while i pound.

outskirts of the weekly market


saidou milking the cows. they allow the milk to
sour and eat it with coos.


pounding coos


nene roasting peanuts




mahamadou is in charge of guarding the corn.
he scared away a monkey, but not before it took
a bite out of this ear of corn.





traditional fula bride.




the girl on the right is adjusting her skirt.




my friend fatou. gambians don't like to smile in pictures.



please note the cell phone. just like america, isn't it??
















my duck had babies






tobo washing dishes. check out how she rinses the
bottom of the bowl by throwing water in the air.

auntie washing clothes. most women just use

their hands. i have only seen one person using a wash board.

there was a wedding, so these girls are pounding

millet in preparation for all the guests that will be

coming over for the party.

nene preparing roasting peanuts to eat.

cas grinding coffee at my house.