Merry Christmas!

A second consecutive Christmas season in Liberia brings mixed feelings. I love living in Liberia, and I'm so appreciative of both my close friends here and the opportunity to be doing what I am, but its never easy being away from my NA friends and family over the holidays. It doesn't exactly feel like Christmas eve, but a few close friends have gathered over at a friends house to prepare for tomorrow's big Christmas celebration.

A recent query from a friend here who asked me why I'm interested in development work brought out a longer sting of conversations that began in the late nights of Santo Domingo with my friend Dan while spending a few months in the Dominican Republic, that progressed with my peeps at the international student hostel during the fall of 07's semester in Ghana, and is continuing to come to fruition here in LIB. I feel so blessed to be where I am now and I can't begin to take credit for a shred of what I've been blessed with. My 07' Ghana folks will be familiar with this line, but as a 24 year old caucasian Canadian/American male who grew up with a brother, sister and two great parents in a protected middle class society, who attended private schools and was given all of the benefits that go along with all that, I can't begin to appreciate how I've been given a 'leg up' over my Liberian young adult counterparts. I feel so blessed to be where I am, I thank God for the opportunity to serve, and I can only hope that I'll be able to humbly continue to be able to do so.

Admittedly, I'm rushing a bit on this blog post, but I really wanted to reach out of all of you and thank you for all you've done since I first decided to take on this venture. On that note, I'm happy to announce that I'm now kickin' it with 5 new tires on the jeep! Proper sized tires mean the jeep is riding about two inches taller, and I'm not getting flats! The jeep even rides straight down the road without any fighting at the steering wheel. I was overwhelmed by your desire to get the LEAD jeep in good condition and I can't thank you all enough for the Christmas gift!

Ahhh, much better!

Anyways, I'm catching flack from everyone over here at my friends' house for being anti-social, so I should get going. Thank you all for everything you've done, and I hope that - wherever you are - you're having a great time with friends or family.

All I want for Christmas is... new tires!

The used tire business is big in Liberia, where new tires must be imported by container ship, making them expensive ($90-$250). Instead of purchasing new tires, all taxi drivers and many individuals opt for used tires which are a fraction of the cost ($20-$40), but considerably less reliable, especially when driving on Liberia's rough roads.

Used tires from North America and Europe - often soft snow tires that don't have much tread left - are bought by Ghanaian, Nigerian and Lebanese business owners, packed into 20' or 40' containers and shipped over to Liberia. These containers are put on trucks at the port and taken somewhere like the Red Light market area where they are sold to Liberian tire repair shop owners. These people then take the tires back to their respective tire shops around Liberia.

Drivers getting flat tires will typically choose to have them repaired. In the developed world, a tire is repaired by removing the tire from the rim with a pneumatic machine before glue-covered rubber chords are pushed through the tire using a screw-driver like tool. In Liberia, tires are repaired by first manually prying and banging the tire off the rim. Then, the area around the hole is roughed up from the inside. A piece of inner tube is cut to size and glue is applied to the tube and patch. The glue sets until tacky, and is put over the hole. A steel mallet is used to pound the patch in place, and then the tire is worked back around the tire before being re-inflated.

This is a process I have observed an unfortunate number of times since coming to Liberia. LEAD - being a Liberian non-profit operating on a limited budget - finds itself buying used tires for its grey jeep, the one I typically drive. I have become quite familiar to the PBBBSS PSS PSS PSS PSS PSSS PSSSS PSSSSS PSsssss pssssss psssssss pssssss psssssssssssssssss... sound coming through the open windows of the vehicle after I've blown yet another tire. Although my stomach still turns each time it happens, I've become used to the ritual of changing flats on the roadside and I even carry a towel and water bags with me to clean up my sweaty, red dirt covered self when I'm done. Then, I carefully make my way directly to the nearest tire shop, hoping a second flat doesn't leave me stranded (which has happened on several occasions).

