WOW. I'm speechless. I have no words to describe how USELESS I've been in this aspect of my time in Sierra Leone. lol. I won't lie, I hate writing this blog thing... It's seems like a stupid medium to keep in touch, BUT I do understand and appreciate just how powerful a good blog can be (global education ring a bell?!), so I am actually going to give this thing a go. I have been inspired by so many friends who have actually managed to get their blog off the ground...so....here goes, eh! *Blog Envy* You have the right to send me abusive emails regarding my lack of blog writing, if it happens again!
I guess I should update you all on my current situation. It's a bit of a long story, but I know for those of you who are also not at "home" and are working and living in places like China, Fiji, Rwanda, and indeed for those of you who just live there, you may not be updated on what I'm up to. I'm sorry I haven't been in touch more, I really am.
So at some point in 2007, when I realised that my time in Salone was coming to an end, I had a slight panic attack, and realised that I needed, and wanted, more time in Salone. For many reasons. Work. Well being in a "capacity building" position, I realised that the person (who will remain anonymous) who I was supposed to be capacity building in all things to do with advocacy, was not going to be able to perform as Advocacy Programme Officer by Sept 2007. There was a lot more work to be done. So I extended by contract by three months. That meant that I would be in Salone til December 2007.
Rainy Season and Peaceful Elections
Time ticked on. At a stupidly fast rate. My birthday came and went in June...and then...Suddenly the skies darkened, and it was rainy season again... Rainy season turned Byrne Lane, where I live, into a flowing river of sewage. It made getting to work impossible, unless you were willing to fight the sewage and then fight people to get transport...
Rainy season from our balcony at Byrne Lane
And then, I don't really know what happened, but it was like I blinked and we were in the midst of elections in August. Elections in Salone were really interesting, and much to the disgust of the international press, they were entirely PEACEFUL. It's difficult to ascertain what made them peaceful. Is it because Sierra Leoneans want peace, they know what war is like, and they do NOT want their country to go back to that state? Or is it to the credit of the National Electoral Commission, who ensured that the process was free and fair? Or is it due to the mass campaigning done by national organisations on non-violence in the electoral process? A combination, perhaps? Whatever it was, everybody is glad that they were peaceful, and Sierra Leoneans should be commended for this. It is quite an achievment. The fact that not many of you realise that we had an election says a lot. It doesn't say much for the international media's lack of reporting on peaceful occasions in Africa, but hey, you can't have everything. Here are some snaps of the day. I was fortunate enough to have been "trained" as a National Election Watch (NEW) observer, and so I had access all areas!
above: People running to get in line to vote at 6am, Aug 11
below: the first person to vote at the booth that I was monitoring
The result of the August 11 elections revealed that neither of the two main presidential contenders received more than the 55% vote which they needed to win. So...there was a run off in September. The run off concluded that the opposition party, the red party, the All People's Congress had won!
Visitors and New Arrivals!
September and October flew by, as 2 of my closest friends came to Salone!! I had Caro, one of my school friends from London come visit for two blissful weeks of hanging out, sitting on beaches, and being merry. A week before Care's arrival, Diya arrived in Freetown, which was wonderful! I was so excited (and still am)! Diya is also a VSO, who started work in Makeni in Oct. Byrne Lane also acquired a new housemate, which is very significant in our lives. Me and Kate did question if we could love someone else, but I think we've succeeded! Welcome Jayne! Xx
November came, and plans for Krystle's farewell party were well underway. The party was great, and I am very thankful to everyone at YAPAD, and of course my wonderful housemates Kate, Jayne and Dennis for all their help (monetary and emotional to be precise). It was quite amazing to have all the people I love in Salone under our roof! Little did we know that actually there was no need for this partayyyy...
What, I hear you ask?? December came, and YAPAD got a VSO called Serita to come and do a HR analysis. In her analysis she raised issues surrounding the running of the programme at YAPAD, the skills and capacities required to run the programme, etc. VSO and YAPAD concluded that either they needed to find another volunteer to take over my role, or I would need to extend again. So, Krystle's contract got extended! Don't worry, it won't happen again!
So now I'm back in sunny (sic) London, where I am chilling, catching up with friends, using the internet, EATING, spending quality time with fambule, generally having what some people would call a 4 week holiday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The longest holiday I've had in years - I'm starting to pull my hair out! It's been so lovely catching up with people... Sometimes it's a bit surreal, and I wake up thinking where the hell am I, but I know I'm going back to Salone next week, so I don't have to deal with the emotions that are associated with permanent departures! We'll deal with them in April - the beasts!
Much love to you all - and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
