new things are happening...

I have started to take a new direction in the work that I am doing in my village. After my CCF disaster, I decided to take more of a Forestry approach to the work around me. Once I arrived back at my village, I went around taking to farmers about their orchards and such. I have started to plant a variety of trees in poly-pots in my backyard and I have been experimenting with Bee Keeping as well. Life couldn’t be any better, I am experimenting with new work and I am feeling a new sense of belonging in my village. I had decided that my village is good, maybe it just didn’t know how to use me. So now I am just running around starting new work ideas for myself. Photo#1 is my chicken Tori- She had two babies recently but they have already been snatched by the big vultures :( I plan to kill Tori when Candi comes.

Funny Story #1
The other day I had met up with one of the cashew orchard men in my village, we rode our bikes out to his orchard, after spending most of the morning chasing cows and such away from his fruits he sent me home with some fruit before the sun got hot. As I was strolling down the path on my bike with cashews in my right hand cupped to my chest (I didn’t have a bag), I hit a soft patch of sand. I lost my balance on my bike and went flying off eating the sand and road rashing up my arms and legs. I just layed there in the sand for about a minute laughing at myself. Life here is funny. Photo #2 I love these children

Funny Story #2
Before I joined the Peace Corps, most of you all know that I used to sell books door-to-door for the Southwestern Company. I spent two summers in the blazing hot sun of Texas building my character and having a blast helping parents provide books for their children to help them with their homework. Two weeks ago I was asked to help in the Gambia’s campaign to “Kick Polio Out of The Gambia”. It intels people walking around compound-to-compound in teams of two, giving children in those compounds three droplets in their mouths and then marking their left pinky-finger to signify that they have been vaccinated. Photo #3 This is a picture of my arm after I fell from my bike. You cant tell but my arm is banged up.

The funny part about this story is mostly the cultural difference between The Gambia and America. I would come up to the compound with my partner, we would ask the children where their parents where and when they replied out… we would approach them and stick the medicine in their mouths anyway. Then we would mark their compound and be on our way to the next. It wasn’t just once or twice but many times that we would just vaccinate children without their parents present and we would just leave. Hahaha.. I guess its just one of those things you should have been there.

Another Story:
On to other news, I have started the “CANDI COUNTDOWN!” My cousin Candi is coming in less than 12 days and I am really excited for her arrival. She is flying into Dakar, Senegal and I am going to go up there and fetch her and bring her back to The Gambia. She is going to be here until the 29th and then when she leaves I am going to fly to HUNGARY!! I am really excited for her arrival and I already have her whole trip planned. I will make sure to post many pictures of it all and keep you all updated.
Alright, I should get going now. I have a lot of stuff today. Photo #4 This picture is for Lauren, its a picture of your friends! :) they wanted me to take the photo for you to see them.