Liberia Part 2: Observations

As a person who loves words, I have none. Not when it comes to describing Liberia. Maybe what I write here will serve to give you a glimpse, but I have no doubt that it will fall terribly short. I know that without having experienced it for yourself, you won't understand. I didn't. I had read up on Liberia's history, read biographies of people who lived there and knew a lot about life there. In fact, when we arrived, it felt familiar to me, and I wasn't shocked by what I saw. I'd seen pictures of people who'd gone before me. But still I was clueless. Until I spent time with Liberian people, held Liberian children, experienced the roads and the traffic and the views of the vendors along the roads, and heard how Liberian government "works" (I use that word lightly), I just couldn't have truly understood. I still don't. A lot of things don't make sense to me. But I do know that I love Liberia. I love it despite the stark differences in culture, the "bang-your-head-against-the-wall" issues of adoption, the filth and the poverty. Part of my heart will never fully be American again.

Here are just a few silly observations to keep it light...

~Regarding sweat... You are sweating {profusely} from the time you step out of the plane you arrived in, until the moment you step into the plane you will leave in. The only exception is when you use cold water to bathe, and that non-sweat moment lasts about 5 minutes. It is just humid beyond description. Nothing like I've ever felt.

~Regarding garbage... It is a beautiful place. So much lush green vegetation, palm trees, etc. Just stunningly beautiful... yet at the same time, there is garbage everywhere. Everywhere. There was not one place except the guest home and in the church itself that I did not see garbage everywhere I looked. In the gardens, on the streets, around each home, along the beaches... everywhere. In fact, all the kids staying with us would just throw stuff out the car window to get rid of it or toss it on the ground. Once, a little girl was upset to find garbage in a team member's bag, so she promptly took it out, and threw it on the floor. We worked to teach all the kids that garbage does not need to be thrown on the ground... that there could be a better place for it.

~ Regarding transportation... You know the "how many clowns can fit in that car?" act in a circus?? Well, we did it for real, Liberian style. I'll just say, 9 passenger van... and our record was 20 people, with only 3 able to be in the front seat. You're sweating, piled with backpacks, luggage, children, etc... choked by the exhaust from the vehicles around you, and your legs are literally numb b/c you couldn't move them if you wanted to for the last 40 minutes. It's loud and hot, and when it rains {HARD} you have to close the windows (because the Liberians are COLD!!!!!!!!), which means that there is no air whatsoever, and the entire van steams up quite literally. Someone had to wipe the window in front of the driver so we could see. This was an everyday, twice a day, experience. Can't say it was comfortable, but we sure got to know each other quickly... and in a strange way, I wouldn't have wanted it different. :)

~Regarding "teeves" (thieves)... they are not out to hurt you, only to relieve you of valuables. We had a teef (thief) on Sunday night at the Guest house. There are re-bar bars on the windows, so no one was getting in... but a huge rain storm is the perfect time for someone to come and not be heard. So, at 3 am, Angel wakes to see an arm holding a stick in her room! She yells at them to run away, and they do. Unfortunately, they had already tried every other room. Each of our window mosquito netting had been cut, and they had used their stick with a nail in the end as a fishing pole of sorts to grab whatever they could.

Missing somewhere in Liberia: Matt's sneakers, Dora's jeans and I-pod, Opelo's phone. Better than money belts! :)

~Regarding toilets... let's just say we stayed in comparative luxury in Liberia, and yet I'm still SO thankful for my clean toilet. :)