This story was first written down at the end of the 20th Century, shortly after I returned to the U.S.A. from a less than successful venture as a natural resource volunteer with the U.S. Peace Corps in The Gambia, West Africa. Originally, I sent this tale to a few publishers with the hopes of becoming a travel writer. I had a few bites, but never reeled in a deal. I surmised that at that time, the publishers were too busy cashing in on the Y2K 'end of the world' bullshit and couldn't stomach another return volunteer's self-absorbed story about how he "found himself" in a faraway land. The manuscript was stuffed into an envelope and filed away, collecting 20 years of dust...until now. On July 4th, 1997, I set off on a personal quest for independence and adventure...and visions of helping the world. I soon realized however that my 'American dream' of making the world a better place through a grass roots approach was not as sustainable as I had anticipated. And at times, I felt that my presence was actually hindering those I was supposed to be helping. To adjust to this new latitude, I had to change my attitude. It wasn't easy. While culture shock, extreme heat, filth, pests and daily failure slowly broke my spirit, I found strength, compassion, beauty, love and the will to endure through a variety of relationships and colorful characters I met along the way. If you have an interest in the U.S. Peace Corps, volunteering overseas, world travel, or are just looking for a story to help you get to sleep, I invite you to come along on the journey of a 25-year-old Kansan who traded in a burgeoning career as a television video producer for a mud hut in a small African village with no electricity or running water. My name was Lamin Touray, and this is my memoir of the many highs, lows, and doldrums in between as a Peace Corps volunteer living, learning and working on the Smiling Coast: The Gambia, West Africa.
