This blog reflects ONLY my views and thoughts not Peace Corps or the United States government.


First post from the Gambia, Sorry it is such a long time coming. The internet and electricity are hard to come by! I’ve been in training for about 5 weeks. It’s exhausting with very little personal time but I’ve learned a ton. We focus a lot on culture and language to help get us integrated into our communities. The idea is that with if you can integrate into your community and gain their trust it will be possible to gain trust and create lasting change.
The Gambians have a very rich culture. There are many things all that are practiced throughout Gambia and others that are unique to each tribe. Despite being such a small country there are over 7 tribes here each with their own language. These tribes have lived together and intermarried for a long time but still have managed to keep their own language and customs. Since most villages have a mix of tribes in them people communicate with each other by learning the other languages. The Gambians are AMAZING at languages. Most speak at least 3 local languages and many are very good at English too. The Peace Corps is training me in just one but I will be able to speak it all over the country. Gambians take a lot of pride in their tribe, and their last names. They joke between themselves and tease each other about their tribes. Usually the jokes are about how the other tribe eats too much or are lazy.
I am learning Pular the language of the Fula tribe. They are one of the smaller tribes here but they have a very rich culture. There are Fulas all over West Africa so I am excited about being able to use my language skills in other countries too. Fulas are traditional cow herders but do everything now. They are also known for their jewelery and tattoos. Only two other volunteers are learning Pular with me.
To learn the language we moved into a training village and live with host families. These families mostly only speak Pular to us so we have to practice all the time. I cannot believe how much I know after a month. My host family is great, they are very kind to me. My host father, Mamadou, is a gardener and takes care of 3 gardens by himself. He has brought me a watermelon and some beans that were very delicious! (I cooked some American style and he said he liked them). My host father has one wife and 3 young kids. This is rare in the Gambia. Families are huge here. Polygamy is widely practiced and having children is very important. Everyone lives in compounds, which are groups of small houses sometimes walled off, with an open area between them. My compound is still full because my host fathers mother and other family members live there too. My host mother, Jarry, lets me help her cook which is fun. I was named after my host sister Fatu Mata who is around my age. I really enjoy spending time with her and her younger cousin Rabbie. My host brothers Mums, Samba, and Alfa all help me practice Pular. I will miss all off them when I move to my permanet site in a few weeks.
I've been posted in the Central River Region on the north side of the river in a village about JanJanbury. The job title is pretty open but there is a skill center there where they are working on appropreate technology which is exciting! I hope to get invloved there. So far there has been no technical training, that will come 3 months after swear in. I ended up getting placed in the health sector so I am learning a lot for the few sessions we've had.