So much has been happening at Ricks over the last few weeks! Even though our 5th marking period has been filled with lots of holidays and days off from school, there has still been a lot going on.
A quick note: our internet at the school is down for the moment due to a broken router... we're working on getting a new one ASAP, but in the meantime my posts might be a little scarce!
I'll start with the biggest news first: the Ricks Olympics!! The Ricks Olympics used to be a grand tradition of Ricks Institute. I'm not sure exactly when it began, but I know the last year it happened was back in 1989 when the civil war started. Before the war, the Ricks Olympics was known throughout Liberia. Schools would come from all over the country to participate in the events. To win the Ricks Olympics was a big deal for any sports teams, and the Dragons worked hard to keep as many victories at home as they could.
The efforts to bring the Olympics back this year were not just about giving schools a chance to play sports - the Olympics represent the rebuilding that's happening in Liberia. The Olympics are intended not to breed competitiveness (although some healthy competition is certainly a part of it!) but to foster relationships and youth development. This year the Olympics brought together 15 schools representing, I believe, at least 6 of the 15 counties in Liberia. At the height of the games on Friday (games started Friday, were single elimination, and ended Saturday), I would say there were probably at least 1,000 people - both participants and spectators - on campus for the event. The Olympics received several major sponsorships: Lonestar Cell, a major cell phone company in Liberia, invested about $15,000 in the campus doing renovations of the courts, fields, and facilities in exchange for painting their logo in a few places... not a bad deal!; Coca-Cola had the exclusive right to sell beverages on campus, and all proceeds from their sales were donated to Ricks; LBDI, one of the biggest banks in Liberia; and others I'm sure I'm forgetting!
Overall, I think the Olympics were a definite success. There weren't any major disputes over the outcomes of games (we hired officials from various organizations around Liberia), the students all seemed to get along (even all the ones crammed in the dorms with Ricks students!), and the teams seemed to have fun competing. The games gave the students a chance to meet new friends from lots of different counties and learn a little bit more about life in the various schools in Liberia.
Oh - I guess I should talk about how all the teams did! The female kickball team and the male soccer team both won 1 game and lost their second. They all played well though, and at least won 1 game at home! The male basketball team finally played to their potential and won the Olympic plaque for male basketball! They were so excited, as were all the spectators! The girls basketball team had one game Friday and one game Saturday. We played fairly sloppy on Friday, but pulled together enough to win the game... the end was definitely better than the beginning! On Saturday, the Ricks kickball game was right before the basketball game, and 3 of our starting players are on the kickball team. So, by the time they finished that game, they barely had enough time to change uniforms before hitting the court for our game. Needless to say, they were rather exhausted. That, in addition to lots of missed layups and giving up a little bit at the end, the Lady Dragons suffered their first lost of the year on Saturday. However, the team we played, Nathaniel Gibson, was an excellent team and really did outplay us on the court. We're just hoping we can work hard and play them again before we leave!
In other Ricks news, this week also brought about the Miss Ricks Pageant. There were 6 contestants who have been working for months to prepare for the show. There was a kickoff the weekend of the Olympics I went to, and the girls all looked great and had obviously put a lot of work into preparing for the pageant. However, the night of the show was at the height of a week that had been long and frustrating for me for many reasons. When the show was 2 hours late to start, it conflicted with a phone call I had scheduled with a student at a graduate school, and I just couldn't hang around waiting for the show to start... so sadly, I did not see the pageant. I did, however, hear rave reviews the next day... it's clear the contestants and organizers put a lot of work in to the show! All in all, it was another major event at Ricks - one of two within the same week! - that showed the progress Ricks is making and the continued growth and rebuilding of the school and youth development in Liberia.
The excitement is calming down a bit over the next 2 weeks; we have today and Monday off for Easter, next Friday off for Liberian Fasting and Prayer Day, and then the following week we have our 5th period tests. It's amazing how quickly all of this is passing by... for now I'm just trying to make the most of every day I have left here in LIB!
Friday, April 2, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
What's Today? It's a Holi-Day!
