I was supposed to blog during last semester while I was abroad in The Gambia; however, I was much too busy having exciting experiences to possibly sit down and tell you about them…. also I forgot, sorry!
So I have some catching up to do!
Studying abroad was probably my favorite thing I have done in my life. I picked a place that would challenge me academically and personally. I feel like I learned so much more outside of the classroom! I gained a new perspective and learned from every one that I met along the way.
Nothing was ever what you expected. Days after days I would go to bed at night thinking, “Never in my life did I think I would experience this!” Oh! I have a story that proves this, and many more to come in later entries!
The World Cup
One day, The President declared a national holiday, just because the World Cup was in the Gambia. Not the games, just the trophy. He called everyone to the national stadium to see him parade around with the cup. There was a concert with Gambian musicians. The children got off from school and every child from the area (Banjul) was in the stadium! There were women selling peanuts and orange flavored ice cream in plastic bags. The entire army was there, complete with machine guns. After about three hours of sitting and waiting, the president arrived with the cup. His entourage drove around the track twice, throwing boxes of biscuits into the crowds. There was a group of people in the parade running after him. Many of them passed out, as it was over 100 degrees. Then, just as the president was about to make his speech and present the cup, a gigantic storm blew in. We had to leave very quickly as it was so windy, so we ran through the dirt and trash picked up by the wind. Then we found haven in a hotel and bought fresh bread! Just another day in West Africa.
