So this week I’ve been feeling a bit homesick. I’d like to put my finger on a reason why but I can’t. Before we left, VSO warned us that we might have weeks like this so I am sure it will pass.
I’ve been busy both socially and at work. Both are good things so far as I am concerned. Paula, a friend of mine and fellow VSO volunteer, was laughing at me this week as she never sees me sit still. I told her that I have the nick name ‘pocket rocket’ with some friends back home (thank you Chris!) and she has now adopted that too. However being busy doesn’t stop me missing people at home…. I do plan to be home for 2 weeks in August which will be great.
Anyway, enough about that. Last week was Jodie’s Birthday. She actually had about 3 Birthday dos (why not go over the top if you can get away with it eh!?) but the main event was a party in her compound…
Jodie and Marney live next door to each other in a family compound in Bakau New Town. They have small, basic houses but both are clean and reasonably well furnished with fairly good electricity supply.
Jodie, Marney and I have all made friends with a fairly diverse bunch of people so Jodie just invited everyone she knew to come to her house. She set up small committees to sort things out (food, music and games) and decided to spend her recent tax refund on funding the event. (Most of which went on an amazing cake, a disco ball and a padded toilet seat - honestly!)
Her local friends and neighbours made most of the food…Benechin, Mbaahaal and fish. We did also make some potato and pasta salads at my house the day before (I have a much better kitchen then most vols). Drinks were provided by many - beer, wine and FC (fosters clark) and vodka! Julie was down from Soma and spent the afternoon blowing up balloons and Louise had just received a package from home with St Patrick day decorations (the Gambian postal system!) so she gave those to Jodie too!
The locals, vounteers and ex-pats all managed to mix together quite well, although by the end of the night everyone had their own corner. For some of the ex-pats it was their first proper Gambian compound experience! In fact a few of them even admitted to being a little scared, much to my amusement!
Jodie had hired a generator in case the electricity did go off. It didn’t, but Paul and Marney (music committee) were gutted as the play lists they had spent the previous 2 days putting together wouldn’t play. The locals were delighted though and played (fairly dreadful) African music. Not one to hold back, I was happy to dance with them (I do a really mean mandinka now!) but most people were happy to simply sit around, have few drinks and chat. A really nice, if somewhat unusual, atmosphere. Ex-pats were first to go, followed by volunteers and the locals had to be asked to leave when they got a bit out of hand having had too much free beer.
As usual, Marney and I were there to the bitter end........ I wonder if that is one of the reasons we are friends, neither of us can bear to think we are missing out on anything so are always the last to leave!
I’ve been busy both socially and at work. Both are good things so far as I am concerned. Paula, a friend of mine and fellow VSO volunteer, was laughing at me this week as she never sees me sit still. I told her that I have the nick name ‘pocket rocket’ with some friends back home (thank you Chris!) and she has now adopted that too. However being busy doesn’t stop me missing people at home…. I do plan to be home for 2 weeks in August which will be great.
Anyway, enough about that. Last week was Jodie’s Birthday. She actually had about 3 Birthday dos (why not go over the top if you can get away with it eh!?) but the main event was a party in her compound…
Jodie and Marney live next door to each other in a family compound in Bakau New Town. They have small, basic houses but both are clean and reasonably well furnished with fairly good electricity supply.
Jodie, Marney and I have all made friends with a fairly diverse bunch of people so Jodie just invited everyone she knew to come to her house. She set up small committees to sort things out (food, music and games) and decided to spend her recent tax refund on funding the event. (Most of which went on an amazing cake, a disco ball and a padded toilet seat - honestly!)
Her local friends and neighbours made most of the food…Benechin, Mbaahaal and fish. We did also make some potato and pasta salads at my house the day before (I have a much better kitchen then most vols). Drinks were provided by many - beer, wine and FC (fosters clark) and vodka! Julie was down from Soma and spent the afternoon blowing up balloons and Louise had just received a package from home with St Patrick day decorations (the Gambian postal system!) so she gave those to Jodie too!
The locals, vounteers and ex-pats all managed to mix together quite well, although by the end of the night everyone had their own corner. For some of the ex-pats it was their first proper Gambian compound experience! In fact a few of them even admitted to being a little scared, much to my amusement!
Jodie had hired a generator in case the electricity did go off. It didn’t, but Paul and Marney (music committee) were gutted as the play lists they had spent the previous 2 days putting together wouldn’t play. The locals were delighted though and played (fairly dreadful) African music. Not one to hold back, I was happy to dance with them (I do a really mean mandinka now!) but most people were happy to simply sit around, have few drinks and chat. A really nice, if somewhat unusual, atmosphere. Ex-pats were first to go, followed by volunteers and the locals had to be asked to leave when they got a bit out of hand having had too much free beer.
As usual, Marney and I were there to the bitter end........ I wonder if that is one of the reasons we are friends, neither of us can bear to think we are missing out on anything so are always the last to leave!
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