If you ask a Gambian how they are doing they will very likely say, 'Anyway I'm managing.' I asked my colleague Mbashu why that was and she said, 'Life is hard in Africa. We have no money, no power, no water, we have nothing, it's hard…all's we do is manage.'

This week I am definitely just managing. Monday and Tuesday were fine. I got a new cleaner. Her name is Awa and she is amazing. Get me, I have my own house and a cleaner. I've definitely gone up in the world. She did all my washing, ironing, cleaning, cleaned my yard, and sorted out a man to pick up my rubbish and all for the sum of 250 dalasi a week. That's £5. I almost felt guilty about it as she worked so hard but come to think of it, that's more than I earn a day now. However, I spoke to Natalie and she said her cleaner crunched up some leaves and wrote a message on her bed saying 'Enjoy your day.' Awa didn't do that for me. I think I might have to have a word with her about that.

I'm also going to try and teach Awa to read. I think it's quite a nice exchange because she has local knowledge which helps me out. Some old lady from across the road keeps shouting at me in Wolof and I haven't a clue what she's going on about so Awa intervened on my behalf and managed to shut her up. She also gives the local boys evils when they try and call for me and I think she's put some of them off coming round so it's great to her have her on my side.

Work was fine. Again, I just busied myself with searching the internet, when the power was actually on that is, and chatting to people. All the guys in The Gambia seem to support Man Utd so as soon as I say I've been living in Manchester they get very excited. Shame I know nothing about football. I started thinking of ideas for monitoring and evaluating the project. Mboge said, 'Nics, writing, writing, writing…you are always writing.' I made a couple of pages of notes is all. I read out my ideas and his face lit up. 'You type that up, we print it out and give it to the Director.' I hope work is this easy all year.

But on Tuesday my Mum called to tell me my Nan had been taken to hospital and was very sick. On Wednesday morning Mum called to tell me the doctor didn't think she would make it. I spoke to Nan, she sounded really weak. I told her I loved her and missed her and I'd come and see her as soon as I could. She said she felt really ill and loved me too. I started crying at work and everyone looked suitably horrified and they let me go home to rest.

I went to the beach of course as there was no point sitting at home alone. Luckily none of my friends are doing much work still so I met them. The waves were huge and we splashed around for hours before leaving to go to Natalie's house for dinner. On the way to her house my mum phoned to say Nan wasn't responding to any treatment and there was no more the doctors could do so they would take her of all the medication slowly and she would die in a couple of hours. I had to say good bye to her whilst I was standing by the side of a main road in Bakau with taxis and vans beeping at us to see if we wanted to catch a ride. Mum says Nan's eyes flickered when I was speaking so she thinks she must have heard me. And that was it.

I walked home in the dark and got stuck up to my ankles in mud as it had rained a lot that day. I pulled my flip flops out of the mud and walked home in bare feet with my muddy shoes in my hand. I got to the village shop and called one of the girls who works in there for help. She got someone to wash my feet and shoes and she helped me in the supermarket whilst I told her about my terrible day. I didn't have enough money for the shopping so she lent me the money and I walked home to my house to have a cup of tea. The power was out again. I made a cup of tea in the dark and then realised I had bought flour instead of milk powder. I'd forgotten loo roll too so I had to go to the toilet the Gambian way. I wasn't in the mood for it. As I sat alone in the dark drinking my tea made with flour I thought 'This is crap'. Then I had a feeling something had happened so I phoned Mum who said Nan had just passed away. I suddenly felt very far away from home.

So I'm going back to England on Thursday to be there for the funeral and to look after Mum for a couple of weeks. They said there was no need to but if there's one thing I've learnt so far in Africa, it's that your family are the most important thing in the world and you have to look after them.

On the bright side, I will miss Tobaski and so I won't have to wear my minging Tobaski outfit! I was wrong when I said I'd probably look like a right plonker. I look worse…more like a scary Victorian old biddy. In my attempt to have a slightly cooler looking Tobaski outfit by going for a more subtle pattern and colour I have ended up looking like a boring old maid. Helen went for a bright, more traditional African outfit and looks the bees knees. Oh well, you live and learn.

So anyway, I'm managing.