Trenutki bivanja

My volunteer story in Slovenian, like I wrote in Moments of Being.

Odločitev oditi v Gambijo je bila plod želje po potovanju, po novih izkušnjah in po pomoči tistim, ki jo najbolj potrebujejo. Želela sem si več, kot le turistično izkušnjo, ki ti pokaže le eno plat zgodbe in skrije toliko drugega, lepega, pristnega in drugačnega. Vedno sem verjela, da je potrebno biti z ljudmi, živeti z njimi, se pogovarjati in videti njihovo državo, skozi njihove oči, da jo lahko resnično doživiš. Obenem pa te takšna izkušnja pripelje bliže k sebi, kar je tudi želja mnogih, ki jim srce v zahodnem svetu ne da miru in jih žene v neznano. V tako imenovane trenutke bivanja oziroma zavedanja.

Teh trenutkov je bilo veliko, v času mojega bivanja v Gambiji. Trenutkov, ko vse postane kristalno jasno in se počutiš prisotnega v svojem življenju, živega v trenutku, katerega vrednost občuduješ, preden mu pustiš oditi med spomine. Trenutkov barv, sreče, smeha, pesmi, nejevere, ponižnosti in še toliko več, prepletenih v popolno sliko, spominek za temnejše dni. Sedeti skupaj v avtu, medtem ko se zgodi še ena neverjetna stvar, in se spogledati ob istem času: „To je Afrika!“. Opazovati sonce, ki zahaja nad Atlantikom, medtem ko poslušaš pomirjujoče zvoke valov in šelestenje palm na popolni tropski plaži, ki je kot z razglednice. Udeležiti se posebne ceremonije pri nekomu doma in biti priča veselju, petju, plesu in smehu, ne da bi bila postrežena ena sama kapljica alkohola. Pogled v očeh otroka, ko končno uspe napisati eno samo črko, kar je nekaj, česar njegovi starši nikoli niso mogli.

Brez dvoma lahko rečem, da mi je Afrika dala veliko več, kot bi lahko jaz kadarkoli dala njej. Moj skromen prispevek zbledi v primerjavi z življenjskimi lekcijami, ki sem jih prejela in z neverjetnimi ljudmi, ki so mi prekrižali pot in me sprejeli v svoja srca ter z mano ravnali kot bi bila njihova. Oni so tisti, ki so me naučili, da je treba ceniti vsak trenutek, se upočasniti, zaupati sama sebi in slediti svojim sanjam, ne glede na vse. Tam sem tudi znova odkrila, kaj mi je namenjeno početi, cilj za katerega se je vredno boriti, cilj h kateremu je vredno stremeti.

Videla sem, kaj je prava moč, ko sem spoznala toliko ljudi, ki živijo v skoraj nemogočih okoliščinah, a vseeno uspejo ostati pozitivni in znajo ceniti majhne dobre stvari v življenju. Ljudje, ki živijo z manj kot 30 evri na mesec, pogosto brez tekoče vode in elektrike, natlačeni v majhne prostore, ki pa ne bodo nikoli niti pomislili, da ne bi delili še to malo, kar imajo, s tistimi, ki imajo še manj sreče. Taksist, ki se bori, da bi preživel svojo ženo in 4 otroke in dela vsak dan, cel dan, da denar ostareli beračici, ki se ustavi ob njegovem oknu. Revna družina obdari botro svojega otroka,čeprav imajo komaj kaj dati na mizo. Vozniki našega taksija, ki si delijo eno samo štruco kruha. Oseba, ki da nekomu svoje zadnje kovance, ker želi pomagati, čeprav to pomeni, da bo zdaj sama ostala brez. Tujec, ki plača drugemu vožnjo, ker sta se pred tem zapletla v kratek pogovor.

Ključ je deliti. V Gambiji je običaj, da je vedno, ko ješ, vsak v tvoji bližini dobrodošel, da se ti pridruži. Vedno deliš svoj obrok z drugim, tudi če to pomeni manj hrane zate. Ljudje si ves čas pomagajo: z denarjem, s hrano, z oblačili, čeprav so tukaj skoraj vsi revni. Revni v materialnem pomenu namreč. Tukaj sem videla več sočutja, prijaznosti in prave dobrodelnosti kot kjerkoli, kjer sem bila v zahodnem svetu. Ljudje svoje bogastvo nosijo v srcu in zame bo to vedno vredno več, kot ves denar na svetu.

Zame je bil privilegij preživeti ta mesec v Gambiji in bom vedno hvaležna za to izkušnjo. Hvala, mama Afrika!

Ni vse zlato, kar se sveti

Včasih se v mojih mislih porodijo naključna vprašanja. Trenutno sem v tistem obdobju, ko se moji vrstniki poročajo, imajo otroke, ustvarjajo lastne domove, delajo v pravih službah, … Ob skodelicah kave se med tistimi, ki tega še niso dosegli, pogosto pojavlja beseda uspeh. Ampak kaj to dejansko pomeni? SSKJ (Slovar slovenskega knjižnega jezika) ima naslednjo definicijo:

1. dejstvo, da kdo s svojim delom, prizadevanjem doseže, kar želi, pričakuje
2. pozitiven rezultat kakega dela, prizadevanja (1)

