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Published: January 9th 2008
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Presidential Visit
The man in blue is the President of Sierra Leone. NOVEMBER 2007
I'm sorry but this has been an amazingly weird day so far, and i just
wanted to tell you ALL the details before they slip my mind and my
only focus is hand washing my underwear.
Yesterday i found out that the (newly elected-not the warlord-for you
jason) president of Sierra Leon was coming to our office today,
because he is a former insurance broker and a student of my boss. He
is in Ghana trying to find investment or firms interested in
rebuilding Sierra Leon (for those of you that did not know there was a
horrible civil war there). My boss is building a bank there (like you
casually decide) and an insurance brokerage firm, conclusion he is
RICH.
So Nina (yes today i refer to myself in third person) forgets sorta
that this is happening or thought it was a secret affair and it didn't
matter what we wear. I OFCOURSE, show up in Evelyn's cowgirl dress
and leggings because it is a tad bit too short. And arrive to see my
building decorated for the president and EVERYONE dressed up in
Ghanaian wear. (An email was sent around that never reached me)
Lets
just hide in the background. I was really embarrassed but everyone
said it was fine, but the sort of fine with a nod to the side fine. So
immediately after i arrive we are in a line and police sirens are
going off. With 16 shining land rovers and mercedes rolling in.
Everything went so fast and i was shoved between the two executive
managers (mumbling to myself that this is NOT where i should be
standing). The president gets flowers and the little girl dressed up
in traditional clothes. Then we head up stairs for the breakfast and
things. I PERSONALLY serve the president water. Only time i have liked
the serving tea part of my job. Anyways, I'm standing there taking
pictures while everyone is eating, and this old man asks me if I am
the official photographer..FUNNY...we start talking realizing that he
knows Sarah Lawrence and he went to Cornell. He lived in Scarsdale
working for General Electric about 30 years ago, but that is
sufficient to keep talking in Accra. Then he just says "Want to come
see my power plant?" Ofcourse i do anything to get out of the office.
So we go down
with the presidential fanfare, and pop into his car. I
beautiful Mercedes huge land rover thingymagig. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I
REALIZE THAT THE PRESIDENT IS GOING TO HIS POWER PLANT AS
WELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" which is in TEMA about 20 minutes drive from my
office. This time however we have the police escort. we are IN the
entourage. ALL CARS HAVE STOPPED.. it takes about 10 minutes or less
because we are driving 140 kmh..Yeah i was freaking out. Here i am in
the MIDDLE of Nowhere at a construction power plant with the
president. As i plop out of the car my boss looks at me. Giving me the
what the hell am i doing here look, when Essandoh (who owns the
company that we are visiting) explains that he snatched me to show me
the place. My boss didn't talk much to me after that. Wouldn't blame
him. Not like cowgirl nina is meant to steal his spotlight atleast not
today. So we are walking around the power plant, and im taking
pictures. Then im meeting the MD of this and that company. Talking to
this crazy security guard with this big scar all across his neck.
Trying
to find out what happened, but sooooooo dont know how to go
about asking about those sort of things discretely. Essandoh then
decides to give me a presentation about Energy Crisis (because he can
apparently tell that i am 'hungry for knowledge'?) So off we go
Get to his luxurious office. Its the italian, and I who get this
presentation about the Energy Crisis in Ghana. By one of the top men
in the private energy sector in Ghana. HE is basically explaining to
me everything from how a generator works (with little drawings) to the
origins of the energy crisis in Africa and to specifically Ghana. It
was REALLY good, and i asked questions about using alternative energy,
and inequality. It was just AMAZING. I got all the answers i wanted to
hear, and wow it was like being back in a conference with a professor
at SLC. Not to mention he had amazing artwork and played smooth jazz
in the background. The only downfall is when i went to use the
bathroom and there wasnt water!!!!!!!!!!!!! DADADAMmm panic...but i
came out like nothing happened and he was like..uhhh there is a bucket
in the corner that you
can use..Caught in action. blush. Then someone
else went to the bathroom and it was obvious that you could hear
everything..ANYWAYS...
they drove me home..and when we were stuck in traffic he asked me what
i studied..so i told him, and he wants me to be a buyer for him or buy
some of my art pieces. SO here i am FREAKING out..and everyone at the
office is wondering what the hell happened because they saw me driving
away with them in the presidential entourage.
Next week for our DINNER we set the topics of discussion for norwegian
oil, contemporary african art, see if they can find a good apartment
for my friends and I, and ofcourse i have to try and sell insurance.
Hope that wasn't too long, but it was just so weird.
Have an Amazing Day where ever you are, and hope you and your families are well!
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