A few days back

I am on a computer at Tendaba Camp, in Kiang, where we do the technical portion of Peace Corps training. I am here both in my role as one of the volunteer "guides" to the trainees, and as an ICT volunteer, teaching what it's like to be an ICT volunteer, challenges to expect and the tools to resolve them. It's a lot of fun, long days full of activity, and great to hang out with the new folks as they settle into life here. I've just finished my last teaching session, and had some extra time with the computer, so I thought I would write some.

Life is, as always and doubly true in Peace Corps, full of ups and downs. Ups of being able to chat a bit in Mandinka, downs of not having the language skills after a year that I expected. Ups of buying fabric for another very loud shirt, downs of paying a little too much for it because I just didn't feel like arguing with the vendor. Ups of having interesting work and opportunities, downs of being away from my house and people and the simple joys of that life. All in all, I know that I'm having an amazing experience here because I already am worried that the next year will pass too quickly and that I'll miss this place. I can't wait to go home, see everybody, and be in a "normal" place again, but it will be painful to depart from here and leave behind all of this. So, it's a good set of ups and downs...

My friend Joselin asked me to write about the people I meet, both Peace Corps and Gambians. In my mind, there are many other categories of people here - other NGO workers, other foreign nationals, Gambians who work with Peace Corps, Gambians who have lots of experience with foreigners, Gambians who make a living off of tourists (two categories there, scrupulous and not-so-scrupulous), and then the urban and rural Gambians. Peace Corps volunteers are the group with whom I spend the largest percentage of my free time, which I say because I am "working" to one degree or another whenever I am in my compound with my people. I am always representing America to them, and am dealt with first as an American and second as a man in most cases. The people closest to me in Fara Fenni don't act that way, but they are few in number. I also see a lot of other foreigners lately, because I've become friends with some guys who live in town and work on the road project. That may be ending soon, as I'm hoping the road will be complete when I get back.