V družbi se beseda najpogosteje uporablja za tiste, ki so obogateli, dosegli visoke položaje v službi, časti in podobne stvari. Zame to preprosto ni smiselno. Mora biti nekaj več kot to. Mene zanima, če je nekdo dobra oseba, koliko je prispeval h skupnosti, ali je pošten, ali spoštljivo ravna z ljudmi, … Gre se za stvari, ki se jih ne da izmeriti z denarjem, materialnimi dobrinami ali položajem v družbi. Najlažje je predalčkati ljudi na prvi pogled glede na zunanje označevalce: uspešen, zguba, sramežljiv, tih, družaben …

Pred kratkim sem zasledila odličen članek v reviji New Yorker z naslovom Trpeče duše (Suffering Souls). Glavna tema so psihopati, ampak omenja tudi sledeče: „Najbolj primerno delovno področje za psihopate je, tako pravi Hare, posel. V njegovi drugi knjigi, 'Kače v oblekah: Ko gredo psihopati v službo (Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go To Work)', ki jo je napisal s Paulom Babiackom, se Hare spogleduje s pop psihologijo, ko izpostavi, da bi bilo veliko osebnostnih lastnosti, ki so zaželene v korporativnem kontekstu, kot so neusmiljenost, pomanjkanje družbene zavesti in enostranska posvečenost uspehu, zunaj tega okolja videnih kot psihopatskih.“ (2)

Ta izjava se mi je zdela zanimiva, ker ravno na te lastnosti naletimo znova in znova, ko v časopisu beremo o direktorjih, menedžerjih in podobnih, medtem ko se njihovi zločini postopoma razkrivajo. Ravno oni nosijo največ krivde za finančno krizo v tej državi, s katero se še vedno borimo. Zakaj bi nekdo imel to za vzor, če to pomeni, da bi imel korist od trpljenja drugih, od goljufanja, od kraje? Ali je to dediščina, ki jo zapuščamo svojim otrokom?

Ravno to je razlog, zakaj se mi zdita dobrodelnost in prostovoljstvo tako pomembna in so me zelo ujezili komentarji pod člankom v nacionalnem časopisu, ki je razpravljal ravno o teh dveh temah. Ljudje so pisali stvari kot so: „Zakaj bi karkoli počel brezplačno?; Zakaj bi nekomu pomagal, če nihče ni pomagal meni?; Svoje otroke bom vzgajal, da bodo poskrbeli sami zase, ne da bi nekaj počeli zastonj“. Prostovoljstvo in neplačana pripravništva sta dva popolnoma različna svetova, ki ju ne gre mešati.

Branje takšnih komentarjev mi je zlomilo srce. Zame je bilo prostovoljstvo vedno nekaj, kar me je notranje obogatilo in nikoli nisem razmišljala, da bi morala dobiti kaj v zameno. Bila sem hvaležna, da sem dobila priložnost za takšno izkušnjo in sem se iz njih veliko naučila. Spomnim se obdobja lansko leto, ko sem dva sirijska begunca, ki sta bila le nekaj let mlajša od mene, učila nemščino. Imela sem veliko prostega časa in sem že dlje spremljala vojno v Siriji, zato sem se prijavila takoj, ko sem videla oglas za prostovoljno učenje nemščine sirijskih beguncev. Fanta sta bila sirska Kurda. Eden od njiju je študiral v Aleppu, kjer je zdaj glavna fronta.

Zame je bila to zelo dragocena izkušnja, ki mi je svet predstavila v popolnoma drugačni luči. Mogoče res, da sem s fantoma delila svoje znanje, vendar sta mi ravno onadva pokazala kaj je pogum, kaj pomeni imeti upanje, ko svet kot ga poznaš razpada okoli tebe. Izgubila sta čisto vse. Svoj dom, svoje prijatelje, bila sta ločena od svojih družin, obtičala sta v azilnem domu, kjer nista imela početi kaj drugega kot čakati. Ko sem ju nekega dne vprašala, če sta srečna, sta se le spogledala in eden od njiju je odgovoril: „Seveda sva. Zakaj ne bi bila? Življenje je dobro, imava vse kar potrebujeva“. Ob njegovih besedah sem imela solze v očeh. Ostala sta polna upanja in optimizma tudi po posledicah nesmiselne, krvave vojne, ki jima je vzela mladost, a jima ni mogla vzeti njunih sanj. Prostovoljstvo je pomembno, ker ti da možnost za takšne dragocene lekcije, ki sem jim ne da določiti cene, saj segajo preko tega.

Naše poti so se po spletu okoliščin čez nekaj časa razšle, vendar ju je bom nikoli pozabila in sem se jaz verjetno naučila več od njiju, kot pa onadva od mene. Vedno bosta imela posebno mesto v mojem srcu, ker sta mi pokazala pot do nečesa boljšega, pot do sreče in izpolnjenosti. Zame sta onadva tista, ki sta uspešna.

Viri:

1. SSKJ geslo: uspeh - http://bos.zrc-sazu.si/cgi/a03.exe?name=sskj_testa&expression=uspeh&hs=1

2. Suffering Souls - http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/11/10/suffering-souls

All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter

Sometimes, certain questions just pop randomly in my head. I'm in the period, when my peers are getting married, having children, creating their own homes, working real jobs ... The word success is thrown around a lot over cups of coffee by those who are yet to attain all of that. But what does it really mean? Dictionary.com defines it as this:
 1. achieving or having achieved success.
2. having attained wealth, position, honors, or the like (1)

