FREETOWN

January 2, 2014

This morning at breakfast I meet my housemates.  They are students in various programs of psychiatry working towards either a masters or doctorate who are there for an educational experience as part of their thesis.  

The house is located on a hill overlooking the ocean and the view from the upstairs verandah is spectacular.  Nancy Peddle owns the house and rents out rooms to interns, students and others to offset the cost of maintaining the house.  She has a nonprofit called Lemonaid Fund.  Go to www.lemonaidfund.org to learn more.  She is a psychiatrist herself as well as an educator and is running the program for the graduate students.

Later, under the guidance of Ishmail, one of the 24 hour guards for the enclosed and behind a metal gate house, I walk up the steep, rut filled, dirt road to reach the area where I am to take a shared taxi to the Fambul Tok offices now located up in the hills in an area called Hill Station.  I am told by a driver I need to change taxis to get there.  While the 2,000 SLL (46 cents US) to take the two taxis is less expensive than the 10,000 SLL ($2.30) for a private ride right to their door, I opt for the private ride.

The new location is lovely building that is much larger than in the downtown area where they were last year and, I am told, much less expensive.  I walk in and up the stairs and am met by Micheala who rushes out of her office and envelopes me in a huge hug.  One by one the rest of the staff returns from errands and lunch each one greeting me like long lost family. It is SO good to be back!

Micheala is excited to tell me that we leave for up country tomorrow!!!!  Hooray!  There is much going on in the districts and it appears I will get my wish of spending most of my time there this trip.  As we enter into the activities I will explain fully.  However, this also means with no internet access in over 90% of the areas, I will be communicating on a very sporadic basis.  

In the meantime I have much to do to get ready.  Change money and get a new sim card for my African mobile I left behind last year and then go home and pack. Pack??? I just unpacked and badly at that.  I know what I will be doing for the rest of the day - organizing myself!!!!

Micheala sends me out with a driver to do the money change, get the sim and be delivered to my place.  Changing money was quite an experience.  The driver goes to a street in downtown where men are standing around waving us over.  I misunderstand and ask him where is the bank?  He says you want to go to a bank?  I ask are those men back on that street changing money and at a better rate?  He says they are and it is.  I apologize for misunderstanding, so back we go to the men.  I choose one and he gets in the car, we park and lock the door!  He asks how much I wish to change I reply 1,500USD.  He gives me an exchange rate of 4,400SLL per dollar.  This is better than the international bank exchange rate of 4,200SLL so I agree.

This amounts to 1 million 600 thousand Leones!  Since the largest bill they have is a 10,000 Leones note which come in stacks of 500,000 Leones, I have a lot of counting to do to assure I am getting all I am owed.  

Tonight I join my housemates for a delicious meal of couscous, veggie soup and chicken grilled covered in African spices.  YUM!!!!!  The conversation is lively and interesting.  A part of me wishes I could spend a little more time in Freetown with them (they will be gone in two weeks) and yet I am anxious to get up country.

If you wish, you can call me on my African mobile phone .  To dial it from the states: 01123276326609 or +23276326609.  Or you can also send a text/sms to the same number.  

Much Love To All,

Mom/Grandma/Sara