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Blogs from Liberia, Africa
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December 8th 2012
Another mission and yet another country, after North Korea and Iraq, here I am for the very first time in my life, working in West Africa! Fully settled in, time to write my first entry about Liberia, my new home for a little while, no security issues here so I am very much determined to discover step by step this part of the world! Many things have happened during my first few weekends in Monrovia, or should I say outside of Monrovia...Robertsport and its national surf contest, mind-blowing; a great farewell of a dear friend in Liberia first ecolodge hidden between jungle and sea an hour and half drive from the capital and my very first close encounter with chimpanzees in the wild... Monkey Island, Liberia here we come! The getting there part, as usual one ... read more
July 30th 2012
The week after my last blog was one of those landmark weeks. One of those in which everything that happened seemed serendipitously planned and you cannot wipe the smile off your face or the sense of satisfaction from your heart; when, if you take a second to just stop and look around, you wonder how you ended up here. It was the moment in which, even though you’ve been comfortable in your new place for weeks, in seems like someone flipped a switch and you suddenly feel home— you finally get the public transportation; you know the potholes to avoid on the road; you have your favorite market for the best avocados; your preferred tailor is programmed into your phone; local restaurant employees notice when you change your hair. It really all started that Tuesday, when, ... read more
July 25th 2012
The lack of blog writing in the last few weeks is indicative of a busy and fun-filled time here in ‘Mama Liberia’ (as many a billboard around here calls it)! I now write to you from my third home in country in just seven weeks, in Paynesville, a budding “suburb” of Monrovia. It’s farther from town and work, but the house is nice, the housemates are great, and most of all, I have my own room for free for the remaining weeks that I have left. Things work most of the time, though water pressure and stable voltage remain hot commodities. So much, in fact, that I recently fried my computer charger/adapter because the of the volatile voltage spikes. (Thank goodness there is a strong expat community out here that provide all sorts of extra supplies ... read more
July 5th 2012
Since I’ve last written, the skies over Liberia have continued to pour with reckless abandon and the daily pounding of liquid needles on tin rooftops has become my daily alarm clock. Almost immediately each morning, the melody and lyrics of Toto’s song pop into my head: I bless the rains down in AAAAfrica!…I passed some rains down in AAAAfrica! While this may sound like torture to some of you :), I revel in it quite a bit (both the song and the sleepy, cozy environment that rainy gray skies create). I’ve never been anywhere else that’s rivaled Kaua'i’s rainy seasons the way Liberia has this summer! Other than this consistency, though, nearly everything else has changed. I now write to you from the capital city of Monrovia, where the Farmbuilder... read more
April 7th 2011
Anthony is a gregarious Liberian who has experienced more in 30 years than most people do in a lifetime. Forced to flee Liberia at an early age, he escaped with his family to neighborhood Guinea, where he obtained an education, interrupted by bouts of civil unrest, and eventually came back to Liberia a few years ago. He is now married and has a beautiful daughter in Monrovia, where he works as a Driver. Today, I find myself walking while exchanging stories with Anthony on a remote, white sandy beach in Robertsport, a sleepy town in Northern Liberia, just a few miles from the Sierra Leone border. Captivated by the conversations, I forget all about my sandals, which I seem to have left behind somewhere. After a few minutes of searching for the misplaced footwear, it becomes ... read more
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March 31st 2011
“Life is a challenge.” It’s been three days since I first set foot in West Africa, but, as with most trips to the field, it’s taken me a while to fully grasp where I am. Today, I find myself in the outskirts of Monrovia, Liberia’s capital, just outside one of Merlin’s health clinic, staring at the license plate on the back of a motorcycle parked next to the rehabilitated facility. “Life is a challenge” it reads unassumingly. I don’t think there is a single human being with a remote understanding of modern history who will refute this truism, especially as it applies to the continent of Africa. Life has been, is (and I’m afraid) will continue to be) a challenge. But, as is the case with many marginalized, destitute parts of this often times-forgotten continent, one ... read more
February 13th 2011
I'm currently at the airport in Ghana - waiting for my flight to German - been here for 4 and have 9 more to go - ugh! I'll be there in the morning just in time to catch my flight to Cairo. I was supposed to have returned back on the 1st but, as many of you already know, due to the political unrest (only 2 blocks from my house) I was unable to since all the flights were canceled. I was fortunate enough to be able to spend 2 additional weeks in Liberia (so ever thankful to my parents for providing the financial support for those 2 weeks - I know I've caused them quite a headache and lot of worries when they were determined to get back to come back home and I was ... read more
November 17th 2010
Never in my widest dreams did I ever see anything like this happening, as they say you never know whats around the corner. As you all know, I have paid for my ticket, taken my vaccinations, got my visa, I am all set to go. What could possible go wrong??? Well! My mum who has been a great source of inspiration and motivation throughtout has suffered a set back with her health which will prevent us from travelling at the moment. Hopefully, if all goes well, we should be back on track in 6 months or so. I will therefore take the positive approach and view this as a temporary set back and look forward to travelling with my mum soon on our journey to Africa. Stay strong mum. I am sure you will all share ... read more
November 13th 2010
never seem to have the time.. but i must go and collect my malaria tab.... read more
November 1st 2010
Not long to go , I had my yellow fever vaccination on the 28 of October 2010. Without this vaccination I would not be able to get a visa. It must have taken me a good 3 hours to find the Liberia embassy. It's located in warren street London, but let's just say I took a very long route round. Got there eventually tho , everything went really well. My biggest concern now is travelling with the nets and keeping them safe. My worse nightmare would be if they were to be taken off me at the airport. I have 80 mosquito nets, unfortunaly i can only carry 40 with me ,further arrangements will be made for the other 40 nets. Hopefully the airport will not charge me too much to transport them. I am really ... read more