It doesn't make sense to me, because none of the above seems relevant to the way I perceive people. There has to be more to it. I want to know whether someone is a good person, how much have they contributed to their community, do they have integrity, are they honest, do they treat people with respect ... It's something that can't be measured with money, material possessions or status in society. The easiest thing is to look at outward marks and label people accordingly: successful, loser, shy, quiet, life of the party ... It does great injustice to people who may not be up to society's standards. There is an excellent article in the New Yorker called Suffering Souls. The main focus are psychopaths, but it also mentions the following: "The most agreeable vocation for psychopaths, according to Hare, is business. In his second book, “Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work,” written with Paul Babiack, Hare flirts with pop psychology when he points out that many traits that may be desirable in a corporate context, such as ruthlessness, lack of social conscience, and single-minded devotion to success, would be considered psychopathic outside of it." (2)

I found it interesting because you run into these traits again and again in the newspapers while reading about heads of companies, managers and the like, whose crimes are slowly being uncovered and carry the blame for the current financial crisis my country is still struggling with. But they are also the ones who are considered successful, the ones who made it, the ones who have it all. Why would anyone want to aspire to benefit from the suffering of other people, from lying, from cheating, from stealing? Is this the legacy we are leaving behind for our children?

This is why I find charity and volunteering so important and I was angered by comments under the article of a national newspaper, which was talking about those two topics. People were writing things such as: "Why would I do anything for free?; Why would I help someone if nobody did anything to help me?; I will raise my children to take care of themselves, not to do something for free". You can't confuse volunteer work with unpaid internships, they are two completely different worlds. 

It broke my heart. I always found volunteering very enriching and I never thought about getting something in return. There were times, when I was grateful to be able to have the opportunity to do these things and I learned a lot from it. I remember the time last year when I was having German lessons with two Syrian refugees, who were a couple of years younger than me. I had plenty of free time and I've been following the war in Syria for quite some time, so I signed up as soon as I saw the ad for volunteer German lessons for refugees. They were Syrian Kurds, one of them was from Aleppo, where the main front-line is right now. 

 It was a very precious and humbling experience for me. I might share my knowledge but those boys showed me what courage is, what does it mean to have hope, when the world is falling apart around you. They lost everything. Their home, their friends, they got separated from their families, stuck in asylum seekers home with little to do, but wait. But one day, when I asked them, if they're happy, they looked at each other and one of them answered: "Of course we are. Why wouldn't we be? Life is good, we have everything we need." I had tears in my eyes when I heard this. They remained hopeful and optimistic in the aftermath of a senseless, bloody war that took their youth away, but they still had dreams for the future. Volunteering matters because you can learn many precious lessons and they are one of those things that you can't put a price on, it goes beyond that. 

Our paths went apart after a while, but I will never forget them and I probably learned more from them than they did for me. They will always have a special place in my heart, for showing me the way to something better, the way to happiness and fulfilment. For me, they are the ones who are successful.

Sources: 
- 1 : http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/successful
- 2: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/11/10/suffering-souls

International Girl Child Day/Svetovni dan deklic

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I wrote this text in Slovenian and in English for Kids Are the World, but it's an issue very close to my heart and I wanted to share it here as well. I saw the importance of education for girls in the developing world first hand and I think it's very important to continue raising awareness. Education is the most powerful tool against poverty! 

Our little girl in the Gambia, Fatima, started nursery school last week and without the help of a sponsor, she would probably never be able to to do and become one of those 65 million girls worldwide who remain uneducated. She is the only child of a very young single mother and we'll do everything in our power to support her in making a better future for herself. Every person counts and every individual can make a difference in the world. 

International Girl Child Day 11.10.2014: "Empowering adolescent girls: Ending the cycle of violence"

Have you ever thought, what is it like, when a girl can't eat breakfast in the morning, go to school or kindergarten, learn and have a safe and stable childhood? This is the reality of many girls in developing countries. There is no time for school, play, relaxation, whispering secrets with friends, playing with Barbies, reading or exploring her surroundings. A lot of girls worldwide still have to face discrimination these days, simply because they are girls. But it's of vital importance that we take action against these problems for the following reasons:

• for each extra year a girl spends in school, her income raises for 15 to 20%
• if 10% more girls go to school, the GDP of the country raises for 3% on average
• an educated woman will marry later and she will have less children, who will also be more healthy
• women invest more of their income into their family than men
• each extra year of a mother's schooling lessens infant mortality for 5 to 10%

As you can see, the facts speak for themselves. If you empower a girl with education, she will change the lives of everyone around her. Without that, there is a greater chance that she will marry young, have children early and spend the rest of her life in poverty. Countries in development see 1 out of 3 girls getting married before they turn 18. That is 14 million girls per year, almost 39 thousand every day and 1 every 3 minutes.

Every girl has a right to education, but the sad fact is that 65 million girls never get to go to school and even more are struggling to stay where they belong – in the classroom. Girls are taken out of school every day, forced to marry young or become victims of violence at school. There are many obstacles that prevent them from getting an education: early and forced marriage, poverty, poor health and nutrition, violence at school, long distance to school, school fees and other school related expenses, family care and household duties and lack of toilets just for girls.

Girls in The Gambia

Gambia has been successful in achieving an equal primary school enrolment ratio between boys and girls: 103 girls for 100 boys, but this number gets lower with every extra school year. The finishing rate for primary school is 74 girls for 100 boys. Girls finish their education with 6 years of lower primary school on average. 87 girls for 100 boys go to secondary school. They face similar difficulties as their peers in other developing countries: poverty, school fees and other school expenses, taking care of family and the household, early marriage, early pregnancy, … The literacy rate among adult women in the Gambia is currently around 25%. 46.5 % of girls get married before they turn 18. They have no chances of going back to school and continuing their education after that.

