Pen pals in Gambia

Look at a map and The Gambia is easy to spot: a narrow strip of land following one river inland from the Atlantic, wrapped on every other side by Senegal. That shape explains a lot. Most people live near the coast, around Banjul, Serrekunda and the towns beside them, while upriver life is quieter and more rural. If your pen pal mentions "going up-country", they mean travelling east along the river, and the gap between coast and interior is part of the story.

Tea, and taking your time

One habit you will probably hear about is attaya: strong green tea with mint and plenty of sugar, brewed on a small charcoal stove and served in three rounds. The first round is the strongest and usually offered to elders or guests; the later rounds get sweeter. The point is less the tea than the time it takes. A round of attaya is where friends, neighbours and colleagues sit and talk, so if your pen pal says they spent the evening "making attaya", that is a social life, not just a drink.

Two seasons, not four

The Gambia has a dry season and a rainy season. The rains generally come between June and October; the rest of the year is dry, with dusty, hazy weeks when the harmattan wind blows in from the Sahara. If you live somewhere with four seasons, ask what the rains change for your pen pal: farming, travel on unpaved roads, what is in the market. The school year runs roughly from September to June in three terms, so a pen pal still at school will be finishing just as the rains begin.

The year in a few moments

• Koriteh (Eid al-Fitr) marks the end of Ramadan, and Tobaski (Eid al-Adha) comes about two months later. Both follow the Islamic lunar calendar, so they move earlier each year. Many families mark them with new clothes, visits and shared meals.
• Christmas and Easter are public holidays too, and are celebrated by the country's Christian community.
• Independence Day falls on 18 February, marking independence from Britain in 1965.

Which language to write in

English is the official language and the language of school and government, so most pen pals here will write to you in English. At home and in the street, though, people mostly speak Mandinka and Wolof, which work as everyday common languages, alongside Fula, Jola, Serahule (Soninke) and others. Many Gambians move between several languages in a day, so ask your pen pal to teach you a greeting. In Wolof, "Nanga def?" means roughly "How are you?", and greetings in general matter: a proper hello is expected before getting to business.

Many outsiders know The Gambia only as a beach holiday destination. The resorts are real, but for most people who live there tourism is one part of the economy, not the whole picture; farming, fishing and trade shape far more lives. Better first questions than "do you live near the beach?":

• Which language do you speak at home, and which with friends?
• What does the rainy season change about your week?
• How does your family celebrate Koriteh or Christmas?
• What is a meal you would cook for a guest?

International post can be slow and unpredictable, so many pen pals keep the main conversation digital and save postcards for special occasions. For more ideas on getting started, see our guide to learning about a country through a pen pal.