My Experiences in the Gambia (eBook)

Caught between Paradise and Heartbreak- the Sojourner, the Gambian Woman, and Everything in between.

Chimdiebere Obunma (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
462 Seiten
Publishdrive (Verlag)
978-0-00-107133-9 (ISBN)

Infos

MY EXPERIENCES IN THE GAMBIA
Caught between paradise and heartbreak- A man's unforgettable journey into the soul of a nation.

What happens when a curious sojourner meets a country bursting with culture, rhythm, secrets, and passion?

Chimdiebere Obunma takes readers on a raw, emotional ride through The Gambia-where romance collides with survival, and freedom is both a dream and a test. From magnetic moments with captivating Gambian women, to the hustle, heartbreaks, and hilarious twists of the expat life, this is a bold, gripping tale told with honesty and heart.

If you loved Chimamanda's emotional depth, or the authenticity of Trevor Noah's stories, you'll love this fast-paced memoir-meets-novel that unpacks life in West Africa in ways you've never seen before.

Textauszug

CHAPTER 2

FAREWELL, NIGERIA — TOUCHDOWN IN THE GAMBIA (NEW LAND, NEW CULTURE, EXCITEMENT & UNCERTAINTY)

The mornings in Abuja had a way of dealing with someone— sun already is angry by 10AM, the traffic’s like a bad joke. But on that morning, Chimdiebere’s phone buzzed with something different.

“Guy!” he called out over the phone, breathless. “I just cash out over ₦300 million-plus on Bet365! All my body dey shake!”

Victor, on the phone call with his earbuds, dropped his indomie fork with his mouth wide open in shock. “Wait, say that again.”

“I hit a combo from last week’s Bet365 6 correct scores prediction where I accidentally got all 6 correct scores I predicted right. Man, I just dey check my account and boom— I see balance of £250,000!” Chimdiebere said.

Victor burst into laughter. “Omo! My own follow come o. You remember that memecoin I put $100 inside, that time we dey mock the logo? Bro, it pumped like mad! I fit cash out over $100k now!”

They sat in stunned silence for a beat, then cracked up like men who'd seen a ghost turn into a blessing.

"God of the underdogs, na you be this?!" Victor said, grinning from ear to ear.

Chimdiebere leaned back. “This is it bro, no more dragging. We’ve got the ammo now, Let’s move! Gambia’s first stop.”

Their plan wasn’t new—it had lived quietly in conversations, journal notes, and long sighs over power outages. But now, it felt real.

Chimdiebere, still deep in freelance gigs and eyeing a serious pivot into Blockchain analytics, knew this was the chance to upgrade his life—skills, network, vision. Victor, ever the dreamer with a hustler’s soul, just wanted out of the loop of “maybe tomorrow.”

They went to work fast. First, passport renewals—luckily, no backlog delays this time. Then came the Yellow Fever card, they spent an entire day at the health clinic arguing with tired nurses, until they walked out— arms slightly sore but certificates in hand.

“Na small needle for big dream,” Victor joked.

A week later, they booked their tickets through Ethiopia Airlines. It was a two one-way flights, Abuja to The Gambia, no checked baggage—just two carry-ons, and the weight of a thousand hopes.

The day they left, the sky over the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport was unusually clear.

Chimdiebere looked out the plane window as they took off, watching the Abuja skyline fade beneath clouds. No one clapped when the plane lifted, but inside him, a kind of quiet clapping echoed.

Victor nudged him. “Omo, this Gambia move go reset our lives.”

“I no come here to play,” Chimdiebere said, eyes still fixed ahead.

Six hours later, the sun in Banjul welcomed them like an old friend. The air was salty, warm, and different. No horns blaring. No exhaust choking the breeze. Just quiet streets, palms swaying like they had nowhere else to be.

They checked into Kasumai Beach Resort—nothing too flashy, but close enough to the ocean for perspective. For once, there was no urgency to hustle immediately. Just time and space.

Chimdiebere stepped onto the balcony that evening, barefoot on the tile, watching the tide roll in. Behind him, Victor was already yelling at the TV over some match.

A soft grin broke across his face.

It was only the beginning, but for the first time in a long time, the future didn’t feel like a distant story—it felt like now.

 

CHAPTER 3

STRANGERS IN A STRANGE LAND: THE STRUGGLE TO FIT IN (DIFFICULTIES ADJUSTING, CULTURE SHOCK).

The first few days at Kasumai Beach Resort felt like a fever dream. Palm trees swayed lazily under a sky that burned gold during sunset. Tourists laughed in melting accents, and the Atlantic breeze whispered behind every thought.

But beneath the palm-shaded calm, reality was beginning to sneak in.

“Guy,” Victor whispered one evening, poking at a plate of sizzling meat slathered in mustard and onions, “This one dey smell like suya, but something dey off.”

Chimdiebere picked a piece with two fingers, sniffed, and took a cautious bite. “E no bad, just... different. They call am Afra.”

