VSO Sierra Leone

Lumley Beach

 

Fascinatingly, the VSO SL Programme Office is just down the hill from our house. Never seem to get far from them. Even in Kampala we were in a guesthouse just up the road from it!

Before coming out, I was in touch with a volunteer called Ashling through Sonya, the volunteer looking after my house whilst I'm away - both Irish. So, when I got here, I arranged to meet up with them and that's where I've been today.

It was slightly embarrassing though, as I turned up an hour early at the café because I hadn't set my clock right. I thought we were GMT +1, but we were GMT. I guess my lie-ins haven't been quite so outrageous then. Always nice to know which time zone you're in. Kigali's GMT +2 during daylight saving and +1 summertime. I forgot to mention I have a working Zain SIM card. As luck would have it, they were giving them out free at the airport. You just had to buy less than £1 of top-up, which would see me my whole trip :)

So, I waited at Montanas, a café on Wilkinson Road. Hirut lent me Alhaji and the car. Aisling turned up and we waited for another VSO who she shares a house with. Really friendly people. Loving their placements, though Aisling's struggling with the heat a bit. I'd certainly find it very hard without aircon.

We had ice-cream then went to a bar up the road, where I tried the local brew: Star. Very distinct, almost sour taste, but not bad. A lot cheaper than Rwanda, too. It was a bit strange rolling up to VSOs in a chauffer driven car and explaining where I was staying! Two different worlds. It was nice to hang out though, and hear about their experiences. SL seems like a great place to be if you can stand the climate. Very friendly people, tough a lot of corruption, which you don't get in Rwanda.

We went to their house, which was really interesting to see. It's a very big house. Too big for them they say, but the neighbourhood is really friendly and all the kids there come running out to greet them. Their neighbour cooks for them sometimes and teaches them Krio - really pleasant atmosphere. It does make quite a difference that everyone speaks English. The standard VSO beds they get are huge, too. King size, and then some. Wouldn't mind one of those back home.

Then we all got in the car and headed to Lumley Beach for more drinks at Village Bar, and to meet up with another VSO from a rural area who was having a tough time as she kept getting mugged. It's happened to VSOs in Rwanda too, but it's a higher crime rate in SL and she's been particularly unlucky. She was also working for a community bank co-operative where the head honchos had just run off with all the money *rolls eyes*

It was a really nice evening and we grabbed chicken and chips. Lots of bars along the beach and quite British food!

I had let Alhaji go home as it was getting late. They helped me get home with one of their SL friends who had a car. He drove me back for free, which was extremely kind of him as there aren't really any motos in Freetown. I got in around 11pm, a most excellent time had.

Off to bed now. Can't believe it's Christmas Eve tomorrow. I find it totally impossible to believe in the time of year when it's so swelteringly hot.