Honestly speaking, if any of my friends in Liberia would like to know where to get a tire repaired, call me at 0880.643.683. I'll be able to tell you that there's a shop in Central Monrovia on Benson Street, in Congo Town on Tubman Boulevard across from Musu's Spot, in Thinker's Village at the truck parking, in Smell-No-Taste across from the Total Station, in Gbarnga by the Ganta parking area, in Ganta on your right before you get to the new UBA bank building, in Buchanan at the Monrovia parking station, on the way to Robertsport right before the checkpoint where you turn left, and in Robertsport near the market if you were to take a right coming in to town. I've been to each of these shops no less than three times; some many more times.

Recently, when a third flat/tire repair in two days nearly caused a friend from the World Bank to miss her flight, I decided it was time to look around town for price quotes on new tires. I drove around Monrovia negotiating my way through six tire shops, and got quotes on tires ranging from very low quality ones for $140 to the knobby ones the mining companies buy at $200.

The prices were higher than I'd hoped, but it was while I was driving around town on Johnson Street for tire quotes that I once again heard that hissing sound coming from my back right tire. A fourth flat tire in three days? It was the straw that broke the camel's back and I made up my mind to work on getting new tires.

While I waited for Matthew (pictured above at the Benson Street tire repair shop) to repair my tire I texted a friend - someone who had often been stranded while we changed tires - to complain about the irony of my situation. To my surprise she texted back telling me that less than an hour earlier she had gone online and donated $300 to my partners account, with 'Two new tires for Derek' in the memo line.

Now convinced that I should go for new tires, I headed home as soon as I had four wheels on the ground. The next morning I got up early to head over to Old Road where I could get the jeep cleaned. It was the first Tuesday of the month and I wanted a clean vehicle for when I'd be driving some of my colleagues over to 'The Office' restaurant after our monthly staff meeting. It was then that, adding insult to injury, I got another flat tire; a puncture in a different spot of the same tire that had been punctured the day before, a 'good' used tire that I'd bought less than 48 hours earlier, a fifth flat in four days.

Yesterday I stopped by Cactus Enterprise on Randall Street to get one last quote. I know the guy there because I used to buy motorcycle oil from him and we got to negotiating. I told him my sob story, and he had compassion. He told me he could get me a solid, quality Chinese tire in the size I need (85R16, 245) for $150, a tire he'd sell to the better funded international NGOs at $190.

Here’s the catch: the quoted price I was given expires “next week Thursday or Friday” when his new shipment of tires is expected to be released from the port, and he'll be raising his prices roughly 20%. Sure, it’s a sales gimmick, but it’s an effective one and I've done my research: all the other tires of this quality cost about $25 more which means the cost for five of them would be $875 for the whole set instead of $750.

Here is my request: whether you support my regular fundraising budget or not, please consider making a one time donation to help me put new tires on the LEAD jeep. At this rate, I'm spending so much time, money and energy repairing flat tires that its actually taking away from time and energies that I could be better spend on LEAD's clients. Its not safe driving on these tires and its NEVER fun getting stranded by two flat tires. Also, when I leave Liberia, I'd like to leave LEAD with a vehicle that will reliably serve the organization for some time to come.

I already have the $300 which has been donated for the specific purpose of getting two new tires, leaving me with $450 to go. If you'd like to buy me one tire for Christmas (my birthday is coming up too...) donate $150, or any amount to help me on my way. In any case, please let me know how much you are giving for the specific cause of putting new tires on the LEAD jeep: I want to make sure that I'm not taking away any money that would otherwise go toward my regular intern budget, putting it in danger of being underfunded.

If you'd like to make a donation for the cause please do so by sending a check to Partners Worldwide at 6139 Tahoe Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49546 or by giving online at www.partnersworldwide.org. Be sure to write Derek's support in the memo/special instructions line. Canadians can have their gifts tax-deductible by writing checks to Stratford CRC with 'Derek Support' in the memo line and mailing them to 190 Althlone Crescent, Stratford, Ontario, N4z 1H9. However you make your donation, please email me at derek.hoogland@gmail.com and let me know how much you are giving. If you'd like to do it anonymously you can make an anonymous gift via any of the above-listed options and then make an anonymous comment with the amount in the comment box below, or contact Partners at 616-818-4900 and ask them to notify me of your gift amount.

