30 January 2019
Arrival and first full day (29/30 Jan)
With widespread snow forecast over much of the UK we were
glad to depart Gatwick more or less on time. The northerly wind causing the
cold snap blew us quickly south and we arrived in very good time in Banjul. As
well as three really heavy suitcases containing our personal stuff and gifts,
we had six large boxes of microscopes and science equipment for the two days of
workshops. Luckily we had been provided with a letter for customs provided by
the registrar of Gambia College and this smoothed our way through. We were met
by our three Gambian friends and Pageant agents Wandifa, Abdoulie and Yankuba
and were soon on our way to the hotel.
After a rest and unpacking we went to the refurbished
Bantaba which has been transformed into an Italian restaurant complete with
pizza ovens.
On Wednesday morning we left the hotel with the aim of
visiting Gambia College, to finalise arrangements for the use of two
laboratories and for the provision of breakfast and lunch for the student
teachers during the two days. Before we arrived there we went to the ABC Nursery,
Lower Basic and Upper Basic school to see and welcome a newly sponsored grade 7
girl. She was presented with her Pageant welcome pack of a pencil case
containing rulers pencils etc for school. The ABC school looked very pleasant
with plenty of shade. It is assisted by a Norwegian Foundation and has only
recently started taking UB students. It is pleasantly small by Gambian
standards having only 376 students, and an average class size of about 33.
The well-shaded ABC Nursery LB and UB school
On then, to Gambia College. Mr Ceesay, the Head of Science,
whom we usually meet to arrange the workshops, unfortunately could not be there
to meet us, but had arranged his deputy to be there and help. The main problem
facing us was that the large tables in the Biology Lab, where we usually carry
out the microscopy workshop, had been removed without authorisation and had
been replaced with single chairs only. Useless for a practical workshop.
James, the head lab technician, arrived and had found some
of the tables in another facility nearby. He and Pippa later tracked down most
of them so we are hoping they will be in place for the workshop. We have a plan
B to use another chemistry lab should this prove impossible!
We also needed to arrange the catering (breakfast and lunch
for 50 each day) for the workshops. We have set the wheels in motion and are
waiting for confirmation of cost and place, as the usual restaurant is being
refurbished. We have been assured it will be completed for our dates in February.
We will go back before these to check everything is OK.
A rustic scene at Gambia College
Having finished at the college we went to Jambanjelly to
meet some sponsored students and pay their sponsorship monies over.
A return to the hotel
mid-afternoon meant we had time for a sit in the very welcome sunshine.
Tonight we are meeting up with Linda and going to a local restaurant.
26 January 2019
Here we go again....
Time for our February trip - rather confusingly, it is starting in January this year!
Next Tuesday (29th January) Kathy, Andrew and I are due to start what has now become known as the 'workshop trip'. We will be doing a lot more in addition to the workshops, but it is these that account for the great majority of our luggage - and also planning time before our trip. Bob will be joining us for the workshop week itself and Carole and Alan will also be with us for part of our stay.
Andrew will probably be taking over blog duties during our stay in The Gambia, but he and Kathy are away this weekend so I am starting off here.
The photo shows 50 of the 110Kg amount of luggage that the three of us will be taking on Tuesday - the other 60Kg will be in our three 'personal' cases!
Keep watching...
Next Tuesday (29th January) Kathy, Andrew and I are due to start what has now become known as the 'workshop trip'. We will be doing a lot more in addition to the workshops, but it is these that account for the great majority of our luggage - and also planning time before our trip. Bob will be joining us for the workshop week itself and Carole and Alan will also be with us for part of our stay.
Andrew will probably be taking over blog duties during our stay in The Gambia, but he and Kathy are away this weekend so I am starting off here.
The photo shows 50 of the 110Kg amount of luggage that the three of us will be taking on Tuesday - the other 60Kg will be in our three 'personal' cases!
Keep watching...
