A way with words

uk A more productive week began with the return of the Director and Principal Education Officer to Basse and some sense of order descended on the office. So we decided to leave it.
The Gambia boasts one main road which goes from west to east along the north bank of the river then crosses south to become the south road travelling east to west. Some of the road is tarmac but the majority especially that in regions 3,4,5 & 6 is a red shale covered with sand. It resembles a moto cross track with humps and hollows, water and mud. It was along this road that Lynn and I travelled east for 40 minutes on Tuesday to the delightfully named school of Kiskis. Great news, we never fell off! Rather after some near misses in deep sand we stopped every time we arrived somewhere which looked difficult and Lynn walked through it.
We were also stopped by the police for not wearing helmets. Okay Officer we promised to be good and always wear them in the future. The policemen laughed and waved us on. We spent time on Wednesday and Thursday helping two schools bid writing. It was then we found the definitive proposal which we recommend you adopt or pass on to your friends who might be seeking support in cash or kind for a project at home. Read the following yourself. We have removed the name of the school to protect the innocent. I know you will agree that nothing further needs be said;

A letter requesting assistance in cash or kind

Dear Sir Madam I wish to bring to your institution, high office or you as an individual in respect of the above captioned item.
Sir/Madam, cognisance of the fact that, the world is striving towards maintaining economic equilibrium, stability and ever lasting peace, it becomes prudent enough to nurture and foster these virtues into students. The best place to do so is in school. The schools therefore, need to be fully provided with the right gadgets that would serve as apt springboards in facilitating these cataclysms.
Sir/Madam it then becomes our ardent desire to transform our school into the ideal school which would facilitate this.

Now how could you as the CEO of a company refuse such a request? Beautifully put eh?
Friday was possibly our most productive yet. We attended two meetings which offered much by way of opportunity and the possibility that we would soon be used in a more productive manner. However this being the Gambia we are going to learn from the cautionary tale sent to us by Lynn’s sister Pam. She tells us that her friend, a VSO veteran, told her of a great story from another West African state. Apparently she was so angry that she had not been given any work to do after 2 months she gave her employer an ultimatum – he replied they would sit down after he had had his breakfast and go over what he wanted her to do. He came back from breakfast 2 days later!

categories Living in the Gambia | Tom November 13, 2009

2 Comments to “A way with words”

  1. By Duncan, November 15, 2009 @ 15:05

    Hi guys.

    Well. Things have happened and no doubt will continue to happen. Hey. It’s what makes this life interesting (besides moving to Gambia!).

    I promise I will set down some thoughts for you. I believe in realism, more than anything else. And what you two are doing is realism to the max.

    We can take care of anything you need back here, so don’t worry.

    All ze best!

    Duncan

  2. By Gary, November 15, 2009 @ 15:55

    This is no laughing matter, and no it doesn’t make any difference that you’re of the Easy Rider generation. Naughty! Write this out 100 times: I must wear my crash helmet! Come to think of it, even Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper wore helmets. Good strategy for dealing with the sand pits though. Born to be wild.

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