Miss Toubab Brikama (new pictures are posted)

Suffering from low self-esteem? Questioning your self worth? There's no need for expensive therapy sessions or complex drug cocktails. Simply hop on the next plane to suburban Gambia, change your name to Mariama Camera and take a long afternoon stroll on the South Bank road as school is letting out for the day. Okay, so maybe your insurance won't cover this sort of program yet, but as soon as I get in touch with Dr. Phil, you can bet it will be an option.

So as it goes, the other day I went over to Rachel's to take a look at her bike and just chat a little. I ended up leaving her house to walk back to mine around the same time that I typically go on an early evening run. Since my running route is on the main road towards her direction, I ran into many of the same folks I would if I were running. However, since I was sans the MP3 player and running shoes, it was more appropriate to greet those who greeted me (and who probably always "greet" me or strain to get my attention as I pass them in a hurry). I was somewhat surprised and a little flattered at how many people noticed and commented that "Today you are tired? Today you do not run?" Maybe it had something to do with the very near arrival of the Miss Black USA Pageant, but I couldn't help comparing myself to the contestants, as I walked down the runway that was the South Bank road. All of a sudden, my hand took a mind of it's own and began to elegantly wave, turning from side to side, as some children shouted my familiar, unfamiliar name (along with the occasional "toubab", but they didn't get waves. Instead, they were politely corrected in Mandinka with a Burt's Bees induced smile, that my name was not toubab, but Mariama!) . It was a little piece of Gambia that could have easily gotten under my skin, but actually turned out to be a bit therapeutic in the end.

The first rain came on Sunday, May 20th at 8:30am. I wasn't quite awake, but stirring in my bed and was actually quite startled by the whole incident. I guess that's what happens when you've never heard rain flood from West African skies onto a corrugated tin-roof before. My first instinct was to jump out of bed and immediately check for leaks. Fortunately, there doesn't appear to be any. The rain fell hard for a good 5 minutes, then steadied to a drizzle before completely stopping. The whole thing lasted maybe 9 minutes and happened twice in the morning. It was still enough rain to flood the market and side streets and give me a little preview for what it will be like when the steady rains come in a few weeks. In the end, I was still able to get my bed sheets washed and dried, despite the looming clouds and 100% humidity.

In other activities, I went with some members of ASK to a candlelight march for people affected by HIV, that kicked off the Global Week of Action. It was neat to participate in a familiar activity of a walk, which makes me realize that no matter where you are in the world, there are people who want to raise awareness and are willing and strong enough to organize such events. It has also been decided that 75% of my time will be devoted to ASK and 25% to HBC. I originally had the impression that it might be the other way around, but ASK was complaining that HBC had "stolen" their PCV, so after a few meetings, it is agreed that Tuesdays will be spent with HBC, alternating with the OVC (orphaned and vulnerable children feeding program) or staff meeting. The other days, I will check with ASK first, then report to the clinic if help isn't needed that day. Sr. Christine also said that I could volunteer care for an HBC patient when I felt ready to take one on.

ASK had a board meeting last Sunday. I left the meeting feeling that it was some what productive. As low as the membership seems to be these days, they still want to keep plugging along. They have so many ideas (almost too many for the amount of man power they need to carry through with the ideas), including what to do with this land the Alkalo signed over to them in a near by village, marketing strategies for the stack of cassettes sitting in the office gathering dust, and how to arrange a successful Brikama launching that is now scheduled for July 20th (but was suggested to be moved again because by then the rains will have for sure come).

I also rode my by bike to the beach with a fellow PCV last weekend. It took us about an hour and a half to get there, but there wasn't a soul around and we sat under the shade provided for us by a small tourist resort. I've decided not to attend the Miss Black USA, but to spend funds on a Gele ride to Basse with Kaddy and the kids instead. I still can't tell when she is wanting to head out there, but I'm thinking it will next week some time. I can't really think of anything else new right now, so I'll close. Oh, did I mention that my plumbing is still turned off? The plumber showed up at my house a few days ago, so I'm taking it as a good sign that it might only be another week before the shower knob is fixed.

The Book List

Any one up for sending some books this way? Mom, I already own "The Bell Jar", if you feel like digging it out of one of the boxes I crammed in your garage. The list is sequential, so the sooner "White Teeth" is on that air mail plane, the better!