Sponsor a child: http://www.kidsaretheworld.com/sponsor-a-child-2/

Svetovni dan deklic 11.10. 2014

Ste kdaj pomislili, kako je, če deklica zjutraj ne more pojesti zajtrka, oditi v šolo ali vrtec, se izobraževati in imeti varno in stabilno otroštvo? Za deklico v državi v razvoju pa je to realnost. V njenem dnevu ni časa ali priložnosti za šolo, za igro, za sprostitev, za šepetanje skrivnosti s prijateljicami, za igranje z barbikami, branje knjig in raziskovanje okolice. V današnjih časih se veliko deklic po vsem svetu še vedno sooča z diskriminacijo preprosto zato, ker so deklice. Vendar pa je bistvenega pomena, da ob teh težavah čim prej ukrepamo iz naslednjih razlogov:

• za vsako dodatno leto, ki ga deklica preživi v šoli, njen dohodek naraste za 15 do 20%
• če 10% več deklic obiskuje šolo, se BDP države v povprečju zviša za 3%
• izobražena ženska se bo kasneje poročila in bo imela manj otrok, ki bodo tudi bolj zdravi
• ženske v svoje družine vložijo več svojega dohodka kot moški
• vsako dodatno leto materinega šolanja zmanjša umrljivost dojenčka za 5 do 10%

Dejstva govorijo zase. Če deklica pridobi notranjo moč in večjo samozavest z izobrazbo, bo spremenila svet vseh okrog sebe. Brez tega pa je večja verjetnost, da se bo mlada poročila, imela zgodaj otroke in preživela svoje življenje v revščini. V državah v razvoju se pred dopolnjenim 18. letom poroči 1 od 3 deklet: to je 14 milijonov deklet na leto, skoraj 39 tisoč vsak dan in 1 vsake 3 minute.

Vsaka deklica ima pravico do izobrazbe, vendar je zelo žalosten podatek, da 65 milijonov deklic ne more obiskovati šole, še več pa se jih bori, da bi lahko ostale tam, kamor spadajo – v učilnici. Vsak dan deklice jemljejo iz šol, jih premlade poročijo ali pa postanejo žrtev nasilja v šoli. Vendar pa je veliko ovir, zaradi katerih se ne morejo izobraževati: zgodnja in prisilna poroka, revščina, slabo zdravje in prehrana, skrb za družino in za gospodinjstvo, nasilje v šoli, dolga razdalja do šole, šolnine in drugi s šolanjem povezani stroški in pomanjkanje ločenih sanitarij.

Deklice v Gambiji

V Gambiji so na ravni osnovne šole uspeli doseči enako razmerje med dečki in deklicami. Šolo obiskujejo 103 deklice na 100 dečkov, vendar pa to število začne upadati z vsakim dodatnim letom šolanja. Osnovno šolo dokonča le 74 deklic na 100 dečkov. V povprečju deklice svoje izobraževanje končajo po 6 letih nižje osnovne šole. Srednjo šolo obiskuje 87 deklet na 100 fantov.

Pri izobraževanju se srečujejo s podobnimi ovirami kot druge vrstnice v državah v razvoju: revščina, šolnine in s šolo povezani stroški, skrb za družino in družinska opravila, zgodnja poroka, zgodnja nosečnost … Med odraslimi ženskami je tako trenutno pismenih le okrog 25%. Pred dopolnjenim 18. letom se v Gambiji poroči 46.5 % deklet. Možnosti za vrnitev v šolo in dodatno učenje s tem nimajo več.

Viri/Sources:

http://becauseiamagirl.ca/the-girl-issue

http://www.unicef.org/gambia/children_1270.html

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/gambia/literacy-rate-adult-female-percent-of-females-ages-15-and-above-wb-data.html

Botrstvo v Gambiji: http://zaotrokesveta.com/postani-boter/kako-postanes-boter/

Plačilo šolnine za eno leto: http://zaotrokesveta.com/postani-boter/letna-solnina-in-solstvo-v-gambiji/

World Teachers Day / Svetovni dan učiteljev

I've written this for the Travel As A Volunteer Facebook page in Slovenian and in English.

English

World Teachers Day 5. 10. 2014: Invest in the future – Invest in teachers!

Teachers are an important investment for the future of all countries. Modern generations are growing up in uncertain times and they don't know what the future has in store for them. Therefore their teachers are the ones, who can make sure, that they will continue their life journey equipped with the right skills.

This year's 5^th of October marks 20 years of celebrating World Teachers Day, which commemorates the signing of Recommendation concerning the status of teachers in 1966. It was proclaimed World Teachers Day in 1993 in order to better acquaint the public with the mission of teachers.

There are many countries where students can't get a quality education due to a shortage of teachers. Classrooms all over the world are in dire need of more staff – we need 1.4 million teachers – who are of utmost importance for universal basic education. Quality also poses a problem alongside quantity. It's a common occurrence for teachers to be working without proper training and resources. We're currently facing a global learning crisis, because there are 250 million children who never learn how to read and write. 58 million school-aged children don't have a chance to go to school, 53% of them are girls. The biggest obstacle for families are school fees as most of them live under the international poverty line (less than 1,25 $ per day) and they simply can't afford to spend money on education.

The largest shortage of teachers is in Sub-Saharan Africa, where Gambia is also located, 0.9 million representing 63% of the overall need worldwide. There is on average 1 teacher for 35 students in Gambia, but the real numbers are usually much higher, as high as 70 to 100 students in one cramped classroom. Teaching is made harder by inappropriate working conditions, lack of school books and school supplies, distance to the school, inadequate toilets that are not separated for boys and girls, most of the schools don't have electricity … The literacy rate in this country is 46%.

