Just a note

to say that we are all sworn in and heading to our villages in the morning. Friday afternoon we got to have a ceremony at the Ambassadors residence. We did some shopping after the ceremony for household goods that we would need in our huts, things like a mattress and a tank of gas and burner to cook with. Saturday and Sunday they left us alone for some free time, which everybody used to buy food, watch movies, eat out at restaurants, and have a little fun. I had a blast going to the beach around 5 o clock on both days to play a little volleyball. The garage here at the house is full of mattresses, water buckets, and stoves, but tomorrow morning everything including ourselves will be loaded in the land cruised and headed up country. Wont be around to talk for a while but have a good Christmas and New Years.
Love You

 On the right is my sister, her name is Isatoo Sanneh. She talked with me every night in Mandinka, and whenever someone else wanted to talk to me they always said it to her and told her to translate it for me. She is 15 and the oldest of my mom's daughters still in the compound at Kaif. In the middle is Hawa, she about 10 and though shes not looking at the camera dont feel bad for her, she abruptly jumped in every picture that I tried to take of Isa. On the far right is the youngest, Sarjo. Shes 5 and looks pretty intense and mean, and she really scared me at first, but then I figured out that she is just  not saying much because she is shy.

 This is the sun coming up behind a baobab tree. The building is a storage barn for the last compound on the outskirts of Kaif. When I wanted to walk this was my route.

 This is Pabi. He is 13, but is as nice as any grandpa you have ever met. His compound was where we went to school. He walked our group to a dance once, and the dance was as loud as any club you could find back home. Like you would call the police because you couldn't sleep if this club was within 5 miles of your house. Well Pabi got tired, and instead of going home when he was tired, he sat down inside of this dancehall and fell asleep with techno music blaring in his face until we woke him up and said that we were leaving, then he walked us back home.

This is a towel with Zabeth's name on it. Its a functional keepsake because I get to think of Zabeth, see her name, use something of hers, and plus get dry. Its drying in the backyard and the blue bucket on the ground is for bathing.

Similar Differences

One thing that has been pretty interesting so far is that the four of us who were in my training village are all Americans. We are each very different from each other, an older male from Seattle, a 22 year old female from Michigan and a 24 year old guy from upstate New York (in addition to myself). We didnt know each other until we all met in Philadelphia  and bonded on our plane ride over to Gambia. For all of our inherent differences, once we  got to Gambia we were all just considered Americans. It was a little hard at first, because we place so much difference on being from our different parts of the country. We also all have our own interests and attitudes and reasons for coming to Gambia. but to the people in Kaif and to most of the other Gambians  we have met we we are all just the same- Americans. We don't get a chance to tell them that the Southwest is dry and hot and your living in what used to be Mexico. The guy from upstate New York didn't really get to explain that his home is in the Adirondack's and not the huge city. People asked if we all knew each other before we came to Gambia, and although it was frustrating not to be able to explain how different we all are, they do have a point in that we are all American. Its the same for the people here in Gambia, though. There are many ethnic groups including Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, Serahuli, and many more that  Im not writing because I don't know how to spell them. Each group is as different as we all are, if not more so. In my Mandinka village we eat rice and peanut sauce, called durango a lot. Five minutes down the road though, the next village is eating something completely different like coos and fresh milk. When I went to Sami Koto the rice and peanut sauce was totally different from the way its made in Kaif, but it still had the same name. Its like ordering green chile and expecting them chopped, but getting some creamy enchilada sauce instead. I guess the point is Im from America, or the United States but all I really know about is life in the El Paso-Las Cruces area. I am looking forward to knowing not the entire country of Gambia, but one small village named Sami Koto.

Happy to be in the City

well maybe not so much. I am definitely happy to be able to communicate with everyone, through email, letters that I got today, and the things I hope to be able to send out tomorrow. Other than that though I miss Kaif. It was a lot like leaving home two months ago. This morning it was still dark when the Peae Corps van came to pick us up. Even though it was quiet hours my dad, moms, and sister were all outside when the bus pulled up. I got to say good morning, hope you slept well, and my usual greeting one last time. It was difficult though and my voice started cracking. When its dark, the only way to communicate was through voice so I hope that they understood I was sad to be leaving. Last night I stayed up until after 11, and went to all of the important compounds in my neighborhood to say goodbye and chat a little. Every time someone would tell me to stay and chat I would tell them that my mom said I have to get home since its my last night. Actually, she was a lot like my dad. When I told her what time we were leaving she insisted on getting up and making me breakfast. It was way too early but she did rush out to get me a full bag of peanuts for the road.
 Once we got into the city we had a full day of instruction at the Peace Corps office. Then we all got home, ate dinner, and everyone went to work on the internet. Luckily some people went out tonight, which freed up some bandwidth. Well after the late night of saying goodbye yesterday, and the early morning travel today. Im going to bed now. Will try and be up early for some more free internet time. Love you guys!