So what is she doing in Africa???

So, I am sure many of you are wondering what I actually do with my days. I have written a little about culture differences and how things are done in the Gambia (a.k.a. the food bowl, polygamous families, living in a muslim country and what the heck is cous again?)

Now I want to let you know what I do on a day to day basis and a glimpse into what my life is like here now.

I wake up to the sound of my sisters pounding cous for the day - it is 6:30 but the sun is up and so is my family. Gambians eat breakfast late so the morning is my American time. Thanks to all the love and support I have received some coffee and I eat my bowl of oatmeal in the morning. Breakfast is my time as I awake to greet the day.
Even though Gambians eat breakfast at 9:30 a.m. the day will be hot by 12:00 so I am off on my bike to the nearest village where the central nursery is. As I leave my village I am telling everyone I am leaving for work and will not be back until lunch - but by then "the sun will be too hot," they say. I bike into the next village and am surrounded by greetings, it took me 3 months for everyone to not call me toubob and call my Soxna (my Gambian name) instead. It feels so nice to be known.
I come into the gate of the nursery which is 4 hectres and has three huts for training centers - it is a huge success. The NGO (non-governmental organization) I work with started 14 years ago and a lot of sweat and determination went in to every seedling in the nursery. It is one of the most successful environmental NGO's in the country and I am proud to be a partner. Just a little background, my NGO was started by Gambians and is maintained by Gambians, it works in over 17 villages and has many orchards and woodlots some successful, some not; but all are aware of the terrible rate of deforestation in this country. We are currently working on being self-sustainable which is one of the hardest feats for any NGO, especially in Western Africa.
I greet the two old men who are caretakers there and come every morning and night to water the over 100,000 seedlings we have. Together they remind me of my grandma and grandpa - one is a fiesty person who will die with his boots on even though he has a bad hip and gives all us youngin's problems for not working hard. The other is the best teacher I have ever had and is helping me learn Wolof and learn about trees of the Gambia.
Sometimes my two counterparts come who are fieldworkers and the director of my NGO. They are all amazing people to work with. I spend my time digging beds, stuffing pots to sow seeds in and of course sow seeds. I water the garden, I talk about deforestation problems, but mostly I sit and talk about whatever topic comes to mind. I really enjoy my 'work'.
I bike home by lunch 2:00 p.m. and eat with my family and then during the hottest part of the day I sit under the mango tree drinking attaaya and hanging out with my family. The rest of the day is either within my village with friends or with my family.

Although I really do enjoy my work, it is not an idealistic amazing place to be all the time. I reason I signed up for Peace Corps was to receive a challenge like no other and to see if I really could hack it as an anthropologist. Some conversations I have include; the effects of climate change and deforestation, globalization and the development of Africa as a whole, the world food crisis and how many of my villagers will not eat in a couple months time because they simply have no food. They also include; my role as a woman and how my job is to be married and have children and yet I am trying to help the people of the Gambia at the age of 23, while being single and childless. Amidst all of these questions I think to myself, what can I possible do to help people??

But then I realize, I am not here to 'help' people like we as Americans think of it. I am not here to give aid. I am here to give only the little knowledge I have and the hugs I share with children. Namely, I am learning more here than I ever thought I would and realizing how important the little things are in life. My most valuable work is making friends and laughing with people who have never really known a 'toubob'. If I can plant trees in the meantime, the better the world will be for it.

I have a lot of learn during my time here. I just want to say thank you to everyone who wrote a letter or sent a package or even an email of love because I have so many ups and downs and lessons in one day. My brother Jeff said, "people ask me what you do Jaclyn, and I do not really know." My answer Jeffrey is living.

If you want to send a care package but do not know what to send me.....

Here is a list of things that I would love to receive as many of you are amazing and asked what to send me.
- Coffee (I brought my french press and I would love to use it)
- Seeds (My garden is horrible and I need good seeds)
- vegetables include but are not limited to:
Carrots, Lettuce, Basil, Tomatoes, green peppers, any other herbs used in cooking that could handle tropical tempetatures, I would also like to try strawberries.
- Vegetables to cook with: this includes dried sun dried tomatoes, corn, peas and green beans are also not vegetables of the gambia so they all would be delicious to cook with.
- National Geographic - any new, old or anything just because I miss it so much
- Newspapers - Any and all. Local papers are great and so would be the star tribune but also even New York Times simply to know what is going on in the world and have some intellectual conversation.
Pictures - this is anything from postcards of what the snow and fall season are to pictures of those I love to show my family and friends in village.

Thank you all for the packages and letters I appreciate them so much and I hope that you all are getting mine in return. Love and hugs from the Gambia!

More pictures....

More pictures of the people I love:

Left: My small brother Abilay -

age: 3

Occuptation: playing

Shared interests: making funny faces and hugs

My sister Fatou who is 15 and in the picture doing laundry. She is such a great person to be around.

Update with Pictures!

Hello everyone-

I first want to say thank you for all of the warm wishes/letters and care packages. The giardia is subsiding and I am feeling really great physically. The hot season is in full swing now with people sitting around and chatting during the afternoons, which means they also get up earlier. I have become a morning person - it is not like me.

I am currently in the city doing a technical training. Everyone from the 25 of us have completed the three month challenge and we are all still going strong at site! Yay! I was one of them and even though life will not change for me day to day, I feel proud to have completed my first three months as a volunteer, especially since I am happy and healthy.

I have some pictures that I will describe and finally to share, I hope you all enjoy them.

Above:

My grandmother Gor Gor is what people call her

She is super sweet and in this picture she was shelling peanuts

Left: The back of my house (hut) it is thatched roof and square and under the best mango tree in the village.

Oh my life is always surrounded by POO

So, as if the Gambia has not changed me in enough ways as a person, it has now changed the way my body digests food also. Yes folks I have giardia. It's nothing to be worried about beyond the parasite I had a year ago, but not even 6 months in to country and I am already filled with more critters! At least I am not constipated! I am currently being treated by the Peace Corps doctor and watching movies until I re-coop and the medicine can kick in. Take care, and the next time you are on the toilet think of me.
Love and hugs from Gambia,
Jaclyn