There are three of these schools in Liberia funded by an organization called "Serve the Children." We gathered up some books that we brought to donate, ate breakfast, and waited for our ride. The school was about an hour and a half away. All six of us squished into a small cab that should have seated 4 passengers. Mom, MC, GG and I compressed ourselves into the back seat, with Dad in the passenger seat and Lawrence perched on his lap. We were quite a sight to see as we bounced down the road avoiding pot holes, and enormous puddles, feeling like a can of sardines. Unfortunately we had to pass through a large market where many people travel to get great bargains on merchandise and food. It's called the Red Lightdistrict. I really hate going through this part of town due to the number of people, garbage and smells. The people act as if you are driving on their side walk. They weave in and out of the cars like nobody's business with their wheel barrows, buckets, and items balanced on their heads. The younger kids and teens run along side the cars trying to advertise the stuff they are selling. Sometimes its gum, a magazine or newspaper, a small fabric flag, candy etc. Cars drive both ways down a road that looks like one lane, trying to dodge the motorcycles, pedestrians, umbrella shops, garbage and ditches.
No one abides by any traffic rules. The most aggressive driver usually wins. Since there is no air conditioning in the car, the windows need to stay down. It is impossible not to smell all the smells of the rainbow! Gross! There is mud everywhere due to the heavy rains, and the place is just filthy with trash everywhere. The people are stoic, impatient with the cars, rude and determined to finish their job of buying or selling their goods before paying attention to anything else around them. The garbage is in heaps along the road, sometimes smoking because they're trying to burn it. It's a sad sight.
After an uncomfortable nap in the car we finally arrive at AGC followed by a second car with staff from the AGC school in Monrovia. The Principle, Ma Mary, greeted us and took us immediately to her office where we met the other staff members. Everyone was very warm and welcoming, even the kids. We were given a tour and met all the classes and their teachers. There is a class called K-2, 1st grade, 2nd grade and level 2 and 3. (The level two class is a 3rd-4th grade class and level three is a fifth and sixth grade class. Kids my age were in them.)
GG, MC, Lawrence and I read some of the books, we brought to donate, to all the classes. The kids loved it! Even though everyone speaks English here they don't understand American English very well. After I read a passage in one of the book's I asked, "So where did the birds fly to?".
The class paused, then answered, "Yes" I couldn't help but laugh. My mom asked if the school had any soccer balls so we could start up a game with some of the kids. They gave us one that had been so worn down it had no outer rubber anymore and it was flat. We asked the older girls to come play soccer with us, and split them into two teams. They had so much fun! GG and I were each captains and found that we couldn't play like we are used to because the girls all swarmed to the ball and kicked it as hard as they could, so it was kind of a sketchy game, but fun nonetheless. After school was out, we drove to some property where they are going to rebuild the school. The foundation has been completed, so now they can start building the walls. There will be 6 classrooms, some administrative offices, and an auditorium. The location was beautiful; It was up on a hill and had a beautiful view.
We stopped for soda on the way home at a little shop on the side of the road after eating some white bread rolls. It was so refreshing! But we had to stand there and drink them, because you have to return the glass bottles. We were looking forward to the dinner Martha was making at home for us! We got home, cleaned up and rested. But throughout the next hour, a very strange smell wafted through the house, and not a nice one at that. For dinner we had a Liberian dish called FuFu with pepper and fish soup. I will NEVER, ever in my WHOLE life, eat this again. The FuFu looked like rubber cement on a plate, while fish heads and tails floated around the soup.
Martha rolled with laughter when she saw the looks on our faces as she set this on the table. She told us that you don't chew it. You put the broth over it, some fish on it and swallow it. No chewing! Lawrence gagged trying to swallow it, MC, GG and I tried some (spoon full) and didn't fancy it, so we took the left overs down to the guards watching our compound:) I'll learn how to make it so every one back home can have a taste! Not really, this will be the first and last time I will be around that stuff. Hope everyone at home is enjoying their delicious meals! Please savor them and don't take it for granted!
~Meg
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