[United States]

While this last entry will include a number of stories I didn’t adequately finish (or neglected to include at all), I thought that I would first make a note of a few atypical recommendations for future travelers to Sierra Leone that I wish I would have known when I went. Naturally, this list isn’t exhaustive and I would always recommend talking with a wide variety of experts before you go anywhere. Confucius once said that the key to success is to know thyself, but I would add that success in an underdeveloped country also requires a good deal of knowledge of the obstacles that may come your way. Success also requires patience, practice, and luck, so do your homework and hope that fortune shines upon you!
First, unless you’re sure that you look okay without shaving and unless you are willing to not do it for the duration of your trip, then you should definitely bring a straight razor. This razor probably shouldn’t be a cheapo since our disposable one began to wear out quickly. Also, where would one safely dispose of such a razor in such a country? Additionally, it is important to note that shaving with contaminated water or sharing a razor with a person who has a blood disease can make you seriously ill, so mind yourself and your surroundings. Along those lines, unless you are comfortable shaving blind, I would also recommend bringing a small make-up mirror, preferably one that can close on itself and is free standing (for better protection and stability, respectively). A mirror can also be used to signal for help on land or in the air, it can be used to start fires (or just amplify existing light), and it can be used to see around potentially treacherous corners.

Second, although knives are great for a number of purposes, if you have room in your luggage (not carry-on), a pair of scissors can save a lot of headaches (and cut fingers) in events where knife-work is tricky.

Third, if you are intending to stay in a given location for an extended period of time and don’t have room for very many clothes (not that I’d recommend bringing a bunch any way), I’d strongly recommend that you bring a little bottle of laundry detergent. It certainly works a lot better than shampoo (which I used) and can be useful a number of different situations.

In any case, I hope that the following (and previous) stories are of some benefit to you.

1.) Earlier I described the great pains I took to avoid contact with sitting water while crossing the swamp. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately, all things considered), one day while Brad and I followed a village elder to some lowlands (near a water source), I stepped onto a weak patch of soil, causing my right shoe to sink into the ground and become soaked. Since the field likely contained a significant amount of human and other animal feces, I was concerned about pathogens and become quite angry with myself. Later, as Brad collected survey data, I attempted to dry my feet to the best of my ability but feared that the damage had already been done. In the end, however, no ailment was contracted and I was reminded once again to always watch my step.

2.) One day, while riding along a foot path through the savannah, our guide suddenly engaged his brakes and instructed Brad and I (who were following) to do likewise and to remain quiet. As it turned out, a “biiiiig viiiper” (in the later words of Joseph as he shook a fist above his head) had quickly and noisily slithered into the tall grass as we approached. For better or for worse, we did not directly see the snake, but we did observe the sizable hole it left in the brush as we passed. Over the years, such creatures have seriously injured a number of individuals using the local water source, a pathogen contaminated pond about a half mile away from the village.

3.) On the night that Brad, Craig, Kelly, and I were returning from Kent (the village on the beach), there was somewhat of a scheduling snafu which would cause us to need public transportation for the forty or so miles of rural dirt roads to Kamasundu. This worried me greatly, not only because public transportation the number one cause of injury (and death) of Westerners abroad but also because we would be driving without our translator and guide. So, that night, Craig, Kelly, and their driver were crammed onto one dirt bike while Brad and I tagged along with our driver on another. I rode in the third position with my backpack hanging behind me. Naturally, we ahpohtohs had no helmets (although the driver did) and the road was quite bumpy. Although we were told the Temne words for “slow down” and “continue” seconds before mounting, I’m not sure if these helped. In any case, although Craig and Kelly’s bike broke down a couple of times, and although our driver once almost drove off of a wooden bridge and later stalled his vehicle in a sand pit, we eventually made it back to our base of operations. On many occasions throughout the trip (which lasted over an hour), I noted to myself how tragic it would be to have come this far to die in a stupid traffic accident. Needless to say, I thanked my lucky stars for our successful arrival.

4.) One unexpected characteristic of Sierra Leone I observed was the prevalence of second (or third or fourth) generation t-shirts. I recognized sports team symbols (including an Illinois-USC Rose Bowl t-shirt of all things), many of which from previous decades (such as an Orlando Magic Penny Hardaway jersey). I also observed a number of shirts proudly worn that would be quickly discarded in the US simply because they are not “cool.” At some level, preoccupation with fashion quickly becomes a very selfish endeavor. In a world where billions of people are below the poverty line and many do not even have clothing, why should we care what designer’s label is on one of ours?
5.) One other trend I observed was actually quite uplifting. In nearly every village I visited – no matter how remote (and we met with some villagers who had never seen a white-skinned person before) – there were artifacts celebrating the ascendancy of Barack Obama becoming the President of the United States. Many men, women, and children proudly wore necklaces, bracelets, ankle bands, and other paraphernalia with his picture. For all those I asked about him, he is a symbol of tremendous hope and pride – on an individual level, for the continent of Africa, and for the world at large. I’m not sure any non-religious figure has been so admired in recent history, and I certainly wish him the best.
6.) While passing through security at Lungi International Airport, the water samples and concrete blocks carried by Brad and I (for elemental analysis and stress-strain testing, respectively) were heavily scrutinized. With an extremely serious look and tone of voice, a security guard asked whether we were smuggling diamonds or gold. He also wanted to know why we were interested in water samples. At first, we were unprepared for these lines of questioning, but quickly I (somewhat) regained my cool and began speaking rapidly and excitedly – in highly technical terms – regarding our research, causing the guard to wave his hands dismissively after several seconds and to tell us to move along (with our samples, thankfully). Ironically, when I arrived in the United States, I took a taxi from the Chicago airport to the Chicago train station, and my cab driver – who was from Mauritania – was shocked that I didn’t bring back precious metals since they’re worth “a lot of money” here. He also had a number of very specific questions about airport security. The whole conversation was rather uncomfortable.

