So this is fasting...

I'm not too sure how well my host family speaks for the rest of the Muslim Gambian population, but we've been eating quite well during this month of fasting. At night at least. Last night we ate fresh dates, oranges, watermelon, guava (I think), and bananas; followed by freshly killed and plucked chicken and spicy benachin (fried rice). I might not have electricity and running water during most of the day, but my compound is quite lavish with it's variety of mango, orange, guava (I think), and banana trees (pictured). I don't know what some of things growing in our compound are called in English, but they're good to eat. My host sisters also make this amazing homemade juice out of those fruits.

I was recently introduced to these Mauritanian shopkeepers that I bought some fabric from to have some clothes made. They had another PCV and I over for dinner the other night. They have a very nice apartment building, and they lay their mats out at night on top of the roof that overlooks the city to eat, relax, and talk. Refer to the photo. Evidentally, they don't take having guests too lightly because they slaughtered a sheep for us to eat. They even let us gnaw on the bones and slurp them dry when everything else was finished. They like me because they think I look Mauritanian for some reason. I'm not sure if he was serious or not, but the second night I went there one of the men told me he was going to name his next born child after me (Abdoulie, my Gambian name). I think the baby is due in a few months. He's pictured on the far right. One of my Mauritanian friends that lives there said he has around 15 horses and a few camels in Mauritania I could go ride on. He said I could even take a colt back to American with me since he has so many.

So I'm thinking there must be an ancient Mauritanian prophecy that foretold my arrival.. a Mauritanian looking man shall arrive from the west and you shall feed him well, give him livestock, and name your next child after him, and then he will lead you to Mecca. Actually I think they just want to learn English better. They're good people and pretty hilarious. I put a few pictures up of the school and Basse. Check them out.