I’m not sure that I could live here for an extended period of time. Liberia is an incredibly inspiring place to work in development, to be sure. Once you understand the history and spend some time on the ground it’s hard not to be compelled to contribute its development. Work is nothing short of thrilling, even if it does move at a snail’s pace. But there’s really almost nothing else to do.
The expat community is so small not only does everyone know everyone – everyone socializes with everyone. In fact, one told me yesterday they’ve been anxious for the interns to arrive and bring fresh faces to the scene. You can count the number of decent restaurants and bars on your fingers.
The other big challenge is cost. Infrastructure and imports is so scarce and the demand for them so small that everything is generally as or even more expensive than back home. Rent runs about $1000 per month. A pint of Ben and Jerry’s will cost you ten dollars. To be fair, it’s a small miracle these imported goods are available at all.
My aunt once told me that you don’t go to India unless you really have a reason to, because it’s not a pleasant place to be. I couldn’t disagree more about India, actually. But it’s a very appropriate description of Liberia.
The expat community is so small not only does everyone know everyone – everyone socializes with everyone. In fact, one told me yesterday they’ve been anxious for the interns to arrive and bring fresh faces to the scene. You can count the number of decent restaurants and bars on your fingers.
The other big challenge is cost. Infrastructure and imports is so scarce and the demand for them so small that everything is generally as or even more expensive than back home. Rent runs about $1000 per month. A pint of Ben and Jerry’s will cost you ten dollars. To be fair, it’s a small miracle these imported goods are available at all.
My aunt once told me that you don’t go to India unless you really have a reason to, because it’s not a pleasant place to be. I couldn’t disagree more about India, actually. But it’s a very appropriate description of Liberia.
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