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Omar Janneh, Science Co-ordinator from Sinchu
Baliya Lower Basic School, visited the UK between 23 June and 4
August 2006. This is his diary:
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23-06-06 |
I left Banjul international Airport around
15.50pm and arrived at London Gatwick around 22.55pm and found
Ian waiting to received me. Gavin and Holly came to stay for
the weekend. |
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24-06-06 |
I attended a carnival at
Southwater Junior
School in the morning and in the evening I went to see a show on
Midsummer Night's Dream at Broadbridge Heath hall. Holly spent a
lot of time with her new slide. |
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Holly on her slide |
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25-06-06 |
I attended family 'flock to park' fun day at
Horsham park, where many charities raised funds for their
projects and Pageant had a stall. |
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Pageant stall at the Horsham
Fun Day >> |
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more about the
Horsham Fun Day |
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at the Horsham Fun Day |
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27-06-06 |
I attended the 2006 Microscience exhibition
at Excel conference hall in London and I spent the night at the
Custom House Hotel.
more about MicroScience |
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28-06-06 |
Kathy's husband Andrew came to pick me up
from London back to Southwater where I am staying with Pippa and
Ian. |
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29-06-06 |
Chris and Dave (Ibrakeforcake) met me at
Pippa's residence to discuss about their plans for Plymouth -
Banjul rally. |
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30-06-06 |
I visited
Christ's Hospital school in Horsham
and a boy by the name Louis Spreckley took me round the school
campus and explained some important things and places about
their school. |
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01-07-06 |
In the morning I, Pippa, Ross and Pauline
went to Horsham town shopping centre and they bought sunglasses
and a file for me and took me to an Italian restaurant to buy a
lunch for me.
In the evening I and the Howard family went
to Gravetye Manor hotel to visit Pauline's cousin brother (West
Sussex).Then at night we went to have dinner at Bryce's
restaurant which I enjoyed very well. |
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02-07-06 |
After lunch at home Ross and Pauline returned
to Paris, France by train - Eurostar, which goes under the sea
in a tunnel. |
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03-07-06 |
I went to visit Thurrock and Aveley junior schools in Essex
and talked to the children about life and educational system in the
Gambia. |
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with the children at Stifford
Junior School, Thurrock >> |
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04-07-06 |
I went to Pippa's office at Leatherhead town. |
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06-07-06 |
I went with Tina to attend the sports day of Manor Green
Junior School at Crawley town. This school is for children with
special learning difficulties.
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During my visit I met a nursery teacher who said she was one time a
teacher in Kenya and she promised to send me a parcel of Nursery
books when I go back to The Gambia.
On that day she gave me a book on caterpillars and one on face
painting for kids |
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08/07/06 |
I went to Christ's Hospital for the end-of-term parade
called Beating Retreat and we had a nice lunch first in a very
beautiful dining room. |
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at Christ's Hospital |
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beating retreat |
Commemorative
stone of CH's move to Horsham |
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09-07-06 |
PAGEANT members came to meet me at Pippa's residence and
did a big party for me. The group contributed the sum of £105 and
gave it to me. Kathy and her husband also gave me a Casio watch as a
present. more
about the Meet Omar Day |
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10-07-06 |
I was invited by Joe Brock, a physics teacher
at the
College of Richard Collyer in Horsham town to attend a session (I
Hate Physics) for Secondary teachers in West Sussex. |
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12-07-06 |
I went visit
Ridgemede
Junior School in Hampshire County.
