“How was Sierra Leone?”
I’m back home and my family, friends, even some strangers are all curious to know, how did I like Sierra Leone? Despite fielding this question many times, I always struggle to answer it. My time in Salone was no one thing. It was exciting, challenging, frustrating, unpredictable, intriguing, thought provoking and everything in between. It was different than anything I have ever experienced.
As I answer the question, I struggle to compress 9 weeks of adventures into one sentence or even one paragraph. I want to explain that I fell in love with the country, it’s green rolling hills, beautiful beaches, the warm sense of belonging. But that it’s a hard country to love. It’s very poor, the infrastructure is falling apart, and nothing seems to work. Yet despite these challenges, I’m grateful for my summer.
I am grateful for all the wonderful Sierra Leoneans I met who taught me about their country and helped me navigate it. For the extremely welcoming expat community that quickly became a support system. For all of the experiences that have changed how I think about development, my career goals, and my place in this world. But mostly, I am grateful to have shared this experience with Esther, who was there through all the frustrations, disappointments, uncertainties, and venting sessions; and who made the weekend adventures, night outs, and food exploration much more exciting.
So, how was my summer?
I have no one answer, but it was a summer of wonderful memories that I will always carry with me. I often like to close my Salone conversations mentioning the sweet messages that have flooded my phone since I left. Whether it’s my tennis coach or the woman who took my lunch order, the concern for my safe travels back home and invitations to visit Sierra Leone again have been very touching. It’s just one example of the many reasons why the country and the summer will always hold a special place in my heart.
Left: Esther and I in the Office; Middle: Meeting with the Mayor; Right: Presenting to the Team