* White Teeth, Smith
* Ender's Game, Card
* Cat's Cradle, Vonnegut
* Midnight's Children, Rushdie
* Light in August, Faulkner
* Remains of the Day, Ishiguro
* The Bell Jar, Plath
* Jitterbug Perfume, Robbins
* Atonement, McEwan

I've already exhausted my personal Internet allowance for the week, but next week I hope to get some photos posted. Can't wait to hear from you all soon!

Of course I've thougt of a few more things to add to the wish list

* Simple children's English language books with pictures
* Child size toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste
* Any extra baby/child clothes you might have lying around the house
* Books from my Norman summer book club reading list (The list has yet to be completed, but if you want to send one book, please make a comment, so that I don't end up with 10 copies of the same "Babysitter's Club" books.)

And yes, despite my desperate plea for Burt's Bees chap stick, I am down to two tubes (of which I brought with me). Perhaps everyone thinks that someone else will send these, low-priced, low-weight, small tubes of joy.

Internet, Schminternet

So, getting homesick really bites. I felt it last week a little too much for my comfort. I'm not exactly sure what brought it on, but I think it might have had something to do with trying to keep up with the world around me (including all you folks back home whom I miss) by spending a little too much time on the Internet.

I'm still on the HBC portion of my rotation, where we visit patients in the mornings. This schedule tends to leave my afternoons free to check in at the HOC office to see if help can be used, which inevitably leads to checking my email and other familiar websites.

I feel really fortunate that I have access to instantly share my experiences, humilities and photos with people who may be interested. I think it is extremely important for all parties involved well-being. I also feel really fortunate to be able to use the Internet as a tool for research for improving the quality of life for those with whom I work. But as I discovered last week, it also allows for a direct link into the lives of those who know me the best, from a world that doesn't even know me by my given, American name.

At any rate, one long, music-filled bike ride down the Brikama Coastal Highway, talks with a few familiar voices from The States, and an evening under a cloudy sky hacking Mandinka with my sis and her kiddos later, I'm on my way out of the slump. I'm working on limiting my Internet use to a couple of times a week instead of several (it's more exciting when you have more than one email to read each time, anyway).

During the bike ride, a song came on my MP3 player with lyrics about being in a thankless job an it resonated with me. That's one place I know for sure where I am not. Even if it's not vocalized by anyone, it is felt- maybe through a young women's greeting handshake, an old man's toothless grin, and definitely in a child's embrace. There are days when I feel like everything is surprising and then there are days where nothing surprises me. But I guess that's just life in suburban Gambia!

In work-related news, I'm really enjoying the Home Based Care rotation. It is difficult at times to walk into a compound and know in the back of your mind that that one child probably won't gain enough strength back to live a very long life. I asked Sister what she thinks contributes to being that far gone so early in life. She mentioned the difficulty of getting to the clinic, stigmatization of going and getting tested, and often mis-diagnosis as a few reasons. The main causes of mortality in Gambia for children under the age of 5 are Malaria, diarrhea and TB. If they are eventually found positive for TB, it may be recommend to go for HIV testing. If they are found positive for HIV, they must finish their TB treatment before any type of ARVS are administered. On a more positive note, most of the patients we see in their homes are not that ill, or have improved through the help of the home visits and volunteers. It is amazing to watch the Sisters tend to these people. There is no hesitation what so ever to give someone a cloth bath or clip some toenails, when the primary purpose is a simple 10 minute med distribution visit. During some visits, I must have heard the words "abaraka", "jarama" or "jere-jeff" which all mean thank you, 20 times or more. But really, it's the patients who are helping themselves. They are the ones who've built up the strength, emotionally and physically, to get themselves or their loved ones to be seen by a licenced doctor (as opposed to a traditional herbalist healer like many see here). They are the ones who chose to register their family members in these programs the clinic offers. We, as health workers, are simply catalysts. Sure, the education we bring is important, but at the end of the day, it's the individual who decides what type of life they want to lead.

In other news- team Kaiaf re-unites! One of my training village mates, Chris and some other volunteers from up country had some business in the Kombo area, so he biked over the course of 3 days to Rachel and my neck of the woods. We've been hanging out together the past few days remembering the good 'ol (and not so good 'ol) times of not-so far back training. It definitely doesn't feel like a month's gone by already, though. Also, Miss Black USA is coming to the Kombo area on June 1st (specifically Senegambia Beach Hotel) and a group of us are trying to get tickets and go. Should we each make signs for our respective states? UH, you'd better believe it!

