Monrovia

Another week is in the books. We are pretty short at the Team site. Two guys checked out of the mission and another one is about to, and there are a few people on leave. We also received two new team members; one from China and one from Nigeria. So far, they both seem okay. My boss from the US arrive in Liberia last Sunday and was supposed to come visit me in Gbarnga on Thursday. On Thursday morning I received a phone call that he was not going to be able to make the trip because he pulled a muscle in his back or some kind of back injury. So he stayed home while the rest of the group drove to Gbarnga. They arrived around 11am and I took them to meet the Bangladeshi General, proceeded to the office to show them where all the work happens, and then drove to the accommodation to show them the penthouse. The purpose of the visit was to see where I work and live, check my "health and welfare", check the security at my house, and check out the quality of life. They seemed pleased and we had a nice visit. The Bangladeshi's invited us for lunch and after we ate, they headed back to Monrovia. The plan was for me to head into Monrovia this weekend to hang out with the group and have a "team meeting" but my request to travel to Monrovia was denied... which is fine by me. I did make it into Monrovia early this week to drop off a team mate who was proceeding on leave, so that was enough for me. On the way home from the trip to Monrovia, I decided to take a few pictures to give you all an idea of what the capital is like and also give you examples on why I hate going to Monrovia....

This is why I do not like being in Monrovia. It is just crazy!! Traffic is always terrible, its dirty, people always harass you, and it takes forever to get from point A to point B.

Traffic jams are constant thanks to no rules, right-of-ways, signs, markings, etc.

In Liberia, he who has a wheel barrow is king... People walk on the sides of roads carrying everything from their personal belongings to items to sell. All the other people on both sides of the road are selling things ranging from food items, clothes, electronics, etc.

More traffic. Please ride on cars anywhere there is room. People ride on top of the hood, in the back of the trunk and use the trunk lid as a seat belt, and even on top of the cabin. Here, these guys are riding on the items that are being transported.

This is pretty standard in Liberia: A steaming pile of trash.

I was trying to get a picture of the lady walking with the kid tied to her waist. That is the common way to walk with a child here. You wrap a 'wrap' of some kind around the kid and then around your waist. The kid is pressed up against the back with their legs straddling the waist of the mother. I think this is where the Moby wrap originated.

Most people carry everything on their heads. Anything from a single CD to a bucket of water....

We saw this taxi back into some guy's wheelbarrow where he was selling jeans. They started yelling and fighting.

People load their cars to their maximum capacity. They pile as much stuff and as many people in them before they set off.

So these are examples of why I prefer it out in Gbarnga. There is barely any traffic, no one harasses you and it is generally very peaceful. Being in Monrovia is headache inducing.