Sierra Leone - January 2010

2010-01-22T20:24:00.000-08:00

[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.

2010-01-21T09:54:00.000-08:00

[London Heathrow Airport, United Kingdom]

We're taxiing on the runway now, and I thought that I'd give an update on the last 14 hours or so. The flight from Freetown was delayed (and entrance to the airplane itself was also delayed) because none of the electronic security scanners were being used. Instead, all bags were searched manually, and some were asked - neither Brad nor myself, thankfully - for an off-the-books $40 "service charge". Consequently, the line took a few hours to get through in the stuffy heat, but due to the flight and boarding delay, Brad and I had time to get a more proper dinner (which was actually quite reasonably priced): a delicious and satisfying Shrimp Lungi with rice and soda.
The meal on the plane was delicious as well, although I barely woke up in time. I slept pretty much the entire duration of the 5-6 hour flight to London.

Our time in Heathrow was cut short, so we were unable to locate a fast-food place at which to have breakfast. Oh well. In seven hours life-time / two-hours artificial time, I will be in Chicago!

At the airport, I've been able to gain more information (via television) regarding a few developments about which I heard a little while in Sierra Leone with very limited Internet access. A massive earthquake hit Haiti, causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands, the homelessness of millions, and the destruction of a capital and government. I cannot begin to imagine the horror that has transpired there (and will continue to occur). Brad has a number of connections to the country (including some friends who visited Haiti a few weeks ago), and he seems especially troubled by the disaster. I hope to learn more once back on US soil. On the bright side of things, if the international community and Haitian government / people respond properly (and it appears at least that the US has responded strongly and swiftly), this disaster (though extremely tragic), may provide the opportunity to rebuild Port-au-Prince (and the other impacted areas of Haiti) better than it has ever been, with improved transportation, communication, sanitation, and water infrastructure.

Yesterday, on the way to Lungi, we stopped in Port Loko to meet with the District Minister of Agriculture. Initially, only Dr. Bart, Abi, Craig, and Craig's guide Samuel were going to attend. Since I'm somewhat of a government junkie, I asked to attend and promised to remain quite. Silence was difficult - though achieved - when the Minister spoke of a problem with disseminating information to rural farmers. I had (what I thought to be) a good idea, but waited to mention it to the group afterward. During the meeting, Brad and Kelly went to the nearby market for snacks while the driver watched our things.

All told, the bumpy, bumpy ride on the "highway" from Port Loko to Lungi took a few hours. Luckily for us, the cramped vehicle had a few cassette tapes, including Bob Marley's "Legend" and a few Sierra Leone originals to ease our passing.

2010-01-19T19:27:00.000-08:00

[Lungi International Airport, Sierra Leone]

Brad and I arrived a couple of hours ago with the rest of the group, who quickly departed for their flight to Brussels. Although the flight to London that Brad and I are taking leaves later (~11:50pm), in theory we should arrive in the US earlier (and for a cheaper amount). We had a dinner of Guinness, crackers, bread with butter, and a Clif Bar.
As it turns out, I will have used exactly all of my Clif Bars, most of my Propel packages, a lot of my sunscreen, most of my Dr. Brommer's, and not even one third ofmy mosquito repellent (since mosquitoes were only bad at dusk and/or near swamps). It has been a very interesting (and rewarding) time in Sierra Leone, but I am very ready to come home. More final thoughts later, but I'll probably check in while in the air and/or at Heathrow.