Thank you to everyone who supported Allatentu by buying a CD!!!! I hope you are really enjoying listening to it. The original order has completely been spoken for and all your donations have officially been contributed to the group. My mom has 5 more CDs that were recently sent to her if anyone else was contemplating getting one. Her email again is gillag@ticnet.com.

Finally, at the request from a few of you, here is a newly updated wish list.

Newly Updated Wish-List:

• Burts Bees Chapstick-regular, stick kind
• Jane or Marie Claire Magazines
• Pocket size Kleenex packages
• An English Dictionary
• A scientific calculator
• A cutting board
• Trail mix, salty snack foods like Triscuts, dried soup mixes, dried fruit, Extra brand gum, Cliff bars, any kind of candy
• Soccer ball needle
• DVDs of Greys Anatomy, The Office, new movies (these can be watched at our PC hostel and volunteers lap-tops during times like in-service training and out of site days)

I'm expecting some of you to start asking about travel arrangements to The Gambia soon...

Some comparisons (and more pictures posted)

I think it's about time to do a post with comparisons. I know I haven't been here that long yet, but there are already a few things I'm coming to terms with (not in any particular order and I know there's more, but this is what I've come up with so far).

Things that I have found beautiful:

1. The way the sun sets behind the orchards of mango and palm trees while Muslim men, in their long cloaks, prayer beads in tow, ride past me on their cruisers on their way to the dusk prayer.

2. Listening to Gambians greet each other, almost competition-like, with the same cycle of greetings every single time.

3. The older women's faces, as they pass me on their way home from a long work day at the market; baskets graciously balanced on their heads, perhaps a baby wrapped on their backs. Decades of working their fingers to the bone has made its way to the face.

4. My family. They're patient (no doubt I've interrupted countless important conversations just to declare the act I'm currently doing-"I'm de-boning fish, right?"), kind and including, yet they give me space when I need it. It doesn't hurt that I can steal hugs any time I want from Ebrima, whose outstretched arms appear in front of me daily. (I found out by going to the Maternal and Child Health Clinic today with my sis that he turns 3 next month.)

5. Discovering new edible fruits, like the cashew fruit and tomburango (don't know the English name). And having a better idea in general about where the food that I'm eating comes from, especially the meat.

Things that will probably never stop being frustrating:

1. Being shouted at with any of the following terms: toubab, boss lady, nice lady, champion woman, sunkuto (which means girl), muso (which means woman), and the hissing that everyone does to get your attention. (I've tried to come up with some sort of come back, like calling the children "dindingolu" which means, children- but it doesn't have the same affect and it's really not that satisfying.)

2. I'm still a clean freak. Can't get over it, it seems. However, the dog hair obsession has been replaced by the the endless sand and dust. (At least the hair comes with some sort of loyal company.)

3. Mosquitoes. And it's not even rainy season.

4. The Nalgene-equivalent of oil used to prepare one meal (okay, I know a Nalgene is one liter and I'm exaggerating a bit) and the gazillion bones in that one, tiny, fish. I sure was spoiled from eating Captain What's His Face from the freezer section.

5. Walking through the bustling car park on my way to the clinic. The next person who asks if I'm going to Serra Kunda is going to regret it (maybe you won't get a greeting from me or something)!!!!!!

Something I'm working on:

Learning to be more patient. With the "in shalla" (God willing) attitude and practice of many Gambians, meetings start hours later, appointments are often not kept and the overall pace of business is painfully slow to me. Thankfully, Peace Corps does a pretty good job on giving one a heads up about this during training and I've had about 3 months to adjust. However, every day is a challenge, a balance between reminding myself I'm working with these people on their terms (not for them) and not compromising certain standards that we, as Americans, have been taught to respect throughout the years.

In other news, the two week rotation with Allatentu has come to an end. We've worked on writing letters for sponsorship for the launching later this month, secured land for a garden in a near by town (I think), distributed another round of soap for income generation, and tried to hold a few meetings to get all this stuff discussed-but not enough people showed up to have them. Monday starts a two week rotation with HBC. Sister Christine told me to be there at 8:30, but to bring a book. Saturday I'm going to a program put on by GAMCOTRAP, an organization dedicated to stopping FGC (female genital cutting). I found out about it through a public notice while watching TV (strange) with the fam a few nights ago. Tuesday I'm scheduled to go to band practice for the Allatentu Support Band. I have an idea on how to promote the music in the States and want them to help me write a letter, but it's in a village I've never been to before, so we'll see how adventurous I'm feeling.

Some more pictures are posted, so click on the "personal photographs" link and look at them.