Education is the most powerful tool for overcoming poverty, therefore we need to invest more in teachers. They are the ones who can open the door to a better future for our children! Every child should have access to basic education, which is a right and should never be a privilege.

Slovensko

Svetovni dan učiteljev 5. 10. 2014: Gradimo prihodnost – vlagajmo v učitelje!

Učitelji so pomembna naložba za prihodnost vseh držav. Današnji otroci odraščajo v negotovih časih in ne vedo, kaj jih čaka v prihodnosti, zato so prav učitelji tisti, ki lahko poskrbijo, da bodo življenjsko pot nadaljevali opremljeni z ustreznimi veščinami.

Letos 5. oktobra praznujemo že 20. obletnico svetovnega dneva učiteljev, ki ga obeležujemo v spomin na podpis Priporočil o položaju učiteljev leta 1966. Za svetovni dan učiteljev je bil proglašen leta 1993, z namenom da bi ljudem približal poslanstvo učiteljev.

V veliko državah učenci zaradi pomanjkanja učiteljev ne morejo dobiti kvalitetne izobrazbe. V učilnicah vsega sveta primanjkuje 1.4 milijona učiteljev, ki pa so nujno potrebni za univerzalno osnovno izobrazbo. Poleg števila pa je problem tudi kvaliteta pouka. Vse preveč pogosto se dogaja, da učitelji delajo brez primerne izobrazbe in brez osnovnih sredstev. Trenutno se soočamo z globalno krizo na področju izobraževanja, saj se kar 250 milijonov otrok nikoli ne nauči pisati in brati. 58 milijonov otrok, ki bi morali obiskovati osnovno šolo, te možnosti nima. Med njimi je 53% deklic. Največja ovira za družine, ki v veliki večini živijo pod svetovnim pragom revščine (manj kot 1.25$ na dan), so šolnine, ki mnogim predstavljajo prevelik strošek.

Največ učiteljev primanjkuje ravno v podsaharski Afriki, kjer se nahaja tudi Gambija, 0.9 milijona kar predstavlja 63% potrebe po učiteljih za cel svet. V Gambiji v povprečju pride 1 učitelj na 35 učencev, vendar so številke pogosto še precej večje, tudi do 70 ali 100 učencev. Poučevanje še dodatno otežujejo neprimerni delovni pogoji, pomanjkanje šolskih knjig in šolskih potrebščin, oddaljenost od šole, neustrezne sanitarije, ki niso ločene za dečke in deklice, večina šol nima elektrike, … Pismenost v državi je 46%.

Izobrazba je najmočnejše orodje proti revščini, zato je nujno, da se začne več vlagati v učitelje, saj so prav oni tisti, ki lahko otrokom odprejo vrata v boljšo prihodnost. Vsak otrok bi moral imeti dostop vsaj do osnovne izobrazbe, ki je pravica in ne bi smela biti privilegij.

Sources/ Viri:

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/events/prizes-and-celebrations/celebrations/international-days/world-teachersday-2014

http://www.accessgambia.com/information/education.html  

My African Mother

I originally wrote this story for Gambia International Women Club , a new wonderful project by Ursa Faal, our volunteer coordinator living in the Gambia. It's about a woman who became very dear to me in the month a was staying there, one of the teachers named Anna. We had amazing conversations every day, full of wisdom and sharing of life experiences. She quickly accepted me as one of her own and became my African mother. I only have deep respect and admiration for this woman who has remained strong in the face of so many difficulties.

MEET THE SMILING ANNA
Her name is Anna and she is a teacher at Mo-beta Nursery and Primary School. Everyone's immediate comparison,upon meeting her for the first time, is Whoopi Goldberg. Her contagious laughter and singing echo throughout the school. I've never seen her in a bad mood so far. A smile is ever present on her lips. In my mind, she is the image of Mother Africa.

Those who don't know her well, would never guess the story behind the happy face. It's not all sunshine and rainbows, though. Anna is the mother of five children and she is also looking after a sixth one. They live in Latrikunda, a part of big town Serekunda. Home is just one room in a house. She shares the bed with her daugther while the rest sleep on the floor and her oldest son is living with a friend nearby as there is sadly not enough space for him left. Her husband went to Senegal in search of a job with which he could better provide for his family. Anna was left alone to take care of everything. 

As a teacher she barely makes enough to cover the cost of one bag of rice to feed her family for a month. After a busy day at school with a class of about 25 small children, there are six waiting for her at home together with all the housework. Despite this hardship, she is not one to give in to pessimism: “Happy thoughts attract happy things and vice versa.” For her, there is always a silver lining for every cloud that passes her way. She is always happy to help and is genuinely interested in the lives of those around her. Her smiles, hugs and good mood are a freely given treasure. She sings, she dances and she tries to play the guitar, although she doesn't actually know how to play. But she will learn, one day.

Anna still has dreams and wishes for the future: learn how to play the guitar and rent a bigger place, so she will be able to have all her children with her once more. She will never stop fighting, with a smile on her face, of course.

Anna is an inspiration for all of us. When I look at her it makes everything that I worry about so pathetic.

Krokodilji park Kachikally

In Slovenian again, so far. A visit to the Kachikally Crocodile Pool in the Gambia.

