Greetings from Banana Island! (See map above.)
We have now left the village for good -- our work here is done. For our going away, the village had two special events: a disco, and a futbol match. Our village was decked out in the new jerseys we bought and played the village that the Robbies went to last year. For the disco, they brought in some men with generators, disco equipment, speakers, and CDs. My host, Ibrahim, gave me two pictures of himself to remember him by, and we traded phone numbers so we can keep in touch.
We feel good about what we've done. However, we're very concerned, since David is no longer in the country, that this program won't continue. We all feel strongly that although it has been challenging at times, it is an awesome program. I talked to Abu a little about a program called "Nothing But Nets," started by former-UNC basketball player Sam Perkins. I know Sam from attending his basketball camp for many summers and he's such a great guy, and really humble and kind. He told me he was very interested in what I was going to be doing in Sierra Leone as he has been committed to the lives of people in this continent for a long time, which is why he started "Nothing But Nets" -- http://www.nothingbutnets.net/. Sierra Leone is one of the countries they are hoping to become involved with. This is something I hope to follow up on when back in the States.
To get back to Freetown, we went on motorbikes. We were going to go a quicker way where we hike a mile, cross a river by canoe, hike two miles, take a bike, take a cab to Bo, and then go from there to Freetown. However the river part was too dangerous in the rainy season, so we took motorbikes between our village and Squema, then Karama, then Bo. (No helmets!) Then we ended up having to all get in a small pickup truck after trying to arrange several other kinds of transportation unsuccessfully. Cameron, Michael, Austin, Abu, Sparrow, Holla, a random man, and I were all crammed in the bed of the pickup on wooden benches that were not attached to the vehicle, along with everyone's bags! We had to grab the edge of the truck with one hand and cling onto the one bag that was weighted down with the other hand for dear life! Amazingly nobody fell out.
Back in Freetown, we're still doing paperwork such as budgets. We're also readjusting to different foods: my stomach was used to having the same thing for lunch and dinner, which were cooked at the same time, and it was always 1) rice, 2) palm oil, and 3) something else. The something else consisted of plazas, crem crem, or groundnut soup. I am no longer accustomed to variety! We hope, while in Freetown, to get a tour of Parliament with The Honorable Robin Folley.
We are now in Banana Island for a few days for some serious relaxation. Cameron, Austin, Abu, Sparrow and I went to a party today for the new chief here, who is a WOMAN! (Sweet!) There was partying and dancing, and the new chief gave us some Star Beer (we are all overage here, no worries, Robertson Program!). I also saw a shooting star; no signs of UFO's yet, but there's still time!
We plan to spend the 4th of July out here on the beach at Banana Island singing patriotic songs and toasting all of you back in the great country of America. We're going to try to find some fireworks, too.
A few more days in Freetown, and then we're off to London. It's hard to believe the adventure is almost over.
