Hugh Grant (actor) and Ira Glass ( host of This American Life on Public Radio International)
Thursday, February 28, 2008
My First Look-Alike
Okay, here is my look-alike.
Hugh Grant (actor) and Ira Glass ( host of This American Life on Public Radio International)
Hugh Grant (actor) and Ira Glass ( host of This American Life on Public Radio International)
A New Blog
I have gleefully discovered a new blog. Someone else who sees patterns in things. Here are a few of his look-alikes. Click on Aref-Adib.com or go to my links on the side panel.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
The Market, Monrovia
I avoid taking a camera with me almost always. Pulling one out in Liberia is asking to stick out and get harassed. These I tried to take with stealth from inside a moving vehicle. I was caught out by pedestrians and one man starting yelling. I stopped and felt I wouldn't bring it with me again. But at least it gives you an idea of the market. It stretches for at least a mile.
It is quite crowded in the market.
People sell used items, new items, food items...you can find most anything in the market places.
There are what I call "wheel barrow stores". They usually sell one item and wheel around to where the market is best.
Coconut wheel barrow store.
You can get fabrics and a lot of used clothing in the markets.
Bras too!
Any kind of plastic container.
And then carry it home on your head.
Cici Beach, Monrovia, Liberia
Monrovia has some beautiful beaches. We spent Saturday at one after a week of work.
Two shade dwellers.
Fisherman hauling in their catch.
The long beach.
The fish market.
A dugout canoe.
Nigel met a friend.
The friend is not so sure about Nigel.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Liberia's President Visits Ship
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberia's president and Africa's only female president, visited the Mercy Ships today.
I caught a hazy picture of her entourage arriving (the humidity caused cameras to fog instantly when going outdoors).
Here she is ascending the gangway (she is in blue).
A closer shot. Madame Sirleaf left after giving a short speech as she is expecting George W. Bush's visit on Thursday.
A cropped shot.
Left on the dock are heavily armed UN soldiers and her Nigerian body guards. Oh, and that kooky face in the upper right is my good friend, Andrea, from Germany.
I caught a hazy picture of her entourage arriving (the humidity caused cameras to fog instantly when going outdoors).
Here she is ascending the gangway (she is in blue).
A closer shot. Madame Sirleaf left after giving a short speech as she is expecting George W. Bush's visit on Thursday.
A cropped shot.
Left on the dock are heavily armed UN soldiers and her Nigerian body guards. Oh, and that kooky face in the upper right is my good friend, Andrea, from Germany.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Something Rings a Bell
These photos of the dock remind me of a painter. I can't for the life of me remember who it is. Anyone? (send me a link if you think you know)
Port and Dock
It is quite the phenomenon being on this ship. I am not in Liberia when I am on it. Nor am I in Liberia when I am on the dock. It has been cordoned off for our exclusive use by port authorities with the minor blip of the seized cocaine ship (much to my delight).
The dock is the extension of the ship's “bubble” (the extension of our western lifestyles). Beyond the dock is a dirt road fenced in on either side by UN camps. It is termed a "safe" zone that is crowded by we westerners working off excess weight and trying to stay in shape (an irony I include myself in). The runners frequent the mornings and the walkers the night. It is a difficult space for the loner, half-time introvert, and nomad. The rules state that no one must enter the outside world without at least one person with them. This is post civil war Liberia, after all. Strangely being "outside" seems more developed and friendlier than Malawi in many ways: less harassment (probably due to the high number of NGO’s and UN) in Monrovia.
Beyond the dirt road is the real Liberia: throngs of people each individuals with their own stories and experiences of hardship, potholes and a zillion yellow cars that serve as taxis, strange and wonderful smells, and all sorts of assortment of stands and small shops that sell everything from candy to soap to rope.
Life on board is a gluttonous experience of luxury when considering what lies beyond the gate is poverty and the ravages of civil war (though surprisingly resilient, the infrastructure seems to be leaping back at an astonishing rate). Most needed: Weight Watchers and an in depth cultural sensitivity by either a local or a cultural anthropologist. I don’t mean to be rude, but the opportunity to eat must equal a cruise ship in the amount of snacks and junk one can easily acquire at most times of the day. There are 26 countries represented on board including many African nations. I am embarrassed by the opulence particularly in front of those who come from nations with less.
When I moved to Haiti on my own at 18 I was struck by how little people had. I ended my pack rat lifestyle (my collecting anything and everything to artistically fill every little space) and have since struggled with being an artist (how can I reconcile making what amounts to items of luxury for the elite?). As long as there was/is poverty in such great numbers it felt wrong to live blind-eyed far above it. Thus began my minimalist lifestyle. Each time I moved I whittled my belongings down to a couple of suitcases and gave the rest away. The older I got the harder it became to let little things go. I craved a bit of a place of my own (with a few nice kitchen appliances). Unfortunately, these days have seen me accumulate a bit more due to having a small business. But it is still a belief that I hold and practice despite being in a western country the majority of the time.
