3.04.2009

My Daily Life on the Smiling Coast

Now that I have been here for almost two months rather than write about how the first three weeks were a mix between anxiety (about classes, read post below), boredom and exploration, I will discuss the average week.

I wake up on average at 740 every morning (yes I know, gasp that I can move before 12!), 820 if I sleep in and for five days a week our landlord/KSAC Director Mohammad who is also an amazing cooks gives myself, Brenda and a professor from JC who is teaching on a rotary scholarship, a "banging" breakfast, in the words of Sophia. Depending on the day, before class I either recopy notes, do assignments, play cards, or on Wednesday go to my internship (which is where I should be now but no one told me it was canceled today). When classes are over I come back and chill at the house, go to the gym for training (how Gambians describe working out), visit friends and then return around 730 from dinner (also only 5 days a week prepared by the most excellent chef Mohammad).

While I have left it out, we do eat lunch (usually between 1 and 3) but we tend to go to "fast food" shops or tiny nook restaurants that have one item per day or to small cafe type places.

Fridays (after class which all end by 12 at the latest) and Sundays we tend to go to the beach. Which if you look at the map two posts below (which the more I look at it the less accurate it is) is more than 60km long but we tend to hit a beach near the Fajara label.

The days we don't have a "meal plan" we (the household) go out for one night for dinner and the other Brenda and I tend to jointly cook for everyone or we scavenge/cook on our own. Myself and Reta and sometimes the others will go out to some of the local clubs. It is quite the experience because of bumsters and whatnot (I will write about later). I prefer the clubs Gambians frequent rather than the tourist because ironically I get harassed less and I think they figure if you can find the club and like the music you probably aren't so much of a tourist.

Unlike India the Gambia does have supermarkets. They resemble Super H or Lotte (Asian marts in the NoVA area that carry a little of everything). We can get a fair bit of western food and cooking supplies at these places. We tend to get fresh foods at the markets (open air). There is a local one just down my street but it closes around one when all the women close up shop to go home and cook lunch for their families (lunch is the big meal here). A large market (and I mean large it sells anything and everything) is Serrekunda Market and the fruit/veggie sellers are there most of the day. For stuff like oil and some spices and bread and little things you need Gambia has something like a 7-Eleven equivalent. The Jalow shops are found pretty much on any corner, or on my street three right next to each other then two on the other corner.

I know this is all just word vomit of my week but some stuff I want to explain in its own post and some I don't want to be too specific as this is my schedule and my blog is on the world wide web.

1 comment:

bellinghamster said...

Hi Cait, Why do they call it "The Smiling Coast"? Are you gonna post some pics of the beach? We here in the rainy cold northwest would appreciate that! I love following your blog.

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