2010-01-18T21:52:00.000-08:00

Since it appears that I've made it back to base in one healthy piece, I'd say that the day was a great success. The scale of the river we passed during the day seemed to capture the size of our enjoyment.
Last night, we (Brad, Craig, Kelly, and I - with the consultation and approval of Dr. Bart and Abi) decided to spend our final full day in Sierra Leone decompressing at a (relatively) nearby beach. We were given a ride to Lunsar to meet with David, Kelly's guide, who would accompany us to Kent, a small village on the coast. We had anticipated (the rightly dreaded) public transportation, but David allowed us to borrow his family's old but nice Lexus, so long as we paid for gas - another excellent and unexpected development.After passing a through several villages (including Waterloo, an an absolute madhouse with cars, pedestrians, and animals all vying for the narrow road), we arrived at the beach in about two hours.
The beach was absolutely gorgeous and completely deserted except for the few workers at the restaurant/house where we parked. At first, the workers would not leave us alone, and it was making me more and more frustrated as they seemed to be trying to take advantage of us. In any case, once they left, the day went awesomely. I even had time to do a bit of lifting.
We swam for a couple of hours, walked up and down the beach, played catch and baseball, and just relaxed.
At some point, we ate lunch at the resort, paying a lower cost than the initially inflated price thanks to the negotiation skills of Kelly.
Today was a great day to clear my mind. I am beginning to think more and more about what's ahead, but I look forward to also reflect on my experience here.
Tomorrow, we begin our journey back to the US. While I've enjoyed my time here, I am very much ready to go back. Now, my last shower and sleep in Sierra Leone. Will update in transit.

2010-01-17T11:37:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a smashing success. Joseph, Mohamed, Brad, and I visited four villages, gaining us a number of interview and samples, as well as a few coconuts, several oranges, and even two chickens! The ride out wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Although my hips were sore from the previous week of riding, and although we woke up at 6AM (w/ a hurried breakfast of cold rice and Clif Bars) for an early start, and despite the ~1 hour ride to the farthest village to start the morning, the ride (and the day as a whole) was quite manageable, although still exhausting. Luckily, after the second village (and at the beginning of the third) we took a break, eating a few complementary coconuts and oranges. Our guide very much needed this break as he began to feel sick midway through the morning. It feels great to be done with the surveys (and now almost done with the direct water quality testing).
The nutrition group left this morning, so the focus now is on wrapping everything up before we go. Items on the list: (1) finish direct water quality tests; (2) collect all GPS data and train one individual in the use of it (since I am selling mine to Village Hope); (3) meet with Dr. Bart to discuss the transition to the next phases of water development (education and remediation); and (4) figure out the fun decompression activities for tomorrow.
Time has really flow by here, and I am beginning to think more and more about what's next: taking a few really interesting classes, figuring out the graduate school situation, finding summer work, and catching up with some UofI friends before our paths diverge. This has probably been the most exciting period of my life thus far. In any case, I really hope our work here can make a positive difference.
One more thing: the last village we surveyed was Buya (pronounced "Boo-yah!"), a fitting name, I think, for my feeling upon completion.I would also add that the palm wine we purchased from a local manufacturer was quite a fitting (and refreshing) celebratory beverage.

2010-01-15T21:44:00.000-08:00

Time is really flying now. Tomorrow is going to be my last day visiting villages, and it is definitely going to be an epic day. Wake at 6am, leave by 7am, and visit 4-5 villages in the following 12 hours. On Sunday, we will finish up our direct tests and then organize/hand-off all relevant data.
Yesterday, the nutrition group from UofI (led by Prof. McNamara) joined us in Kamasondo, and two chickens were slaughtered for the occasion. Today, they went out in the field to conduct nutrition / health surveys. Craig joined us on ours and really got into the swing of things by the end.
Oh, yesterday morning was spent with Kelly (and Brad) on her project studying the lighting and ventilation conditions of dozens of schools here. Kelly apparently had an awkward experience with public transportation, so I'm sure she was happy for the company. In any case, along the way, we picked up a Coca-Cola at a gas station, and it was the best I've ever had. The roads and bridges, however, were the same as always, but the minivan could handle it.
Its hard not to feel nostalgic about the situation here. I feel personally invested with the communities, and I've grown fairly close to my coworkers. Also, it's hard not to feel a little prideful about our harsh living conditions compared to the UofI nutrition group (who had excellent internet access, running water, daily feasts, etc.), but I also realize that the comparison is very much relative, especially after visiting the villages.
Tonight, we heard about a massive earthquake in Haiti. Information is limited, but even with more, I'm sure I would not be able to fully imagine the devastation.