7.) On the first day when we visited four villages, a funny trend occurred: both Brad and I were offered wives on multiple occasions. Although such events are certainly noteworthy on their own, the funniest part about it was that each time that day, without fail and with me standing next to him, Brad was asked first. Each time, he would politely refuse, and then questioner would turn to me and extend the same offer – which I also refused. Maybe it was because I hadn’t shaved in a while…

8.) Regarding the gifts of oranges, coconuts, chickens, and eggs we received over the course of our village visits, it’s important to note how incredibly generous those acts were and how much they meant to me. In one instance, a village elder insisted Brad and I wait in the shade as he climbed a tree to fetch us some fresh coconuts to enjoy before we began our survey.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that the people in the villages I visited were routinely malnourished and sick, lacked proper education and medical care, and lived in homes with dirt floors and thatched roofs and without electricity or clean, running water. Yet, despite having so little, people were consistently willing to give so much, both of their possessions and of themselves. It may be the case that some performed such acts out of a desire to receive more in return at a later time, and it is possible that some shared simply because others had already shared, but I don’t think that these thought processes were remotely determinative or even influential of their behavior. We should emulate their generosity and seriously consider how our patterns of consumption impact the lives of those around us – as well as those far away.

9.) Speaking of consumption, I earlier shared a story about my enjoying the best Coca-Cola of my life while accompanying Kelly on her tour of schools. On the way back from Sierra Leone to the United States (and even several days before before), more than almost any other food, Brad and I really wanted a cheeseburger. Unfortunately, due to timing issues with our flight in Heathrow, we had to wait until Chicago to finally track one down! Although I had recently eaten, it too was one of the best I have ever had!
10.) One evening, Dr. Bart, Abi, the four American students (Brad, Craig, Kelly, and I), and our host (the principal of the nearby school) were sitting on the front porch of our host’s residence and discussing a wide variety of topics. After the sun had set, the Sierra Leone Civil War of 1991-2002 was brought up. While our host was one of the lucky individuals to have made it through the conflict with his life and all of his limbs, it was obvious by his words and his appearance that the recollection still brought him pain. Like millions of others in the country, he was displaced by the conflict, but despite his relocation, eventually he was captured by RUF rebels. He did not claim to have a side in the conflict and said that his primary concern was keeping his friends and family safe.

While captured, he witnessed a number of terrible atrocities, including the chopping off of hands, sexual mistreatment of women, and all sorts of unnecessary destruction of life and property. On one occasion when supplies were low, his life was in question as large amounts of the prisoners were being rounded up and killed, but one of the child soldiers recognized him as his former instructor and took steps to have his life spared. In order to be of some use (and ensure longer survival), our host was tasked to carry a cage of chickens. Among the things he witnessed, he was perhaps most strongly impacted by the impact of the war on children: between the nearly constant destitution, violence, and drug use rendered many – but thankfully not all – beyond saving.

During his capture, because of the unpredictability of the war in general and of his captors in particular, he was quietly looking for a way to escape. Eventually, his opportunity arrived. Because he had been an instructor of many of the child soldiers, they trusted him more than any of the other prisoners. He fortified this trust by frequently chatting with the children while they were on guard duty. On one such occasion, the guards were smoking marijuana at the far edge of the camp. As the night progressed, it appeared that they were becoming increasingly tired from the drugs, so he sought (and was granted) permission to go to the bathroom in the nearby brush. Along the way, his guards succumbed to sleep so he was able to quietly escape, running for a few hours and eventually reaching an abandoned (and partially destroyed) town where he intended to wait out the day. As he began to wait, he began to fear that the town would be too easily accessible and his hiding place would be too easily located, so he moved deep into the brush and waited until nightfall to travel further. Eventually, he was able to make his way home, although much of his town had been destroyed. Years later, the United Nations and other international aid organizations began the process of rebuilding Sierra Leone which continues to this day.
Looking back at all that transpired during my trip, I still am still wrapping my head around such an experience! I am so grateful for having been able to live it, and I am very grateful for all of the wonderful people who made that living possible. I especially want to thank Dr. Bart and Abi for their continued efforts for Village Hope, Joseph for being an excellent guide, Brad for being a great research partner and fellow traveler, Craig and Kelly for being such pleasant intracountry companions, my friends and family for all their support (especially my parents for their blessing on this adventure), and everyone else for all the help they gave me along the way.

As I end one chapter of my life and begin another, I will leave you with a quote from Vanilla Sky that feels relevant to my wonderful experience in Sierra Leone: “Holy God. This is going to change my life in a zillion different ways. I must be nuts.”
I know that my life has been changed for the better from my time in Sierra Leone, and I hope that I changed their lives - and yours - for the better too. I love you.