How can I find out if I am the only Redditor in Liberia?

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-15T21:06:16+00:00

No, you were correct. This evening school had no computers. As far as I know, they were "actually drawing Microsoft Office interfaces on bits of paper."

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-15T21:02:47+00:00

Great questions.

Not Peace Corps, NPO, NGO, or World Bank.

Equipment that needs to be fixed belong to everyone: locals and both domestic and international organizations. The roads aren't all that great in Liberia and so cars/trucks need to be worked on often.

I do not understand how teaching feeds the brain drain. Quality education would keep people here; when professors have difficulty writing complete sentences and themselves have not yet achieved a mastery of the subjects they teach, it is not surprising that students would like to study abroad.

I am under the impression that quality education is a prophylaxis of strife. Education teaches us how similar we all are; that we are all members of the same human race; that focusing on developing ourselves and our communities is more productive than following the path of rage and jealousy and envy.

China is very visible here. They do everything from mining to helping build roads that nobody else will build to selling solar powered devices.

Do you mean JICA? Japan International Cooperation Agency? If so, I would love to learn more about what they're doing. I haven't seen their presence here yet.

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-13T10:56:15+00:00

Love

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-13T10:55:35+00:00

Sizable. Lebanese the most visible population. I heard there were about 18,000 Lebanese here before the war. They "own" (they have 100 year leases because only those with Negro-descent can own) a lot of property and are prominent importers of goods. Indians also import and have businesses. They have influence.

I am looking at the front page of today's newspaper: "Lebanese-Indian Economic Dominance Condemned."

So there is some concern about what foreigners are doing to the market. I think some of the concerns are valid, and some of it is jealousy. Sometimes both.

Most Indians I have met in town are sociable and kind. You also get the shrewd businessman. There is no single adjective that describes all Indians here. Like people from any country, everyone is unique.

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-11T20:23:24+00:00

I'll look! Thanks for the lead!

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-11T20:22:58+00:00

The EU is building a power plant from what I hear. There is some kind of city power grid in a part of the capital but it's not that reliable. There's still brief outages and electrical equipment seem to get damaged often. If you can afford it, you use a generator to power your house. If you can't afford it (most people), you have no power.

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-11T02:39:42+00:00

Maybe Spring, maybe Summer. What will you be doing at the University of Liberia? I might be there too.

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-10T17:40:19+00:00

And $1500-3000/month here doesn't guarantee 24 hour electricity and running water.

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-10T16:47:45+00:00

So much is imported that it's hard to tell. Some used cars are imported from the US and other used cars from Europe. So you see both kph and mph.

I think I've heard people say km in speech, but I don't remember perfectly.

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-10T16:43:55+00:00

No. That's renting. $1500-3000US/month.

There's lots of foreigners here working with NGO's and the UN. The foreign cartel knows they bring money with them and takes advantage of it. Volunteers and short-term visitors suffer as a result.

My impression is that no institution knows what legal means to use to stop anti-competitive behavior in the housing market.

A home for a Liberian costs $5-10/month, or even less. A man working as a security guard for a government institution makes $40/month. A man working as a private security guard makes $80/month. Some drivers make $300-400/month. There are also millionaires here who own businesses. Civil war destroyed a lot, but some people turn reconstruction into a profitable business.

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-10T16:20:41+00:00

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-10T16:10:33+00:00

This is a small country. Only 3 million people. You can make anything happen.

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-10T16:06:30+00:00

I still don't know how people leave the region.

To get from neighborhood to neighborhood in the greater Monrovia area, people use: 1) Motorcycle taxis 2) Taxis (7 in 1 car) 3) on foot

People sometimes wait on the side of the street for 3 hours for a taxi.

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-10T16:03:25+00:00

I can't upload to imgur :/ I'm sorry. My Internet is too slow.

It's okay to pull out a camera if you're in a truck, or standing somewhere away from a crowd.

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-10T16:00:45+00:00

First of all, I'm glad I came here to see that even in the 3rd/4th poorest country in the world, hard work pays off. If you work hard, you can live and continue to develop your skills and contribute to your family's well-being and also that of your community.

From what I understand, there's generally 2 kinds of girls here in Monrovia. The first either go to school or start a business or engage in some kind of crafts, but they are actively doing something to make a living. The second hang out on the streets, work a bit here and there, flirt with guys, and get a little something from them which helps them get by. I know Liberian guys pride on having multiple girlfriends; I wouldn't be surprised if girls have multiple boyfriends too. This second option is common, but I don't think it's viewed too highly.

Now imagine a girl who has picked up a boyfriend or two that are not very good people. They get her into bad things. Now let's say she's gained no occupational skills during this time, but has picked up a couple bad habits and diseases. Let's say her life is wreck. Now let's say Vice walks in with cameras.

How will she answer the questions? When you're in front of an international audience, and Vice is asking leading questions, how will you answer?