2010-01-15T09:23:00.000-08:00

So, it has been a while since I've updated my journal. Hopefully, I will have remembered everything.
As it stands now, Brad and I are conducting some water quality tests under the watchful eyes of our successors, two local science teachers. They will be carrying out the pathogen tests (which were just figured out yesterday) after we leave. The younger teacher (~26 years old) is particularly bright and intends to be a scientist someday. Frankly, I think that he is much more capable than the limitations of his situation allow. It makes me so sad.
The other group returned early due to transportation difficulties. The dogs whined throughout the night. The surveys on 1/13 went smoothly for the most part although people are spacey and/or distrustful occasionally. Temne lessons continued, and my bit of knowledge seems to impress the locals - children and adults alike.
Back to work.

2010-01-12T21:30:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, our guide arrived around ninety minutes late, apparently from a misunderstanding, but I have my suspicions thanks to this "river bird" Joseph admitted to catching...
In any case, the villages yesterday were uneventful. Well, they were uneventful to the extent that visiting villages in which many of the residents have never seen an "ahpohtoh" (fair-skinned person) can become uneventful over the course of just a few days.
This morning, the rest of the group (other than Brad and myself) left for Freetown (the capital) and Njala (location of one of the country's universities) until late tomorrow or early afternoon Thursday. It is amazing how quickly time passes now. One man from Harvard (also named Michael) has already finished his stay in Sierra Leone (although he had just finished visiting a few other developing nations for his NGO, MASS), and will be returning to Boston for the January-term course with which he is involved.

The house is definitely much more quiet without the others (Dr. Bart, Abi, Kelly, and Craig), but I am looking forward to their return. Brad and I are now fully caught up with our tests, but we will be rushed to keep that up tomorrow for a reason you will soon learn...

The villages both went well today, although again we started late. Often, after completing a survey of a village, we are presented with gifts of fruit (such as oranges, bananas, or coconuts). Today, however, we were offered an entire (live) "toh-koh" (chicken) and its eggs!
So, tomorrow, Brad and I are planning on making an omlette for breakfast and chicken for lunch and dinner. We'll see how that goes!
Okay, time for some random thoughts. I'm not sure if I already mentioned it, but I shaved with a a straight razor for the first time... a smashing success despite no shaving creme! Another (super cute) dog was picked up yesterday. Now, no more barking at night. Instead, double the adorable wrestling (and sleeping) ... as well as double the probability of catching fleas or worms.
A grade school teacher came by (randomly?) today, and our conversation quickly turned into a much appreciated lesson in Temne, one of several local languages spread across the country. I got my clothes laundered last night and today. I should have thought to include my sheet. Oh well. I'll rotate it tomorrow. The sore in my mouth (possibly caused by bug repellent getting into a cut) is going down. The soreness in my hips and bruises on my legs are going down. Maybe I'm finally getting good at this survey stuff.
The housekeepers have been arguing (and listening to loud music) for the last hour. Let's hope this doesn't keep up. I went to the latrine last night, hoping to go to the bathroom, but saw a massive spider lurking in the candlelight, so I decided I could wait until morning.

This morning, I saw a boy named Laman with a discarded box previously owned by Village Hope. He was so pleased to have it, a simple, colorful box in good condition. We must always remember to thankful for everything we have, no matter our situation.