The Liberian Academic Calendar is made up of 6 marking periods (3 per semester). Typically, a marking period consists of 5 weeks of instruction followed by 1 week of testing. Our 3rd marking period was unusually short - 3 weeks of instruction followed by 1 week of testing; but our 5th and 6th marking periods are unusually long - 6 weeks of instruction followed by 1 week of testing. When AE and I first noticed these extended periods, we thought for sure they would go by much slower than the first semester. However, what we have quickly realized is that we need the extra week in the next two marking periods in order to get in the same amount of instruction we would have in a typical period!
When we were beginning the 2nd semester, we heard lots of people talk about the number of holidays we would have. We figured there would be a few, but didn't think there would be too many - after all, who doesn't love a day off school to sleep late and relax? Now, I have to admit, I am amazed by the number of holidays we have, especially this period! Out of 6 weeks of instruction, we only have one 5-day week. Let me give you the rundown:
Week 1: Full week - phew!
Week 2: No school Wednesday - Liberian Decoration Day
Week 3: No school Monday - JJ Roberts' (the first president of Liberia) birthday
Week 4: No school Friday - Ricks Olympics (more details on that soon to come!)
Week 5: No school Friday - Good Friday
Week 6: No school Monday - Easter Break; No school Friday - Liberian Fasting and Prayer Day
That's a lot of holidays! In 4th period we got a day of for Liberian Armed Forces Day, and in May we'll get a day off for National Unification Day. (For a complete list of Liberia's National Holidays, check out this website: http://www.qppstudio.net/publicholidays2010/liberia.htm) The amazing thing is, I've been told that the current number of holidays is greatly reduced compared to the amount of holidays in Liberia at different points during the war. Apparently government officials would want a day off, so they would declare a national holiday - great idea for people with money and the luxury of taking a day off, terrible idea for those who need to earn what they can each day to support their family. Once the country stabilized, so did the number of holidays. I'm trying to learn what I can about each holiday as it happens, but I find that many are like holidays in the US: celebrated for their intended meaning by a few, enjoyed as a day off by all (how many of us really do something special and intentional on Memorial Day?).
The blitz of holidays during 5th period can be a little tricky, especially for my classes that only meet Monday, Wednesday and Friday! Despite the complications that the days off can cause, I'm trying to enjoy the down time and make good use of it - you know, doing things like updating my blog :)
Hope you all are doing well. Are there things I still haven't talked about that you want to know? If so, tell me!
When we were beginning the 2nd semester, we heard lots of people talk about the number of holidays we would have. We figured there would be a few, but didn't think there would be too many - after all, who doesn't love a day off school to sleep late and relax? Now, I have to admit, I am amazed by the number of holidays we have, especially this period! Out of 6 weeks of instruction, we only have one 5-day week. Let me give you the rundown:
Week 1: Full week - phew!
Week 2: No school Wednesday - Liberian Decoration Day
Week 3: No school Monday - JJ Roberts' (the first president of Liberia) birthday
Week 4: No school Friday - Ricks Olympics (more details on that soon to come!)
Week 5: No school Friday - Good Friday
Week 6: No school Monday - Easter Break; No school Friday - Liberian Fasting and Prayer Day
That's a lot of holidays! In 4th period we got a day of for Liberian Armed Forces Day, and in May we'll get a day off for National Unification Day. (For a complete list of Liberia's National Holidays, check out this website: http://www.qppstudio.net/publicholidays2010/liberia.htm) The amazing thing is, I've been told that the current number of holidays is greatly reduced compared to the amount of holidays in Liberia at different points during the war. Apparently government officials would want a day off, so they would declare a national holiday - great idea for people with money and the luxury of taking a day off, terrible idea for those who need to earn what they can each day to support their family. Once the country stabilized, so did the number of holidays. I'm trying to learn what I can about each holiday as it happens, but I find that many are like holidays in the US: celebrated for their intended meaning by a few, enjoyed as a day off by all (how many of us really do something special and intentional on Memorial Day?).