To balance this, there are some wonderful people on board. There have been two individuals, one Liberian and one Nigerian who have briefly touched on cultural sensitivies that we ought to be aware of. I wish with everything in me that they were offered a bigger platform. There are a number of others who have been serving who preach humility and respect. Their philosophy is one that I buy, one that is said in such a modest voice that any wind of rebellion is instantly disarmed in me. One must enter another’s nation with humbleness and the stance of a guest in someone else’s home. We must submit ourselves to the people living as they live, eating what they eat, speaking as they speak. Avoid coming with an attitude of knowing or superiority or a motive to save. Instead ask the community what you can do to help, if it is to leave, then leave. Gandhi and Mother Teresa had the right attitude.
The dock is the extension of the ship's “bubble” (the extension of our western lifestyles). Beyond the dock is a dirt road fenced in on either side by UN camps. It is termed a "safe" zone that is crowded by we westerners working off excess weight and trying to stay in shape (an irony I include myself in). The runners frequent the mornings and the walkers the night. It is a difficult space for the loner, half-time introvert, and nomad. The rules state that no one must enter the outside world without at least one person with them. This is post civil war Liberia, after all. Strangely being "outside" seems more developed and friendlier than Malawi in many ways: less harassment (probably due to the high number of NGO’s and UN) in Monrovia.
Beyond the dirt road is the real Liberia: throngs of people each individuals with their own stories and experiences of hardship, potholes and a zillion yellow cars that serve as taxis, strange and wonderful smells, and all sorts of assortment of stands and small shops that sell everything from candy to soap to rope.
Life on board is a gluttonous experience of luxury when considering what lies beyond the gate is poverty and the ravages of civil war (though surprisingly resilient, the infrastructure seems to be leaping back at an astonishing rate). Most needed: Weight Watchers and an in depth cultural sensitivity by either a local or a cultural anthropologist. I don’t mean to be rude, but the opportunity to eat must equal a cruise ship in the amount of snacks and junk one can easily acquire at most times of the day. There are 26 countries represented on board including many African nations. I am embarrassed by the opulence particularly in front of those who come from nations with less.
When I moved to Haiti on my own at 18 I was struck by how little people had. I ended my pack rat lifestyle (my collecting anything and everything to artistically fill every little space) and have since struggled with being an artist (how can I reconcile making what amounts to items of luxury for the elite?). As long as there was/is poverty in such great numbers it felt wrong to live blind-eyed far above it. Thus began my minimalist lifestyle. Each time I moved I whittled my belongings down to a couple of suitcases and gave the rest away. The older I got the harder it became to let little things go. I craved a bit of a place of my own (with a few nice kitchen appliances). Unfortunately, these days have seen me accumulate a bit more due to having a small business. But it is still a belief that I hold and practice despite being in a western country the majority of the time.
To balance this, there are some wonderful people on board. There have been two individuals, one Liberian and one Nigerian who have briefly touched on cultural sensitivies that we ought to be aware of. I wish with everything in me that they were offered a bigger platform. There are a number of others who have been serving who preach humility and respect. Their philosophy is one that I buy, one that is said in such a modest voice that any wind of rebellion is instantly disarmed in me. One must enter another’s nation with humbleness and the stance of a guest in someone else’s home. We must submit ourselves to the people living as they live, eating what they eat, speaking as they speak. Avoid coming with an attitude of knowing or superiority or a motive to save. Instead ask the community what you can do to help, if it is to leave, then leave. Gandhi and Mother Teresa had the right attitude.
Open House on the Hospital Ship
The rest of us on the ship that are non medical had a chance to explore the hospital during the Open House. There were all sorts of activities to take part in.
For instance, dress up like a patient and have your kids operate on you.
Practice your stitching techniques.
Examine some specimens in the lab.
Learn and try to intubate a patient (dummy) from Nigel.
See if you can squirt water in the mouth of the dental patient (and get a candy as a reward!? This brings in more patients.)
The hospital wards on the ship.
The intensive care unit.
Patient washrooms as they are unfamiliar with western style toilets.
One of four wards (with hand knitted teddy bears on each bed for the patients).
For instance, dress up like a patient and have your kids operate on you.
Practice your stitching techniques.
Examine some specimens in the lab.
Learn and try to intubate a patient (dummy) from Nigel.
See if you can squirt water in the mouth of the dental patient (and get a candy as a reward!? This brings in more patients.)
The hospital wards on the ship.
The intensive care unit.
Patient washrooms as they are unfamiliar with western style toilets.
One of four wards (with hand knitted teddy bears on each bed for the patients).
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
The Blue Atlantic
Liberia has the largest UN Peacekeeping force in the world at the moment (soon to be Sudan). UNMIL (United Nations Missions in Liberia) is 15000 troops strong from various countries. The dock we occupy is sandwiched between the Bangladesh and Nepal UN camps. An interesting aside, the best UN soldiers are apparently the Female Indian gaurds. Who knew? They guard the government buildings in Monrovia. I wouldn't have even guessed it was culturally acceptable.
Recently in the news the ship, Blue Atlantic, was seized with 2.5 tonnes of cocaine worth a reported US$500 million. The occupants were arrested and the ship sits metres from us and is guarded by UN troops. For the BBC story click here.
Recently in the news the ship, Blue Atlantic, was seized with 2.5 tonnes of cocaine worth a reported US$500 million. The occupants were arrested and the ship sits metres from us and is guarded by UN troops. For the BBC story click here.
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