Suggested Liberia pack list

This post is for the group of volunteers who are destined to arrive in Liberia this summer.  A pack list and list of helpful hints…  

Who is this person?  (Aka is this the kind of person who has useful information for me?) 

Background:  I have been in Liberia since the end of January, and will be here until the end of July.  I am serving as a Response volunteer, one of those folks who already served elsewhere for two years, and is now doing a short-term gig.  My original country of service was W. Russia (’99-01).  And then, after over a decade in Boston, it was time to get out.  First I spent eight months in the Republic of Georgia and then arrived in Liberia.  (My time in Boston did involve some travel, largely for vacation, and it included nearly a month in Tamale, Ghana.)  

I would jokingly describe myself as a lover of what I term “hippie-dippie” things.  I avoid chemically stuff (including SPF, Deet, etc.), love my natural products store, and seek out interesting whole grains.  At home, I buy fresh organic coffee and organic produce.  In the US I am a fish-eating vegetarian.  I am a self-described foodie, and I love to support good microbreweries.  I love my internet connection, learning new things, and generally dislike watching tv.  

So, that is the background of the person providing you with this list. 

For the ladies: 
- shawl - this will be to keep you warm on the plane, keep the sun off, allow you some privacy when changing (or relieving yourself on the side of the road), etc. 
- Reusable, washable, boilable feminine supplies like “diva cup” and “glad rags” – Yes, everyone not familiar with reusable products just exclaimed “Eww!  That’s gross!”   But, honestly, there are very few disposable products here, so assume your preferred products will not be available.  Instead of bringing a 2 year supply (and needing to deal with disposal issues – and risking that used products will be sitting in an open hole attracting animals – or that they get rained on), consider if reusable products would work for you.  Email me if you have further questions. 
- Monestat or similar product in a tube - Even if you have never used such a product in the past, it is worth it to bring it along. 
- bra with adjustable straps – so that when you have clothing made and it turns out to be off the shoulder, you have a bra to wear
- This isn’t packable, but if you are able to take a self-defence course before you depart, do it!  Liberia is a safe country, but there are crazy people everywhere.  You don’t need the course because Liberia is unsafe; you need the course because when you’re in a new place and situations are unknown, it’s nice to feel that you know what to do if something goes wrong.  There’s a great self-defence program called “R.A.D.”  If you are a university student, contact your campus police department to see if they offer trainings. 

For those who eat: 
- Gatorade – enjoyable and hydrating powdery goodness
- spices – seriously!  Spices here are limited to spicy pepper and onions and maybe garlic (took me 2 months to find it)  I brought curry powder, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, mustard powder, garlic powder, and 100% maple sugar pellets (for oatmeal).  You also might consider oregano, basil, herb d’provence, lemon pepper, and anything else you usually use to cook with.  Many of these, however, can be purchased in Monrovia, too.  (Helpful hint:  you can make brown sugar by mixing white sugar and molasses, so if you need brown sugar on your oatmeal, bring molasses.) 
- coffee filter and coffee cone – yes, I buy real coffee in Monrovia and pour it through a canvas coffee filter (in a plastic coffee cone) every morning – and then add powdered milk
- tea stuff – Yes, I brought nice regular and decaf tea from the US.  I brought looseleaf with little reusable tea bags
- coil water boiler – while it is likely that you will not have electricity, because they are small, consider a coil hot water boiler.  If you have electricity, it will allow you to quickly boil water (and then put it into a thermos for later). 
- tupperware that is critter-proof – Also, I actually have recently purchased a few (not great) plastic containers so that I can go to local “chop shops” and bring ½ of my rice home to be eaten for breakfast the next day

For those who will be in the sun, rain, or outside: 
- hippie-dippie SPF products
- good sunhat – I have a big floppy sunhat from REI which I sewed ties to so that it doesn’t blow off in the wind; better than sunscreen
- good sunglasses – If you’re going to wear them every day, get something that you like. 
- hippie-dippie bug spray - I have “organic bite blocker xtreme” – which works on skin and as a spray to prevent critters like  ants from walking where I don’t want them (like on my jars of food). 