The blitz of holidays during 5th period can be a little tricky, especially for my classes that only meet Monday, Wednesday and Friday! Despite the complications that the days off can cause, I'm trying to enjoy the down time and make good use of it - you know, doing things like updating my blog :)
Hope you all are doing well. Are there things I still haven't talked about that you want to know? If so, tell me!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Sometimes, It Just Hits You
I live in a third world country. Liberia is among the poorest nations in the world. I've heard statistics indicating that Liberia has an unemployment rate somewhere around 80 - 85% and estimates that roughly 70% of the population lives on less than $1 a day. In my daily life, I interact with these "dollar a day" people. They are not marked by any obvious physical indicators; most often they are people making an average wage (by Liberian standards - perhaps $60 - $100 per month) who are trying to support so many people - usually children - that their pay ends up needing to stretch farther than it can. They are my students, members of my community, and sometimes my friends. Poverty is a clear reality in Liberia.
Despite the staggering statistics and overwhelming poverty that was impossible to ignore when I first arrived in Liberia, I have found myself growing accustomed to this reality. Although I still notice the tin roofs over dirt floor homes, the children running around in mismatched flip-flops and tattered clothing, and the little boys trying to find a meal from the leftovers at the dining hall each day, I have found that the poverty takes its emotional toll on me less the longer I am here. I want to believe that I'm not becoming hardened to this reality but instead adapting to my present circumstances.
Despite my overall diminished emotional response to the poverty around me, I still have moments when the sobering reality of it catches me off guard. I experienced one of these moments recently when we were in Monrovia at the Sports Commission for one of our basketball games. After our game we were sitting in the bleachers leisurely enjoying watching the boys team play. There are always vendors at the game selling soft drinks and biscuits (cookies/crackers), plantain chips, ice cream, etc. But on this day I really noticed who some of these "vendors" were - children. A little girl and a little boy, neither older than 10 years, working for hours in the oppressive heat selling bags of water for 5LD (LD = Liberian Dollar; 5LD is approximately 15 cents US). The little girl grabbed my attention and I couldn't stop watching her. Her clothes were ill-fitting; a halter top clearly meant for someone twice her age and slippers (flip-flops) worn thin. She worked constantly and quietly. Every now and then I would see her and the little boy stop to sit on the bleachers and watch the game. I could see a certain sadness in their eyes, and I wanted for them the recreation and freedom to play that kids need. I felt so fortunate that the girls at Ricks are able to play basketball - to PLAY. But for these children, their afternoons are not spent on swing-sets or playing hide and seek; their afternoons are spent working, selling bags of waters for pennies to help out their families.
I think this is one of the most striking things about poverty - how it steals away the childhood of so many. It takes away the right kids have to play and forces them into tasks that will enable them to survive - doing anything they can to help their families earn enough money to get survive. One of the first things I heard about Liberia came from my friend, James Blay. As our camp pastor at Passport - Wingate in 2008, he told a story of children who had to sit on the side of the road, breaking apart rocks with small hammers to create materials for building. After hearing this story I remember praying for these children, hearing God call me to be with them, and committing to God and these children that I was coming. I didn't know when or how, but I knew I needed to be in Liberia. Now I'm here, and although the laws, thankfully, have outlawed this particular rock-breaking labor for children, it has not prevented children from engaging in the kinds of labor we would never allow our children to do in the States. Now that I'm here, what am I doing for these children? I felt God calling me to these children, but sitting and watching this little girl at the Sports Commission, I felt helpless. I know I'm teaching at a school, and that is an important step. But what can we, as humans filled with compassion, especially for children, do to help? I challenge you to explore this question with me.
Despite the staggering statistics and overwhelming poverty that was impossible to ignore when I first arrived in Liberia, I have found myself growing accustomed to this reality. Although I still notice the tin roofs over dirt floor homes, the children running around in mismatched flip-flops and tattered clothing, and the little boys trying to find a meal from the leftovers at the dining hall each day, I have found that the poverty takes its emotional toll on me less the longer I am here. I want to believe that I'm not becoming hardened to this reality but instead adapting to my present circumstances.
