Trek

Next week (starting on Sunday) I will be headed out for about a week to go on observation trek with the college. What this means is that a couple of us teachers from the college get assigned a region in Gambia to go and observe students that are doing their field training. I have gone a couple of day observations, but am a little apprehensive about doing it for a whole week. The good thing is that we don't have to take public transport, but we might be crammed in a pickup truck. I am planning to arm myself with lots to read, the ipod (though I wish it wasn't so big!) and the camera, if Andy doesn't need it, and hopefully snacks :). There is another week long trek in the third term, so I hope this one goes well so I won't dread going on that one!
Haven't talked to the family in a little bit, don't really know everyone's reactions on the hair,. here I feel that the because of the traditional roles of men and women, they react as if I am taking something from the men in shaving my head. But our family and the people in the compound have been good, they joke with us about Andy and I having the same haircut, but I joke right back with them. (People here traditionally pick on each other, and it doesn't bother people, they will say things like, oh you are very fat today (this is a good thing), or you can't speak Mandinka, or you have a big nose,.. and this is all supposed to be taken as truth and you should not get upset about it. People here don't ever really show their hair that much, because they usually have it up in wraps! So I tease them and say things like, oh well, you must be completely bald under that wrap, thats why you wear it!
Anyhow, not much else to say here, except that I'm glad it's Friday, though the weeks go by so fast! and tomorrow I will hopefully get to relax a little before leaving.
In an hour or so I am heading to the nursery school to do a lesson planning training with the teachers, it is going to be very informal, and relaxed I hope. The topic isn't exactly what I would pick to do with them now personally, but I really wanted it to be something that they picked themselves, so they would be motivated, and lesson planning is what they picked. And I think if left up to me, there would be so many things I would want to do with them that it would be hard for me to decide! So, wish me luck on that, and a good trek up country, and I will hear from you all when I get back!