Beeeezzaa & Honey

Hello everybody! I hope you are all well and miss you all terribly. These last two weeks I've been in IST training and its been a ball. The subjects of this training were beekeeping, fruit tree nurseries, tree grafting and gardening. I really enjoyed the beekeeping as you will see.

Me making a native bee hive out of grass. Its like making a basket:)

The Bees

As I said beekeeping was completely thrilling. I only got stung once but it wasn't when I was invading the hive stealing the bees loot, it was a random act of nature that occurred while walking through a Cashew orchard. The suits are fun! I took a few moments to pretend I was an astronaut and a member of a bio hazard control unit, characters the suit satisfied.

The practice hive and gear.

I was part of a group of 4 and we each had a job. One is a cutter (cutter of the comb), a light source, a bucket manager and a smoker. I was the smoker. Once we maneuvered are way into our oversized bee suits we walked through a Cashew orchard to there the hives where. And like a thief in the night (@ night bees are calmer) we smoked them, grabbed their gold and looked over the intricate workings of the colony, all this while beeing swarmed by female workers. The workers are the gathers and protectors of the hive and they let us know by swarming us, buzzing in our ears and covering us with their "gettem scent".

My bee task force!

Our honey!!!!
We got a heaping bucket of honey and the next day we learned how to extract the honey, process the bees wax, make bees wax hand & foot cream and marketing of it all.

Yummy yummy honey in my tummy;)

Extracting honey for the comb.

Ok don't freak but I ate 5 bees that had drowned in honey. Very sweet and a little crunchy. Its a common thing to do after harvest, honest.

I'm going to try to set up some hives at the National Park in the hopes that it will be a source of income for the park, which it needs. Slowly Slowly as they say. After the bee charming we moved onto trees and grafting. I'm learning some really cool skills that I've always been interested in, I just hope I can put them to use someday.
Citrus Nursery
So now that the training is over I have to say good bye to my wonderful peeps and friend here, head back to site and start some REAL work. I may not be able to write next month because I need to stay at site and invest some much needed time. But I plan I writing lots of letters. So keep your eyes on your mailboxes.

The pic below shows a local Gambian paper and one of headline is "Peace Corps Volunteers Not CIA Agents", funny;).
I miss you all and thinking of you:)

Hugs

Just A Quick Hello

Hello everyone! I've been here in The Gambia for 6 months now and time is starting to fly. I'm also starting to feel more at home and less like a visitor. However the more at home I feel the more amazed and taken back by everything. I've noticed that my culture shock is being replaced by astonishment. Every single day I feel that sense and think "holy shit I'm in Africa!", it never ceases to amaze and daze me. This place can be so beautiful in every way, so f#%$ed up in every way and sometimes both at the same time. I can say that I'm learning a lot about myself and I've found I'm much stronger than I thought.
Dancing with the girls at my friend Alicia's site.

Work is getting easier in the sense that I'm getting good ideas. If they take hold and actually evolve is another story entirely. My garden has sprouted! I'm growing tomato, cucumber, garlic, basil and lettuce in one bed and I have a smaller bed where I grow my seedlings of Moranga and Pigeon Pea trees. The trees are very cool because they have highly nutritious leaves and fruit plus they're delicious.
My (baby) garden.


My town and family are still wonderful and I'm very happy. I'm doing lots of exploring when I'm not working or visiting with my family or neighbors and found lots of cool spots to hide in in case I need to get away.
This is a Red silk cottonwood tree that is by my village and it is HUGE and striking. I love to play in the grooves and scare the lizards
My momma musa is so beautiful and kind to me. We sit on her mat in the heat of the day and she helps me with my Mandinka (even though she doesn't speak a work of English) or we just hang out. I will miss her terribly when I go home.
The culture can be very raw and takes some getting use to. I've seen more animals killed for meat and ceremonies than I could ever imagine. The way Gambia's treat their animals is one of my on going inter battles. Especially the animals that we love and care for back in the states. Dogs and cats are especially treated horribly. There is no such thing as animal right here. Love you pets people, love them!
This cow was bought by 5 families during a religious holiday and will feed those families for a week. Food is very much part of holidays or celebrations here. It very common for families to bye a goat or share a cow so they can feast during these times.
You all should know that I've been taking some videos with my camera so I can show you them when I get home. They are short and sweet but say volumes.
Its strange but there is nothing more to say now. Is that a sign of settlement? However these next months coming should be full of story's for I have lots of projects in mind.

Miss you all and think of you everyday!
Big fat hugs from The Gambia

Getting my groove:)

Henna art its so fun and lasts about 2 weeks.

Hello to you from The Gambia:) It is March and in 8 days my three month challenge will be over and I will be a seasoned volunteer. It's really crazy getting dropped off in the middle of a country and the place/village that is to become you new home without being a little freaked out. Especially since you don't know a soul, don't speak the language and you are the only "toubab" (white person) for kilometers around.
Note: Being a toubab in The Gambia immediately makes you into a celebrity, everyone knows your name, wants to be around you and talk to you so you are NEVER alone and always noticed where ever you go.
There was a big bush fire right outside my village. Everyone had to run out and beat/back burn so it didn't reach the village.
Bush fires are common in the dry season and can be dangerous. This one burned all day and throughout the night and covered hundreds of km. However they are not as devastating as the ones back home because they are never managed, they are left to burn and so its apart of the bushes ecology. Almost all fires are started by careless people.
My mom sporting my sun hat, Yaya my bro, Howa (spozen) and her boy Mahamabo.