Despite my overall diminished emotional response to the poverty around me, I still have moments when the sobering reality of it catches me off guard. I experienced one of these moments recently when we were in Monrovia at the Sports Commission for one of our basketball games. After our game we were sitting in the bleachers leisurely enjoying watching the boys team play. There are always vendors at the game selling soft drinks and biscuits (cookies/crackers), plantain chips, ice cream, etc. But on this day I really noticed who some of these "vendors" were - children. A little girl and a little boy, neither older than 10 years, working for hours in the oppressive heat selling bags of water for 5LD (LD = Liberian Dollar; 5LD is approximately 15 cents US). The little girl grabbed my attention and I couldn't stop watching her. Her clothes were ill-fitting; a halter top clearly meant for someone twice her age and slippers (flip-flops) worn thin. She worked constantly and quietly. Every now and then I would see her and the little boy stop to sit on the bleachers and watch the game. I could see a certain sadness in their eyes, and I wanted for them the recreation and freedom to play that kids need. I felt so fortunate that the girls at Ricks are able to play basketball - to PLAY. But for these children, their afternoons are not spent on swing-sets or playing hide and seek; their afternoons are spent working, selling bags of waters for pennies to help out their families.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Monrovia: An International Hotspot
OK, I admit - Monrovia isn't quite up there with the ranks of NYC or Brussels as an international destination. However, when you find yourself in Monrovia, you quickly realize you are not just amongst Liberians; Monrovia is actually home to many ex-pats who find themselves in Liberia for numerous and varied reasons. The last couple weekends I've been reminded of this, so I thought I would share some of my experiences of the international atmosphere in in Liberia.
When we come in to Monrovia to visit our friends and stay the weekend, I often feel like I have briefly stepped back into the US and American life. I suddenly find myself surrounded by people who talk with southern accents, lament the absence of Chik-Fil-a, tell jokes that take advantage of our shared cultural knowledge and understanding of subtleties like sarcasm, and food that can't be classified as anything but southern home-cooking. It's a funny experience because it's comforting and familiar, yet at the same time is a little odd to encounter in Liberia. These are some of my American international moments - I think they both help me keep my sanity and help me embrace and appreciate Liberia knowing I'll be back to full immersion in American life soon enough!
American culture is definitely not the only one we experience in Liberia. Last weekend we had the opportunity to go to a primarily Lebanese party. A friend in town was close with several of the people hosting this party (a goodbye party for a couple preparing to leave), so we were invited by extension. When we first arrived at the party we experienced that initial awkwardness that comes with going to a party where you don't know anyone except the people you arrived with. After a few minutes however, we quickly started making friends. There is a strong Lebanese presence here in Liberia, and many of the more prominent businesses, hotels, restaurants, etc., are Lebanese owned. So, we would meet someone and ask what they do, and the response would often be, "oh, we own the ___." But there was no arrogance or elitism in these statements, just matter-of-fact information. After some time a little dance circle formed (you know, everyone in a circle, one or two people pulled in the middle at a time). We thought for sure the people there didn't know us well enough to pull us in - we were wrong, and had lots of fun dancing with our new friends. Later, people began to throw one another in the pool with all their clothes on - luckily they didn't know us quite well enough to do that ;) Throughout the evening we met lots of new friends, including the Lebanese ambassador to Liberia and the head of Consular Services at the American Embassy. It was a fun party filled with laughter and fun!
This weekend our American friends were having a party at their apartment compound as an early celebration for 2 people's birthdays. All of the people working for their company were invited in addition to an assortment of other friends. Throughout the evening we met people from the US, Liberia, Turkey, Nigeria, Algeria, the Philippines, and Ireland. It was quite the party too - food from lots of different cultures (pizza, zatar, Texas caviar, ice cream, chicken wings, hummus, and a WHOLE pig) and a live band. The Liberian band did covers of everything from Michael Jackson to Garth Brooks to popular Liberian music. Everyone just danced and ate and had a great time.
I came to Liberia expecting to experience one new culture - the Liberian culture. This is definitely the culture I have experienced most thoroughly, and I am so grateful for that. At the same time, I am grateful for the glimpses of other cultures I have been afforded through my time here in Liberia and the friendships I have been able to form with people from so many different places. I think we have much to learn from one another, especially those coming from ways of life different than our own, and I am thankful to be learning a little more each day.