For those who like to sleep: 
- Ear plugs (roosters!)
-  eye mask
- travel pillow
- Thermarest matress pad (seriously, I went to REI as a last minute errand and got one and it has made my life much better; you put it over the foam mattress (that alone you will uncomfortably sink into) and sleep really well; buy an REI membership, and use the 20% benefit for the mattress)
- Sleep sheet (if you’re trying to justify the cost of a silk one, try this:  “silk is easy to wash and dries really quickly”) 

For those who use technology: 
- smartphone – you can get data plans here
- computer – I brought an old Dell netbook.  It died, but it was still worth it. 
- external hard drive – the reason I didn’t have a heart attack when my computer died is because I knew almost everything I had was backed up. 
- Camera – consider a waterproof one
- memory card for your camera – make sure it’s big enough for lots of photos – you don’t want to be doing something cool and run out of space on your card
- world band receiver radio (aka a radio that gets station 11000 so that you can listen to BBC)
- solar charger – like “Power Monkey” – I have the one you can charge by plugging it into the wall, I have electricity perhaps 3 hours an evening and charge it up so that I can charge a phone, kindle, etc. as needed (though we all got new awesome lamps that can do the same job, so it is your call)
- Kindle or other ereader with library books (and reference books and cook book and to use in class as PDF reader) – you might be issued one, but if you can bring one from home, you have time to a) get a membership at a library with electronic books and download a few dozen, and b) turn the wifi off so that they don’t expire after the 1 week loan time is over; look into the Boston Public Library network for an example of a library network with electronic resources.  A (password protected) ereader is also a great way to bring reading materials that might raise eyebrows if religious conservator colleagues saw the paper version of the book on your book shelf. 
- MP3 player with music (don’t forget the holiday music!) and a few audio books (for days when you’re sick and need entertainment)
- Hand crank radio – not crucial, but depending on where you are a basic radio with a flash light is useful
- Portable LED solar powered devices (because you will want light at night)
- Universal adapters – I thought I didn’t need one, and then I received a gadget with an odd shaped outlet, and was glad to have the adapter

Thoughts on clothing: 
- bandanas (lots of fun colors and patterns – to be used to tie hair, filter dust, wipe sweat from face)
- shoes:  I have a pair of chacos and a pair of black Ecco leather sandals; I don’t run here so my running shoes thusfar haven’t been useful
- bathing suit (with shorts for ladies, if you want to be modest)
- water shoes – yes, I have water shoes, which allow me to play on the beach and in the waves without worrying about stepping on something sharp; not necessary, but not a waste if you live by the beach
- undershirts – even for the ladies.  White undershirts soak up sweat so that your regular clothing stays looking good.  All the students wear them under their white shirts.  Now I do too. 
- Bring a t-shirt (or other clothing item) or two that makes you happy.  Something that reminds you of home.  I have a hat from grad school and a t-shirt from Nantucket. 
- Bring a skirt (or other items) that you *like the cut of*, so that you can bring it to a tailor to copy (using the new African fabric you purchased)

Other necessary stuff
- combination lock (for locking the safe in your house)
- small head lamp (2) – yes, two.  With a spare battery if it takes a weird size.  You will use it for lots of stuff.
- Swiss Army Knife – mine is a 4 inch blade with a cork screw, bottle opener, and a few other basic items; it stays in my day bag
- Crate and Barrel “picnic knife” – aka paring knife with awesome plastic case.  If you’re going to peel and eat your own pineapple, you need a good knife
- Gerber knife – not necessary, but I had it so I brought it.  More substantial than my little swiss army knife.  mine has a screw driver, pliers, sharp knife, and other tools.  I find the pliers and screw driver function to be helpful. 
- books:  dictionary, basic cookbook, religious books (if you’ve ever wanted to read, say, the Koran cover-to-cover, this is your opportunity)
- stapler/ staples – okay, I read this suggestion a bunch of month ago and thought it was dumb.  Now I’m glad I have a mini stapler.  I use it to put posters on the board when I’m teaching
- 2-3 good black markers for writing on poster board – it is easier to write notes on poster board and bring them into class than to spend time writing notes on the board in class
- Ziploc bags! 
- 2-3 reusable cloth shopping bags – really useful at the market as well as for packing for weekend trips (when you want to put, say, all the clothing in one small bag so that it can easily be found/removed)

For those who sometimes pamper themselves
- foot pumice – don’t think of it as a luxury, think of it as a fast way to clean dirt off of your feet
- face wash or shampoo that makes you happy – every evening I enjoy the smell of my Origins face wash
- exfoliating scrubby glove – sometimes when you’re feeling sweaty and dirty, it’s nice to scrub the dirt off with something that exfoliates
- nail stuff – nothing crazy, but 2 years without a nail clip (or file) would be annoying

Things that I think are over-rated
- large towels – they take up too much space.  If you want to bring a towel, I recommend a small travel one that dries quickly (or you could dry off with a wash cloth and not need to worry about needing to wash a towel by hand)
- lots of clothing – assume that if you need something, you can buy it here (or have it made).  Though I am told that good bras cannot be purchased here…
- big travel books of West Africa – they’re heavy.  Consider going to the library, scanning it to pdf, and saving it to google docs and/or putting it on an ereader

Laundry

Laundry.  I love it.  The word, concept, process, and result.  

