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mamag
28 Posts |
 Posted - 12 May 2006 : 19:37:02
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i have just retutened from the gambia after staying there for 6months. However much i loved the country, i got relatively bored and found it difficult to make friends that i could hang out with and generally enjoy the sunshine. can anyone give me tips on things to do out there or maybe we can start a little meeting club where people from Europe, especially the UK can have their own live bantaba and can meet up and do things in the Gambia. I got so bored of senegambia and after a day of teaching, a girl just wants to relax with good food, wine and company. I'm heading back out there in 8 weeks.
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mandjago
Gambia
9 Posts |
Posted - 12 May 2006 : 21:37:50
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| You make me laugh,cause you sound like my 3 years old daughter if she get boring. But the sad thing is..you write that you are a teacher...! How embarrassing ? Anyway, I can not share the experience of having hardness to make friends. But that of course also depends on what kind of friends you were looking for. I believe you are in a problem of having too much of everything and therefor you lost eyes for the beautiness of Gambia and it'S people. Did you speak mandinka,wolof or fula ? If not, why not try to use your time for learning ? |
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mamag
28 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2006 : 01:45:17
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| Well, I’m not embarrassed to be a teacher, I teach people who have special needs and I love what I do more than anything...embarrassing NO..rewarding..YES. I did try to learn Wolof as my boyfriend speaks it quite well and I think if I stayed longer my education would have grown. I have been going to the Gambia since I was a child as I had family and still have friends (although they are much older than me) so again No, I did not loose sight of anything thank you very much. I just wished I met more people like me who were also in their 20's or 30's and were open just like me and living out there. |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2006 : 08:04:28
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mamag
I am interested in being friends with you. I teach special needs, autstic children in uk and I am involved with a nursery in Gambia.
If you want to email me directly please use my new email address which is leicesterbev@hotmail.com
I am happy for any bantaba members that want to talk more to use that.
I am never bored for a moment in Gambia...but I am only there for 1 or 2 weeks. I am hoping to spend longer spells of time once my daughter leaves home.
Can I ask do you do paid work in Gambia? DOes your job in uk get held open for you?
I am 45, so older than you...but young at heart. Think we could be friends. |
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twinkly
United Kingdom
190 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2006 : 11:54:02
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Have you tried mixing and integrating with the locals?
After all you go all the way to Gambia to meet europeans again?
Your view of things might change, instead of a nice glass of wine, maybe a nice homecooked dinner and some attaya?And some conversations in the cool evening breeze by candlelight?
I stayed there for longer periods than you and certainly never got bored ,I don't know any toubabs there.(and I don't have a job there either ) |
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mandjago
Gambia
9 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2006 : 12:29:47
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| I didn't mean you to be embarresed for being a teacher,but for your statement of being boring. And I do see it like twinkly...you are not traveling all abroad for to meet only Europeans ? I sure never ment to offend you. |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2006 : 13:24:36
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Twinkly you are very lucky to be able to travel in Gambia for long periods and not need a job.
I find the best thing about being in Gambia is the pace of life gives you time to really talk to people........ it's very social and friendly. |
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mandjago
Gambia
9 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2006 : 15:39:39
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quote:
it's very social and friendly.
exactly..that's why I wondered somebody having difficulties to make friends. |
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Babylon
Sweden
691 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2006 : 20:22:59
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mamag, why not just go and have a dinner and some wine at the tourist areas? there should be plenty of brits to get in touch with and find out if there are others who stay in Gambia for longer periods. I know how homesick one can get on long trips and start missing things about your own country that you never thought you´d miss. Such as foods, media and countrymen.
That´s just as normal for africans here as for europeans overseas.
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mamag
28 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2006 : 15:53:10
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Thanks for that guys....i did have local 'friends' but i found that some of them would ask for the most outrageous things because they thought i was rich and this made me feel a little on edge. My boyfriend was there with me and i was very close with 2 other brit girls until they left and i think that's when my experience changed. Going out by urself i found to be hard work sometimes because the men (some of them) will not leave you alone and at one time i had a man sitting with me all night even though i had told him to go and we were not even chatting. A friend from London was there and she found this intrusive but then again people are different and we must adapt.
Gambiabev, i think we can be buddies...I’m a firm advocate for those with learning difficulties/disabilities and love meeting people who share that devotion. To answer your questions, I was working for a great N.G.O. over here but i felt i wasn't being challenged anymore even though i worked an almost 50hr per week and found time to have a life so i decided to quit and try my luck in doing voluntary work in Africa. Some people thought I was crazy because i was going to get a generous pay rise but that wasn’t enough. I wanted to get a different perspective and have an independent life for myself at 24. Working in Africa comes with many challenges (social/cultural/moral) but its something I really enjoyed when things weren’t too crazy and my students were the best. I was doing it voluntary but I was later asked to take on a teaching post after someone resigned
I do love the Gambia, for holidays it’s great but when you're there with just yourself and your partner, you do start missing the ‘western life'. Saying that, i head back in a few weeks.
Gambiabev, what are your plans for the gambia
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mamag
28 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2006 : 15:57:14
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After all you go all the way to Gambia to meet europeans again?
Twinkly, your so right about that...never thought of it like that.
I think after i met those 2 brit girls, it was great having the support system with people who understood your lifestyle and i guess have the means to go out and enjoy themselves.
thankyou for making me think about that. |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2006 : 16:47:49
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| mamag, i know were you are coming from i felt the same but i taped into a few gambians who had travelled to europe and american. they invited me to their homes and that helped. Also where are you teaching, whenever I have visited the schools a teacher has invited me to have dinner with them. Also tap into some of the volunteer corps that are there, they are great company. it will take time but make an effort and it will come to you. it will a few more visits. |
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ABRAHAM
United Kingdom
25 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2006 : 17:53:10
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| if you are bored again in the gambia,please contact me i will arrange my friends working at hotel industries,to spicy you life a little bit. i live in uk and work as medical doctor.my private email address is njie1@yahoo.com |
njie |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2006 : 19:14:42
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I bet you find 'middle class english life' a bit boring...all those dinner parties with small talk!
I bet you long for a night out at senegambia!!!!
Seriously, congratulations on making it as a doctor. Are you a GP? Or in a hospital?
Do you think you will ever go home to work? |
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LEMON TIME
Afghanistan
1295 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2006 : 19:31:50
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| it looks stupid to have the same AVATAR Abraham but if u like it so much i will change mine as you may not know that am using Sagattarius. |
There is no god but Allah |
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mamag
28 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2006 : 22:12:03
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i'm loving this forum...brilliant,brilliant and even more brilliant.
Abraham,thanx for the offer i may take you up on that.
Jambo i didnt get teachers asking me to their homes for dinner,instead i got them asking if they could come over to mine and a few were particularly keen to meet my boyfriend. |
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