When we come in to Monrovia to visit our friends and stay the weekend, I often feel like I have briefly stepped back into the US and American life. I suddenly find myself surrounded by people who talk with southern accents, lament the absence of Chik-Fil-a, tell jokes that take advantage of our shared cultural knowledge and understanding of subtleties like sarcasm, and food that can't be classified as anything but southern home-cooking. It's a funny experience because it's comforting and familiar, yet at the same time is a little odd to encounter in Liberia. These are some of my American international moments - I think they both help me keep my sanity and help me embrace and appreciate Liberia knowing I'll be back to full immersion in American life soon enough!
American culture is definitely not the only one we experience in Liberia. Last weekend we had the opportunity to go to a primarily Lebanese party. A friend in town was close with several of the people hosting this party (a goodbye party for a couple preparing to leave), so we were invited by extension. When we first arrived at the party we experienced that initial awkwardness that comes with going to a party where you don't know anyone except the people you arrived with. After a few minutes however, we quickly started making friends. There is a strong Lebanese presence here in Liberia, and many of the more prominent businesses, hotels, restaurants, etc., are Lebanese owned. So, we would meet someone and ask what they do, and the response would often be, "oh, we own the ___." But there was no arrogance or elitism in these statements, just matter-of-fact information. After some time a little dance circle formed (you know, everyone in a circle, one or two people pulled in the middle at a time). We thought for sure the people there didn't know us well enough to pull us in - we were wrong, and had lots of fun dancing with our new friends. Later, people began to throw one another in the pool with all their clothes on - luckily they didn't know us quite well enough to do that ;) Throughout the evening we met lots of new friends, including the Lebanese ambassador to Liberia and the head of Consular Services at the American Embassy. It was a fun party filled with laughter and fun!
This weekend our American friends were having a party at their apartment compound as an early celebration for 2 people's birthdays. All of the people working for their company were invited in addition to an assortment of other friends. Throughout the evening we met people from the US, Liberia, Turkey, Nigeria, Algeria, the Philippines, and Ireland. It was quite the party too - food from lots of different cultures (pizza, zatar, Texas caviar, ice cream, chicken wings, hummus, and a WHOLE pig) and a live band. The Liberian band did covers of everything from Michael Jackson to Garth Brooks to popular Liberian music. Everyone just danced and ate and had a great time.
I came to Liberia expecting to experience one new culture - the Liberian culture. This is definitely the culture I have experienced most thoroughly, and I am so grateful for that. At the same time, I am grateful for the glimpses of other cultures I have been afforded through my time here in Liberia and the friendships I have been able to form with people from so many different places. I think we have much to learn from one another, especially those coming from ways of life different than our own, and I am thankful to be learning a little more each day.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Where I've Been
This blog title might be deceiving - it sounds like my post will be more philosophical and profound than it really will be... talking abstractly about the journey I've been on. Sorry, that's not what it's about!
I know my posts have been scarce lately - sorry to those who keep looking for updates! Things have been busier than I thought they would be. Things at school really picked up for a few days - between teaching, grading, basketball (practice and conditioning), writing workshop, and other little things that come along, I have actually felt very busy with school lately.
But the most time consuming project has been the work I'm still doing for PhD program applications. Although the applications were finished and submitted in December, the process requires continual effort even after the applications have been sent. Starting in January and continuing to this day I have been having phone interviews with professors and students at a number of schools. At the height of it all, I was having 1-2 interviews on the phone each day. That may not sound like much, but when it's in the midst of everything else, when it required switching my brain quickly from Liberia to one PhD program to another PhD program, it became really draining. Most of my online time has been spent responding to emails, reading about programs and professors and students and cities, etc.
The good news, however, is that all of the work has not been in vain! I have heard back from all but one school, and am waiting on a final decision from one other. Here's the quick rundown for those interested:
UVA: We talked and decided we were not the best fit for each other - aka, did not get an offer.
Georgetown: The only formal rejection to date.
Penn State University: Accepted, but I have officially declined that offer
Michigan State University: Accepted
Vanderbilt: Accepted
NC State: Accepted
NYU: Accepted
University of Illinois - Chicago: Interviewed, should hear a decision this week or the next.