Krokodilji park Kachikally se nahaja v bližini mesta Bakau in je skozi leta postal priljubljena turistična točka, saj v njem prebiva več kot 100 krokodilov. Pred več kot 500 leti ga je odkril nabiralec palmovega vina iz družine Bojang. Tja smo se z ostalimi prostovoljkami odpravile nekega popoldneva po šoli, saj ni prav daleč od Serekunde.

Nekateri verjamejo, da ima jezero, v katerem krokodili živijo, nadnaravne zdravilne moči, saj naj bi umivanje s to vodo ozdravilo neplodnost. Kraj zato vsako leto obišče veliko žensk iz vse Gambije in iz tujine, kjer jih z vodo iz jezera umijejo posebej za to izurjene ženske iz družine Bojang. Po ritualnem umivanju ženske prejmejo vodo v steklenički, ki jo morajo nanesti na določene dele telesa pred spanjem in takoj zjutraj, ko se zbudijo. V zameno se od obiskovalk pričakuje simbolična denarna donacija, kos blaga in kolin orešček – polovico katerega razdelijo med starejše, drugo polovico pa vržejo v jezero krokodilom. Po opravljenem ritualu se ženske ne smejo rokovati z nikomer iz Bakaua. Članom družine Bojang je prepovedano izkoriščati zdravilne moči jezera v finančne namene, saj bi drugače to izgubilo svojo moč

Zaradi številnih obiskovalcev so krokodili postali zelo krotki, namesto mesa raje jedo ribe in se pustijo tudi božati. Z dekleti smo se ravno tega najbolj veselile, čeprav nas je bilo obenem tudi kar malo strah. So krokodili res tako krotki kot pravijo? Kaj pa, če se bo ravno pri kateri od nas eden od njih odločil, da pa mu danes ni prav dosti do božanja? Vse to in še več nam je rojilo po glavi med vožnjo do parka. Prvega smo zagledale že takoj pri vhodu, tokrat še za ograjo. Nepremično je ležal na soncu, kot da sploh ne bi bil živ. Kasneje so nam povedali, da zato, ker skrbijo, da so njihovi krokodili dobro nahranjeni v dobrobit obiskovalcev in zato raje ležijo na soncu in se grejejo, saj so mrzlokrvne živali.

Po kratkem sprehodu med obilnim zelenjem je šlo zares. Pred nami je ležal velik krokodil in vodič nas je moral nekaj časa prepričevati preden smo se opogumile in zelo previdno šle do krokodila ter se ga dotaknile. Njegove luske so bile hrapave, koža pa res zelo mrzla. Krokodil se ves čas ni niti premaknil in zdelo se je, da mu je vseeno za božanje, fotografiranje in razburjene prestrašene vzklike obiskovalcev. Kasneje smo imele priložnost v rokah držati še en mesec starega krokodilčka, ki pa je malo bolj protestiral, a ni bil nevaren, ker še ni imel zob.

Ogledale smo si še muzej in trgovino s spominki, potem pa smo se odpravile na umetniško tržnico v Bakau, kjer smo pasle oči na čudovitih izdelkih spretnih rokodelcev. Dan smo zaključile na bližnji prekrasni plaži, kjer smo ob zvoku bobnov dočakale sončni zahod.

We're not in Kansas anymore

It's quite strange coming back home after a month in a different country with a completely different culture. I had somewhat of a culture shock already when I landed at Barcelona airport for my connecting flight. Suddenly, I was surrounded by so many white people who were busy catching their planes, lost in their own little worlds on smart phones and computers. Nobody was greeting anyone, nobody smiled at you, it was like being invisible.

 Everything was polished, clean and orderly, there were so many stores with anything you might imagine, restaurants and cafes. It was surreal. I started thinking: What's the point of all this? Stores selling unnecessary things costing hundreds of Euros which could feed whole African villages for months on end. Even the change of currency was a bit of a surprise. Everything was suddenly expensive when I wasn't paying with dalasis anymore. Just grabbing a cup of coffee and something to eat after my red-eye flight would get me a nice lunch in Gambia. I also felt cold for the very first time in a month as I was sitting outside at a cafe, getting some fresh air before heading for Venice.

 I also started noticing what others were wearing, suddenly finding shorts, miniskirts and spaghetti strap tops somewhat inappropriate. Gambia is a Muslim country and we respected the local dress code so we always stuck to clothing that covered our shoulders and our knees. It was funny, how quickly you get used to it. Even when I was still there, we would wear sleeveless shirts at home but sometimes we got unexpected visitors and I changed my clothes on more than one occasion because I felt uncomfortable, almost naked.

These past few days have been an adjustment. Most of all, I felt very cold, coming back to 20 degrees and grey days, rarely interrupted by sunshine. You start to feel grateful for all the things you took for granted before. The first thing I did the next morning was putting my clothes in the washing machine with great pleasure. I had to wash everything by hand in this month and it was always a challenging, time consuming task by the end of which I was drenched in sweat. There is also something special about having unlimited access to electricity.

 Yet, despite all this, when I walk around the streets of my hometown, I don't see many happy faces. People are worried, serious and busy, hurrying past each other while going through their mental checklist in their heads. Going to the supermarket is also overwhelming, too many choices. It seems wasteful. I definitely won't see many things in the same light anymore, but that is precisely why I decided to go to Africa in the first place.

Memories

I made it home safely and now I'm slowly adjusting to life in Slovenia although it's somewhat of a reverse culture shock at times.  Here is the link to my photos because I know that everyone doesn't have access to my Facebook album:Gambia 2014 Album

I will continue writing about some experiences but I need a bit of time to rest, make new plans and look for new challenges. There is still much to be said, though.