2010-01-11T13:45:00.000-08:00

Well, yesterday was a pretty eventful day, all things considered. Catholic prayer service (not Mass since there was no priest) was at 9:30 AM with 20-30 children (all under four foot tall) under a palm overhang. Afterward, Brad, Joseph, and I traveled to two villages close by. I was definitely sore from the day before, but the short distance made things easy. The first village (population 950 - one of the largest thus far) was a dud. The chief had either failed to communicate our presence or communicated it incorrectly to the residents who were quite suspicious of us.
The next village went much more smoothly, but Brad and Joseph (as well as myself, to a lesser extent) seemed to be losing their patience. We've got to keep plugging away.
The house owners brought back a super cute puppy that had been found by the side of the road. I didn't pet it for fear of fleas or worms, but the others cradled it against their bodies for a few hours. We left it outside overnight (since we wouldn't want it messing around in the house) and it cried all night. Thankfully, I was too tired to hear it beyond the first few minutes.

Today, while our guide taught, Brad and I performed some tests on the samples from Saturday. Hopefully tomorrow we can finish those of Sunday and today. Some in the group seem on edge, some to the extent that I would classify the behavior as hissy-fit. I hope our attitudes improve. Perhaps we need to take breaks more often.
In any case, I'm about to go visit a few more villages. Must make sure to drink plenty of water.

2010-01-09T22:15:00.000-08:00

Today was pretty epic, certainly in terms of novelty and probably in terms of physicality. I don't believe that I've ever ridden a bicycle that distance or duration, let alone in such varied topography and treacherous paths. With the thick cylinders of ants crossing the path to the irregular ruts, roots, stones, plants, and passersby (with or without bundles of sticks on their heads), it was a dangerous route indeed, but I felt up to the challenge.The most interesting and challenging parts for me involved streams and/or swamps. Brad, Joseph, and I passed several bridges on our way to the villages. A few were stone and easy to cross. Others were made out of tree trunks, one of which was crossed on bicycle at full speed, somewhat unexpectedly (and almost certainly stupidly). The most fun, however, were the bamboo bridges. These required us to carry our bikes (along with a backpack fully laden with gear) while we crossed the bridge on foot, careful to avoid the cracked, rotten, and/or loose boards when possible.
The longest such bridge was between 200-300 feet long and consisted of parallel lines of support posts separated by a few feet laterally and between 5-20 feet forwardly. Each of these sets of support posts were spanned by a cross section of about 3 to 8 bamboo sticks of varying diameters and lengths, tied together with grass or vines. I loved that part.
There were two parts of the journey that I didn't love, however. The first was getting across a swamp where the bridge had been destroyed by a flood. Worried about such waterborne pathogens as schistosomiasis (a parasite that is prevalent in Sierra Leone), I had borrowed Dr. Bart's size 8 waders in anticipation of that section.Passing through the thickest of the brush (the most shallow section of the swamp), although ending up with one thorned and one muddied hand, I was able to avoid exposing my skin directly to the swamp water. Not taking any chances, I applied some hand sanitizer as soon as I was free. On the way back, the crossing was somewhat easier.

The other thing I didn't like was the load on my back. Oh my gosh. Between testing equipment, water, and other survival gear, I was carrying quite a bit of weight on my back throughout the trip, which began at 6:30am and ended at 6:30pm. Maybe I need to adjust the seat on the bike or the straps on my backpack better (or attempt too lighten the load). Regardless, I shouldn't keep that up for my back's sake.

Due to the distance traveled (over thirty miles as the crow flies) and the difficulties associated with the path traveled, we were not able to get to as many villages as we wanted, but we did get a few of the farthest ones knocked out successfully. Again, the scenery was quite enjoyable.
The survey was revealing at first, but the responses seem to have become rather predictable, without much useful, novel information being generated, except in a few cases. On the one hand, it means that our suspicions will probably turn out to be fairly accurate and consistent. I guess it should have been fairly easy to guess that our survey won't be able to pinpoint all of the health and sanitation issues in the villages, but we still should be able to do good work with the results. We'll see. Day 1 of the real stuff, over.