University of Michigan: No word, but that's OK... I like my other offers :)
So now I'm coming down to decision-making time, which might prove to be the toughest part of this whole process yet. I'm not complaining - having to decide between all the amazing schools is a wonderful dilemma to have... but it's the next 4-5 years of my life, so I want to end up in the right place. The good news is, I don't think there's a wrong place, and no matter where I go I'll have moments when I'll wonder what my life would be like if I went somewhere else. It's crazy and a little stressful and so exciting all at once - I'll update again when I make a final decision.
We are down to just a little over 3 months left here in Liberia (we're pretty sure we're leaving June 11th), so I will try to be more faithful in posting here. In the meantime, I'm trying not to spend too much time thinking about next fall and concentrate my attention as much as I can on the amazing place I'm already in and enjoying every moment of life in the LIB!
I know my posts have been scarce lately - sorry to those who keep looking for updates! Things have been busier than I thought they would be. Things at school really picked up for a few days - between teaching, grading, basketball (practice and conditioning), writing workshop, and other little things that come along, I have actually felt very busy with school lately.
But the most time consuming project has been the work I'm still doing for PhD program applications. Although the applications were finished and submitted in December, the process requires continual effort even after the applications have been sent. Starting in January and continuing to this day I have been having phone interviews with professors and students at a number of schools. At the height of it all, I was having 1-2 interviews on the phone each day. That may not sound like much, but when it's in the midst of everything else, when it required switching my brain quickly from Liberia to one PhD program to another PhD program, it became really draining. Most of my online time has been spent responding to emails, reading about programs and professors and students and cities, etc.
The good news, however, is that all of the work has not been in vain! I have heard back from all but one school, and am waiting on a final decision from one other. Here's the quick rundown for those interested:
UVA: We talked and decided we were not the best fit for each other - aka, did not get an offer.
Georgetown: The only formal rejection to date.
Penn State University: Accepted, but I have officially declined that offer
Michigan State University: Accepted
Vanderbilt: Accepted
NC State: Accepted
NYU: Accepted
University of Illinois - Chicago: Interviewed, should hear a decision this week or the next.
University of Michigan: No word, but that's OK... I like my other offers :)
So now I'm coming down to decision-making time, which might prove to be the toughest part of this whole process yet. I'm not complaining - having to decide between all the amazing schools is a wonderful dilemma to have... but it's the next 4-5 years of my life, so I want to end up in the right place. The good news is, I don't think there's a wrong place, and no matter where I go I'll have moments when I'll wonder what my life would be like if I went somewhere else. It's crazy and a little stressful and so exciting all at once - I'll update again when I make a final decision.
We are down to just a little over 3 months left here in Liberia (we're pretty sure we're leaving June 11th), so I will try to be more faithful in posting here. In the meantime, I'm trying not to spend too much time thinking about next fall and concentrate my attention as much as I can on the amazing place I'm already in and enjoying every moment of life in the LIB!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
It's Gonna Be a Hot One
One of the great things about living in one place for (almost) a year is that you get to experience that place in every season - not just a week or a few months out of a year. For example, I lived in the Netherlands one year from August to December. I got to experience a touch of summer, the fullness of fall, and even flirted briefly with winter. I was able to experience a decent sampling, but ultimately I totally missed the spring, which I hear is the best time to be in the Netherlands (think fields of tulips).
Coming to Liberia, I knew that I could expect warm weather year round, but I was anxious to see how that played out and all the subtleties and fluctuations of Liberian weather. I grew up in Florida, a tropical weather locale, so I imagined it would be much the same. Mostly warm and humid, but slight changes and occasional spurts of something a little different.
Today I am here to report that Liberia truly does have 2 seasons, at best. Largely referred to as Rainy season and Dry season, I have come to think of them as two parts of the same season: "wet and hot" and "no rain and hot". Rainy season begins sometime in the spring... I have heard estimates as early as March and as late as July, and lasts throughout the summer until October or November. During the rainy season the rain is almost constant. There are reprieves now and then, but to see the sun is rare and to have a whole day without rain is even more unlikely. I expected the rainy season to be somewhat cool, but after experiencing it I would describe it as "less hot." The most striking thing about the Rainy season is the humidity... it is unreal!! Mold grows on walls in a matter of days, and even a container of Morton salt left on the counter quickly disintegrated due to moisture.
