AKA Adama Jammeh

I had my official welcoming as part of the family yesterday. They killed and prepared a chicken so we could celebrate. They mainly eat fish with rice. It usually really nice but quite peppery so I can never eat all of what they give me (they give me LOADS!) I'm not eating from the communal bowl or with my hands yet which the rest of the family do! The family have also named me Adama Jammeh after a close relative.

My Mandinka has been steadily improving (I've pretty much got the basic greetings now) and I'm trying bits of Fula and Jola. I should be getting some Mandinka lessons soon which will help. Teaching at the nursery school is impossible if you don't know the lingo. I ran a class unaided once and it went completely belly up. My hand gestures and signals got mistranslated (putting my hand to my ear to get them to listen, they shouted out ears and chanted 'Heads shoulders knees and toes'!)I'll be working there two days a week from now on, with assisting the teachers. My initial aim is to get them to utilise more resources (they have a cupboard full of things that are never used). This will hopefully make the lessons a bit more interesting for the kids and teachers as well as reducing the amount of corporal punishment that is used. Seeing the kids getting beaten was a real shock, even though I knew it was used before I came here. I'll be trying to adapt how lessons are taught but this will take time. I will be working the other days in the advanced class at the primary school where the kids have sponsors. This was started by the last volunteer who is still looking for more sponsors. I'll be observing the grade five class to see if anymore students can be added. There's certainly plenty to get my teeth into!

Outside of teaching I've mainly been chatting to locals (well trying and failing miserably!) and drinking lots of attaya. I went to a naming ceremony (Muslim equivalent of a chrisening) last weekend with the head of the family. It ran all day with lots of food and chatting. I had to give a gift (cash, which they asked for many times) but I got to see some Wolof drumming and dancing which was really full on and great to watch. I'll be getting some Jola drum lessons soon from the lead drummer. AWESOME!!!

I hope to load some photos up soon when there's more time.