I will say a couple of more things before I turn in. One, I probably would not have been able to keep this pace up for over a week. Luckily, Joseph is also a teacher, so Brad and I will have the hours when school is in session to recover and to run some much needed tests. Two, it looks like some of us will be going to Mass tomorrow. It should be interesting. Three, this is the longest I've been without shaving, and after finally seeing a photo of myself, I am almost ready to try out the straight razor for the first time. Four, Brad and I ate some dinner with the Paramount Chief, a lifelong elected official. Our lunch was enjoyed in the shade at one of the earlier towns. While it could be my imagination, I feel like the shorts I have been borrowing from Brad are getting looser. I haven't been hungry since I've been getting a good volume of food, but perhaps I am simply not consuming sufficient calories from the simple diet.

Tired and sore and happy. Bed.

2010-01-08T22:04:00.000-08:00

Okay, so tomorrow the work begins in earnest. Our guide, Joseph, spent the day obtaining ten additional villages for us to visit beyond the original ten. Instead of surveying some of the villages without a guide, Brad and I spent the day working on the VH office nearby (organizing materials, cleaning, fixing equipment, and the like) and finishing up a few other random tasks.

Later in the day, Brad, Kelly, Craig, and I walked to a nearby village along a foot (and occasional daring vehicle) path that led us through trees and past plains. After working in the office most of the day, I very much enjoyed the walk and the scenery.Even though I've already seen a village in the daylight (while testing out the survey with Joseph and Brad), for some reason this experience was particularly powerful. Despite not being able to verbally understand each other at all, everyone was extremely happy to see us, especially the children. So far, this has been the trend and not the exception.
When we walked home, a dozen of the young children followed us all the way to the door of our home, holding the hands of Brad and Craig the entire way. Even after shutting the door, the children remained outside for about an hour, listening to our conversation and imitating our laughs. It was very touching.

Random thought: I saw a number of massive spiders today, one just a couple of feet away when I was in the bathroom last night and armed only with a flashlight. More of that to come, I'm sure. While I'm mentioning the house, I'll include a picture of it taken near dusk. Our group is living in the right half of the home, which is owned by the principal of the nearby junior secondary school. While extremely modest by American standards, it is one of the nicest homes I've seen in Sierra Leone.
Also, I gained access to email for the first time since Chicago, sending the family a status update. No job and/or graduate school offers yet.

Oh, I slept wonderfully last night! As a matter of fact, I woke up wide awake after five hours, realizing that the prevoius sleep had been the longest uninterrupted period of sleep since home during Winter Break. Boy, did it make a huge difference! Let's hope I can keep this up. Food, check. Sleep, check. Heat and water? We'll see how I handle tomorrow!

2010-01-07T22:00:00.000-08:00

Absolutely terrible night of (not) sleep. Between failed attempts at pillow-making and the radio blaring nearby throughout the night, it was next to impossible to fall asleep! Next time, I must make sure to bring (or be 100% able to obtain) a proper pillow. Clothes in a bag does not qualify as a pillow. Looking back, I had similar a similar problem in Germany, but I didn't think much of it since the temperature was so nice there and since Regine gave me a pillow after the first day. I should have known better and/or listened to Mom's advice and brought a travel pillow.

Thanks be to God that Abi happened to be going to the store today and that, despite my belief that every night wold be similarly miserable, I asked her to look for a pillow, and she happened to find one! Without feathers! Mold, maybe, but we'll see.

Today, Brad and I spent the morning and early afternoon at our office in the school, polishing our survey and working out a number of logistical difficulties for the remaining days.

In some cases, we've expanded the scope of our operation while in others we've significantly decreased, as necessary. Overall, the water data gathering program looks demanding and effective, but there are still issues to address. For one, keeping track of our guide outside of our scheduled meetings (and sometimes even then) has been tough. I think I probably made a disturbance when I went looking after him at the primary school.

