The Campoamor's Adventure: Out of Africa

Yep, It's official....I am back in the USA! The last few weeks were pretty good... I stayed busy at my team site turning over my jobs and tying up all the loose ends. I headed to Monrovia on 26 April and started my check out process. The check out went pretty smoothly. Leaving the teamsite was very strange.. I was happy to be out of there but I am going to miss that place and the people I have lived with for the past 9 months. I really did have a good time out there and enjoyed most of the experience. The new group of Americans, our replacements, came into Liberia on 29 Apr. So I was running them around and getting them checked in since I didn't have anything to do. The last week in Monrovia was okay. I had A/C, hot water for showers and better food choices. However, I was ready to get on that plane to get home. My flights were fine... it was a quick 2 hour flight to Ghana followed by a 2 hour layover. Then a lengthy 12.5 hour flight from Ghana to Atlanta. The landing in Atlanta was accompanied by claps from the passengers... everyone was happy to be in the USA, especially me. In ATL, I found me some cinnabons and bought a coffee. It was delicious! We only had a few hours in ATL and it was back on the plane to DC. The folks drove my car from VA to meet me at the airport. They are going to be assisting me with the driving from the east to the west coast. They were at the airport with some of the USMOG staff. It was official... I was home. After we all got checked into our accommodations, we were cut loose from USMOG for the day. I introduced mom and dad to the DC metro and we rode into the district to see some of the sights and enjoy the sunny-but-not-insanely-hot-and--humid weather of DC. My first meal back in the USA was a salad. These next days will be filled with checking out and making our way across the USA. The real prize is waiting for me in Coronado, CA, and that day can not get here soon enough. Here are some photos from my last few weeks:

This is my room and bed that I left in Gbarnga. The two fans blowing directly on me was not enough to keep the sweat from visiting me each night.

Saw this camel out walking one day. It belongs to the agricultural research center.

One of my last patrols was to the Guinea border. This river is what separated Guinea from Liberia. They are able to drive across now, but it is not possible during the rainy season.

Another visitor to my room in Gbarnga.

Checking out their well

This was my security at my house. (L-R: Annie-security and Housekeeper, Joe, Me, and Peter)

This is in Monrovia. The freeport is on the right. The beaches do look very inviting

Streets of Monrovia.

On the plane in Monrovia. It was so awesome to see that Delta tail sitting on the tarmac because we knew it was taking us home. It started to rain as we were boarding... maybe a sign that Liberia will miss us????