Operation Crossroads Africa Blog

August 6, 2007

My apologies for the lack of posting these last couple of weeks. I have had so many things to write about lately, but every time I have tried to post I have had issues, whether it be with internet connection, bush taxis,  or too many things to do while in Brikama. For some reason it just hasn't been in the stars for me lately and even today is posing a challenge. I'm in Banjul right now, the capital of The Gambia, and dealing with 50 Cent's candy shop literally blasting in my ear. My mouse is not working, neither is my internet connection, and I seriously want to throw in the towel on the whole bit, but I know I have things to say that I can't put off for my return to the states in just a few short days.

That's the first thing I wanted to say: I've left the village already for the relaxing "travel week" and seriously thought that my heart was going to break. I've left quite a few places in the past few years, but I have never had a more difficult good-bye in my entire life. The last week in the village was spent tying up loose ends with the library and I am proud to say that we left a secured building. I don't really know how it was pulled together, but the roof went on, the septic tank was finished, the walls were plastered and the doors and windows were hung. It was amazing to see everyone pull together to get it finished. There is still so much to do, including getting books for the building, but a huge dream was realized last week and it felt absolutely amazing to say goodbye to a secured building.

I spent most of the week saying my good-byes to the people of the village in various ways. On Friday we took the workers to the beach for a bonfire that was incredible. On Sunday we crammed 45 children into a 15 passenger van and headed back out to the beach. We swam with them, ate traditional African food, and played with them until dark. It was seriously the most amazing thing to see so many kids just enjoying themselves, playing in the ocean, screaming with laughter. I felt so honored to be a part of that moment with them and it will forever stay in my mind as one of my best memories.

Those were the fun good-byes. The end of the week was so incredibly sad for many of us in the group. Once again, I was just floored by the giving spirit of the people. Every time I went to visit my friends they gave me gifts. I would sit there wondering how I could accept a necklace that a woman wore to the naming ceremony of her child or how I could possibly show my gratitude for a handmade embroidered cloth saying, "We will love Michelle Diemer forever and ever" in English and Mandinka. I still don't know what I did to deserve to be part of that community, but I will be forever grateful.

The actual day we were leaving, August 3rd, was my saddest day. I was a puddle of tears from the moment I woke up until the moment we pulled away from the village at 6 p.m. They gave us a good-bye ceremony and then we just stood in the courtyard of our compound saying good-bye to so many people. It just broke my heart that the summer was ending and I Just didn't feel ready whatsoever. I love those people so much and I am realizing that I still have more to do here in The Gambia.

I sat in on a social studies class last week and the teacher was talking about Latitude and Longitude. It was a lesson introducing and describing the topic and I counted more than 5 egregious errors in the "textbook". Diagrams showing latitude were on the page with text describing longitude, most of the calculations of distance were totally wrong, words were totally mispelled, and my heart broke once again. If there's one thing that is obvious, it's that there's hope for this country if they are able to become educated. How can they have any hope if their own textbooks are not even close to correct? The teachers still beat their students, and even the teacher I was shadowing for the day was still teaching although there were allegations circulating in the village that he had raped one of 9th grade students. I realized that that shadowing experience might have exposed me to my true chance to give back. I think I could teach here, maybe only for a few months, maybe even for a year. It's all just a possibility at this point, but I have a strong hope that I'll return and do my best to help. I just can't not do it. I've seen it and I know that it is my responsibility to do something about it whether it is through teaching or through some other avenue. I know that this village became a second home to me for a reason, and I am commiting myself to finding that reason during the next academic year.

I only have six minutes left on the internet at this point, and I know that this post has raised a lot of questions among my friends and family. I'll be home in just a few short days and hope to return with some more clarity after this week of travel and, more importantly, much needed thinking time. I can't wait to share more of my experiences with people and I hope that they will all agree that this is something I have to do, even if it is just for a short time.