More info about the program and organisation I went to Gambia with:

Za otroke sveta: http://zaotrokesveta.com/

Kids Are The World: http://www.kidsaretheworld.com/

Moments of Being

“Behind the cotton wool is hidden a pattern; that we—I mean all human beings—are connected with this; that the whole world is a work of art; that we are parts of the work of art. Hamlet or a Beethoven quartet is the truth about this vast mass that we call the world. But there is no Shakespeare, there is no Beethoven; certainly and emphatically there is no God; we are the words; we are the music; we are the thing itself.” 
― Virginia Woolf, Moments of Being

There have been many moments of being in this month I've spent in the Gambia. Those moments when everything crystallizes and you feel present in your life, alive in the moment, appreciating it's worth before letting it go to become a memory. Moments of colours, happiness, laughter, songs, disbelief, humility and so much more, all intertwined into a perfect picture, a keepsake for darker days. Sitting in the car together while another incredible thing happens and looking at each other at the same time: "This is Africa." Gazing at the sun setting over the Atlantic ocean while listening to the calming sound of the waves and the rustling of the palm leaves, enjoying the sea breeze at the picture perfect tropical beach. Attending a special ceremony at a family compound and witnessing joy, singing, dancing and laughter, all without a drop of alcohol being served. The look in a child's eyes when he finally manages to write a single letter, something his parents have never been able to do.

 I can say without any doubt that Africa has given me much more than I could ever give to it. My meagre contribution pales in comparison with the life lessons I've received and the incredible people that have crossed my path and welcomed me into their hearts, treating me as one of their own. They are to ones who have taught me to appreciate the moment, to slow down, to trust myself and to follow my dreams no matter what. It's also where I've rediscovered what I'm meant to do, the goal worth fighting for, the goal worth striving for.

 I've seen what true strength is when I met many people living in almost impossible conditions yet who have managed to stay positive and to appreciate the small good things in life. People who live on as little as 30 Euros per month, often without running water and electricity in cramped living spaces but who will never think of not sharing what little they have with those even less fortunate. A taxi driver struggling to feed his family of 5, working hard every day, all day, gives money to an elderly beggar who stops by his window. A poor family shows their gratitude with gifts for the sponsor of their child although they barely put food on the table. Drivers of our van sharing a small loaf of bread among them. A person giving someone their last coins because they want to help although that means they will stay without. A stranger paying for a car ride for another because they enjoyed a short conversation beforehand.

 The keyword is sharing. The custom in the Gambia is that whenever you're eating a meal, anyone in your vicinity is welcome to it, you always share your food even if that means less food for you. People always help each other, with money, food, clothes, although almost everyone here is poor. Poor in a materially sense that is. I've witnessed more empathy, kindness and true charity than anywhere I've been in the Western world. People here carry their wealth in their hearts and to me that will always be worth much more than all the money in the world.

It has been a privilege to spend this month in the Gambia and I'm forever grateful for this experience. Thank you, Mama Africa.

Korenine

I've already written this in Slovenian, so I will just leave it like it is.

Do zdaj smo se v glavnem zadrževale v bližini Serekunde, mesta v katerem delamo v vrtcu, tokrat pa smo se odpravile malo bolj v notranjost Gambije. Želele smo obiskati St. James Island, kjer stojijo ruševine trdnjave odkoder so sužnje odpeljali v Ameriko, blizu pa je tudi vas, v kateri je prebival Kunta Kinte, junak knjižne in televizijske uspešnice Korenine.

Naša pot se je začela v Banjulu, glavnem mestu, ki pa se, po resnici povedano, ni kaj dosti razlikovalo od drugih gambijskih mest, ki smo jih spoznale do zdaj. Res je, da je bilo tukaj več velikih zidanih stavb, vendar pa so bile ceste ravno tako luknjaste kot kjerkoli drugje. Previdno smo se pomikale proti vhodu na trajekt za Barro, nekoliko skeptične, če se bo spravilo gor toliko ljudi in še ves tovor, ki mu ni bilo videti konca. Pohitele smo po stopnicah na vrh, kjer smo imele proste sedeže in lep razgled na pristanišče. Pred nami se je prikazal tropski prizor kot na razglednici: množica lesenih pisanih čolnov, ki so prenašali potnike na drugo stran zaliva, nad njimi pa so se ponosno dvigovale košate palme.

Prihod v Barro je bil pravcat mali šok. Gneča, truma prerivajočih se ljudi, koze, vzkliki pouličnih prodajalcev … Vendar pa je bila pred nami še avanturistična vožnja z džipom do vasi Juffure po razbrazdani podeželski cesti. Okoli nas se je razprostiralo zelenje: palme, indijski oreščki, … , veliko pa je bilo tudi polj in manjših vasi. Videli smo prostrano riževo polje, na katerem so delale ženske v pisanih rutah z nogami v vodi. Zdelo se je kot da bi se čas ustavil. V vsaki vasi so za nami tekli otroci in vpili: „Toubab, toubab!“ (belec).

V vasi Juffure smo se vkrcale na čoln, ki nas je odpeljal do otoka. Že sam pogled na sive ruševine med zelenjem je vzbujal mešane občutke. Hoja po otoku in ogledovanje ostankov ječ so nas navdali z žalostjo in sočutjem do nedolžnih ujetih sužnjev. V majhnih celicah se jih je drenjalo tudi po 30. Najmočnejše so imeli v posebni celici, v katero so dajali hrano skozi okence, ujetniki pa so se morali zanjo boriti, pogosto do smrti. Pravijo, naj bi njihove duše še vedno bivale na otoku.