Boy was I dragging tail today, especially in the morning, even though I had my first bath in more days than I care to admit. I made sure to eat more food more frequently, and I felt a lot better for that reason. I am worried that our surveys (which will keep us away from home base most of the day) will lead to insufficient food, water, and rest. I will adjust accordingly.

After finishing our work, Brad and I played catch, eventually drawing the two other North American students and many little village children into the game, which quickly escalated into a full soccer match. I did trip on the dirt and scrape my right hand, but put antibacterial creme on it, washed my hands, took another (awesome feeling) shower, and put more antibacterial creme on it. I will let it air out tonight and put on a band aid tomorrow.

Food has been simple: rice (with or without a spicy soup on it), bananas, and bread mostly, with occasional potatoes, plantains, Clif Bars, and random food items (like beef jerky) from Dr. Bart.

Tomorrow, the work begins in earnest! Let's hope I'm smart and careful enough for everything to go smoothly!

2010-01-06T23:06:00.000-08:00

Waking up to the sounds of cooking and children laughing around 7:30 am, I decided to use the morning light for a bathroom break, waking Brad up in the process (though I knew it not at the time). Noting that Dr. Bart was still asleep, I went back to bed, which consisted of a Thermarest covered by a sheet on a concrete floor with cargo pants as a pillow in a tent shared with Brad.

The toilet was in a room away from the house and consisted of a hole in the concrete floor covered by a wooden lid 6" off the ground with a board that hinged open. The room, though obviously without plumbing or power, was among the best facilities in the rural region, and much, much better than the typical private toilet: the bush ten to one hundred feet away from the house.

Brad and I, along with the others staying as guests at the house (Dr. Bart and Craig, a U of I student in Agricultural and Biological Engineering) as the rest of the Village Hope group (Abi and Kelly, an architecture student from MIT) arrived. We had a large breakfast of plantain stew (delicious), potatoes, bread, and water. After going to bed hungry (which was entirely my fault since I brought with me a bunch of Clif Bars), I overate.

A short while later, the group's guides arrived, and all of us met at the nearby secondary school (which had been partially rented out by VH) to got an idea of who was who and what we would be doing. After introductions, the various groups split up with their respective guides, Brad and I with a man name Joseph Bangura. With Joseph's help, we refined our social survey and decided to give it a test run at the closest village, Masemah.

With the excellent help of our translator, we were able to adjust a few of the questions on the fly (which I especially enjoyed), learning much about the villagers in the process. I will wait until we've gone to more villages to make generalizations, but I will note a few of the remarkable things. Everyone was happy to see us and thankful for us being there. Sickness is a very real problem for many in the villages, and must of these sicknesses seem to come from a combination of environmental factors (since the tropics typically have more diseases than temperate climates), unsanitary living conditions (both circumstantial and behavioral), and insufficient funds for proper nutrition and medical treatment, leading some to pursue what Brad described as "household medicine", like rubbing a certain plant's leaves on the cheeks to alleviate various pains.

One illness I observed was particularly unsettling and was potentially one of the most horrifying things I've ever seen. There was a small boy who had developed a number of sores all over his body. These sores were excreting what I can only describe as orange ooze. I cannot imagine the physical pain - not to mention the mental anguish - that child and his family were facing, and I cannot imagine the mechanism by which the human body would produce such a substance.

After surveying a few households and the water sources, the latter including a stream over a quarter of a mile away from the village, we returned to base to semi-wrap up our survey and to plan out the next couple of days: finalize the materials for the direct water quality measurements and lay the groundwork for finishing the next couple of villages.

Sunset occurred between 6-7 pm, followed shortly by a meeting with Brad and Dr. Bart (whom we are to call Jon), candlelight dinner in the near darkness (with plenty of laughing and the like), and finally bed.

One important lesson (among many) for the day: for me, one of the most important quality of life issues won't be the muggy heat or the various critter that frequent the area, but rather a continued intake of sufficient volumes of food. In other words, eat your Clif Bars, Mike!

