It seems lots of people are looking but no one is posting anything. I don't understand a lot of what is said on the bantaba in cyberspace and it doesnt let anyone join.
I just wish this forum would come back to life.

Well I am glad to read that I am not the only one trying without success to join Cyberspace. Although like you said Jen, it is too complicated for what I want. Politics, tourism, this and the other. At one time it was all lumbered up in one format which was much easier and also everybody could join. I don't know how Momodu takes his pick of who can contribute. Reading the entries is not a problem.
Anyway how can we make this Bantaba come back to life?
The last time I went to the Gambia was in May/June. Since then I have been for a couple of weeks to Germany. It's my homeland. But everything is very expensive now over there with only getting 1.10 Euros to the pound. Although the flights are dirt cheap and I can stay for free with my relatives, Gambia still works out as a much cheaper holiday destination. Also there is too much choice of absolutely everything (at a price) in Germany. I find it overwhelming, living in the "provinces" in England. It is soooo much more relaxing in the Gambia. I am going again to the Gambia in the middle of November. At least that is my plan and I have booked my appartment but not yet my flight. Presently I am in the middle of selling and buying a new house and hope to be settled pretty soon.

Hi Jen RS and all,

Nice to hear you 'guys' are still looking - it is quiet partly my fault because the website has suffered while I have been building GTS Kololi, so the Most Recent page I think had as it's latest entry Aug 08 - so people may think the site is dormant.

Some of you of course know that it isn't and that GTS and GETS are still very active, but after what really amounts to 3 or 4 years rest from any real work on the site, I am refreshed and ready to go at it again.

Others of you who are real GTS followers will also know that when I go quiet on the site we are having issues and the last 3 to 4 years have been really 'Gambian' difficult. BAD Gambian staff, dishonest and trouble making as well as totally ineffective and we have rattled through administrators since Kabs left us and eventually have had to abandon employing anyone - Thank heavens, we have now got a fantastic UK volunteer - Helen Touray who has just made such a massive difference over the last year and is with us again for 2010.

But we have had officials investigating claims of us not paying Tax or Social Security when we have all the receipts - we know who we have dismissed for dishonesty, so have an idea who is putting forward the problems - but hopefully that is behind us. In the UK they would be arrested for making such claims but in Gambia, the legal system is not as punative as in the UK, so Gambians see attack and slander as the best means of defence, because it is so hard to prosecute.

Also, dishonest people in Gambia seem to think everyone else must be at least as dishonest as they are, if not more dishonest, so it is worth making wild imaginery claims that might just stick.

The great news is that GTS and GETS are still operating - we had a wonderful 2009 AGM for GETS in the UK, well attended and loads of interest - now we are nearly ready with GTS Kololi - official opening in Jan 2010 (two years late - it is Gambia) we are getting loads of UK volunteers to help in the school, the office and on research projects - so I hope GTS will soon enter a new 'post nightmare' stage of optimism.

We have reduced our prices for single visitors down to £55 a week, the Members Zone we hope will be home from home amongst like visitors wanting to help more than just the bumsters.

I am busy working on the new GTS website which will pull together many 'How to in The Gambia' issues, which I hope will help many people overcome some of the obvious problems of operating outside the UK.

Join us - we are still here and still very busy Helping Tourists Helping Gambians Helping Tourists or as Gambians say 'What goes around comes around'

Just to make the bantaba live a little, I can add my experience.I went to the Gambia in October and visited the school at Bakoteh and I saw the wonderful progress that Fran had made at the GTS compound. It is all going along nicely there. I met Helen who is a volunteer (I think) at the GTS office and everything was looking good in the admin dept.
I found Gambia more expensive than 4 years previously when I was last there and Gambia experience prices were very high at that time but it was the time for me to go.
I'm not sure when I will go again but I would like to know what others are doing there.

well im going on 12th dec for 2wks, this will be my nineth time, and cannot wait

I sometimes think about going back to Gambia...sometimes, when chatting with Gambian friends here in UK and we talk about times past. But I doubt I ever will. As Francis says, Gambia has too many people who want to cause you trouble or scam money. It has it's charms, yes, but I am at the stage when the troubles outweigh them. The laughable thing is, my small circle of gambian friends in London don't want to go back either, for exactly the same reasons.

Hi Lil

Sorry you doubt that you'll be back, but I know it just wears some people down - as you know I say the problem is not knowing who is GENUINE and who just wants what they can get out of you. Sadly, it seems to have become part of the culture, getting something for nothing by telling the most outrageous fibs to enhance their cause.

Gambians returning from abroad are even more at prey than foreigners and their families work on Guilt, Religion, anything to get funds - and they generally succeed.

After 12 years, I still love the place, despite all the disappointing people I have met, who I thought were genuine but turned out to be just small minded little crooks with no interest in their country, their families or their futures.

The only way forward that I can see is through education - which as you know is why GTS and GETS are here.

Every little step forwards helps - thanks for your comments and fingers crossed that you visit again.

Francis

I have to agree with you, Francis. There can be very disappointing let-downs from people who you really believe are genuine but have merely been grooming you for the scam. However, this is not confined to West Africa; just read the British newspapers! I've made about twenty visits to The Gambia and I'll be there again before Christmas because most people are genuine, because I can help a little and because I have a jolly good time (mostly) when I am there!