Mango's and Laughing Cow

I have been attempting to write a coherent blog post for the past half an hour and I’m failing spectacularly. The last five weeks have fried my brain – quite literally, it is 39 degrees today. I have decided instead to leave you with a list of some of the funny things that have happened to me….

We arrived safely in Freetown after a short detour to Liberia. We were unable to land in Salone due to fog so took an unscheduled trip to neighboring Liberia and played some Banana Grams (sorry Byng, the speciously banana shaped present was just too tempting).    

This morning I counted 22 children in the living room of my host home. I’m unsure how they got there or who they belong to. (We don’t actually know who lives in our house; it seems to change on a daily basis.)

I have eaten a very large amount of rice and Laughing Cow Cheese - apparently a breakfast staple here. I had two mango's for my lunch today.

The main form of transport in Makeni is okada - A 16 year old boy with a motor bike who for 2000 Leon (about 40p) will take you anywhere in the town. They are so much fun! On our first day in Makeni my massive rucksack and I jumped on an okada with a pillow, mosquito net, large metal water filter, several bags of luggage and bedding. Some very funny photos to follow…

I’ve had numerous marriage proposals. I have created a fictional husband and child in the UK to ward of overly keen okada drivers.

I am working for a local NGO called MADAM. I spend most of my time teaching computer lessons and making all my work colleagues Facebook. I have also introduced my lovely national counter part Alusine to ‘The Google’.

Tonight I am going clubbing SL style. We are going to Memes – a bottling factory by day and party hot spot of Makeni by night.

Basically Sierra Leone is amazing! I hope to be more coherent in my next post. Sorry if I haven't been touch. Texts and calls are very expensive and getting hold of the net is a challenge. This is the first time I’ve manage to find some semi decent internet. It is a slightly bizarre experience, there are currently about six people watching me write this.

Hope you are all well,

Lots of Love

Bea or Balay Ramatu Janneh - my new Sierra Leone name!