Thanks for your support!

Merry Christmas!

Staff Meeting, Camping in Buchanan!

On the first Tuesday of each month the Program Managers from each county as well as the national staff meet to discuss business training class recruitment/progress, loan disbursement dates, upcoming events, disburse the monthly prayer calendar, and the infamous 'Any Other Business', among other things. The meetings are full of eloquence and protocol and tend to last about three long hours, but are actually quite beneficial for the organization.

Today Allen decided to invite not only the Program Managers from each county, but also the Education Coordinators and Office Assistants. It was the first time that this group has met as a whole and it was inspiring to see how far the organization has come since it started with just Renita and James using the back of a Nissan Pathfinder as an office. LEAD now operates in six counties and employs 23.

The LEAD staff, minus a few folks who were sick or otherwise unable to make it to Monrovia.

Today started a bit rough - with yet another flat tire (the 5th in four days) - but left me feeling a bit giddy. I love the folks I work with, and we're doing some pretty sweet stuff. The few weeks I've been back have been busy but things are really beginning to take shape for some of the things we've been working on. The children's book has been published, and the LEAD staff had a chance to look at it. Daniel Nya Kona, Program Manager for Nimba County was given a copy of 'My Name is Emmanuel' to give to Ernestson Wondan, the main character of the book, and I'm excited to hear his response.

PLUG: Buy your copy for only $15 by emailing Dick Ammons at dickammons@comcast.net.The photography was done by yours truly and all proceeds go to LEAD. Its a great Christmas gift for the youngins or your friends with youngins.

During the meeting we also discussed the peer mentoring program model that we are hoping to adopt from Ghana's Hopeline Institute. The staff seemed keen to the idea, and I'm looking forward to Thursday's meeting with Allen, Andrew and Matthew when we will be discussing it further and deciding how to move forward. At that same meeting, we will also be discussing how to further connect with the Liberian business community to use as a source of mentors for our clients; a project Andrew and I will be working closely on.

We also discussed LEAD's February conference. As it stands, we have A LOT of work to do yet, but the staff was also excited about the progress and I think we will have a lot of valuable content for the entrepreneurs in attendance from Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana. I'm particularly interested in our workshop list. Check it out:

Three themes with four options:

1. Agriculture

a. Workshop A: Appropriate technology

b. Workshop B: Increasing your yield through simple affordable methods.

c. Workshop C: Animal Husbandry

d. Workshop D: Bringing your goods to Market – storage and working with the middleman.

2. Food Processing

a. Workshop A: How to meet standard boards for drying foods

b. Workshop B: How to process fruit juice

c. Workshop C: How to process nuts

d. Workshop D: Sanitation, packaging, etc.

3. Service Industries and Retailers

a. Workshop A: Business Ethics – how it can shape your business

b. Workshop B: Personnel – Employees can make or break your business

c. Workshop C: Micro insurance – Necessary for all business owners

d. Workshop D: Marketing and Sales Techniques

As you can see we're focusing on promoting value-add businesses in Liberia; something not prominent right now where the vast majority of goods are imported, even a major portion of agriculture products which could be grown locally.

We ended our meeting by mentioning LEAD's upcoming agriculture intern, Brett Pfister, a farm boy from Indiana who will be joining LEAD for a year beginning early January, and will be a major asset as LEAD hammers down on promoting local agriculture. I'm looking forward to showing him around to my favorite spots in Funrovia during his first two months before he heads up to Nimba County.

After the meeting we all headed over to a new restaurant called The Office, serving great Liberian dishes. Hanging out with the colleauges, watching football and sharing food and drinks is always good times.

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Now, a few photos from this past weekend's camping trip to the beach out past Buchanan. Yes, life here is pretty sweet. Come visit, yea?

Postcard worthy beaches

Our campsite

White folks love taking photos

Hangin' out, doin' some fishin'

A real keeper

French toast anyone?

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Posted from my new favorite internet location Dona Maria's where you can get great pizza, the beer is served in chilled glasses, the internet is fast and the customer service is absolutely fantastic; something especially noteworthy in LIB.