What I don’t understand is why it is that so many people seem to hate it.  As in “Ugh!  I spent all afternoon doing laundry.”  I don’t understand why putting clothes into piles and periodically putting them into machines and pushing buttons is arduous.  I don’t understand why folding a basket of clean, dry clothes takes more than 5 minutes – a perfect little occupation while watching the news.  And I don’t understand why one would acquire clothing that is too difficult to care for.  (I hate ironing and therefore won’t purchase anything that needs ironing.)  But back to my love of laundry. 

First of all, laundry is a great word.  So much better than “doing the wash”.  A special word for the cleaning of clothes and similar items.  

Secondly, the concept of laundry is fascinating.  What is laundry?  It is clothing (and other textiles) that is in the process of going from dirty to clean, unusable to usable.  You do not wear laundry.  Laundry is either dirty clothes in a pile waiting to be washed, clothes being washed, or clothes that need to be dried, folded, or put away.  Once it is in your drawer, it is no longer laundry.  It has magically transformed back into clothes. 

But the process of doing laundry is weirdly fascinating.  You add soap to water, throw in the clothes, swish everything around and see the water turn that murky brown color.  When I am using a washing machine, I cannot resist the urge to open the top and peak in for the satisfaction of seeing the brown water, or stand in front of the front loader’s window and watching the clothes circle the machine, proof that the clothes I get back will be cleaner than those I put it.  Doing laundry by hand, a task that is more time intensive and laborious also has the satisfaction of that dirty water, and also the dirt collected at the bottom of the wash basin. 

I first did laundry by hand in Bulgaria in 1997.  One day, when I had first arrived in Bulgaria, I was having lunch with a friend who said something like “you know when you’re scrubbing your jeans with that little brush…?”.  Having never washed clothes by hand, yet not wanting to admit it, I nodded.  Several days later, as my pile of dirty clothes grew and clean clothes diminished, I went to the outdoor market, purchased a small brush, and decided this was the secret to washing clothes by hand.  That first time I washed jeans, I was fascinated to see, after having allowed the jean to soak, the dirt at the bottom of the washing tub. 

In Russia, I washed much of my laundry by hand (with the exception of sheets and towels – which I brought to a local woman working at a hotel).  I would put hot soapy water in the bathtub, throw in the clothes, swish everything around, and then go out for the afternoon, letting them soak for hours.  When I returned, the dirt would be at the bottom, I would use my little brush to scrub a few items that I knew needed special attention, rinse, ring out, and hang the items on pipes to dry.  (The drying process was faster in the winter when the pipes were heated.) 

In Ghana, while there for a one-month fellowship, I went out one day, bought a little brush in the market, and each evening would wash the day’s clothes on the shower floor.  Others who hadn’t done laundry by hand before were intrigued and also started to try to do laundry by hand. 

In Georgia, I lived in places with washing machines, but when our machine in Tbilisi broke, I pulled out the wash basin and a little brush. 

Now in Liberia, I have asked a local woman to wash for me on Thursdays.  But, for some reason, possibly due to the use of a washing board, I find that my clothes are getting a little too beaten up.  So, I decided that she can do the sheets, towels, and any items that I don’t care too much about.  And I will do the clothing items I want to keep for a bit longer. 

I know that the first thing I will do when I get home is fill a washing machine with clothes and soapy water and watch the dirt fall from the clothes into the water.  And then use that miraculous machine called a “dryer” to, in under an hour, dry everything.  In less than two hours, all my items will go through the transformation from dirty, unwearable items to items in the process of being cleaned to items that can be put away or worn. 

And what do I get at the end of this process?  Not simply clean clothes.  But the opportunity to wear my favourite items again.  Because most of us wear our favourite items first, dirtying them, and transforming them into laundry.  I would argue that most loads of laundry include favourite items that we are waiting to wear again.  Favourite jeans, favourite shirts, favourite, as a friend would say, “unmentionables”. 

Laundry.  What could be more satisfying? 