I've realized that 3 months is my (or maybe most peoples) perfect time for me the find my groove. My language (Mandinka) is more fluent, I've made friends and acquaintances, I’ve gotten to know my family better (they still kick ass), explored the wuloo (the bush) around my village and within biking distances and had a few adventures.

My work is coming along slowly but surely. PC tells us that our busiest time will be during our 2nd year because your relations are stronger, language is functional and you have a better idea of what projects will be successful. I've started working but nothing major with the park because that seems like a very sensitive job and I want to feel it out a little more. There is a very fine balance between success and "failure" here.

My lunch, rice and fish. Its really really good. Howa is my cook and she always makes delicious food for me. It just that there is ALWAYS rice.

I've started an Environmental Club and the grade school in Dumbuto. It has 35 members in grades 5th and 6th. One day a week I teach a class in environmental science then we go out for an afternoon for a few hours and apply the lesson concepts. It’s a blast and the kids really love it.

I've also joined the kafoo or women's group in the village. They are the wives, mothers, gardeners, rice farmers, caregivers and overall glue of the family. All the women are strong, fiery and amazing to be around. We all meet once a week under the big Silk Cottonwood tree and discuss issues in the village like gardening, market, marriage ceremonies and naming ceremonies.

Kafoo meeting.
As for the park some things are getting done. Repairs and rebuilds are in process and I'm mainly trying to learn how the park is REALLY run, getting to know the rangers and working on small projects like painting park signs, organizing and cleaning the library and "research office", and other small but needed tasks.

Weekly Luumo
I go very week to buy my weeks worth of fruit, veggies and peanuts
Sometimes I get fabric and get cloths made
I still spend most of my time hanging with my family, visiting other compounds and exploring the area. I get together with my site mates a few times every month and we go to the luumo (weekly market 7 km away), go on a hike or just visit. I'm very lucky because I have 4 awesome site mates and I love them. Note: a site mate is another PCV that live close to you. Some PCVs only have one. So I’m never lonely.
My site mate and good friend Kat (with her cat).

Yeah some of the things I've had to deal with lately is the 110-125 day temps and scorpions in my house. They tell me that the sting of a scorpion will make the toughest man cry all night. I hope I don't get stung.

OK signing off for now. Know that I am happy and still healthy and doing very well:)

OXOX

Happy New Year from The Gambia!

Hello all! It feels like forever since I've written and a lot has happened. Of course I can't tell you everything because somethings/stories will be better told in person. I've been there in The Gambia for 4 months and all is going well. I've been in my village getting to know my family, my community and my work.

My village is composed of 50 compounds some with large extended family living in them. Most are farmers or small local business owners (selling veggie at the local market). I’ve realized that I haven’t taken any photos yet of the village itself so I will make sure to send you some next time.

I live on the SE corner of the village in a house (that I love) that’s right next door from my family’s compound. My family, the Njie, are a very happy, kind people and are so very helpful to me. My “father” and “small father” both speak pretty good English which is nice when I’m having a bad Mandinka day. My mother is sweet and smiling all the time and my “mamma musa” and Mammadu (my grand mother and father) are the happiest nicest old couple I have ever met. Momma musa also is my language tutor in village.
My House:

Inside my house:







This is my family, again they are wonderful! I am missing 6 people. I’m planning on organizing a family prorate soon.

My grandparents (I love them!)


My father Ibrahama and little bro Yaya


My mother Jara


My small father aka uncle Lang


Yaya, my little sis Birkama and me


Some randoms




My days usually go like this…wake up about 6:30am to the call to prayer from the mosque, birds cheering, women pounding (rice in a big mortar & pestle) and donkey’s heehaaing. I have a nice breakfast of oatmeal, fruit and mint tea.
Side note: Mint tea has become a bit of a problem for me. It grows in the bush so it’s always around. I collect it, dry it and have mint tea with honey 5-8 times a day. My name is Amber and I’m addicted to mint tea. The first step to getting help is admitting you have a problem.

Then I get washed, dressed, water my veggie garden and then go greet (or say good morning) to my family. Then I start wahatever. I either:
-go to Kiang West NP with the rangers.
The posy of Kiang West

Baboons


Hooded Vultures



-work in my garden
-ride my bike to the market
-go hiking
-visit other compounds in the village
-ride my bike 20-40k to see my asome PC site mates
PC posy and my good friends Kat, Matt and Tim. New Years Day hike

-write in my journal
-get stoked because my friend that came to visit from the States
My dearest friend Andrew


-do laundry, all by hand mind you
-do research on the Park
Or go hang with my family.
My 2pm it's to hot (100d) to do anything so I read (I've read 4 books in 6 weeks:)
After 5pm it cools down and I begging domestic chores like dishes, fetching water, sweeping my dusty house (it’s always dusty). Then I read some more, eat some dinner and get ready for bed. Sometimes I have a fire and do some star gazing.

When March rolls around and my 3 month challenge comes to a close then I will start my job, I could go into it but I should save some things for later and talk about them as they develop. I will also be able to do my once a month e-mailing and blogging. Please still continue to write snail mail though, its so nice getting tangible letters.

Overall I am happy and healthy still. No crazy sicknesses or infections. My stomach agrees with the food and I’ve acclimatized to the heat or I’ve just learned how to deal with 100 degrees everyday.

Its still shocking to me to be here (and the idea this is just beginning). Sometimes I see a certain tree or bird or see something that hits the depths of soul and it still hits me...I'm in frecken Africa. Some things I've seen have been so beautiful it's taken my breath away and I soak it up for however long it last. Some things I've seen have left me shaking with shock, hurrying home so I can cry. I'm learning so much about myself (sometimes I feel myself "growing") and I'm defiantly getting a different view of the world we live in. It's all so scary and amazing to me.