Lets Talk Liberian English

As I type this Mr. Andrews, the landlord for LEAD's office in Buchanan, is having an entire conversation about rent prices, using an allegory of new and old mats at the medium for the conversation.

An excerpt from Allen: "When you make new mat, don't you have to sit on the old one?"

Mr. Andrews has come all the way to Monrovia to try to raise the monthly rent on us during mid-contract. As it turns out, he's not being sinister, he just has an emergency in the family and needs to come up with some extra money. Allen is explaining to him that while we are in the midst of one contract, he has no right to raise the rent price.

Furthermore, we are being good tenants, and it would not be wise of him to treat us poorly during this lease period when we are probably going to be signing another one with him. Allen goes on to explain that, because of the relationship he has with LEAD, he can come and request additional funds from us to help him out, but LEAD is certainly under no obligation to do so.

Liberian English is so much more than just an accent; its an entire methodology of speaking with rules, making it a dialect (as far as I'm concerned). Sure there is an accent, but that's just part of it, and overcoming it is just the first step of understanding. You see, you'll also notice that Liberians cut off the end of many words and even entire middle syllables, but there is a predictability to it, so with time you can anticipate it, even replicate it.

But that's not all! You also need to learn which words are replaced by others because you might not pick up the meaning of what is actually spoken if the speaker is not using all the same words you would expect. An easy example is one I mentioned in the last blog post: any 'SUV', as we say in North America, is considered to be a 'jeep'. You can explain to a Liberian that Jeep is a branch of the automobile manufacturer Chrysler and not a type of vehicle all you want, but you will only be wasting your time.

Another example would be if my colleague Andrew Davis would take/walk/bring the registration payment for my jeep over to the Ministry of Finance. Instead he would say "I'm going to carry the payment over there this afternoon." Similarly, when Allen hands me the keys after taking a stop at Mama Sallie's restaurant on the way back from Ganta and says "I think you can carry us to Monrovia" he's saying that he's tired having just drove the really rough road from Ganta to Gbarnga, and I should drive the rest of the way.

Now account for the Liberian sense of humor; dry and layered. It takes some time to pick up, and much longer to be able to replicate, but I've become a huge fan.

[Liberians speak LOUDLY!]

I began this post talking about how Liberians use allegories. Its something you really need to be looking out for to be able to have a full understanding of what's going on because they are used in all types of conversations. Now for a few allegories/sayings that come to mind:

"That man has snake eyes"

That guy seems to always have frown on his face, or he simple has a face that looks like its always mad.

"Let sleeping dogs lie"

The issue at hand is not correct the way it is, and it is a problem, but its not one that is going to 'bite us in the ass' as it is now, so lets just go ahead and leave it be.

"That man is stretching eye at you!"

My Liberian passenger is noting that I've offended someone with my driving, and he's showing it with his face.

My all time favorite still remains the one Allen taught me while driving in traffic. He was riding shotgun when a pan pan (motorcycle taxi) cuts me off, nearly killing himself and his passenger.

Allen "I beg yea, rice eh swee -oh!"

Literally translated: "I beg you, rice is sweet."

Translated for meaning: "Rice is tasty, and you probably enjoy eating it. If you'd like to continue to be alive to be able to do so, I advice you not to ride your motorcycle like that!"

If you can pick up on all that, then you just need to add 'oh' to end of about half your sentences, and you're all set!

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COMMENTS PLEASE!

While I was back in North America I was happy to hear that people were actually reading my posts, which is a huge motivation to keep posting. I created a hit counter for the page (on the right, bottom), but it keeps track of each and every visit, including my own, and including anyone who has it set as their home page (yes, the blog is THAT well followed).

However, I'd love to hear your feedback so comment away! For example, if you're an English major and it grinds you to hear me use 'allegory' twice when its really a parable or metaphor or whatever, or you hate how many commas I use, or if you don't approve of my recent love of the italics function for posting, feel free to have at it.

Also, email/comment your questions! Blog post topic request? Let me know!