Vožnjo nazaj do Barre nam je popestril naliv, naš džip pa ni imel ponjave, zato smo morale vedriti pod streho nekje na podeželju in čakati na drug avto. Vendar pa nas je na cilju pričakala odlična domoda, piščanec z rižem v arašidovi omaki.

Ko smo se okrepčale in malo spočile smo se sprehodile po vasi. To je bila posebna izkušnja, tista prava Afrika. Bile smo edine belke v vasi, zato se je glas o tuobabih (belcih) hitro razširil med otroki, ki so nas spremljali v vedno večjem številu. Šli smo mimo mnogih družinskih bivališč iz katerih so nas radovedno opazovali odrasli, otroci pa so nas medtem že prijeli za roke in nas navdušeno pozdravljali. Predstavljajte si netlakovane ulice, pločevinaste ograje, ki jih je ponekod že načela rja in radovedne koze, ki jih srečate na vsakem koraku. Elektrika in tekoča voda v hiši tu nista nekaj samoumevnega, stranišče pa je luknja v zemlji za hišo.

Zame najtežji pogled so bili otroci, ki so brskali po smetišču za uporabnimi stvarmi z golimi rokami. Pa vendar ljudi ne pomilujem več, odkar sem v Afriki, saj kljub skromnim razmeram nosijo veliko bogastvo v svojem srcu.

Stepping Stone

Yesterday was a very special day for me. My brother recently became a sponsor to a little Gambian girl and I got to visit her. She lives just outside of Serekunda with her mother and grandmother and she is almost 4 years old.

Why did he decide to do it? Sponsorships enable a safe and stable childhood for unprivileged children because it provides them with access to health care, food and quality education. The project provides direct support to the children and their families. They get a chance at a better future with the monthly donation of 17 Euros and school fees, 45 Euros once a year. Meeting a couple of families in the past few weeks, I was amazed at the difference such a seemingly small amount of money can make in a child's life. They would be unable to attend school, have access to medical care and eat lunch at school if it wasn't for their sponsors. The families live in difficult situations due to various circumstances and the parents are more often than not illiterate.

I didn't quite know what to expect when we entered the compound, wondering if our little girl will be shy or scared or cry at the sight of a toubab. Almost immediately I saw a little face peeking at me through the fence, approaching me at the urging of her grandmother. I was told that she is a very smart and stubborn girl who is not afraid of anything. Soon she was sitting in my lap, smiling and playing with her new hair accessories. We didn't get to talk directly because she doesn't speak any English yet but she said that she liked me. Her mother also told me that her daughter was very excited about this visit and wanted to look nice, saying: "My toubab is coming to visit me!" I was beyond touched.

 It's difficult to put these feelings into words. It's one thing when you're looking at a picture on the computer and something completely different when you're sitting in the family living room with the child on your lap chatting to their family. Seeing that a child will be able to go to school, her biggest wish, gain an education and create a better future for herself, is a very humbling yet happy feeling. I would say this is proof that one person can make a difference in the world. An immediate connection was created that day and her family now considers us her family and this is a strong bond.  We arranged to meet again before my departure so we get to spend more time together. Soaking up the African sun on the drive back, I was the happiest person in the world.

Sponsor a child: http://zaotrokesveta.com/postani-boter/kako-postanes-boter/

Worlds Collide

I had the privilege of being present at two first meetings of a sponsor and their sponsored child. They happened thanks to my fellow volunteers Patricija and Sandra who very much wanted to meet “their children”.

Excitement was in the air when we entered our van, reggae blasting in the background, as we passed many bustling streets, having no idea where we are. Life was all around us; chaotic traffic, cars honking, the smell of street food, busy market stalls and people in colorful outfits going about their daily business with a donkey cart thrown into the mix. It was a completely different world.

We stopped at the compound of Sandra's child first, a little girl of only 3 years. The sight of her left us in awe, she was like a princess in her pink tulle dress and carefully braided hair. Entering the compound we were immediately surrounded by the small children, followed by their adult relatives. We met the beautiful young mother and everyone else living there, although the little girl soon grew scared by the sight of strange „toubabs“ (white people) with cameras in their hands. She hid behind her mother's skirt, crying because she had no idea what was going on, since she was too little to know much English and none of the volunteers speak Wolof. Later she became more animated proudly showing off her gifts while carefully guarding them from curious hands of the other children at her compound.

Thanks to the sponsorship, she will enter Nursery 1 in the fall, taking her first steps towards an education, an elusive goal for a lot of Gambian women. They get married as early as 15 years old and bear 6 children on average, often more. The husband is the breadwinner while the wife is expected to stay at home and take care of the children. Most girls drop out of school when they get married.

After that we stopped at the compound of Patricija's little boy where we were met by his father. He led us to their grandmother's place where they usually spend their days. Their meeting was touching as she knelt down to embrace the 3-year old who wasn't afraid at all. He admired his brand new school bag and lovely clothes and put the bag on right away. One could see the joy and pride in his deep brown eyes and he posed for pictures like a pro. He's already attending nursery school where he gets high marks and is the 3^rd best in his class. Thanks to her he will be able to continue his schooling and have a stable and safe childhood.

 Patricija arranged that he will spend time with her at our school while she'll be working there. It was a very emotional day and seeing the changes sponsorships create first-hand was a very special experience for me.