2010-01-06T11:00:00.000-08:00

[Kamasondo, Sierra Leone - Home]

Last night, under darkness, we arrived at Lungi International Airport outside of Freetown. We stepped off the plane at approximately 7:00 pm local time, and as we approached the terminal from the runway, I was bombarded by a number of sights, sounds, and other sensations for which I was unfortunately unready.

Although it was night, the heat and humidity were significant, especially within the stuffy terminal. As I waited 45 minutes for my checked baggage to make the 200 foot journey from the plane to the terminal, my anxiety steadily grew as I was approached by a number of "helpful" locals who promised one service or another. I must admit that I was amazed by the lack of professionalism throughout the baggage process, and I was beginning to mentally address the prospect of losing my checked baggage and all of the testing equipment in it.

As we crossed the threshold between the main lobby of airport and the parking lot, our group was immediately bombarded with a variety of solicitations from a few dozen individuals who, quite frankly, were only interested in taking advantage of us. As we made our way further into the parking lot, much of the crowd left us, although an uncomfortable number followed us all the way to our vehicles. As we were loading our supplies into the vehicles, a loud argument broke out between the Village Hope guides and the swindlers of the airport. Asking Dr. Bart wanted any he wanted any help, he told us to remain in the car until things were resolved. My unease continued to grow as a half an hour passed by with the argument continuing and the crowd growing. I tried to keep an eye on everything and everyone, considering appropriate responses to potential scenarios, but my partial preparedness did not assuage my worries.

At some point, our guides got into the vehicle and began to drive out of the parking lot, only to be boxed in by two vehicles which purposely trapped us. Another 15 minutes passed, and somehow our guides - with the help of Abi Jones, an employee of VH stationed in SL for several months - were able to talk our way out of the parking lot without any payment required. Apparently, the quarrel started because there are a group of individuals (for whom the airport security looks the other way) who have laid claim to the parking lot as their territory. Traditionally, these people have the exclusive right to shuttle people to and from the location. The fact that Village Hope brought their own drivers was upsetting to them. In any case, I'm glad that things turned out so well, all things considered.

It took about 15 minutes to reach the dock and ferry, and we were able to cross the bay to Freetown by about 1o pm local time. It took another 30 minutes to load up our bags and get some supplies (including water and Laughing Cow cheese) at a nearby gas station.

For a city of a few million people, the level of darkness throughout Freetown was remarkable. Despite being so late in the evening, walking and driving through the city felt like passing adobe and/or tin houses meets street festival meets garbage dump. While this alien environment was both exciting and unsettling, I was very glad to be in a moving vehicle. The roads were decent close to Freetown, but got progressively worse as we moved farther and father inland. Passing by houses (urban and rural), a common mental reaction of mine was to think, "That must be abandoned." I realized that most were likely in use, so my next thought would be, "How could anyone end up living like that?"

The long car ride (that was extended by a stop due to a spare tire falling off) was therapeutic, even though we had been traveling continuously for more than 40 hours by that point. The darkness, wind, and silence allowed me to think about everything (good and bad) and put everything into perspective. Along the way, we crossed a number of bridges (some wooden boards, others stone) including one iron bridge over a massive convergence of rivers that, even at night, took my breath away. I hope to be able to see it in the daylight.

Riding in an old vehicle on terrible roads at night going up to 80 mph with seat belts was exhilarating but very much against everything that my parents and experiences have taught me. We made it to Kamasondo around 2:30am, unpacking our things including our sleeping tent. I was in bed by 3:15am and fell asleep by 4:00am.

After nearly 48 hours of continuous travel, things have not been what I expected, but I really had no clue what to expect.

2010-01-05T18:05:00.000-08:00

[Dakar, Senegal]

After 31 hours of travel, I am now in Africa.

