A born-cynic, I was a bit skeptical in the power of jujus, marabout magic, witchdoctor spells – call it what you will – I thought…
A mother-daughter duo in my village makes beautiful batik fabric. I have never been able to find their styles in other places and even each print is unique. Instead of just buying the fabric (which I do plenty), I thought it would be fun to learn how to make it on my own.
When a fourth grader told me “The Gambia is a big country,” I knew I had to do something. Since I can’t take Gambians around the world, I decided to bring the world to Gambians! Using a Peace Corps manual, we created a giant world map in our library.
Despite the challenges Habbie has faced in life, I have never seen her without a smile. She is one of my biggest cheerleaders in the work I do although she does not work at the school; she has a genuine desire to see her community and country grow. She recently made the brave decision to start sharing her story at Peace Corps leadership camps so she can encourage girls to “never give up.”
Habbie is my host country hero.
I bought live chickens to cook for dinner. It was the best and worst idea I’ve ever had. Let me explain. My best friend, Nora,…
