For the last three months, I have been required to stay in my permanent site for the community entry period. Finally that time was up. Prior to three weeks of more training in Massembeh, 19 North Bank PCVs, traveled to Janick Island for the quarterly regional VAC (Volunteer Advocacy Council) meeting. It was wonderful to get away from Farafenni
Mission Statement
The Peace Corps Gender and Development (GAD) committee will act as a coordination and facilitation team, to utilize volunteers and Gambian counterparts, to promote gender equality in The Gambia, by providing support and resources.
February was GAD month, and kicked off with a Bush to Beach Biking Marathon. It began in the eastern part of the country – the bush, and… ....READ MORE | 7 Comments
There are almost 7000 Peace Corps volunteers serving currently, in more than 60 countries around the world. To be a PCV you must be a US citizen, and at least 18 years old. Peace Corps was started in March 1961, when JFK was President, and over 220,000 people have served since the program began. A volunteer serves in one of 6… ....READ MORE | 4 Comments
My host family here in Farafenni consists of my mom Fatou Dibba, her daughter Fatou Manne, granddaughter Fatima, granddaughter Arohee, and grandson Mustapha. The terminology Peace Corps uses for our host families is more appropriate for a recent college graduate (the majority of PCVs), than a senior citizen like me. Fatou Dibba travels frequently to Kombo, where her husband, older children, and more grandchildren live. Fatou… ....READ MORE | 6 Comments
My Gambian family has hosted foreigners for about twenty years, first with the British VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas), and now Peace Corps for the last decade. They realize we need time to adapt to our new environment, and respect our wish for privacy, even though it is not the Gambian custom. This culture is very public, spending most of their time outside, cooking meals, doing laundry… ....READ MORE | 6 Comments
Winter is the best time to garden here, when the mornings are cool, the sun is less intense, and the temperature doesn’t reach 90 degrees until mid-afternoon. It’s so nice to wake up refreshed, put on a long sleeve shirt, and ride my bike to the school garden, for a pleasant morning of work. We are fortunate to have plenty of good well water, and a large storage… ....READ MORE | 3 Comments
The first three months of Peace Corps service is called the Community Entry Period. During this time we are required to spend every night in our new location, because Peace Corps considers this time critical for integration and language acquisition. We arrived at our permanent sites on December 10, 2017, two days after the swearing in ceremony at the US Ambassador
My Peace Corps assignment is in Farafenni, a city of about 40,000 people. It is just south of the border with Senegal, on the Trans-Gambia Highway in the North Bank Division. The Gambia, is entirely surrounded by Senegal, except for its coastline at the western end. The country straddles the Gambia River, which flows through the center… ....READ MORE | 9 Comments
On December 7, 2017 the swearing in ceremony for 20 Agriculture and 15 Health trainees, took place at the US Ambassador, Carolyn Alsup, residence in Kombo, The Gambia. It was the culmination of two months of hard work, and the highlight of our bonding experience during training. Many dignitaries from The Gambia were in attendance, underlining the strong relationship Peace Corps has with this small African nation. The… ....READ MORE | 2 Comments
During the two months I spent in training village, it was interesting to realize what I missed from my previous life.
1. The moon. I lived for five decades in a rural area with a dark night sky, relating to the moon cycle and enjoying the stars. The first two weeks of my journey I was staying indoors, sharing rooms with others and wasn’t even… ....READ MORE | 2 Comments