Next few days in Liberia

Beach at Monrovia

December 10, 2005

Sitting on a veranda at 'London' - the main Merlin residence in Monrovia - reflecting on a very good but very surreal week since my last entry. OK, since typing that sentence I've fled to a different veranda because colleagues Andrew and Deston are having a meeting up there (it's SUNDAY for goodness sakes - and Sundays are our only days off) and because it was too bright to see my screen. Now I'm only disturbed by noisy Colin the cockerel, who doesn't know how close he is to a filling out a nice casserole. Maybe I can scare him away with Bizet's Carmen?

Surreal enough for you yet?

On Tuesday afternoon seven of us squeezed into a LandCruiser and set off on the 'two and a half' hour drive to Buchanan (further east along the coast). We got there six and a half hours later. I rode on the floor at the back and I think I was the most comfortable amongst us. Four staff sat across the back seat - I couldn't have coped with that. Amongst my failings as an aid worker are claustrophobia and the related abhorrence of personal-space invasions. (Other failings include my resistance to various staple vegetables and to tea.)

The first halt was called at the Firestone rubber plantation's grocery store. Firestone operated in Liberia continuously throughout the war - as did the breweries. (I have yet to get any satisfactory pictures of their plant or plantation but it's on my to-do list.) We also had very fruitful stops at a couple of Merlin's Public Health Clinics en route. This was my first exposure to what we actually do here - health care provision. The staff were extremely helpful and dedicated and I took it as a very good sign of things to come in my job.

Bokey Town Clinic staff, Grand Bassa County, Liberia

December 13, 2005

These things meant we weren't going to get to Buchanan before dusk, which is a contravention of security rules. But then the primary fuel pump of our LandCruiser failed and we were stuck - fortunately just within radio range of Buchanan. The Buchanan staff sent out a rescue vehicle but we jury-rigged a fix and set off, watching out for the rescuers. Then our vehicle failed again and we had to be wait to be towed the rest of the way. We got to Buchanan long after dusk with a water-tight excuse.

On Wednesday our Geographic Information System (GIS) people concentrated on their training and development and while I was given a life-changing tour of the Liberian Government Hospital in Buchanan by my friend Dr. Simon (from Tanzania).

Liberian Government Hospital, Buchanan, Liberia. (Construction of new Outpatient Department in the foreground.)

December 14, 2005

The hospital does such good work and I was very happy to learn from the tour so I could do a better job in my posting to Harper - and then on Thursday night I learned that I am going to be transferred 'from' Harper (I've not yet been there) to Buchanan. This means I'll be working with, for and at this hospital! I'm delighted and I'm looking forward very much to taking on the duties.

Liberian Government Hospital ward
December 14, 2005

The world's largest contributor to UN peacekeeping forces is Bangladesh, and they seem to be the largest contingent in the UN Mission in Liberia too (although in total 49 countries contribute). Friday was Bangladeshi 'Victory' Day and Buchanan Merlin staff were invited to their party. Um - it was a tiny bit stiff and bland. First we were treated to a video from the Bangladeshi Tourist Authority (or some such) during which stiff soldiers served tea and snacks. Then we were served delicious food but the atmosphere remained a bit rigid as a very old Bollywood-type film (I was told the next day that it was Indian rather than Bangla) was projected - without sound. Needless to say the event was dry. I'm afraid we preceded to the 'EK' bar in Buchanan before the film ended. I hope the lead character got the girl.

Yesterday some of us drove back to Monrovia while the rest of the GIS team explore the beach in Buchanan. (I'll have a lot of opportunities to explore it in due course.) I'll be here in Monrovia for a few more days.

Rocks thrown at Thai restaurant

Cece beach, Monrovia

December 11, 2005

Yesterday was a packed day. Went first to a Cece beach with our Oxfam friend Phil. Then to the pool where he lives - and then to a Thai restaurant ('the' Thai restaurant?). As I gather is common here, virtually every car at the beach and at the restaurant belonged to the UN or an NGO - rows of large white Toyota LandCruisers. While we were eating, supporters of George Wear (loser in the recent Presidential run-off election) were demonstrating around his nearby party headquarters. Rocks started to be thrown and we Phil had to move his LandCruiser further inside the compound when some came over the wall. We'd been eating in the garden with the frogs but retreated to the balcony. We had to wait until an UNMIL (United Nations Mission in Liberia) security officer made his way into the compound and lead everyone out in a rather high-speed convoy of large white LandCruisers. 500m later all was peaceful.

At this writing we have been told to stay in our residences until the situation is assessed.

Monrovia

Monrovia, Liberia
December 6, 2005

I've now had two nights in Monrovia (Liberia). I haven't yet taken on my Project Coordinator responsibilities in the town of Harper - at the moment I'm shadowing a Merlin team which is demonstrating the capabilities and usefulness of Geographic Information Systems. As GIS used to be my gig I'm going to be the national focal person for GIS in the future. We're going to be here until about Monday, when we'll go to Buchanan for several days to develop a GIS demonstration. We return to Monrovia on the 17th and I'll only get to Harper on the 23rd.

This Merlin team consists of Sarah from headquarters and Lynne and Johnny from an NGO called MapAction. They flew here with me and yesterday was our first full day in Liberia. We had meetings in the morning and then had a tour of Monrovia including a visit to one of Merlin's Primary Health Care facilities.

Monrovia reminds me a bit of Freetown, Sierra Leone, although I think it's flatter.

Tavistock Square

Tavistock Square, London

December 5, 2005

It's the middle of the night in the Tavistock Hotel, Tavistock Square, about 80m from where a bus was exploded by a suicide bomber on July 7. I can't sleep because I allowed myself a nap yesterday afternoon after flying here over the previous night.

I've began my newest adventure: a year (perhaps?) as Project Coordinator with Merlin. I'm in London for two days of induction. Too bad two of my three bags aren't - I haven't seen them since Ottawa and British Airways doesn't know where they are. Luckily I'm in the habit of not packing many valuables into checked luggage although my brand new external hard disk (wonderful Christmas gift from Dad) is in there. The rest is clothes and books. Fortunately for two or three reasons, the one checked bag that did arrive is the one containing gifts from my new boss from her parents that I'm delivering from Ottawa.

I had a wonderful dinner and evening with my friend Susi who I'd met in Delhi and her boyfriend Jon and their friend Dave. It was a great reintroduction to the UK.