Bo, Sierra Leone 19 June 2010
It has been two and a half weeks since I left my home in Los Angeles, California. I seek adventure in the name of service, and this pilgrimage, of sorts, has led me to Sierra Leone, West Africa. Over the next 27 months I will inadequately attempt to convey the sights I have seen, the people I have encountered, and my overall experience. I say inadequately because I constantly find myself struggling to put words to what I have seen and how they have affected me- the English language seems ill-equipped for such descriptions. As I sift through thoughts, emotions, and feelings, I also ask you to bear with me in my constant endeavor to remain present and unswayed by the aforementioned gnats swirling around my head (Read here- things could get random). One last note regarding the frequency of these posts- due to the uncertainty of electricity, let alone internet accessibility, the inconsistency of updates will be a theme. All that being said, this is my brain. This is my brain on West Africa...
We arrived in Washington D.C. on June 1, 2010. Thirty-nine strangers gathering to break the ice (drinking at a piano bar), shake some hands (event with PC higher-ups, returned volunteers, and the Sierra Leonean Ambassador...I think), and get a few tips on how to survive in the wild (don't drink the water, use the buddy system, etc.). It's amazing how quickly people let each other into their worlds when they're seeking comfort, familiarity, and family. Needless to say, we bonded. So we got some shots and departed for Freetown, arriving the following day. The landscape was a bit different than I expected to see in this part of the world- simply put, it was green, not brown. Stunningly green, as far as the eye could see, with the ocean carving into the land, abusing its majority. We were greeted on the tarmac by the Country Directors, as well as PC staff and a camera man from the local news station, and whisked through customs. A ferry was waiting to take us to Freetown where we would be for six days. A few highlights:
Being put up at the hotel at the National Stadium (although it wasn't quite as plush as one would think)
Attending a cocktail party at the Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge d Affaires' home (acting U.S. Ambassador, and much closer to plush)
Being honored in the Presentation Hall (seats about 60 at the most) at the State House by Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Vice President, and President Koroma (plush plush plush)
The following Tuesday we traveled to Bo, SL's second largest city, by bus. As we were told, the greeting in SL is a crucial part of interpersonal communication. If you fail to greet someone, they will probably be offended. Upon giving a greeting, however, you are accosted by the warmest smile you've ever seen and a genuine interest in how your day is going (Aw di day?), how you're feeling (Aw yu bodi? [How's the body?]) and a hope that you will run into each other again soon (Wi go see bak). Krio, the linga franca, or unofficial national language that everyone speaks, is incredibly phonetic and intuitive. But I digress. We arrived to the cheers of children and a welcome celebration including a medicine man pulling roughly 10 miles of string out of his mouth, dancers, and musicians. You know those cool Africa pictures you see on FaceBook where a white guy is surrounded by a bunch of happy beautiful kids smiling and loving them. Turns out that actually happens. So we went inside and the celebration continued with our meeting of the host families.
My new mother Mrs. Makiu, and my new brother, Charles, were there to pick me up and take me home. Charles is one of five boys living at the house, joining the four girls. All are in school, and all speak various levels of English. They take their studies very seriously. Auntie Christiana is the co-matriarch and an incredibly wise woman. The family has taken me in and put up with my constant ignorance of not only African culture and customs, but the every day tasks that machines and others have done for me my entire life. It is humbling, to say the least. However, I have already been fetching water from the well, done my laundry by hand (with help, of course), and tomorrow I cook dinner for the family. We will be eating groundnut stew and rice, a local favorite. I could not have gotten any luckier with the people who have taken me in. I am blessed to have a bathroom in my spacious room, electricity (FAN!), and amenities most of my colleagues left in the States two and a half weeks ago. What I am most thankful for though is hardly the material goods that have eased my transition, but their warmth, kindness, and eagerness to both teach and learn. I truly enjoy their company.
The people of this country are some of the most kind, gentle, hilarious, and graceful people I have ever encountered. I ask you to spread the word that Sierra Leone is not only safe, but beautiful, welcoming, and eager to share these wonderful attributes with anyone who comes here. We stay in Bo for roughly seven more weeks, and then off to our sites. I will do my best to update this soon. Be well, spread peace and love, and rest soundly knowing that for the next 26 months, I am home.