We are currently taxiing toward the runway from where we will begin the one hour flight to Lungi, Sierra Leone. The weather is very nice here and the sun is shinging. My mood now is quite different than that of several hours ago. It is extremely easy to become depressed about the current situation or even one's life goals when one is exhausted. I must keep in mind that many, many people across the globe, including Sierra Leone and even the US, go through that every day of their lives.

We met up with the other members of the University of Illinois nutrition group in the airport in Brussels. Everyone seems to be putting a good face on things despite whatever anxiety each is facing. Liftoff!

2010-01-04T19:23:00.000-08:00

[Between DC and Brussels]

The day began at 4:55am at Brad's father's house in Chicago. The night before, we went to a massive Bass Pro Shop (where I finally got a semi-suitable hat for Sierra Leone), ate dinner at Famous Dave's Barbecue (where I may or may not have swallowed a chicken bone), and returned to the home to watch Blood Diamond, a fitting movie perhaps for what we are about to do and what we are about to see.

We got to O'Hare a few hours early and got through the gate without any difficulty. As a matter of fact, the whole Chicago experience went much more smoothly than I had anticipated. The ride to the airport took an hour less than estimated, and we were able to get our checked baggage forwarded to Sierra Leone ("SL") despite having bought two separate tickets (one domestic, one international): Chicago to Detroit to DC; DC to Brussels to Dakar to Freetown to London to Chicago.

Our flight out of Chicago was about eight about eight minutes late (no problem), but our flight out of Detroit was over a half an hour late, leaving us just under an hour to take care of everything in DC. My breakfast in Chicago consisted of pizza and brownies. In Detroit, Brad and I ate a really greasy lunch. Dinner was served on the flight moments ago.

While I am excited about the adventure ahead of me, I almost feel as though I should be more excited than I am. Perhaps because the situation still seems to surreal to me, or because of some subconscious overcompensation on my part, or because of my inability to imagine the scale of what is in front of me, or even perhaps because I am genuinely confident in my abilities (or, at the very least, of the rightness of my actions), but I am not really nervous in any case. This will undoubtedly e one of the most different (and most difficult) trips of my life thus far. One way or another, it should be great.

Brad and I met Dr. Bart on the plane from DC to Brussels. Once the seat belt was turned off, we had a standing meeting at the back of the plane. I was given some reading material related to the testing, took a few notes, and returned it to Dr. Bart. Now, I will attempt to get some rest (watch a movie and/or sleep) so that I will be ready for the next leg of the journey.

Oh, during the flight thus far I have been chatting with a neighbor who spent 22 years with the US Army and is now working for NATO in Belgium. Very interesting conversation regarding careers in the geopolitical sphere, current events, and possible futures. I truly hope that I can find a career into which I can put my passions.

2010-01-02T19:03:00.000-08:00

As the title of the blog suggests, I will be recording my reflections on my trip to Sierra Leone during January 2010. Over the course of two weeks (with the help of a local guide), Brad Sliz (friend and classmate since grade school) and I will be conducting a comprehensive water and sanitation assessment program for several rural villages in northern Sierra Leone on behalf of Village Hope, an NGO led by Dr. Jonathan Bart that has been working in the country on a number of projects including microfinance, school and well construction, and agricultural development.

I have finished packing now and will be heading to Chicago Sunday afternoon. On Monday morning, we will begin our trip to Sierra Leone: Chicago to Detroit to DC to Brussels to Dakar to Freetown to Kamasando (our base of operations in Sierra Leone). Since there is only sporadic (at best) electricity in Kamasando, and since access to the Internet will be even more unreliable, I will unfortunately have to update the blog once I get back to the United States around January 20th (Freetown to London to Chicago). School begins around that time as well, so if I am slow to follow up with these posts, do not be alarmed.

In any case, I am absolutely excited about the adventure that is now immediately in front of me, despite the possible dangers. Now matter what happens, I think it would be appropriate that we take to heart the words of J.R.R. Tolkien: "Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens." Though I know not the road ahead of me, I will always know that I have the best of people behind me. I love you.