Sports supersedes

Are you preparing for May Day Sports? Because this is what the event is synonymous with in The Gambia. Institutions mainly the private sector put on their colorful T. shirts and run up and down the stadium, others flock to the country's main stadium specifically to watch the activities unfolding there.

May 1st the world over is a Public Holiday, also known as International Labour Day, the day is specifically meant to reflect on the plight of thousands of workers the world over, in some cases, the day give disgruntled and radical workers the chance to vent their spleen on the 'terrible' conditions they are going through.

Last year by this time I was in New Delhi, and beleive me or not Indians were busy and infact locked up in election campaigns. While I was reading the papers and wondering how each country try to prioritise events and festivals, I could not help but imagine how the activities at Gambia's main stadium.

Is Barbara reading?

Pralhad Giri: A victim of cyber criminals?

Well in our Gambian local language there is a proverb that is specifically meant to deter anyone who challenges the decision of our elders when it comes to experience sharing, not long ago, Barbara Scott our contributor from the U.K sent us a piece touching on the disadvantages of connecting to social networking sites. Anyway if what happened to our friend from Nepal is anything to lean on, then lets us be careful of the internet, or else...

Please read his letter and draw your conclusions.

Dear friends/well wishers,
Greetings!


I'm extremely sorry that I'm not being able to connect you or share my thoughts for last two weeks. I was unable to do so as my facebook account was hacked by a hacker/anti-social element. Abusing elements, annoying texts messages with unsolicited friend requests were sent from my profile, unfortunately that resulted in disabling my facebook account permanently.


Before I could send a request letter, the Facebook Team decided to disable my account. When I urged them to re-activate they suggested me to create a new one rather to continue the old.


You can reach my facebook account with my email id as pralhad.giri@yahoo.com. I'm extremely sorry to any inconvenience caused to you by this tragic episode.


So, hoping that you would understand my tension and problem. I hope to get your support, friendliness and warm heartedness as it was in past.


Hoping to be more close in developing harmonious relationship in future endeavours.




Yours sincerely,

Pralhad Giri,
Kathmandu, Nepal

Barbara comes in

WHEN TWO WORLDS COLLIDE:

by Barbara Scott

I read with interest your story on the couple who are living in one country whilst their families are in another. This is a very familiar situation to me. When people leave their homeland to start a new life abroad there nearly always is a conflict of loyalties. In the case of this married couple and their new child they both have the same problem. When it is only one of a couple who has this dilemma it is probably harder. Lots of people here in the UK move abroad too and obviously miss their families. It is, however, much easier for them to travel back and forth between countries if finances permit. It wasn't always so. In the 1960's many young couples emigrated to Australia and Canada in search of a better life. They mostly did so with an 'assisted package' which allowed them to travel for as little as £10! Some settled down well but many didn't. The homesickness set in and often it ended in broken marriages when one wanted to stay and the other didn't.

I am sure your friends will take strength from one another and keep in contact with their respective families by any means possible. Everyone must seek their own destiny and, like all other forms of life, make the break from their parents or siblings at some stage. In some cultures this is harder than others because of the strong sense of duty to the family. This is where it is hard. How far does that obligation go? It is important to be aware of your roots but if you move to another country you must learn to put down your roots there also. They will never forget their heritage and will no doubt make their child aware of his. I wish them well.

GOING IN FOR A BABY

‘Little Muhammad Bah, son of my Armitage buddy'

I wasn’t somehow amazed… Did I? A line-up of events that needed my attention and urgent consideration, first it was the news of friend whose wife brought him a bouncing baby boy – being the first baby for the young couple whose age ranges 23 to 31.

What makes the first piece of news inviting was the fact that the young couple had just started settling down abroad, the fact that none of their biological parents attended the christening ceremony clearly showed that at times distance and death can separate the spirit that connects a mother and his dear son.

The baby, innocent as he is, has found himself in two worlds: the one that push his parents out of their country of nativity, and the new world where he is born under a completely different environment.

So in other words, this young couple could not tell me about it, simply put it wasn’t the case of ‘I don’t care’ rather it was more or less about whether things that appear big and superfluous is indeed real. Simply put, I likened it to the often-neglected story of the hyena that left its children in search of food, is not sure whether those he left in the house are still fateful to him, and that they are with him.

The heart is willing, but the mind is speaking otherwise, that’s why I insist the new baby has come relatively under serene but complex situation.

Talking about the other baby born just a stone from my place of abode,I was later told that he is named after my biological dad, so he is going to be my father too. Just fresh from my U.S trip, I visited one of room mates in Armitage now a teacher and student at the University of The Gambia. A married man, his wife brought him a nice baby in the person of Muhammad Bah.

What a coincidence, all these people who are close to me have babies, and who happen to have the same sex.

APRIL FOOL?