A Letter from London: Don't comment

Hi Ebrima

I have been wondering why you have not been blogging of late. I occasionally go into your site but it has been very quiet of late. However, I see you are now back! I would like to write a piece regarding the sensationally news story that has been in The Daily Mail this week about a Gambian (Demba Sanneh) who married an English lady (obviously much older) only to start demanding money and support immediately after. She realised she had made the mistake of many others in believing that he was genuine (some are as you know). So, she has returned to England and says she has no intention of divorcing him so he must wait 5 years until he can gain a divorce legally. He has been refused a visitors visor because the authorities are aware of his dubious motives so obviously the tables were turned so to speak.

I obviously don't want to write this in your blog but if you are interested in it you could look it up on the Daily Mail website. I would have liked to have written on a positive note about my situation but won't because I am sure Abdoulie would not want me to. I just get a bit cross that the papers always write about the relationships that go wrong whether it is a Gambian, Turk or any other non EU person. Some (few admittedly) do work and considering 1 in 3 marriages fail in the UK anyway what is there to find shocking in it. Anyway, it is up to you whether you want to comment on it or not but as I said, please don't quote me!!

Shall write something soon less controversial.

Regards

Barbara

KEEP BLOGGING!!

The scorpions failed to sting

'Its good to taste our first defeat so that we can prepare effectively well in our next games'

This was the viewpoint advanced by one Gambian ardent supporter of the national team humbled by the stallions of Burkina Faso on Saturday evening as part of CAN 2012 to be co-hosted by E.Guinea and Gabon.

With a 3-1 defeat under the hands of Burkina Faso, the scorpions will have themselves to blame if they woefully fail to qualify in the next Confederation of African Nations Cup.


After seeing off the desert warriors in a game that saw some beautiful display of talents from the highly inexperience Gambian team, the Scorpions registered their first victory at home with triumphant three goals, thus collecting three solid points. That was what the Gambians expected from their side, after all The Gambia has never been represented at CAN since God created the country. And the good thing is that every successive team always have one thing in mind; how to qualify, and that qualify it must!

But like the case of the proverbial wrestler who entered into the field with pride and charisma relying on solid personal achievements - all that failed to show as soon as the whistle was blown.

The dismal performance on Saturday reminded everyone, if we need reminding that despite our promising talents, we, I mean the Scorpions have a long way to go before we can match the likes of Senegal or even Burkina Faso.

We have to, but all its not lost, as Namibia can still teach Burkina Faso some bitter lessons, after all this is Football, it is never over, until it is finally over. Until that happen, we have to think about what to do next, and lets start it all over again.

I must continue

How could I completely abandoned a pet projectI started in India under the tutelage of a Mexican artist cum literary critic Jesus Hector Betancourt? Isn't the art of blogging boring? Just imagine writing for an audience you probably don't know. So you tend to give up when someone is no longer writing to encourage you.

Anyway each time I post something on BaldehBolong my mind hovers back to the words of inspiration given me by my Tanzanian colleague Chabby Barasa who insisted that whatever happened - I should continue writing. During the first week of my scholarship programme in India, the Mexican friend told me this was the first time he has met an African, and our camaraderie would later include lessons on the art of blogging, book writing, designing and explaining the untold African story.

Even though I have been conspicuously absent all these days, each time I think surf the internet my mind goes to the blog, and start imagining why I couldn't continue writing and what is wrong. Perhaps in India I had so much time to write. In The Gambia, I'm not only married to my wife, but my job, and now reading History and Mass Communication at the University. But I must continue at all cost!

Help me please.