Training dragged on for most of the day. The real treat happened at the end whwen there was a group session called "American diversity in Gambia" which involved some of the current volunteers discussing one of their characteristics and how that has negative/positive impacts on their service. Some volunteers talked about their gender, others about their ethnicity, and others about their martial status, etc. I felt so enlightened by their stories and feel like I got to know them a lot better. After that, we had another short session about differences in values between the US and The Gambia and were rushed back to our training villages.
I got the chance to finally see everyone's villages because they dropped the Serehule ladies off last. EVERY VILLAGE WAS SO INTERESTING. There's definitely a difference between where I live and between where the rest of my colleagues live. Most of their communities were off-road country filled with narrow turns, cramped neighborhoods, and hidden pathways/roads. Oh, and gorgeous gateways. My village has things much more spread out with each compound and road being large. I'm also right next to the main road.
I went home, everyone was pretty excited to see me, went to fetch water right away because I ran out (all 2 bidongs and a bucket worth!), and I'm sooooo worried about my garden because I didn't water it at all last night/this morning. I put stuff back to normal places, showered, and went out to do some math with the folks. I spent time longer out there than expected and I'm drained. I'm splitting the groups more but I need to divide the younger children in half between "kids" and "babies." I will have a "teen" "kids" and "babies" group. Slowly slowly...
I tried explaining to my 12 year old sister to teach/hvae the small kids practice every day but I'm not sure if that happens. I know she has a packed day filled with going to the fields, going to school, doing chores at home, ah. Her young life. Then, the oldest mom says she wants me to teach the youngest girl but I'm like, Numa (my 12 year old sister) can teach her. The oldest mom (who I'm named after by the way), insisted that Numa COULDN'T but I was adamant that she could. Psh. Numa totally can teach something as easy as 1-10 which is the basis of counting. Rude. I'm not giving her daughter special attention, I'm just going to teach her with the rest of the gang. She's definitely spoiled but very sweet to me - just a little impatient. At least she's assertive with what she wants which is good for a girl! I shower her with compliments every time she coughs into her elbows. I read a bunch of health stuff to the kids and turned in for the night.
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