Pics pics pics!

This is what greeted me on the wall when I arrived at the Kulah's when I first got to Liberia. I jst really wanted to share it with you. It stay up for a little over a week.

This Matt the Med Student working in the Ganta hospital. I went around with him for an afternoon, talked with some of the patients, and played games with him. This guy really liked my flippy-floppies. I didn't talk about Matt as much as the Germans, but he was really awesome and had a lot of fun being 'American' with him. Thanks to him I had one my most favorite Fourth of Julys. I'll tell more about this Indepence Day celebration later. Don't worry Hally, we truely celebrated in American fashion.

My German companions, Lisa and Wolfgang. They are a swell bunch! On our way to the carpentry shop. There was a lot of dirt and mud in Ganta, hence their fancy rain boots.

The outdoor vender market. It is one of the most chaotic places. And all these people will sit there and sell their goods rain or shine. I have seen them sitting there at 9 at night in the rain with their poor umbrellas still trying to sell.

Matt, Me, Wolf, and Lisa. Lisa is very beautiful lady, but she just did not smile at the right moment for this picture. These people really became like family to me in a quick week. I was sad to leave them.

The girls were enjoying candy left over from Peace's graduation party. It looks like they were dancing.

Jerruth and Lina. This Lina the prettiest little girl around, and Jerruth (though we say it like Jay-roo) is the girl with the most attitude around.

Douglous and Brandon. They've gone native. These two have really grown on me. We have all become good friends.

John Harris, one of my favorites. I have learned so much from him. He's solid.

Christine look!
There are pharmacies everywhere, and yet not that many doctors, hmmm...

Joshua, Jonathan, and I. I was being African and not smiling for the picture. They don't smile most of the time. I have to tell them, lets smile in this one, because if not all the Americans back home are going to think you don't like me. And they don't like me, but I really want to convince you all that they do.

Down town Monrovia from the top of the hotel. Main market area for Monrovia.

A shanty town of sorts that I could see from the top of this 4-Star hotel we went to the top of. We were escorted by some UN soldiers to the top.

Little boy selling some bananas on the side of the road. This is basically in the neighborhood. I probably go past about 200+ people just like this on our 30 minute drive into Monrovia everyday. They sell all sorts of things. Then that little hut behind him is what all the little shops look like. Shops for haircuts, medicines, foods, car parts, video/music shops, entertainment centers, etc.

This is what most gas stations in Liberia look like. They just pour the gas into a funnel into your car. Sometimes they'll tilt your car so that they can try to get as much as possible in without any form of fluid pressure.

This is Peace and I. Peace really likes to play with the camera and pose for the camera. I believe I already talked about him in another post, but he's the youngest. Just graduated from kindergarten. It was a big deal. We call him Dr. Peace now.

Ahh the beach! This beach has needles and poop all over it though. So watch out. Brandon, CA teacher, came out of the ocean with a plastic bag stuck to him. There are some nicer beaches, where they clean them up, but most are like small landfills.

The principal of Joshua and Jonathan's school. He's not African incase you were wondering. I thought it just really endearing and interesting how the principal and kids got along. I just don't think you'd see this type of relationship at many schools in America.

Liberia. Near the JFK Hospital. Don't let the power lines to the left fool you.

Liberia needs your taxes people! Well not YOUR'S, but I'm sure they would take them. Thought it was just so bizarre and awful how they have to plead with the public to please pay some taxes so that they can try to better their post-war society. But that's post-war society. They don't have a system to keep track of everyone's identification so they can't really enfource taxes like most nations. They just have to ask.

Me chilling with the Liberian youth.

This is the mango trees with the amazing breeze that comes through here. This is where the kids play games in the shade and where the clothes are hung for drying. It was just a nice, colorful picture.

This is the living room where we do devotionals every morning and evening. This is also where the family all gather and just hangout every night watching whatever they can get on the antenna for the TV. You can also see the dinning room in the back behind that large piece of furniture in the center. This is also where I sat among a bunch of hardcore football fans as they all rooted for Brazil against America in the finals for the Confederate Cup. Did you know America is actually good at soccer now? I sure didn't. We beat Spain people, this is a big deal, and sure as heck gave Brazil a run for its money! Yay US!

My bed room that I share with Joshua and Jonathan Kulah. They share the big one of the left and I'm on the right. Those are our mosquito nets hanging from the cieling that we bring down and tuck every night, very important to tuck, because the mosquitoes know how to make their way in.