I'm a recent returnee from overseas who is wandering through life right now trying to figure out where to put my next footstep on this thing called life.

Sunday, October 29, 2006

Sunday Night in Monrovia

We're all sitting here, three girls and I, watching an old episode of "grey's anatomy". It's become a Sunday night tradition around our house. I usually make popcorn and sit down for a good hour of entertainment. For those of you not into the series, you really should be...

Today was an absolute beautiful day. After a painful 2 hour church service, I retreated home and was delighted to find out that the power was still on. It had surpassed our regular 10 am shut off time, and it was wonderful. It allowed me to catch up on a few work things that I needed to get done, and enjoy the air conditioner.

Once the power did finally go out, I was able to go and enjoy the beach. It's been months since the weather has been nice enough to wander down and enjoy the sun and the sand. It is easy to take for granted where I live, and now that the sun is back, I'm reminded of the beauty. It was a wonderfully relaxing afternoon.

As we prep for a 15 person football team to come from the UK, you can remember me. I have a tremendously busy next couple of weeks, and it will be both rewarding but challenging. My goal is to make it to November 24th...then HOLIDAYS!!!!

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

A Future??

I was writing my previous post and got distracted by work, and so I'm giving it another go, and hopefully will finish my entry this time. I apoligize for the huge gap here in writing, as I believe it was early September the last time I wrote. I also read comments that many of you posted on my last entry and appreciate your encouraging words.

My new observation, which also becomes a huge frustration at times, is the little to no thought of the future that Liberians hold. Not a very profound statement if you think abot it...I mean, people have been in survival mode for 14 years, and did whatever they could to escape death, and then all of the sudden, things switch and people are asking you to think about the future, and plan for the years to come.

Take any of the following... introduction of social security, deducting taxes, using banks, paying into a health benefits plan, etc...I could go on and on. Liberians are not used of this and they are very untrusting of any of the above mentioned. Again, is it that hard to believe??? Liberians have lived through decades of corrupt politicians who ate up their money and spent it on on their own luxurious lifestyles.

This mistrust of others and inability to think far into the future played itself out recently with a discussion on a medical benefits plans. We currently play staff "X" USD per month to cover any of their medical expenses. As an alternative to this, we found out that there is a reputable insurance group now who offer a good medical package. We have held meetings with our staff regarding switching over our process, so that we don't pay them the "X" USD per month, but rather enroll them in this insurance plan.

For those of us from the West this sounds like a good idea and logical. But here, because of factors, such as mistrust of these systems , or the recent deductions of social security and taxes, they cannot see the value of this plan. They cannot see the benefit in it, but instead look at it as another deduction from their payroll, or another system that will steal their money with no payout. How we see it of course, is that they have not been saving the monthly USD that we currently pay out, and will not have the money to cover their expenses if they actually get sick. Where it gets frustrating for us, is that we know that if a staff member actually does get sick, they undoubtably will come asking to having assistance with their medical bills.

So, we continue to work in this post-war culture that has deeply affected so many different aspects of people's mindsets and thought processes. The longer I live here the more I see this impact of living for the immediate and living in survival mode having long term affects.