Basic Amenities

Last night, on my way home from a meeting with the Barclayville beekeeping club, I stopped by the UNMIL base for a couple of reasons.  First, I figured there would be people to visit with – and perhaps associated refreshments.  And secondly, I needed to pick up my external battery, which I had left charging there earlier.  Having had no electricity in my house for the past week (as opposed to the usual 4 hours of power 70% of the week) due to a broken generator across the street, I had brought my external battery to UNMIL to charge so that I could use it to charge small appliances (phones, Kindle, iPod, etc.) as needed at home.  
 

I sat down with a few people and joined the conversation, which predictably, as one might expect at a UN base, centered around politics.  And, more notably, the fact that their generator had just broken, the first time in three years.  Computers, air conditioning, microwaves, and refrigerators had all been silent since noon that day.  A Ugandan, a Liberian, a Nepali, and me.  Soon two Pakistani majors from the military side of the base joined us.  One had just arrived in Barclayville via helicopter several hours before, and had only been in Liberia for several days.  At some point he turned to me and asked the usual set of questions about who I was and what I was doing in Barclayville.  As the only non-UN person in the group and a female (a minority in all Liberian expat and development circles), I am a bit of an anomaly, and I have found that many UN and other development people are curious as to why I am in Liberia, why I don’t have a car and driver, etc. 

And then one of the majors asked “How can you live the way you live?  You don’t even have basic amenities like electricity and running water.”  (I was asked the same question by his predecessors a few months ago including the question “Do you really think you can do it for the whole six months?”)  I laughed and replied that my neighbours didn’t have those amenities either, and that, in fact, I sometimes have electricity at night.  They asked “But what do you do at night, if you have no power?”  I replied “I have a solar light, I have candles, and at night I go to sleep.”

But the phrase the stuck in my head was “basic amenities”.  Given that the men do not speak English fluently, it wouldn’t be appropriate to overthink their choice of words, but “basic amenities” is an interesting concept. 

What “services” are basic or the lowest acceptable standards, and what are luxuries? 

The water pump near my house is just across the street.  I have a very nice ceramic water filter (ensuring that my drinking water is safe).  Unlike my neighbors, I have an indoor bathroom (that I carry water into).  And, also unlike my neighbors, I do get electricity most evenings.  I have an electric hot water boiler for evenings when I have electricity, so I boil water at night and put it into a thermos for the following morning’s coffee (real coffee, that I bring in from the capital).  I have a way to charge the various electronics I chose to bring (including a phone with internet), even when the power is off.  I have a computer and USB modem.  And, just as important, a safe community where I can put buckets out to collect rainwater or clothes to dry, and feel confident that nothing will be stolen.  In addition, my house is large, clean, and has a zinc (not thatched) roof.  And, while I do share the house with some critters, some acceptable (spiders, a baby frog/toad that enjoys my bathroom, lizards) and some not acceptable (cockroaches, ants), they don’t get in my way (and indeed, inspire me to wash dishes quickly). 

This isn’t to say that one day I’m not going to be seeking out a nice front-loading EnergyStar washer/drier combo.  And a Bose sound system.  And, yes, a fancy wine refrigerator.  But that doesn’t mean that I cannot adjust to the reality of where I am now. 

What I currently have is certainly comfortable.  So what are basic amenities?  And how important are they? 

Liberia - Probable FAQs - "Tell me a cool story!"

Tell me something cool you’ve done or seen!  Have you had any adventures? 

- I flew on UNMIL helicopters twice (to and from Monrovia) – Because I was going to Monrovia on “official business” I got to take the UNMIL helicopter.  Yay!  And, thankfully, I wasn’t bumped due to “more important people” trying to also fly.  Fun fact:  the UN helicopters are run by Russian crews flying Russian machines. 
- A man and his wife showed up at my door to show me gold dust they had mined at the (illegal) local gold mine.  17 or 18 grams.  I’m fairly certain they wanted to know if I wanted to buy it.  (I had spoken to students and expressed interest in learning more about the mines and actually seeing the gold.  Apparently, word got out.) 
- I watched (and played photographer for) two bee keepers who went into a local farm to capture a colony of wild bees, to bring them back to their bee keeping facility. 
- I spent nearly a week in Harper, Liberia.  Which is architecturally fascinating.  And met a bunch of UN people there.  Including went to their local UN only bar at the Indian UN base. 
- I’ve met a bunch in UN folks, including folks at the big base in Harper.  Plus, visiting a bunch of PakBats (Pakistani Battalions) – basically because they serve tasty Pakistani food for a great price.  

- I spent a week in Monrovia, including several evenings inside the old US Embassy compound, where the ambassador lives

- I saw a girl, post-arrest, waiting for her parents.  Her crime:  running away from home so that she could go to school (which her father didn't approve of) 

- I've met a bunch of interesting people, who I won't be writing about until after July. 