Their World class teacher Ms Jeannette Mars and her pupils gave me a
warm welcome and the children gave me lots of presents. The
Headmaster Eric took me round the school and gave me the prospectus
of his school. That day I, Ian and Pippa spent the whole day with
them and the Headmaster was very happy to provide a dinner for us
and Jeannette. |
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13-07-06 |
I visited
Trafalgar Community Infant
School in Horsham town
(West Sussex). I had lengthy discussions with the children and their
teachers. The Headteacher Ms Lynne Wise took me a tour of her school
and then gave me their prospectus and her address. |
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at Ridgemead Junior
School |
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at Trafalgar Community
Infant School |
with Frances, Ian and
Pippa
at Buckingham Palace |
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14-07-06 |
For the first time I travelled by a train from Horsham
train station to the Victoria railway station in London to go and
meet Pippa and Ian at the Buckingham palace .They went to attend
the30'th anniversary of the Prince's Trust on Friday. From there
they took me round the City of London and later for a dinner to a
restaurant called Giraffe. |
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15-07-06 |
I went to visited Pippa's parents at Hindhead and took a
nice photo with Pippa and her mum. |
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16-07-06 |
I left Southwater to York City to attend the Light
Microscopy Summer School from the 17-19 July and then left York to
London on Thursday 20'th July to visited my brother and the next day
he also took me for a weekend to Derby. I missed going to ride on
the London Eye, a Thames river boat and a visit to the Natural
History Museum with Kathy and her family! |
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23-07-06 |
I phoned Pippa from London and she said everybody is
worried about my whereabouts which I regretted. |
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24-07-06 |
In the morning I left London to Southwater and apologised
to Pippa for the mistake I did and then in the afternoon we went to
Colchester in Essex to meet Edison about school projects and
discussed with their workers about the Plymouth - Banjul rally and
how best they can help schools in The Gambia and also to form links
for Sinchu Baliya L.B.S and Primary Schools in Thurrock, Essex. (details
of Edison meeting on Ibrakeforcake blog) |
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at Edison with Pippa, Ian,
Chris Lawler
and his mum, Jan (left) |
with Joanne Hill and
Chris Fisher |
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25-07-06 |
Two members (Joanne Hill and Chris Fisher)
from the first 2006/7 Banjul rally group came to meet me and I
discussed with them about the likely materials we will need in our
Schools. |
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26-07-06 |
I attended a fund raising at Colgate scout camp site for
scouts going to attend Jamboree at Essex. On my visit I met their
Scout leader and he promised to have a link with my troop in The
Gambia. |
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27-07-06 |
Mr Frederick William King and wife came to meet me and
register their willingness to sponsor my daughter (Tida). (picture
below) |
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28-07-06 |
In the morning I went to Singleton to visit
Weald and Downland Open Air Museum.
Kathy and the family invited me to a dinner at their house. |
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29/07/06 |
We had supper at home with Carole, Franklin and Tina - a
combination of a West African and English meal. |
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with Carolyn and Fred
King |
Pippa's mum and some of
Ousman's paintings |
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30-07-06 |
I went to Hindhead for the second time to visit Pippa's
parents. Pippa's mum has mounted several of Ousman's paintings for
display in a local hairdresser. |
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31-07-06 |
I and my hosts went to Brighton to visit the Sea-Life
Centre where I saw lots of sea creatures and from there they took me
to the marina where hundreds of different types of boats were
docked. On our way coming back home we drove along the sea side for
over two miles and came through the road leading to the old quarry
where cement was produced in the south of England.
In the evening we went to have supper with Sandra at her home. |
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at Brighton Sea-Life
Centre |
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with Sandra |
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1-08-06 |
I did some climbing with Chris Lawler in Crawley and enjoyed
it a lot. |
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2-08-06 |
I had an Internet lesson with Frances in the morning, then
visited Horsham Museum with Tina in the afternoon. In the evening I
started to pack my case but it is too small to take all my things
now |
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3-08-06 |
Did last-minute shopping in Horsham, bought a new suitcase
for my trip home. Visitors in the evening were the Groves family,
the King family and Tina and Frances and we had my favourite roast
lamb for my last UK supper. |
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4-08-06 |
All my things fit in my new case - I am off to Gatwick with
Ian and Pippa to check in at 7.00 am for my trip home to The Gambia |
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