Snails pace

The trip is getting off to a slow start. After two weeks delay in getting out here because the project staff did not send in my trip approvals to USAID on time, there has been no preparation for my visit. I spent my first couple of days mostly just sitting in the office in Monrovia looking out over the ocean reading documents and figuring out who I need to meet with and where I need to visit. (Note that I am not looking at the waves crashing on the beach, just the ocean above the wall which is built just above the beach. The wall was necessary to block the view of the beach poopers, which is not exactly conducive to a productive working environment). I’m here to look at the markets for the products and services the project is working with. These include rubber, oil palm (potentially for biofuel), fresh vegetables, rice, carpentry, masonry, cosmetology (no, I’m not joking), and goldsmithing. My job is to see if there really is a market for these things and how the farmers or individuals who have been trained by the project can better access those markets. It should be a really interesting assignment, especially as it will mean lots of time ‘upcountry’ or away from the coast and away from Monrovia.

Ironically, my colleagues that are living here – expats from the home office that are on one or two year assignments – seem to abhor the thought of going upcountry. They talk about this place as if it is the worst place on earth and in fact it almost seems like they are competitive about it. What they don’t seem to realize is how fortunate they are. On Thursday night, one of my colleagues had taco night at her house (and the fact you can get tacos and all the fixings is one of the ways in which they are fortunate). There were 9 expats all from my firm enjoying each other’s company and talking about the long lines at the sushi restaurant, last weeks party, and going to the gym at Mister Joe’s house of Pain (that really is the name). Compared to where I lived in Guinea, this seems like heaven! I think part of the problem is that we have a governance program here and they are more used to working with governments in nice capital cities, and not getting out into the field to so much. But the post-conflict team I would expect to be used to roughing it. I am probably being a little unfair as I did just arrive, and I am sure that if I lived here I would also be complaining.

There is one woman who jumped when I said that I really was hoping to somehow get to Sapo National Park. It’s very isolated at the end of difficult roads, especially now the rainy season has started, and there is absolutely no infrastructure in the park (and maybe no animals after people hunted them for bushmeat for survival during the war). She has been trying to find someone to go with her, but no one was interested. We are looking into it to see if it might be possible but we would need a guide and it will most likely involve a free ride on a helicopter operated by the Ukranians for the UN – a scary thought in and of itself. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we can pull it off. My one colleague who has been back and forth to Liberia for the last 4 years told me that it wouldn’t be worth the trip – I had to explain to him that the trip is the whole reason for going. You have to enjoy the journey and the thrill of finally making it to your final destination or it really isn’t worth going. Plus think of all the birds along the way!