Most of last week, I spent on a trip where I was able to do some research on a good chunk of The Gambia. For Yall that forgot all the things from geography class, The Gambia the country that in basically inside Senegal. It was a British colony that occupies the Gambia River and a few kilometers north and south of it. Gambia is a different country and it made a very different trip.
For starters I did not have my motorcycle and I used public transportation to get from place to place. I wasn’t quite sure if I wanted to go through the hassle of all the paperwork for a new country. And since 11 different times I was asked by the Gambian police to see my passport, I think I made a good choice. Also with the different country came different money, different laws, and probably the hardest thing for me to adjust too, a different language.
Yall who know about Gambia might be thinking, “They speak English in Gambia???” That would be correct but that didn’t make things easier. For some reason it was very difficult for me to talk to an African in English. Even when the dude didn’t speak Pulaar I still had a hard time speaking only English. And when I was speaking Pulaar that was totally different too, here in Senegal there are many French words that are mixed in with the language. I had an easy time understanding them because they would mix in English words but they had a hard time understanding me because I would use some French word or two that they didn’t know.
All in all, it made for a fun trip and I was able to get everything that I needed. I just had a lesson on one of the first things they teach you when you do this kind of work, be flexible!!! I wonder what it’s going to be like when I go to the country to the south where Portuguese is the official language?? That will make for a real fun adventure!!!
Oh yeah, also when I was there I meet a French man that was riding his bicycle across Africa, I was a little jealous!
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3 comments:
Erik, you'll just have to ask your old teacher Mr. Sharpley. Remember Portuguese was my first language and I can help. My parents were Southern Baptist Missionaries in South Brazil for 39 years! Dude - I'm so proud of you! God will use you in ways you don't even know. Flexibility is of the spirit!
Si tu precisa uma traduçao me chama eu posso te ajudar.
If you need some translation just call I can help! Peace be with you brother!
I hadn't read this yet. You're so cool and doing such cool things. We're all proud of you.
hehe, I bet that dude on his bike was the same guy that I saw here in Ngaye last month. Guy from South Africa, spoke English with a british accent? That's cool you saw him. Hope you continue to do well. I'm getting ready to spend some time out in the same village for many consectutive days to work and story with them. Later texan.
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