Thursday, June 9th
I noticed one of my co-workers staring outside the window of the Rebuild Africa office. He told me that he was observing a local gang argue over some petty issue. They apparently meet nearby after working hours to smoke and reflect on the day. This served as another gentle reminder that I'm living in arguably the poorest and corrupt country in the world.
Friday, June 10th
After work, the US Ambassador's intern and I volunteered at a local church's soup kitchen.
Saturday, June 11th
I ate dinner with the friend of a Yale alumna. He told me about his adventures as a black American living in Liberia. I then went to a party where I met a relative of Samuel K. Doe, the former president of Liberia. She raised a number of concerns about the upcoming election and the possibility of former President Taylor returning, despite his forced exile, numerous human rights violations, and charges in international courts from participating in the catastrophic fourteen year period euphemistically referred to as a civil war.
Sunday, June 12th
For the second week in a row, I visited Philadelphia Church in Paynesville. As the only non-Liberian in the congregation, and as the only person not jumping and dancing around during the two hour-long worship portion of the service, I may have looked out of place.
Monday, June 13th
I spent Monday and most of the work week compiling and synthesizing the notes from the previous week's interviews. I also wrote a first draft for the institute's formal proposal.
Tuesday, June 14th
At the suggestion of my boss, I met a lawyer friend of his. I walked to his downtown building, passing dozens of street vendors and speeding cars. In his air-conditioned office, he told me about the difficulties of Liberian education-- the inculcated ideas of subservience and submissiveness that must be destroyed to create a competitive academic atmosphere. After getting bachelor and law degrees from the University of Liberia, he had attended Cornell for his master's in law. While waiting to meet with him, I read from a policy book from the 1970s that focused on potential tax reform in Liberia during that time. Its suggestions that taxes should be increased for the wealthiest and its other arguments sounded as if they could have been written in 2011.
Friday, June 17th
With some intern friends, I ate at the Americanized barbecue restaurant PA's then ventured to Tide's bar.
Saturday and Sunday, June 18th - 19th
With those friends and about twelve other interns around my age, we drove about three hours to the beach town Robertsport. There, I saw my seventh grade Bible school teacher, who's daughter works for an orphanage in Monrovia (the daughter has been featured on the blog previously). With the interns, we danced, talked, and ate until 4am with a bonfire providing us light. We left that Sunday afternoon.
The next week, I met with representatives from Catholic Relief Services, European Union, and LINNK (Liberian NGOs Network).
Wednesday, June 22nd
Part of my task while here has been to assist younger Bill, pictured above, with his applications to American seminaries. In doing so, I've been trying to help him with writing and reading, since Liberian instruction can be quite limited. In telling him that reading the New York Times would provide him access to the level of reading necessary for success in stateside academia, I learned that he has neither Internet nor electricity at home.
Thursday, June 23rd
I presented to a European Union director in charge of education policy in Liberia. To enter his office, Bill and I had to go through two security check points, sign in twice, and be escorted to a conference room.
Friday, June 24th
The EU experience directly contrasts with the meeting with LINNK, in which the supposed head of the organization had no office. Instead, I gave him the presentation in the backseat of a sitting pickup truck.
Saturday, June 25th
Some friends and I explored the markets downtown. We could have bought a UNICEF notebook being sold, but we decided against it.
Sunday, June 26th
The team from the Vineyard arrived enthusiastic and a tad jet-lagged. Their schedule for the next two weeks includes something almost every hour. I'm happy they're here, and am interested to hear their take on the country and its culture.
Monday, June 27th
Continuing to carry around my PowerPoint presentation like a certain former US vice president, I met with another government official in the late afternoon.
If you'd like to say hello, or if you get this post's title's obscure pop culture reference, shoot me an email at elliotjwatts+lbmh[at]gmail.com.
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