Once the rain clouds move out, the sun moves in and dry season has arrived. Dry season is less humid, although still muggy. The sun is strong and it feels like my skin is burning after about 1 minute standing outside without sunscreen; after all, Liberia is only about 6 degrees off the equator. Dry season is very, very dry - it literally does not rain for the entirety of dry season, and it is very strange if even a few drops happen to fall. Dry season begins when rainy season ends - sometime around November, and goes until the rains come back. I hear that March is the hottest, so I'm really not too excited about March.
Despite my naturally warm-natured disposition (I get hot too easily) and the constant heat which leads to constant sweating, I do love Liberia... but that doesn't mean I wouldn't change her climate a little if I could. On days when I'm sitting on a beautiful beach in January looking out over the crystal clear water and admiring the bold black rocks along the shore, I really can't complain. That said, if some of you in the South want to ship some of your snow over here, I'm sure we could all benefit from an averaging of our extreme temperatures!
Coming to Liberia, I knew that I could expect warm weather year round, but I was anxious to see how that played out and all the subtleties and fluctuations of Liberian weather. I grew up in Florida, a tropical weather locale, so I imagined it would be much the same. Mostly warm and humid, but slight changes and occasional spurts of something a little different.
Today I am here to report that Liberia truly does have 2 seasons, at best. Largely referred to as Rainy season and Dry season, I have come to think of them as two parts of the same season: "wet and hot" and "no rain and hot". Rainy season begins sometime in the spring... I have heard estimates as early as March and as late as July, and lasts throughout the summer until October or November. During the rainy season the rain is almost constant. There are reprieves now and then, but to see the sun is rare and to have a whole day without rain is even more unlikely. I expected the rainy season to be somewhat cool, but after experiencing it I would describe it as "less hot." The most striking thing about the Rainy season is the humidity... it is unreal!! Mold grows on walls in a matter of days, and even a container of Morton salt left on the counter quickly disintegrated due to moisture.
Once the rain clouds move out, the sun moves in and dry season has arrived. Dry season is less humid, although still muggy. The sun is strong and it feels like my skin is burning after about 1 minute standing outside without sunscreen; after all, Liberia is only about 6 degrees off the equator. Dry season is very, very dry - it literally does not rain for the entirety of dry season, and it is very strange if even a few drops happen to fall. Dry season begins when rainy season ends - sometime around November, and goes until the rains come back. I hear that March is the hottest, so I'm really not too excited about March.
Despite my naturally warm-natured disposition (I get hot too easily) and the constant heat which leads to constant sweating, I do love Liberia... but that doesn't mean I wouldn't change her climate a little if I could. On days when I'm sitting on a beautiful beach in January looking out over the crystal clear water and admiring the bold black rocks along the shore, I really can't complain. That said, if some of you in the South want to ship some of your snow over here, I'm sure we could all benefit from an averaging of our extreme temperatures!
Friday, February 5, 2010
I'm Still Here!
Hello faithful readers. Sorry I have not been a faithful blogger. After Passport ended, things seem to have stayed really busy and I just haven't made the time to write in a while. Not to say there's nothing to write about - I have lots of ideas, it's just a matter of getting them out of my head and onto this blog!
In the meantime, I thought I would post a quick update. We are now wrapping up the third week of fourth period, which is hard to believe. Two more weeks and then we are testing once again! Classes are going pretty well, and I'm hoping to continue to see improvement in my students throughout this semester. More than anything, I hope to see increased critical thinking. I just want my students to think about what they're doing, not just to do things because someone else said to do so.
Last week (Jan 25 - 30) was spent in Ghana, another West African country about 2 countries east of Liberia. Ghana has not had the setbacks caused by civil war that Liberia has experienced, so Ghana is more developed than Liberia. We (Ann Elizabeth, Ottolee Menjay and me) spent the week in the capital city of Accra, which is actually really really big! We flew in at night and AE and I were amazed by how far the lights stretched out over the land - as far as we could see! Sadly, on the way to the airport to leave for Ghana I started feeling bad and by the time I went to bed the first night felt awful. Turns out I had Malaria, which sounds very scary and can be if not treated, but is not too bad when you are quickly treated. So I went to the doctor and was tested and treated the next day, but much to my frustration, I never did feel 100% while in Ghana, resulting in a less adventuresome spirit and far fewer "I want to see and experience everything" activities. On the bright side, it could have been much worse and I was able to see a good bit of the city. In places it looks much like Liberia, but in other places in looks more like an American or European city. There are multi-lane, wide, nicely paved streets and an advanced system of traffic lights, roundabouts, highways, etc. We even got to go to a mall one day, do some shopping, and see a movie in an actual movie theater!!
