Salaam aleikum and thank you for allowing me to join this list.

My name is Erica Burman; my Gambian name is Fatou Tambajang.  I was a
U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Bansang from 1987-1989, where we my
husband Eric and I taught English at Bansang Secondary Technical
School.  I am currently the co-leader of a returned Peace Corps
volunteer group called Friends of Senegal and The Gambia (FOSG).  Over
the past 40 years 1,102 Americans have served as Peace Corps volunteers
in The Gambia and we over 700 in our database.  For many of us our time
in The Gambia was a pivotal life experience and we remain ambassadors
for The Gambia in the U.S.

Our small group is in the "growing stages."  Our website is
www.erslah.com/attaya and we have a yahoogroups listserv.  We put out a
very sporadic newsletter and are in search of someone to take on the
editorship.  This summer the National Peace Corps Association is holding
its national conference in Chicago from August 5-8.  In conjunction we
are planning a dinner/meeting during which several returned volunteers
who have started development projects back in Africa will share what
they are doing.  My hope is that we can discover some "synergies" and
get more people involved.

I have asked to join this list in order to make contact with Gambians
around the U.S. on behalf of our group and explore ways in which our
communities might work together for the benefit of The Gambia.  I
recently attended some ALD events in Washington DC and would like to
continue this contact via the internet.  I look forward to listening and
learning.

Best regards, abaraka baake, jere jef,

Erica Burman

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