Up bright and early for the pick up to the VSO Office to commence our In Country Training (ICT). After introducing us to the facilities and staff we spent most of the morning with Ebrima completing forms, medical form, emergency form, alien immigration form etc. He then took us to the immigration office, a small run down building with two rooms the main of which consisted of a bench to sit on and two table’s one with a typewriter. The eight of us could hardly fit in the office and sat squashed together on the bench awaiting the outcome. Ebrima handed over some money and one of the officers started typing, it was very informal with lots of laughs and joking going on, at the end of which I can now say I am an Alien!! The day’s ICT finished at 2.30pm, so managed to spend the rest of the day cooling off at the pool with Abigail and Bradley.

Immigration Office

Emily, Emma, Georgia, Paul & James

Cooling Off

VSO Office

Had our early morning wake up call by the birds again, will have to find out what they are called and decided to visit the woodcarvers craft market at the town of Brikama which is also were the College is that Paul will be teaching at. Being very brave, we found ourselves in a gelleh gelleh “bush taxi”- a mini bus packed full with Gambians but with no set bus stops to get on or off just a general direction which is shouted out of the window by the fare collector. We travelled 30 miles through the farmed countryside past numerous roadside markets for the princely sum of 85p (five of us).

Dropped off in the centre of town at the market which was a mass of stalls with garish plastic sandals, cloth fabric and fly covered meat making the extremes. We did have a pleasant conversation with Fatima and her English husband Tony who have moved to Brikama with their children from London. Fatima was selling bric-a-brac on a stall all imported from the UK, and it wasn’t long before we received an invite of dinner with them and the chance for the children to play together, so she gave us her phone number so hopefully once sorted we will look to get in touch.

Brikama Market

We set off in the direction of the craft market using our guide book - never has a map been more wrong, a mile later and on the other side of the road we reached the home of the woodcarvers; it lived up to expectation and we were lucky not to have been hassled into buying more than we needed. Bradley was very interested in the drums and ended up jamming with one of the stall holders.

Woodcarvers Market

Bradley Jamming with the Locals

While searching for the craft market we did find Gambia College, and asked the security guard if we could look around. He gave us a guided tour, the children were mesmerised by the wildlife in the college grounds – beautiful birds, three foot long lizards/iguanas, large centipedes etc. We also had a look around the section designated to an Agricultural College consisting of egg poultry farm, small banana and mango plantation and fields of other sustainable foods, overall a good day out for us all.

Brikama College