The other downside of the trip to Ghana was that at the end of it, Ann Elizabeth had to go back to the States for a few weeks. While in Ghana she was able to see a doctor about a small problem she noticed, and the doctor recommended she go back to the States to see another doctor and possibly have a small procedure. So AE is now back in FL/AL and getting things taken care of as quickly as possible. She is doing fine, and the problem is not an immediate danger - just something that needed to be taken care of. She should be back here in Liberia by Feb. 22nd at the latest, but perhaps even sooner if possible.
In the meantime, I am back at Ricks and finally getting back in to the routine of teaching, basketball, and everything else that goes on here. We had a basketball game yesterday which we won - due to forfeit, but we won all the same ;) There was a group here from First Baptist Columbus, GA from Jan. 25 - Feb. 3, so I was able to spend a little bit of time getting to know them. One member of the team is actually staying for 2 additional weeks, so I think we will help to keep each other company while we are each living on our own! Currently I am very grateful it is Friday and am looking forward to a weekend of rest and fun as I spend a couple days in town with friends.
I will try to update more - thank you all for sticking with me through this journey!
In the meantime, I thought I would post a quick update. We are now wrapping up the third week of fourth period, which is hard to believe. Two more weeks and then we are testing once again! Classes are going pretty well, and I'm hoping to continue to see improvement in my students throughout this semester. More than anything, I hope to see increased critical thinking. I just want my students to think about what they're doing, not just to do things because someone else said to do so.
Last week (Jan 25 - 30) was spent in Ghana, another West African country about 2 countries east of Liberia. Ghana has not had the setbacks caused by civil war that Liberia has experienced, so Ghana is more developed than Liberia. We (Ann Elizabeth, Ottolee Menjay and me) spent the week in the capital city of Accra, which is actually really really big! We flew in at night and AE and I were amazed by how far the lights stretched out over the land - as far as we could see! Sadly, on the way to the airport to leave for Ghana I started feeling bad and by the time I went to bed the first night felt awful. Turns out I had Malaria, which sounds very scary and can be if not treated, but is not too bad when you are quickly treated. So I went to the doctor and was tested and treated the next day, but much to my frustration, I never did feel 100% while in Ghana, resulting in a less adventuresome spirit and far fewer "I want to see and experience everything" activities. On the bright side, it could have been much worse and I was able to see a good bit of the city. In places it looks much like Liberia, but in other places in looks more like an American or European city. There are multi-lane, wide, nicely paved streets and an advanced system of traffic lights, roundabouts, highways, etc. We even got to go to a mall one day, do some shopping, and see a movie in an actual movie theater!!
The other downside of the trip to Ghana was that at the end of it, Ann Elizabeth had to go back to the States for a few weeks. While in Ghana she was able to see a doctor about a small problem she noticed, and the doctor recommended she go back to the States to see another doctor and possibly have a small procedure. So AE is now back in FL/AL and getting things taken care of as quickly as possible. She is doing fine, and the problem is not an immediate danger - just something that needed to be taken care of. She should be back here in Liberia by Feb. 22nd at the latest, but perhaps even sooner if possible.
In the meantime, I am back at Ricks and finally getting back in to the routine of teaching, basketball, and everything else that goes on here. We had a basketball game yesterday which we won - due to forfeit, but we won all the same ;) There was a group here from First Baptist Columbus, GA from Jan. 25 - Feb. 3, so I was able to spend a little bit of time getting to know them. One member of the team is actually staying for 2 additional weeks, so I think we will help to keep each other company while we are each living on our own! Currently I am very grateful it is Friday and am looking forward to a weekend of rest and fun as I spend a couple days in town with friends.
I will try to update more - thank you all for sticking with me through this journey!
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