Victor chewed, then nodded slowly. “Omo, we go survive.”

Later that night, one of the locals brewed Attaya—that thick, bitter tea sacred to Gambian hospitality. The first sip slapped Chimdiebere’s senses awake.

“Bro, wetin be this?” he coughed.

Victor burst out laughing. “Na like tea wey go reset your brain.”

“Reset abi rewire?” Chimdiebere wiped his tongue dramatically. “But e sweet small sha, after the third cup.”

Despite the culinary curveballs, the vibe at Kasumai was good. They made fast friends with a pair of Dutch backpackers and a Ghanaian couple who had been in Gambia for years. The beach, the bonfire nights, the live music—it was tempting to get comfortable.

But comfort wasn’t why they came.

 

 

MR. FANDING AND THE BIJILO MISSION

After a week of beachside indulgence, reality called. Through a chain of referrals, they got a contact—Mr. Fanding, a property broker known for good homes and sharp suits.

He pulled up one hot afternoon in a spotless Navy Sedan, stepped out with a smile that said “I know what I’m doing” and gave them both a firm handshake.

“I’ll show you the best in Bijilo” he said, sliding behind the wheel.

The drive was smooth, and the properties smoother. But one house stood out—a three-bedroom duplex, tucked into a quiet estate just minutes from the highway.

“Fully furnished,” Mr. Fanding said proudly, opening the front door. “This is American standard, you’ll love it.”

And they did.

The tiled floors, leather couches, wide kitchen counters, a deep freezer and AC in every room even made the house look very appealing to both Chimdiebere and Victor.

Chimdiebere ran his hand along the banister, turning to Mr Fanding and asking “How much per month?”

“Sixty-five thousand Dalasis,” Mr Fanding said, as if rehearsed.

Victor raised a brow. “That’s like… almost $900 every month? This place cost pass Naija! Oga how far, wetin dey sup na?”

“We go give you D60,000 monthly,” Chimdiebere offered. “Flat. Let’s make this simple.”

Mr Fanding hesitated, lips tight. “This one you guys are pricing me D60,000, that’s cutting me close.

I’ll consider your offer, but it has to be six months upfront for payment if you’re ready to secure this place and pack in soon.”

“Make it eight,” Victor said, surprising both men. “We don’t want stories later.”

Mr Fanding’s face broke into a grin. “I like you guys, now you are talking!”, he said while smiling and showing gratitude towards Chimdiebere and Victor for their kind gesture on leasing his property.

 

FROM RESORT LIFE TO REAL LIFE

Two days before their Kasumai booking expired, Eddy—a lean, always-grinning driver introduced by Mr Fanding—showed up in a blue Toyota with tinted windows.

“Na me go carry una enter una new compound,” he said with a wink. “Welcome to the real Gambia.”

They loaded their few suitcases, waved goodbye to the comfort of Kasumai, and drove off under the fading afternoon sun.

As they passed the strip of road where the sea kissed the edge of Bijilo, Victor muttered, “You think we go last for here?”

Chimdiebere looked out the window, eyes tracing the ocean line. “We didn’t come this far to turn back.”

The car turned off the main road, down a sandy stretch lined with lemon trees, and stopped at the familiar black gate.

Eddy honked twice. A young boy opened the gate from inside.

Victor stepped out first. “Let’s begin, bro.”

Chimdiebere followed, heart steady, mind racing. A new house, a new city, a new life. The sun dipped behind the building as they stepped inside, the cool air welcoming them like an unspoken promise.

 

 

CHAPTER 4

THE MEETING AT A SUPERMARKET IN FAJARA (THE FATEFUL ENCOUNTER THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING)

It was one of those Saturdays when the sun just felt like punishing you. The kind that makes you think maybe —just maybe—life could be harder if you let it.

Chimdiebere stretched on the couch, scrolling aimlessly. Victor strolled in from the balcony, shirtless and humming.

“Omo, this fridge don dry,” Victor muttered. “No more Milo, no wine… even the Pringles don vanish.”

“I been dey manage am small small,” Chimdiebere chuckled. “But e be like say today na the day we go stock up proper.”

He pulled out his phone and dialed Eddy.

“Oga Eddy! How far na? How e dey be?”

“Ah, my oga!” Eddy’s voice boomed through. “Una wan waka today?”

“We dey go that supermarket for Fajara—get some provisions, wine, fruits, all those small small things.” Chimdiebere said.

“Give me twenty minutes,” Eddy said. “I dey Bijilo junction already.”

 

THE RIDE TO FAJARA

Eddy arrived right on time, his Toyota humming low like it had stories of its own. The ride to Fajara was calm, with the windows rolled down, wind slapping their faces gently as the Atlantic coast flashed by. Victor tapped on the car stereo, “Abeg play one Gambian jam now—make we feel am!”

Eddy grinned and switched to a...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 27.7.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Reisen
• ISBN-10: 0-00-107133-5 / 0001071335
• ISBN-13: 978-0-00-107133-9 / 9780001071339