(check back to see if I come up with other tidbits to add) 

Liberia - Probable FAQs - How's the food? (Part I)

As anyone who knows me can attest, food is a great love of mine.  Therefore... 

How is the food?  

Typical food in south eastern Liberia is as follows:  large bowl of imported white rice (probably from India, the US, or Vietnam) and a second bowl of very oily, spicy “soup”.  “Soup” is very oil stew that comes in the following varieties:  chopped greens with piece of fish or “cow meat” or other type of meat in it, stewed beans with fish and/or “cow meat”, or eggplant with fish and/or meat.  There is also “palm butter” which I have yet to have.  Which is amazing given that it is the regional dish.  But any dish that elicits laughter when I ask “what is it?” is not something I am eager to try.  I understand it to be a large bowl of white rice covered in spicy palm oil.  

If you don’t want white rice and spicy, oily stew, you can go to a tea shop and get one of the following:  “fried egg” (sort of like an omelette), fried egg in bread (i.e. white roll) with mayonnaise (aka egg sandwich), mayonnaise sandwich, spaghetti, spaghetti with beans or perhaps “quakeroat” (i.e. oatmeal).  In all dishes from tea shops, the secret ingredient is “chicken sou” (aka chicken bullion).  In fried eggs, you’ve mixed ½ a bullion square.  In spaghetti, you’ve made a sauce with tomato paste, onion, spicy pepper and a bullion square.  (In case you’re thinking “great!  Local eggs!” let me add that many of the eggs in Liberia are imported from India.)  See note under “Seriously.  What is life in Liberia like?” regarding how the agricultural system needs to be rebuilt.  

What do you eat? 

My daily food intake is as follows: 
- Real, brewed coffee (which I get from Monrovia or have sent in) with a spoonful or two or powdered milk.  I boil the water the night before and store it in a thermos.  With several hours of electricity in the evening (assuming there is a football game on across the street), a hot water boiler was a brilliant purchase. 
- At school I purchase what I call “peanut butter squares” from a woman who works there.  Small cubes that apparently are a mixture of peanut butter, farina and sugar.  There are supposed to be 1 square for 5 ld (Liberian dollars), but she give me 3 for 10 ld.  (1USD = 73 LD) 
- After school, I walk home, change clothes, wash my hands, and go out for lunch.  I rotate between egg sandwich (2 eggs), spaghetti with beans (or now, spaghetti with fried egg) and some sort of rice/soup combo.  Everyone at the “cook shops” (places that serve rice/soup or palm butter) know that my preference is the beans and rice.  (Given the lack of nutrients I was encountering (white rice, white bread, and cassava don’t seem like a good diet plan), I was constantly seeking out protein (aka beans). 
- My new thing is, when I’m going to a tea shop for either egg sandwich or spaghetti, to bring along my own bottle of Tabasco sauce and/or fake, shelf stable cheese wedges to make things a little more interesting. 
- Beverages:  While many places in Liberia have “mineral water” (aka water in sealed plastic bags or plastic bottles), the water in Barclayville seems to be water bagged by the establishment.  Which I won’t drink.  So I always bring my own water.  Or, at tea shops, I order tea.  I specify “black Lipton”, which isn’t actually Lipton, but it is a black tea bag.  If I just say “tea”, I will likely get Ovaltine or a chocolate Ovaltine product, with sweetened condensed milk and hot water.  Which isn’t bad, just not what I want.  I have been known to purchase a bottle of Liberian beer to drink at home in the evening, too. 
- I used to sometimes cook some sort of dinner, but honestly, cooking on an outdoor kerosene stove is a messy pain.  So, dinner now is something like bananas with peanut butter, crackers with peanut butter, a hard boil eggs with Tabasco sauce, a fruit (coconut or pineapple or papaya) – no refrigeration so that I have to eat it in one sitting, or some other similar thing.  Now that I have a hot water boiler (purchased in Monrovia a few weeks ago), at night (if there is electricity), I might make oatmeal or farina (because I can just mix the grain and water in my cup and stir – with powdered milk and some sort of sweetener).  I decided to get fancy last week and make cheesy farina.  Which meant mixing farina, fake shelf stable cheese, salt, pepper, Tabasco and that shelf stable Parmesan product that comes in a green container in the US, but a blue container here.  (While I feel that fake Parmesan shouldn’t be part of anyone’s pantry in a place where one has a refrigerator, I’m happy to have it here.)

When I arrived, I had high hopes for the market, but it is, as my students say “poor”.  More on that later.