Serrekunda, Timbooktu

Hello folks,
I hope all is well back home. Moriba and I took a bush taxi up to Serrekunda and Bakau today, which are two huge suburbs of Banjul, similar the way Lacey is to Olympia, but to a much more extreme level. Really, parts of Serrekunda felt like any suburban town in America. Busy paved roads, corporate businesses...quite the different feel when compared to Brikama. In Bakau, we visited a bookshop called Timbooktu. I got some interesting Mandinka language guides and a small history book about the Gambia and Mandinka music. Stepping into the bookshop, like riding into Serrekunda felt like stepping into a piece of home... I even used a flush toilet for the first time since leaving the airport in New York!
On other note, things have gotten a little more interesting for me.. I finally got the nerve to sit down with Malamini and play kora last evening. It is something that I was fearing, for some strange reason, and I wish that I would've done it earlier. It's quite hard to describe what it's like to be sitting next to Malamini, on the floor outside of my room, in the open air, listening as he speaks. A very soft, gentle voice he has indeed...he was happy that I decided to bring the koras and play a tune for him that Moriba taught me called Kaira. It is Malamini's favorite piece. Long story short for lack of time...Malamini showed me a new piece, and encouraged me to keep coming back to him every night to learn something new. This has really brightened my spirits, because I know how much my teacher, Kane Mathis learned from him. Even though Moriba is still my primary teacher, being able to learn from Malamini seems pretty cool.
On other note...not all of you may know my Aunt Arlene, in fact, hardly any of you reading this may know her...but she is one of the sweetest people that I have ever had the chance to spend time with, and she is definitely worth mentioning. When I was a young lad, my parents would go off somewhere for their anniversary for a few days in February, and they would take me up to her place in Maple Valley, WA where she used to live with my Uncle Bud, who has since passed. Spending time with her is one of my favorite childhood memories, and I will cherish it forever. I mention my Aunt Arlene in this blog because she is in the hospital with a serious medical condition, and I would like to invite everyone to send some positive light towards her as she is cared for. Arlene, if you are able to read this, I love you with all of my heart, and I am thinking about you every minute.....May you be in light...

Until next time...

Sean