Bradley's Birthday Party

Today we have arranged a party for Bradley so I was busy all morning with the final preparations. I was happy with the finished results setting the table with pizza swirls, garlic bread, sausage rolls, corned beef pie, butterfly cakes, coconut tarts, pasta, coleslaw, tomato salad and the usual nibbles, I am so glad we decided to buy an oven. At 3 o’clock the party started as the volunteers arrived, Kathy brought along her friend who was out here visiting her and James. Also Emma’s dad had come back out for a couple of weeks as he was looking to hire a bike and travel up country having enjoyed his first visit to the country back in February. After we had finished eating we played some party games which Bradley had requested, pass the parcel, pin the tail on the donkey and pirate treasure hunt in the garden. As usual all the volunteers got into the swing of the party games and made it enjoyable for both Bradley and Abigail. The party finally came to a close at 7 o’clock with Bradley blowing out his candles on his cake. As the volunteers left Paul and James left for Churchill’s bar as they wanted to watch the six nations rugby tournament.

Alliance François Cinema

This week at school it has been exams for Abigail and Bradley this has meant an early finish each day of 12.30pm and a day off on Friday. As for Diana Mariam school we have also been doing exams however this has been interrupted with a visit to a cinema on Monday for the primary children. The transport to the cinema was by car so as the saying goes how many children can you fit in a car. This week is French week so unfortunately for me the cartoons being shown were in French. On Friday Abigail and Bradley accompanied me to school. I was surprised when we were all loaded into cars again to go to a local French school. On arrival we were shown to a seated area and then watched as they decided to move things around. The performance started (all in French) with the children singing songs, acting out drama and poems. The Dianna Mariam primary children did a drama of little red riding hood. With the performance at a close we were asked to help ourselves to the buffet lunch provided. Myself and other teachers quickly plated up some food for the children. We left around midday I felt quite embarrassed by the mess left behind by the children, plates, food and drink bottles littered the ground, I don’t think they have ever heard of bins in this country

Paul's Week Up Country

Paul on the other hand has had a very tiring week as he has been up country doing his teacher observations. He was picked up on Sunday at 1 o’clock (should have been 10.30am) and they then drove to pick up a few more lecturers before then heading to Brikama. Once there the journey was delayed due to a problem with the truck and the offering of a food bowl of domada. Finally at 4 o’clock their journey along the south bank began (or so Paul thought) only to have the truck stop at the market where the lecturers jumped out to then buy food. All back in the truck they continued on stopping for a guy at the side of the road who jumped into the back with a cylinder of gas, he was then taken about thirty miles up country. After five hitchhikers, many pit stops and a ferry across to the north bank they finally arrived at the village of Karantarba at around 10.30pm just west of Basse. With a very long day on a dusty road it was rounded off when Paul’s bed for the night was the floor and the joy of a bucket bath in the morning.

On the Monday they started their day of observations then stopped for what we would call a late breakfast or early lunch. His day finished at the village of Diabugu where they stayed within the school grounds in the teacher’s accommodation. This proved to be very comfortable and he had the luxury of a hot shower in the morning. On arrival they were told they could have either corned beef sandwiches for dinner or if they give some money they would kill a chicken. The chicken lost and became dinner for the night with rice.

On Tuesday Paul’s rash had got worse and was very itchy, before leaving on Sunday he had developed a rash on his arms and chest, I had given him some antihistamine tablets thinking it may be prickly heat. He decided to seek out a doctor so headed to Basse as this was the nearest large village. He was pushed to the front of the queue (being white) to see the doctor where he had to give urine and stool samples to rule out malaria. This proved to be a bad experience as the toilets were a hole in the ground outside and very dirty. Two hours later he received the analysis luckily he didn’t have malaria however the doctor thought he may have scabies urgh yuk, (on arriving back home Doc Emily doesn’t think it is good job otherwise we would have all got it.) After paying fifty dalasi for his consultation he was given some lotion which he had to apply once after bathing, when he sent me a text to tell me it resulted in me itching for the rest of the night. As he was in Basse he spent the night at Tom and Lynne’s and they ate at the only restaurant in town, chicken and chips.

The rest of his week consisted of being driven around various schools to do his observations, staying in different villages some of which benefited the driver (lots of girl friends) and eating at some dodgy food. Paul also phoned me with some bad news on Thursday our friend Adama from the craft market his twin sister had died of malaria. On Friday I received a text to say he would be home earlier than expected so would be able to celebrate Bradley’s birthday. He arrived at around 5 o’clock very fed up with the days events. He had been up at 7.30am waiting to set off for home. The other lecturers dragged their feet eating breakfast so they finally set off at 11 o’clock. Bradley was pleased to see daddy so early, we then ate fish and chips followed by jelly which Bradley had requested. Bradley then set about opening his presents some of which Jenny had brought out with her. He was very pleased with his toys Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Nintendo games and lego set which he managed to play with before bed.