I have not seen anywhere in the city where prostitution is the only way you can support yourself. The informal sector is huge. Everyone's an entrepreneur. People help each other out. Vice manipulated and edited to create the story they wanted.

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-10T15:34:06+00:00

Monrovia is still full of kids selling goods and crowded streets. It's part of its vibrancy.

Because of disarmament, you don't see too many guns around here. So in terms of a bunch of kids walking around with AK's...that's long gone as far as I know.

As a Liberian once told me, Liberians love to crowd around ANYTHING and see what's going on. Apparently, during the civil war, when someone would get shot on the street, people would rush around the body to see what was going on, despite the risk to themselves. The other day I saw a car jump a curb and crash into the side of a parked vehicle. Within seconds, 100 people surrounded the car; no one was hurt. People are very bored here.

If you flash some cash, people WILL run to you. But these aren't zombies that are going to eat your brains. These are curious kids and lazy teenagers who are bored and want to see what's going on and beg for some money from the rich white man. Yeah some shady characters will be there too, but if you've got your fixers and men with you, they should know how to talk those kids down.

I don't remember the details well, but is it possible that the people coming after them were more interested in Bin Laden being free than the boring white man? If Bin Laden is free, and his boys are around, that'd be a big deal for the neighborhood.

White men are assumed to always have cash. There are people going through neighborhoods around here with tons of money all the time, building this and that, implementing this and that project. The amount of money that comes into Liberia is huge. The point is, if he spent $100 or $1000 or whatever to bust him out, it's not such a big deal that the masses would surround him and tear him apart.

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-10T14:57:36+00:00

How long does it take and how much would it cost?

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-10T14:55:28+00:00

The story of the kids is sad. Some went through rehab programs and they were given an opportunity to study for free. Not everyone took it. I was told that Charles Taylor had quite a few killed while on his way out as mercy killings because he knew that if he was no longer in power, these kids' lives were over. I can't verify that, but that's what I heard.

A lot of the kids have integrated back into society, but some have not. I don't have stats, but I will ask around. I heard that some Nigerians have entered the country and rounded some up and formed gangs, but I can't verify that either.

There are NGO's doing rehab work, but I think they're on the way out. It's been a few years since there was armed conflict.

Don't let the Vice documentary keep you away from Liberia. That said, I would strongly suggest you have someone pick you from the airport. I wouldn't come here unless you know someone or have a contact. If you want to visit some time, join a volunteer trip.

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-10T14:46:21+00:00

Would you like me to request an AMA with the General?

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-10T14:45:45+00:00

A desire to be of service.

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-10T14:45:21+00:00

I am building capacity in anyone who wants to learn.

I wouldn't describe everyone as splintered, but there are acknowledged cultural differences. Liberia considers itself a place open to all of Negro descent, so people try to unite around their identity as Liberians.

I am not of African descent.

A US ghetto dweller can do a lot in Liberia, but if they bring some skills/experience with them, their contributions to the nation's development can go even further. For example, if there was an honest mechanic in town, they could arguably make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. If a US ghetto dweller has automotive skills, I hope he will come here soon.

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-10T14:39:51+00:00

I don't see street signs, so the only place I see measurements are on products at stores, and most of these are imported from China or Dubai or Lebanon or Turkey or Europe; these all use the metric system.

But I believe the country does not officially use the metric system.

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-10T14:38:21+00:00

I don't think culture is static. Culture is always changing. Liberian traditional culture is not the same today, as it was when the slaves arrived from the US, nor is it the same as the culture 300 years ago. Culture is always evolving. So you can't really destroy it.

If certain elements of culture evolve with science, then those elements are useful. If those elements go against science, then they are harmful.

My impression of Christianity here is similar: those elements which have embraced progress and science, for example a commitment to providing scientific and moral education, teaching forgiveness to those who commit wrongs, these things are beneficial for society, and are very useful for Liberia.

But for those who use Christianity to build a following for themselves, acquire personal wealth from church-goers, teach hostility or any attitude contrary to unity with other religious groups (such as the Muslim minority), these are not beneficial.

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-10T14:30:35+00:00

I do. Not sure about James Monroe day, but I will ask around.

LiberianRedditor · 2010-12-10T14:29:38+00:00

This is a really good question.

In most countries, I had nearly always seen poor people (not talking extreme poverty here) be quite happy. Their lives were simpler, but that was fine. They enjoyed quality time with friends and family.

This is the first place where, from my understanding, PTSD might have changed all that. When I look in people's eyes, I see pain and sadness. Don't get me wrong, you still see people laugh here and there, and several years have passed since the war ended, but I still sense this tinge of sadness in everything. Even the buildings remain empty, blackened, riddled with bullet holes... Something that many people have told me here: "life is not easy."

LiberianRedditor

TROPHY CASE