Under the Milky Way

Exploring Monrovia It’s been an interesting past few weeks/months, whatever has passed since I last updated. As per my last post, I moved to Monrovia. And I feel like a full fledged ex-pat these days. At first, I really resisted this idea, wanting to cling to and hold on to that integrated, I-understand-this-country-from-the-local-perspective way of thinking, but trying to balance the two worlds eventually became too much of a burden, so I decided to just run with my new life. I am by no means a very social or involved ex-pat on the scene here, but I dabble from time to time. I’ve made a few friends and contacts who have gotten me out to explore the area and take advantage of the setting. Occasionally I’ll participate in the weekend, afro-pop nightlife or a dinner party with friends, and I attended a salsa event held by the Cuban Embassy last week—that’s about the extent of my socializing. Learning to salsa dance in Liberia Rainy season ...

April is coming to a close, and I need to do another update on my life. A whooooole lot changed this month, but the biggest changes were my location, my job, and my health. Last month in March, a bunch of emotional things happened. Two of my closest friends left Liberia, dry season heat was at its peak and making me miserable, and the lack of work at my site was reaching a tipping point. I thought long and hard about my options. My favorite little 9 month old is almost walking I felt torn. I didn’t really want to leave Liberia, but I also wasn’t sure how much more of my situation I could emotionally handle. I felt like I’d lost control over every aspect of my life; my well-being, privacy, daily routine, and happiness all felt dependent on my environment and the people around me. I tried not to stress about this realization, but I also felt like I’d reached an inescapable and unhealthy place. Thankfully, things sort of fell into place all at once. As I was...