SIERRA LEONE | Monday, 2 May 2011 | Views [267]
Today we walked into Lumley via the beach, which is not nearly as nice as Number 2 beach. We walked through a labyrinth of huts to get there. These often consist of pieces of corrugated iron held up by thick sticks. Some have walls, some don't. But as ... Read more >
SIERRA LEONE | Sunday, 1 May 2011 | Views [446]
With not starting teaching, no TV, Internet, gym, or family, we fill the days by amplifying small dramas and setting ourselves challenges. 99% of the classrooms here use chalkboards. Sue happens to teach in one that has a whiteboard and was running out ... Read more >
SIERRA LEONE | Saturday, 30 Apr 2011 | Views [472]
Haja Haja manages the day-to-day administration and is great at arguing with people (police, customs officials, baggage claim...) on our behalf. However, she has told the Extra Mile director that the volunteers drink too much tea and use too much ... Read more >
SIERRA LEONE | Friday, 29 Apr 2011 | Views [475]
Transport
Today we caught our first poda-poda. Imagine a mini-van with four back seats and up to 24 people crammed in. To catch one you merely stand on the side of the road and wave. They will stop if they are not full or if they are full.... Read more >
SIERRA LEONE | Thursday, 28 Apr 2011 | Views [424] | Comments [2]
You may be wondering why I haven't said a thing about the reason we are actually here - volunteering as teachers' aids. That's because we haven't started yet! Our coordinator warned us about African Time, or BMT (black man's time) as they call it here, ... Read more >
SIERRA LEONE | Tuesday, 26 Apr 2011 | Views [327]
Haja's sister Basa showed up today. She is nothing like Haja - very big, covered with gold - big gold necklace, big gold earrings, big gold watch - dressed in blue, green, and white for Independence Day, with a great sense of humor. Haja took us all ... Read more >
SIERRA LEONE | Monday, 25 Apr 2011 | Views [413]
We finally got our baggage! It only required a four hour drive, a two hour ferry, and a half hour taxi ride. Oh, plus an hour wait at the airport until the correct official could be found and the appropriate posturing could be completed. We were waved ... Read more >
SIERRA LEONE | Saturday, 23 Apr 2011 | Views [441]
Yesterday we took a drive into Aberdeen to visit a friend of Haja's. Even going out for a day trip she dressed exquisitely in a long copper colored satin dress with spaghetti straps and a diamond-like broach clasping it together on her chest. Classy ... Read more >
SIERRA LEONE | Friday, 22 Apr 2011 | Views [669]
After the interminable wait in Ghana we were home free, or so we thought. We got off at Lungi, the Freetown airport. We cruised through immigration and yellow fever inspection in seconds and waited to collect our bags. And waited, and waited. After being ... Read more >
GHANA | Thursday, 21 Apr 2011 | Views [468]
New Zealand to Sydney to Dubai to Ghana on Emirates Air (fantastic food and service) was uneventful, so I'm starting on the Ghana to Freetown leg. The only noteworthy comment on Emirates Airlines was a spirited discussion about religion that flared ... Read more >
NEW ZEALAND | Wednesday, 20 Apr 2011 | Views [403]
For anyone who doesn't keep in touch regularly, here's a brief catch-up. After living in San Francisco for 15 years and working at a number of financial services companies, the need to do something different came calling around two years ago. ... Read more >
NEW ZEALAND | Friday, 19 Nov 2010 | Views [590]
Well, it's only been five months since I promised I'd start a blog. We're off to Sierra Leone and by now life in New Zealand has become status quo - but let me give a brief catch-up. Leaving San Francisco : The three days before we left ... Read more >
USA | Thursday, 18 Nov 2010 | Views [192]
WaMu Larry living it up in San Francisco (X rated: available on request)
USA | Wednesday, 17 Nov 2010 | Views [603] | Comments [1]
As many of you know several years ago I set myself the goal of walking every block in San Francisco. I set a lot of goals and achieve very few of them, so I thought that the fact I'd actually completed this one was worth a blog post. My main ... Read more >
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