In my community, a large bottle of water costs 35 GMD ($0.48 USD) and a small bottle of water costs 20 GMD ($0.27 USD). If you are in a market, often people will sell small cups or bags of cold water which cost five to ten dalasi. Most people do not buy bottles of water, as they can drink directly from the tap. However, for visitors like myself, my stomach is not used to the tap water and can be unsafe for me to drink, so I use a water filter that filters the tap water so it is safe for me to drink.
The best meal I had this week was Benechin, which is my favorite meal to eat for lunch! In The Gambia, there is not as much variety in meals compared to the United States. We usually eat the same thing for breakfast and dinner everyday, and lunch is always a rice dish. However, since I am traveling in Portugal now, I have been eating a lot of different food. My favorite food I have had in Portugal so far is seafood! We had some delicious clams and shrimp yesterday.
Listening to music is not as common in The Gambia compared to other places. I also do not usually see people playing instruments in my village. However, if there is a special event or program, such as a wedding or a naming ceremony for a new baby, people may play music or hire someone. People enjoy listening to Senegalese or other West African music, but I also enjoy sharing American music with my family. If we are cooking or drinking attaya together, sometimes I will play my favorite songs on my speaker for us to enjoy.
